Ilyushin Il-96

Il-96 300 · Il-96 400

Russia’s Long-Range Flagship — The Widebody That Bridged Soviet and Modern Aviation.

Overview

Ilyushin Russia ICAO: IL96 1992–Present Active $50 million (2019)
Ilyushin Russia ICAO: IL96 1992–Present Active $50 million (2019)

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

Ilyushin Il-96 300

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Aeroflot Russian Airlines Ilyushin Il-96-300 ‘RA-96015’

Ilyushin Il-96 400

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Ilyushin IL-96-400VPU ‘RA-96104’ -Russian Federal Security Service

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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.