Jumbo Passenger Jets
McDonnell Douglas DC-10
ICAO: DC10
Overview
When the Soviet Union set out to create a widebody jet that could rival Western airliners like the Boeing 767 and Airbus A340, the result was the Ilyushin Il-96 — sleek, capable, and proudly Russian. It became a symbol of transition, carrying Soviet engineering into a new era of commercial flight.
Live Fleet Activity (IL96)
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Specifications
Units
- Engine
- 4 × Aviadvigatel (Soloviev) PS-90A
- Engine type
- Turbofan
- Thrust
- 4 × 35,300 lbf · 157 kN
- Avionics
- —
- Wing tips
- Canted winglets
- Seats
- 240
- Crew
- —
- Cabin width
- 18 ft 8 in · 5.70 m
- Cabin height
- 9 ft 5 in · 2.86 m
- Cabin length
- 112 ft 10 in · 34.40 m
- Exterior length
- 181 ft 5 in · 55.30 m
- Tail height
- 51 ft 6 in · 15.70 m
- Fuselage diameter
- 19 ft 11 in · 6.08 m
- Wing span
- 197 ft 2 in · 60.10 m
- Baggage volume
- —
- Gross weight
- —
- Empty weight
- —
- Max takeoff weight
- 551,000 lb · 250,000 kg
- Max landing weight
- —
- Max payload
- 88,000 lb · 40,000 kg
- Fuel capacity
- 40,300 gal · 152,600 L · 122,100 kg (Jet A)
- Max cruise speed
- 459 kt · 528 mph · 850 km/h
- Maximum speed
- —
- Cruise speed
- —
- Approach speed
- —
- Range
- 6,209 nm · 7,150 mi · 11,500 km
- Fuel burn
- —
- Ceiling
- 43,000 ft · 13,100 m
- Rate of climb
- —
- Takeoff distance
- 7,800 ft · 2,380 m
- Landing distance
- 2,800 ft · 860 m
- Engine
- 4 × Aviadvigatel PS90-A1
- Engine type
- Turbofan
- Thrust
- 4 × 38,326 lbf · 170 kN
- Avionics
- —
- Wing tips
- Canted winglets
- Seats
- 436
- Crew
- —
- Cabin width
- 18 ft 8 in · 5.70 m
- Cabin height
- 9 ft 5 in · 2.86 m
- Cabin length
- 145 ft 8 in · 44.40 m
- Exterior length
- 209 ft 8 in · 63.90 m
- Tail height
- 51 ft 6 in · 15.70 m
- Fuselage diameter
- 19 ft 11 in · 6.08 m
- Wing span
- 197 ft 2 in · 60.10 m
- Baggage volume
- —
- Gross weight
- —
- Empty weight
- —
- Max takeoff weight
- 584,000 lb · 265,000 kg
- Max landing weight
- —
- Max payload
- 128,000 lb · 58,000 kg
- Fuel capacity
- 40,300 gal · 152,600 L · 122,100 kg (Jet A)
- Max cruise speed
- 469 kt · 540 mph · 869 km/h
- Maximum speed
- —
- Cruise speed
- —
- Approach speed
- —
- Range
- 5,400 nm · 6,210 mi · 10,000 km
- Fuel burn
- —
- Ceiling
- 43,000 ft · 13,100 m
- Rate of climb
- —
- Takeoff distance
- 8,850 ft · 2,700 m
- Landing distance
- 5,400 ft · 1,650 m
Gallery
Ilyushin Il-96 300
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Ilyushin Il-96 400
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Operational Context
Ilyushin Il-96 — Russia’s Enduring Long-Range Airliner
The Ilyushin Il-96 is a long-range, widebody, four-engine airliner designed by the Ilyushin Design Bureau in the late 1980s. Conceived as an advanced development of the earlier Il-86, it aimed to combine the proven reliability of Soviet design with the efficiency and sophistication of Western airliners.
The prototype Il-96 made its first flight on September 28, 1988, and entered service with Aeroflot in 1993. Externally similar to the Il-86, the Il-96 introduced a shorter fuselage, aerodynamically refined wings with winglets, and modernized avionics. Most importantly, it was powered by four Aviadvigatel (Soloviev) PS-90A turbofan engines, each producing 35,300 lbf (157 kN) of thrust, allowing a cruise speed of about 540 mph (870 km/h) and a range up to 7,200 miles (11,500 km).
While never produced in large numbers due to economic challenges and limited export appeal, the Il-96 proved durable and technologically sound. It remains in limited service with Rossiya Airlines and government operators, representing a bridge between Soviet-era engineering and modern Russian aviation.
Il-96-300
The Il-96-300, the first variant of the Ilyushin Il-96 series, was launched in 1985 and first flew in 1988 before entering Aeroflot service in 1993. Powered by four Aviadvigatel PS-90A high-bypass turbofan engines (35,300 lbf each) with FADEC and low-noise exhaust systems, it represented a major technological step for Russian long-haul aircraft. Designed to carry 262 passengers up to 6,200 nautical miles, the Il-96-300 cruises at around 460 knots and can reach altitudes of 43,000 feet.
It has a wingspan of 60.1 meters, length of 55.3 meters, and a maximum takeoff weight of 250,000 kg. A VIP version, the Il-96-300PU, serves as the official aircraft for the Russian president, with four currently operated by the State Transport Company. The Republic of Cuba is another notable operator of this reliable long-range airliner.
Il-96-400
The Il-96-400 is an extended and upgraded version of the Il-96-300, featuring Russian-built Aviadvigatel PS-90A1 high-bypass turbofan engines producing 38,326 lbf each. It retains the Il-96’s advanced supercritical wings with winglets, glass cockpit, and fly-by-wire controls, offering improved range and capacity over earlier variants. With a maximum takeoff weight of 265,000 kg, the Il-96-400 can carry up to 436 passengers (or 386 in a two-class layout) across 5,400 nautical miles at a cruising speed of around 460 knots and a ceiling of 43,000 feet. Measuring 63.9 meters in length with a 60.1-meter wingspan, it provides a spacious 5.7-meter-wide cabin suited for long-haul operations. Cuba’s aviation corporation signed for three Il-96-400s in 2013, underscoring continued international interest in this advanced Russian widebody.