Il 96 is a new Russian passenger aircraft. Russian aviation

	Passenger plane
Developer:	OKB Ilyushin
Manufacturer:
Chief designer:	Genrikh Novozhilov
First flight:
Start of operation:
	Operated
Main operators:	Aeroflot (6 aircraft) « (4 aircraft, 2 ordered) Flight (3 aircraft, 3 ordered)
Years of production:
Units produced:	25 (6 under construction)
Unit cost:
Base model:

History of creation

Tests

Exploitation

Aircraft design

Power point

Aircraft systems

Options

Accidents and incidents

Flight ban

Named aircraft

Other facts

IL-96- a wide-body passenger aircraft for medium and long-haul airlines, designed at the Ilyushin Design Bureau in the late 1980s. It made its first flight in 1988 and has been in serial production since 1993 at the Voronezh Joint-Stock Aircraft Manufacturing Company plant. Il-96 became the first and last Soviet long-range wide-body aircraft.

Aerodynamic design

• Four-engine turbojet low-wing aircraft with swept wings and single-tail tail.

History of creation

By the mid-1970s, virtually all long-haul air travel in the USSR and socialist countries were carried out on Il-62 aircraft. However, the capabilities of these aircraft could not fully respond to the rapid growth in the volume of long-distance transportation: due to the relatively low passenger capacity, the number of flights increased, and accordingly, the load on airports increased. In addition, the cabin of the narrow-body aircraft was far from the degree of comfort that was achieved on the Boeing 747, which entered service in 1969, which became the world's first wide-body aircraft.

In 1974-1977, simultaneously with the development of the Il-86 aircraft at the Design Bureau named after. S.V. Ilyushin conducted research on the long-range aircraft Il-86D. This aircraft differed from the original in increased wing dimensions (470 sq.m.) and new turbojet engines with a higher bypass ratio, reduced specific fuel consumption and a thrust of 20,850 kgf. Research at the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute named after. N. E. Zhukovsky showed that through the use of new technical solutions it is possible to significantly improve the fuel efficiency of the Il-86D aircraft and increase its weight efficiency. It was assumed that complete unification with the Il-86 would allow the aircraft to be quickly certified and put into service.

In 1978, using the results of work on the Il-86D project, the OKB began developing the Il-96 aircraft with a T-shaped tail, a higher aspect ratio wing with supercritical nose profiles and an area of ​​up to 387 sq.m. Research on this option was carried out until 1983, when the progress achieved in the field of aviation science and technology made it possible to abandon the idea of ​​​​creating the Il-96 aircraft using many ready-made units and systems of the Il-86 aircraft in its design and move on to creating a fundamentally new Il-96 aircraft. 96-300.

The Il-96-300 aircraft differs from its predecessor Il-86 by having a fuselage shortened by 5.5 meters, a larger wing span and a reduced sweep angle, increased dimensions of the vertical tail, and an improved interior of the passenger cabin. New alloys are used in its design and the proportion of composite materials is increased. The aircraft uses an automatic fuel consumption control system, which allows it to maintain the alignment of the aircraft in flight. Particular attention was paid to the reliability and safety of aircraft operation. The aircraft uses a Russian digital avionics system with six color multifunction displays, an electronic thrust control system, an inertial navigation system and satellite navigation systems. It was decided to install new Solovyov PS-90A engines on the Il-96-300. The smooth nacelle of the PS-90A, uncharacteristic of the dual-circuit engines previously produced in the USSR, increased the fuel efficiency of the aircraft.

A set of requirements presented to Ilyushin Design Bureau by the Ministry civil aviation- transportation of a commercial load of 30 and 15 tons over a practical range of 9,000 and 11,000 km with a cruising speed of 850 to 900 km/h at an altitude of 9,000 to 12,000 m - made the traditional one the optimal aerodynamic configuration: a four-engine cantilever low-wing aircraft with a vertical tail. The T-tail was abandoned. The IL-96-300 was initially created as an aircraft with development potential: its design allows for the relatively fast and inexpensive development of various modifications of the aircraft.

A further development of the Il-96-300 aircraft was the creation of the Il-96M variant, in which many US aviation companies took part. The fuselage of the aircraft was extended to 64 meters, that is, even more than on the Il-86. But the main distinguishing feature of the Il-96M was the Pratt&Whitney PW2337 engines. The prototype was created on the basis of the first prototype Il-96-300. The plane took off on April 6, 1993, but was not put into mass production. On the basis of the Il-96M, the cargo Il-96T was created, which was also assembled in a single copy. A double-deck version of the Il-96-550, equipped with an NK-92 turbofan engine (4 x 20,000 kgf) and designed to carry 550 passengers, was also studied.

In 1999-2000, work was carried out on the project of the Il-96-400T cargo aircraft, which has the capabilities of the Il-96T cargo aircraft, but has Russian PS-90A-2 turbofan engines and on-board equipment. It made its first flight on May 16, 1997. In operation since 2009.

Tests

The first prototype (no. 96000) was assembled directly at the design bureau workshop on Leningradsky Prospekt in Moscow. At the beginning of September 1988, the plane was solemnly rolled out of the assembly shop. The experimental Il-96-300 aircraft performed its first flight on September 28 from the Frunze Central Airfield on Khodynskoye Field. The plane was piloted by a crew under the command of Stanislav Bliznyuk, Honored Test Pilot of the USSR, Hero of the Soviet Union. The flight directly over the central regions of Moscow lasted 40 minutes.

During testing, the Il-96 performed several remarkable long-range flights, including Moscow-Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky-Moscow without landing in Petropavlovsk. The plane covered 14,800 km in 18 hours and 9 minutes. On June 9, 1992, an Il-96 flew from Moscow to Portland via North Pole, spending 15 hours in the air. The aircraft was tested in Yakutsk at -50°C and in Tashkent at +40°C. Based on the test results, on December 29, 1992, the aircraft was awarded an airworthiness certificate. For six months, the new cars were “tested” on Aeroflot routes, and due to lack of funding, operational tests had to be combined with commercial ones. freight transportation. The work of the Ilyushin Design Bureau team on the Il-96-300 was awarded the State Prize of the Russian Federation.

Exploitation

The aircraft has been produced since 1992 at the Voronezh Aviation Plant. Since 1988, 23 aircraft of this type have been built. As of August 2009, 16 aircraft are in operation (13 in Russia). Of these for passenger transportation 6 Aeroflot airliners are used.

According to the decision of the USSR Ministry of Civil Aviation, adopted at a board meeting on January 26, 1989, the first Il-96 aircraft were planned to be transferred to the TsUMVS (Central Directorate of International Air Services) of Aeroflot, then to the Domodedovo air squad. Retraining of the flight personnel took place at the Ilyushin Design Bureau. The first flight squad was organized on August 6, 1991. In 1992, several technical flights were carried out from Moscow to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.

Commercial operation of the aircraft began on July 14, 1993 on the Moscow-New York route. At first, the aircraft was used mainly on foreign flights: to Singapore, Las Palmas, New York, Tel Aviv, Palma de Mallorca, Tokyo, Bangkok, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Seoul, Sao Paulo, Havana, Hanoi, Santiago, Lima. All Il-96 aircraft currently flying at Aeroflot were assembled in the first half of the 1990s. In exchange for reducing duties on the import of foreign equipment, Aeroflot undertook to purchase an additional batch of Il-96s, but the deal never took place, although duties were reduced.

Two aircraft built to serve the President Russian Federation(modification Il-96-300PU, w/n RA-96012, RA-96016).

In 2005-2006, three Il-96-300s were delivered to Cuba, including one to serve the President of Cuba. In 2009, the Venezuelan government entered into a contract for the supply of two Il-96-300s - one for passenger transport and the other for VIP transport.

In the fall of 2008, the IFC leasing corporation seized two Il-96-300s from Krasnoyarsk Airlines due to the company's insolvency. The aircraft are currently in storage. In the history of Russian aviation, this was the first time that aircraft were “taken away” from an airline. It is these two Il-96-300s that are being considered for transfer to Venezuela.

In 2009, Polet Airlines began operating Il-96-400T cargo aircraft, which Aeroflot initially planned to buy, but later abandoned them. As of September 2009, Polet airline has three Il-96-400T aircraft with a plan to receive three more aircraft in 2010. Also, during the MAKS-2009 aerospace salon, an agreement was signed with a Peruvian airline for the supply of two Il-96-400T freighters with an option for another such aircraft, and negotiations are underway on its delivery to China and the countries of the Middle East. The current version of the aircraft is equipped with new engines and the most modern Russian-made flight and navigation system, which allows the aircraft to be operated without any restrictions around the world. Such aircraft have not yet been produced in Russia. Il-96-400T can transport up to 92 tons of cargo on medium and long-distance routes. The aircraft is certified in accordance with Russian airworthiness standards, harmonized with the standards of the European Union and the USA.

IN different time Negotiations were held on the sale of Il-96 to China (three aircraft), Syria (three aircraft) and even Zimbabwe. In 2007, KrasAir airline planned to transfer two of its Il-96s to Iran Air on a “wet lease” for a year.

The first two prototypes (nos. 96000 and 96001), stored for a long time at the Gromov Flight Research Institute in Ramenskoye, were destroyed in May 2009. Another 5 aircraft (2 KrasAir and 3 Domodedovo Airlines) are temporarily taken out of service and are in storage.

In 2009, Minister of Industry and Trade Viktor Khristenko decided to discontinue production of the Il-96-300 passenger aircraft in the coming years, since the airliner is not able to compete with the latest long-haul passenger aircraft from Boeing and Airbus. The creators of the Il-96-300 were guided by the economic performance of the Boeing 767, however, since the first flight of the Il-96-300, new-generation long-haul airliners Boeing 777, Airbus A330, Airbus A340, Airbus A380 have been put into operation, and the Boeing 787 and Airbus A380 are expected to enter the market soon. Airbus A350. By 2012, two more Il-96-300 will be produced for the Rossiya SLO (including the presidential Il-96-300PU). The cargo version of the Il-96-400T aircraft remains in production.

Operator	Modification	Quantity
Aeroflot
Cubana de Aviacion
Aerostarz
Special flight squad "Russia"
In storage
Domodedovo Airlines
Krasnoyarsk Airlines
Dismantled for scrap
KB Ilyushin	Il-96-400M/T
Under construction
Special flight squad "Russia"

Aircraft design

Glider

The IL-96 is designed according to the design of an all-metal cantilever four-engine wide-body low-wing aircraft with a swept wing and vertical tail.

The Il-96-300 fuselage has the same diameter as the Il-86 fuselage, but is 5.23 meters shorter in length due to the reduced number of rows of passenger seats. However, the design of the fuselage has been significantly changed to increase its reliability, ensure safety in the event of damage, reduce the rate of crack growth, ensure a given service life, reduce weight and improve the quality of the outer surface. The various layouts of the passenger compartment provide a capacity from 235 to 300 people. On a standard aircraft (300 seats), the seats are installed in two salons (front - 66 seats and rear - 234 seats) with a pitch of 870 mm, nine in a row with three aisles 550 mm wide. The layout for 235 seats provides for the placement of passengers in three salons: in first class - in 22 seats with a pitch of 1020 mm, in business class - in 40 seats and in economy class - in 173. The passenger cabin is equipped with refreshment counters and 8 toilets.

There are three cargo compartments on the lower deck. The front one can accommodate 6 standard cargo containers of the ABK-1.5 type, the rear one - ten, while the maximum load of the aircraft involves occupying only nine containers, while the other seven can be used for transporting cargo and mail. The third cargo compartment is designed for the transportation of piece goods.

The wing on the Il-96 is significantly different from those installed on the Il-86. The wingspan is more than 60 meters, and the area is 391 m²: 70 meters more than the IL-86. Distinctive features of the wing are large vertical tips with a height of 3.1 m. Wing

The IL-96 has complex takeoff and landing mechanization, consisting of double-slotted flaps and slats along the entire length of the leading edge.

The horizontal tail of the IL-96 is the same as that of the IL-86, and the area of ​​the vertical tail has increased due to an increase in its height by one and a half meters. The need to increase the area of ​​the vertical tail is due to the requirement to ensure directional stability in the event of failure of one engine.

The IL-96 chassis consists of three main supports located under the center section and a front support. Each of the three supports is equipped with a four-wheel trolley with brake wheels, and the front support has two non-braking wheels. All fourteen wheels have the same dimensions 1300*480 mm and a tire pressure of 11.5 kg/cm².

Power point

The IL-96 is equipped with four turbofan engines with a high (4.5) bypass ratio PS-90A with a thrust at maximum engine operating mode of 16,000 kgf, which are attached to the wings on pylons. Thrust in cruising mode - 3500 kgf. Specific fuel consumption in cruising mode is 0.595 kg/kgf·hour. Made using a two-shaft system, there is a reversing device. The fan is single-stage, the compressor is 13-stage. The high-pressure turbine is two-stage, the low-pressure turbine is four-stage. PS-90A has a modular design, the number of modules is 11. They can be replaced during operation.

For the first time in the history of Soviet aviation, the engine is equipped with a two-channel electronic control and parameter monitoring system “Diagnoz-90”. Among the advantages of the system are automatic control of fuel consumption and surge protection. An air launch is provided at an altitude of up to 7,000 meters.

The engine was certified in 1992 (April 3), as was the aircraft. At the end of 2006, the Il-96-300 aircraft with the PS-90A engine received a certificate for compliance with Chapter 4 of the ICAO noise standards.

Aircraft systems

The Il-96 used an advanced flight navigation system for its time, thanks to which the aircraft became the first of the Il-s designed to be controlled by a crew of three (without a navigator), as well as the first Soviet aircraft equipped with an electronic flight control system VSUP -85-4. In addition to the traditional analog indicators on the instrument panel (“alarm clocks”), displays on beam tubes were added: two each for the commander and co-pilot (complex flight indicator and complex navigation situation indicator) and two more on the central panel (engine parameter indicators). The aircraft is equipped with a fly-by-wire control system (EDCS).

The aircraft's fuel system was developed on the basis of the IL-86 fuel system. It works automatically, but for emergency situations there is a manual control mechanism. The fuel is located in nine caisson tanks, of which four are located in the console of each of the wings and another one in the center section. Kerosene is pumped from the tank by jet pumps into the pre-flow compartment, and then into the supply compartment, separate for each of the four engines.

The air conditioning system (ACS) of the IL-96 also operates automatically. SKV blocks are located in the center section. Air enters the cabin from the engines. Taking into account repeated circulation when the aircraft is fully loaded (300 passengers), the SCV pumps 25.7 kg of air per passenger per hour into the cabin.

A cyclic electric pulse anti-icing system protects the leading edges of the wings and stabilizers, as well as the fin. It is interesting that heating is not provided on the inner section of the leading edge of the wing (from the center section to the nearside engine pylon) and on the “toe” of the fin, which is explained by the insignificant influence of icing in these places on the controllability of the aircraft. The engine air intakes are heated using air taken from the compressor chamber.

Options

Basic version with PS-90A engines (4x16,000 kgf). The aircraft made its first flight on September 28, 1988, and received an airworthiness certificate on December 29, 1992. The first one entered service at Aeroflot in 1993. Currently, in addition to Aeroflot, only State Customs Committee Russia is used as VIP transport and Cuban Cubana, including as transport for the President of Cuba. It was mass-produced at the VASO plant in Voronezh. The only passenger aircraft of the series in operation. 20 aircraft were produced, including prototypes. On August 11, 2009, it was announced that the Il-96-300 aircraft would be withdrawn from production as “unpromising.”

Maximum take-off weight - 250 tons, payload - 40 tons. Flight range at maximum load - 9,000 km, with a number of passengers of 269 people and with a full supply of fuel - 13,500 km. Passenger capacity in a three-class cabin is 235 people, in a two-class layout - 262, in economy class - 300 people.

A special version of the Il-96-300, designed to transport the President of the Russian Federation. (Control center) was built in two copies. There are practically no differences in flight performance from the basic version, except for the increased range due to some modifications. The aircraft is equipped with equipment that allows it to control armed forces in the event of a nuclear conflict. Externally, the aircraft also does not differ from the basic version, with the exception of the characteristic chute in the upper part of the fuselage. The first aircraft of this version was assembled in 1995 for Boris Yeltsin. The second, “Putinsky” Il-96 (b/n 96016) took off on April 21, 2003.

Il-96M/T

Il-96M is the first Russian aircraft developed in collaboration with Western companies. Only one prototype was made. In March 1993, the fuselage of the experimental Il-96-300 was lengthened, the PS-90 engines were replaced with Pratt&Whitney PW2337 (for the first time in the history of Russian aviation, American engines were installed on an aircraft) with a thrust of 17,030 kgf, and Western avionics were installed. The aircraft made its first flight on April 6, 1993. In 1997, the Il-96M was certified in the USA. Repeatedly demonstrated at various air shows, at MAKS-2003 it was demonstrated under the designation Il-96-400 with NK-86 engines. In May 2009 it was cut up.

According to all the main indicators, the Il-96M became a “record holder” among Soviet passenger aircraft: it is capable of carrying up to 435 passengers, the maximum payload is 58 tons, the maximum take-off weight is 270 tons, the practical flight range is 12,800 km.

Other options have been developed:

• Il-96MD- an aircraft with two Pratt&Whitney PW4082 engines (these engines are currently used on the Boeing 777).
• Il-96MK- an aircraft with four NK-92 turbojet engines with a thrust of 20,000 kgf.

A cargo version was developed based on the Il-96M Il-96T. In 1997, a single copy was built (nominal number RA-96101), and took off on May 16. It was also repeatedly demonstrated at air shows in Aeroflot’s signature livery, although the airline never used it and there were no orders for this type.

Il-96-400

Airplane Il-96-400 is a deep modernization of the Il-96-300 with PS-90A-1 engines with a thrust of 17,400 kgf and improved avionics. The fuselage was “borrowed” from the Il-96M. Maximum take-off weight - 270 tons, payload - 58 tons. Maximum passenger capacity is 435 people. The maximum flight range is 13,000 km.

As of 2009, the Il-96-400 had not been assembled in a single copy, and there were no orders for this type yet.

Il-96-400T

Il-96-400T is a cargo version of the Il-96-400. Flight performance indicators remained unchanged. Produced at the VASO plant in Voronezh. The first Il-96-400T was created by reconstructing the Il-96T, assembled in 1997. In 2007, an entirely new aircraft was assembled. Both aircraft were sold to Atlant-Soyuz in 2007, and in 2009 they were transferred to Polyot. As of May 2011, three aircraft are successfully operating in the Poleta fleet, and two more will be put into operation in 2011.

Flight performance

Characteristic			Il-96-400M/T
First flight
Start of operation
Wingspan
Height at tail
Wing area
Max. take-off weight
Max. passenger capacity
Cruising speed
Maximum speed
Operational ceiling
Flight range (at maximum load)
Engines		4x Pratt&Whitney PW2337

Accidents and incidents

In the entire history of operation of the Il-96 aircraft, there have been no disasters or accidents that resulted in the death of people.

Incident during takeoff of the presidential plane

On October 5, 2004, some Russian publications reported that on September 29, while taking off from Lisbon International Airport, an Il-96-300PU (c/n 96016) collided with a flock of birds, presumably pigeons. Bird strike birdstrike) is a common occurrence in aviation, which, however, does not always lead to engine failure. The takeoff was aborted and the plane was towed to the parking lot. On September 30, it was inspected by technicians from the State Customs Committee of Russia, which owns the plane, who arrived from Moscow on an Il-62.

As a result, it was announced that the reason for the cancellation of the takeoff was not a collision with birds, but condensation from the SCR tubes that got onto the dashboard. Moisture distorted the instrument readings: the engines were operating in takeoff mode, but the instruments showed that the engines were unable to reach takeoff mode. Probably, this incident would have remained ordinary if the attention of the Russian press had not been attracted by a photograph of the Portuguese spotter Miguel Claudio, who was lucky enough to photograph the plane at the time of the incident.

Putin was not on the plane at that moment; he was in Saratov.

Flight ban

On August 2, 2005, the same Il-96-300PU, but with the president on board, was unable to take off from the airport in the Finnish city of Turku, where Vladimir Putin was on an official visit. During taxiing, a certain technical malfunction was discovered, and it was decided to transfer the president to the reserve Il-62.

The consequences of this incident were more serious. On August 22, at the proposal of the Federal Service for Supervision of Transport, flights of all Il-96 aircraft were prohibited. This was explained by a systematic failure of the wheel braking system, which also occurred on August 2 in Finland. It was announced that one of the wheel brake units, UG151-7, was defective and did not correspond to the stated drawings. UG151 units for the Il-96 were assembled at the Balashikha Foundry and Mechanical Plant; to replace them, a new batch was assembled at the NPO Molniya plant in Moscow.

The ban resulted in multimillion-dollar losses for airlines that used the Il-96, primarily Aeroflot. On October 3, VASO General Director Vyacheslav Salikov was dismissed, and Il-96 flights were resumed on the same day. The flight ban lasted 42 days.

Named aircraft

Some Il-96 aircraft bear the names of outstanding Soviet pilots and figures in aviation and astronautics.

• Il-96-300 RA-96005: “V. Chkalov"
• Il-96-300 RA-96007: “A. Mayorov"
• IL-96-300 RA-96008: “I am. Moiseev"
• Il-96-300 RA-96010: “N. Karpeev"
• Il-96-300 RA-96011: “V. Kokkinaki"
• Il-96-300 RA-96014: "Mikhail Vodopyanov"
• Il-96-300 RA-96015: “M. Gromov"
• Il-96-300 RA-96017: "Mikhail Reshetnev"
• Il-96-400T RA-96101: “Vyacheslav Salikov”
• Il-96-400T RA-96102: “Valery Menitsky”
• Il-96-400T RA-96103: “Stanislav Bliznyuk”

Other facts

• Il-96 is the second in Soviet history (after Il-86), the first in Russian history (produced since 1992, that is, after the collapse of the Soviet Union) and the ninth wide-body aircraft in the history of world aviation.
• In September 2008, one of the PS-90A engines, assembled in 1990 and installed on the Aeroflot Il-96-300 aircraft, for the first time in the history of Russian aviation, exceeded the operational milestone of 30,000 hours.
• The IL-96 is one of the few wide-body aircraft that has never suffered a crash resulting in loss of life. This number also includes the most modern airliners from foreign manufacturers: Boeing 777, Airbus A380 and Airbus A340; however, accidents and incidents still occurred with the latter. Il-96, despite the slow pace of production and the relatively small number of aircraft produced, remains one of the most reliable airliners in the world.
• The empty weight of the Il-96-300 is 117 tons, it is 62 times heavier than the 105th Volga, 16 times heavier than the Ural-4320 army truck, 9 times heavier than the Ikarus-280, 3.5 times heavier than a metro car, and at the same time, the aircraft is 6 tons lighter than the ChME3 diesel locomotive.
• The wing area of ​​the Il-96M is one and a half times larger than the area of ​​a tennis court.

At first I wanted to give the article as a separate material, but then I thought that it would be better to put such information together.

MS-21 - airliner with a “black” wing

In global civil aviation there are only three aircraft whose wings are made of polymer composite materials (PCM). These are the Boeing B787 Dreamliner, Airbus A350 XWB and Bombardier CSeries. More recently, the Russian MS-21 joined this trio.

One of the advantages of composite parts is their resistance to corrosion and damage propagation. Composites can be called universal materials; they can be used in aircraft construction, the defense industry, shipbuilding and other areas in which increased demands are placed on the material for such characteristics as strength and rigidity, good resistance to brittle fracture, heat resistance, stability of properties during sudden changes in temperature, durability .

The production of composite parts in the aircraft industry is carried out by autoclave molding - producing multilayer products from so-called prepregs - semi-finished composite materials obtained by preliminary impregnation of carbon fabrics with polymer resin. One of the significant disadvantages of this technology is the high cost of the resulting parts, which is largely determined by the duration of the molding process, the limited shelf life of prepregs and the high cost of technological equipment. According to regulatory documents, the guaranteed shelf life of prepreg in a freezer in the temperature range from -19°C to -17°C is 12 months. The storage time of the prepreg at a temperature of 20±2°C is 20 days, while the blank part can be laid out in the conditions of the production site only for 10 days.

An alternative to prepreg-autoclave technology are “direct” processes, the essence of which is to combine the operations of impregnating carbon fiber or glass fabric with a binder and molding the part, which leads to a reduction in production cycle time, reduced energy and labor costs and, as a result, a reduction in cost technologies. One of these processes is the vacuum infusion method - Vacuum Infusion, VARTM.

According to this technology, the impregnation of dry carbon fiber and the molding of the part occurs on a tool with a vacuum bag attached to it. The polymer binder is pumped into the mold due to the vacuum created under the vacuum bag. This allows you to significantly reduce the cost of preparing for the production of large structures due to the possibility of using simpler and cheaper equipment. The main disadvantages of vacuum infusion technology include, first of all, the difficulties of reproducibility of the process - careful development of the technology is necessary in order to obtain parts with stable geometric and physical-mechanical characteristics.

As a result of a survey conducted in the United States in 2006, American aerospace manufacturers concluded that the vacuum infusion method was not sufficiently researched and developed for use in the manufacture of large tier 1 parts in passenger airliners.

But a lot has changed since then.

As is known, the wide-body Boeing B787 Dreamliner has a fuselage and wings made of PCM, which are produced using the autoclave-prepreg method. Also for this aircraft, the German company Premium Aerotec uses the VAP (Vacuum Assisted Process) method to manufacture the pressurized bulkhead, Boeing Aerostructures (formerly Hawker de Havilland) uses the CAPRI (Controlled Atmospheric Pressure Resin Infusion) method to produce deflectable aerodynamic elements of the fin, wing and tail: ailerons, flaperons, flaps and spoilers. The Canadian company Bombardier uses the LRI method and autoclave polymerization to produce the wings of the CSeries family of aircraft. GKN Aerospace from the UK in May 2016 demonstrated a composite center section manufactured using a non-autoclave vacuum infusion method using an inexpensive set of tools and equipment.

The Russian Aerocomposite plant in Ulyanovsk is the first in world civil aviation to use the non-autoclave vacuum infusion method (VARTM) for the manufacture of large first-level integrated structures from PCM.

The wings and empennage of a typical narrow-body aircraft make up 45% of the airframe's weight, with the fuselage accounting for another 42%. UAC sees a problem that must be solved in order to achieve success in the conditions of fierce competition in the market of narrow-body aircraft - if the optimal use of composites in the design of the MC-21 will reduce the weight of the airliner and reduce production costs by 45%, then both the aircraft and Russian technological companies will strengthen their positions in the global aircraft industry.

Why vacuum infusion?

A 2009 study found that using an oven instead of an autoclave can reduce capital costs from $2 million to $500,000. For parts between 8 m² and 130 m², an oven can cost 1/7 to 1/10 the cost of a comparable sized autoclave. In addition, the cost of dry fiber and liquid composite core can be up to 70% less than the same materials in prepreg. The MS-21 has a wing size of 3x36 meters for the 200 and 300 models, and 3x37 meters for the MS-21-400 model. The size of the center section is 3x10 meters. Thus, the cost savings of Aerocomposite seem to be very significant.

However, Anatoly Gaidansky, General Director of Aerocomposite CJSC, explains that the cost of autoclaves and prepregs was not the only decision criterion in favor of the vacuum infusion method. This technology makes it possible to create large integral structures that work as a single unit.

At the request of JSC Aerocomposite, the Austrian companies Diamond Aircraft and Fischer Advanced Composite Components (FACC AG) manufactured 4 ten-meter prototypes of the wing caisson, which from the summer of 2011 to March 2014 underwent a full range of strength tests at TsAGI, and an experimental joining of the prototype caisson was carried out wing with center section. These studies, firstly, confirmed that the design parameters laid down by the designers ensure flight safety, and secondly, the use of large integral structures significantly reduces the labor intensity of assembly, reduces the number of parts and fasteners.

Anatoly Gaidansky adds to this: “Dry carbon fiber can be stored almost indefinitely, which is impossible with prepregs. Infusion allows us to provide adaptive production planning based on program scale.”

Currently, the vacuum infusion method is planned to be used for the manufacture of large power integral elements of the first level: spars and wing skin with stringers, sections of center section panels, power elements and skin of the keel and tail. These elements will be manufactured and assembled at the Aerocomposite plant in Ulyanovsk.

Prepregs and autoclave molding technology will be used at KAPO-Composite in Kazan, a joint venture of Aerocomposite CJSC and the Austrian FACC AG. Fairings, wing mechanization elements will be produced here: ailerons, spoilers, flaps, as well as elevators and rudder.

Autoclaves at the KAPO-Composite plant in Kazan / Photo (c) Aerocomposite JSC

Technology development

The technology for producing the “black” wing of the MS-21 aircraft was created by AeroComposite specialists in close cooperation with foreign manufacturers of technological equipment. The vacuum infusion method has existed for many years, but such a large and complex product as an airplane wing was first made using this technology in Ulyanovsk.

No one has ever used automatic laying out of dry material for the manufacture of large integral structures in the aircraft industry.

From 2009 to 2012, Aerocomposite worked with various companies around the world to select materials and repeatable process technology of the required precision and quality. Resins, dry carbon fiber and prepregs from American companies Hexcel and Cytec were selected. Robotic installations for dry automated laying of carbon filler were supplied by Coriolis Composites; wing spars are produced using this equipment. The robotic installation for dry laying of the portal type, on which the wing panels are made, was supplied by the Spanish MTorres. TIAC thermal infusion centers were developed by the French company Stevik.

According to Anatoly Gaidansky, the vacuum infusion process itself does not impose special requirements on the design of structural elements of the wing, it mainly affects the development of technological equipment, where a balance must be maintained between the ability to produce parts with high precision, while maintaining the functionality of the infusion process . In the research laboratory of JSC Aerocomposite, a large number of tests were carried out with materials, parts and samples of elements to determine this balance. As a result, a fabric was chosen in which the carbon fiber was not intertwined, but was fastened into a single fabric using a polymer thread. Due to the fact that the fiber does not intertwine, it has virtually no mechanical damage that affects the strength of the part.

“We tested open-textured materials to see how the resin flows, as well as denser fibers that require different filler permeability measures, such as tape gaps,” says Gaidansky.

MTorres was a key player in the material selection process as the Spanish company experimented extensively with different options for machine laying of dry fibre. Despite the fact that she already had significant experience, gained in 2009 with the development of fiberglass blades for Gamesa wind turbines, in 2012 a contract was signed with Aerocomposite to develop equipment for the automated laying of dry carbon fiber, which seemed to be a much more difficult task. . Composite products usually consist of several layers of carbon fiber with different orientation angles - such fabric laying is necessary to optimize resistance to load in various directions, since a composite wing during aircraft operation is exposed to a complex external load, which works in both compression and tension, and for twisting.

“Dry material, unlike prepregs, by definition is not impregnated with any resin, and thus easily moves from the position in which it was laid,” explains MTorres sales director Juan Solano. “Our goal was to somehow fix the material for accurate automated laying and make sure that it does not change its position later.”

To solve this problem, a very thin layer of thermoplastic was used as a bonding element to hold the fiber in place. Mr. Solano says that to activate the bond layer, MTorres developed a heat sink that is placed at the head of the preform to ensure minimal sticking. This solution made the automated layout process viable.

When choosing carbon fiber and composite resin, the goal was to standardize as much as possible the materials that will be used for the manufacture of both the wing and the center section panels. Hexcel's HiTape has been modified to meet MTorres specifications to enable automated lay-up and fiber alignment accuracy. Hexcel claims that with HiTape it is possible to achieve automated layup speeds of 50kg/hour. However, Anatoly Gaidansky clarifies: “At the moment, for the very beginning of our program, we are targeting a layout speed of 5 kg/h. However, in the future we will improve the technology to improve the productivity of complex structures. Relevant studies are currently underway in our laboratory.”

Manual cutting of carbon fiber in the research laboratory of Aerocomposite JSC

After fiber placement, the preform is placed in a TIAC thermal infusion unit. TIAC is an integrated system that consists of an injection module, a heating module and a hardware and software complex to ensure automation of the infusion process with precise adherence to specified process parameters. The unit mixes, heats and degasses the epoxy resin, controls the process of filling the vacuum bag with resin and the polymerization process. TIAC monitors and controls the temperature and amount of resin entering the preform, filling speed, vacuum bag and preform integrity. The vacuum level is controlled with an accuracy not exceeding 1/1000 bar - 1 millibar.

Automated thermal infusion center TIAC 22×6 meters

Spar in the thermal infusion center

Center section panel in thermal infusion center

The production cycle time varies from 5 to 30 hours depending on the type, size and complexity of the part being manufactured. The polymerization process takes place at a temperature of 180°C and can be maintained with an accuracy of ±2°C up to a maximum value of 270°C.

How it happens in reality

The technological process for manufacturing the MS-21 wing box is as follows:

1. Preparing equipment and laying out auxiliary materials.
2. Laying out dry carbon tape and pre-forming in automatic mode on lay-out equipment.
3. Assembling the vacuum bag.
4. Infusion (impregnation) of a dry workpiece in a thermal infusion automated center.
5. Disassembling the package and cleaning the parts.
6. Carrying out non-destructive testing.
7. Machining and geometry control.
8. Painting and assembly.

All work is carried out in a “clean room”, in which the number of dispersive particles in the air does not exceed the number in a sterile operating room, because if even a small speck of dust gets into the carbon, it becomes of poor quality and the product will be rejected.

After laying out the spar preforms, they go to the section for moving from positive to negative equipment, and the wing panel skin preforms go to the section for moving the laying out equipment to the infusion one. Here the equipment is sealed in a special envelope, with tubes connected to it from different sides. Air is pumped out one at a time, and binder is supplied through others due to the resulting vacuum.

The stringers and panels are laid out of carbon fiber separately, but using special equipment they are filled with composite resin together. Polymerization of the panel with stringers using infusion technology occurs in one cycle. With autoclave technology, two curing cycles are required: 1st cycle – curing of stringers, 2nd cycle – joint curing of stringers and sheathing, while the total time costs are 5% higher, and energy costs are 30% higher than when using VARTM technology .

The vacuum infusion method in one impregnation cycle makes it possible to create an integral monolithic part, as opposed to adhesive-riveted autoclave structures, where an adhesive film is placed between the stringer and the skin, and the process of installing mechanical fasteners for additional fixation of the stringers increases the complexity of manufacturing panels by up to 8%.

Next, the preforms are moved to automated thermoinfusion centers with working area dimensions of 22x6x4 m and 6x5.5x3 m, depending on the size of the part. Here the process of infusion and polymerization of the product takes place.

The assembly line stand, where the final joining of wing panels of the MC-21 aircraft will be carried out

At the end of the infusion, the part enters the non-destructive ultrasonic testing area. Here, using the Technatom robotic installation, the quality and reliability of the resulting part is assessed - the absence of cracks, cavities, unevenness of the hardened filler, etc. Non-destructive testing is of particular importance when creating and operating vital products, which, in particular, is an aircraft wing.

The next stage is mechanical processing of the part on a 5-axis milling center MTorres, after which the finished panel or spar is delivered to the wing box assembly area.

What does a composite wing provide?

Air flow around a wing of finite span - the appearance of inductive drag

As a result, two vortex ropes are formed behind the ends of the wing, which are called co-current jets. The energy spent on the formation of these vortices determines the induced drag of the wing. To overcome inductive resistance, additional engine energy is consumed, and, consequently, additional fuel.

There is no induced drag on a wing of infinite aspect ratio, but a real airplane cannot have such a wing. To assess the aerodynamic perfection of a wing, there is the concept of “aerodynamic quality of the wing” - the higher it is, the more perfect the aircraft. The aerodynamic quality of a wing can be improved by increasing its effective aspect ratio - the longer the wing, the lower its induced drag, lower fuel consumption, and greater flight range.

Aircraft designers have always strived to increase the effective aspect ratio of a wing. For the MS-21 wing, a supercritical profile was chosen - a profile in which the upper surface is almost flat and the lower surface is convex. One of the advantages of this profile is the ability to create a high aspect ratio wing, and in addition, such a wing makes it possible to increase cruising flight speed without increasing drag. The laws of aerodynamics force swept wings to be made thin; a supercritical wing can be made thick without increasing aerodynamic drag. The design of such a wing is lighter and more technologically advanced to manufacture than a thin one, and the resulting internal space can accommodate a larger supply of fuel.

The typical wing aspect ratio for aircraft of previous generations was 8–9, for modern ones it was 10–10.5, and for the MC-21 it was 11.5. To make a wing from aluminum with a high aspect ratio, in order to maintain its rigidity, it would be necessary to significantly increase the thickness of the wing, because aluminum is a soft metal, and increasing the thickness of the wing means increasing drag. Carbon fiber is a much stiffer material, therefore, even without the use of winglets, the MS-21 high aspect ratio composite wing, formed by thin supercritical profiles (almost flat upper and convex lower surfaces), allows for 5-6% better aerodynamic quality at cruising flight speeds than the latest foreign analogues, and thereby achieve a greater flight range with lower fuel consumption, which ultimately increases the economic efficiency of the aircraft and its competitive advantage

Right composite wing of MS-21

Laying out the lower panel of the future wing of the MS-21 aircraft at the AeroComposite-Ulyanovsk plant

There has never been anything like this in our aviation industry. To be honest, I have never seen anything like this on Boeing or Airbus. And being at the plant, where all the employees are in white coats and shoe covers, there are special requirements for air quality and you see your reflection in the flooring, you can’t believe that all this is in Russia. For the first time in modern history We are not trying to replicate old proven technologies, and we are not trying to blindly copy foreign experience, but we are innovators and want to be at the technological forefront of the global civil aircraft industry.

Conclusion

The overwhelming superiority of the Western aviation industry in technology, technical equipment, the level of properties of the structural materials used, and the efficiency of approaches to organizing design and production processes provides American and European civil aircraft with competitive qualities that until now could not be realized in products of the domestic aviation industry. Such promising projects as the MS-21, designed to become the “locomotives” of the comprehensive modernization of the Russian civil aircraft industry, should change the current situation. Already in the process of carrying out experimental work at the stage of detailed design, the participants of the MS-21 Program created the groundwork for the formation of modern production, focused on the most advanced technologies.

On September 29, 2016, the awards ceremony for the winners and laureates of the Aircraft Builder of the Year competition took place at the World Trade Center. Members of the Expert Council reviewed over 100 works of enterprises, organizations and creative teams. The results of the competition were summed up at a meeting of the Organizing Committee on September 5, 2016. The winner of the nomination “For the creation of new technology” was the competence center of the United Aircraft Corporation - the AeroComposite company for the development and application of the vacuum infusion method in the creation of the composite wing of the new MS-21-300 passenger aircraft. General Director of AeroComposite JSC Anatoly Gaidansky, in turn, thanked the team, partners and everyone who worked together for seven years to implement this project.

An-124 "Ruslan" - strategic military transport aircraft

InoSMI - Science

Wikipedia

Photo (c) UAC/Aviastar-SP/Irkut Corporation http://aviation21.ru/ms-21-lajner-s-chyornym-krylom/

Andrey Velichko,
August 2016

From 1993 to 2013, six Il-96-300s were operated by Aeroflot airlines. Three more such aircraft entered the fleet of Domodedovo Airlines, two - KrasAir (under an agreement with IFC, they were operated until 2008). For a short time, one or two aircraft belonging to the OKB flew on Atlant-Soyuz flights and others. Among non-commercial structures, the “short” version is used by the presidential aviation squadron (including former KrasAir aircraft).

Ilyushin Finance Co. did a lot of work to promote the Il-96-300 on the international market. The Voronezh leasing company sold three newly built aircraft. They were acquired by Cuba using loans from Russian banks provided under the sovereign guarantees of the island Republic. So far, IL-96-300 deliveries to Cuba in 2005-2006. remain the only case of export of domestic four-engine products passenger aircraft new generation.

Last year, the fleet of the national carrier Cubana de Aviacion was replenished with a fourth aircraft. Unlike the previous ones, these “silts” were previously operated by Aeroflot. This experience also represents a significant event in the history of Russian aircraft leasing. It's about about cars from the secondary market that have undergone a change of ownership and major repairs before being sold abroad.

The commercial operation of the Il-96-300 as part of Cubana de Aviacion can be considered successful. Well-constructed maintenance and repair practices played a big role here. Local aviators are helped to solve this and other issues by specialized Russian structure IFK-Technician.

Providing after-sales service (PSS) is a long-standing, complex topic for domestic aircraft manufacturers. Operating organizations often criticized AK Il for insufficient attention to their problems. Therefore, the successful experience of operating the Il-96-300 in Cuba can hardly be overestimated. By agreement with the Cuban authorities and Cubana de Aviacion, Ilyushin Finance Co. proposed and implemented in practice logistics schemes aimed at ensuring uninterrupted operation of Russian aircraft supplied under a leasing scheme with export credit.

IFC shared its experience with the Design Bureau, conducting relevant courses for specialists of the design bureau. Here is what Nikolai Dmitrievich Talikov told us on this topic: “Finally, we understood what was what. With the help of Ilyushin Finance Co., using the example of Il-96 aircraft, we came to understand what is required to ensure uninterrupted operation of aircraft. How to build approaches to providing after-sales service and how to create a support system for operating organizations.”

“Having received new aircraft, operating organizations should not experience problems with them. It is necessary that they extract maximum profits by intensively operating aircraft while ensuring flight safety. In fact, we began to think in their categories too,” continues Nikolai Dmitrievich. The general designer promises to “turn our face to operation” instead of “puffing out our cheeks and saying that we know all your problems - deal with them yourself.”

After the withdrawal of the Il-96-300 from Aeroflot’s fleet, Cubana de Aviacion remained the world’s only commercial operator of aircraft of this modification. As a rule, the interior of Cuban cars accommodates 262 passengers: the cabin has 18 business class seats with a seat pitch of 54 inches and 244 economy class seats with a seat pitch of 32 inches. There is an option with a separate cabin for high-ranking officials - they travel on “silts” when public service matters require it.

Competition: technical and not only

After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the liberalization of the local market, a flood of “foreign cars” poured into our country. The process brought both positive and negative aspects. On the one hand, airlines now have a wide choice and the opportunity not only to operate foreign-made aircraft, but also to enjoy access to borrowed capital of foreign origin for fleet renewal programs. On the other hand, individual managers were tempted to use business contacts with companies to solve personal problems.

Among other things, this led to the emergence of various types of so-called. “objective comparisons” of foreign models with domestic ones, where there was clearly a desire to present “foreign cars” in a more favorable light than they deserved “in terms of technology.” In particular, at the turn of the 2000s, journalists were presented with a comparison of the Boeing 767-300ER with the Il-96-300. Unfortunately, those who carried out the analysis clearly sympathized with the American car, “forgetting” in their comparison to take into account the much more capacious cargo compartments of the “silt” when calculating commercial efficiency. Meanwhile, the significantly larger fuselage diameter gives the IL-96-300 the ability, in addition to passengers, to take on board 16-18 LD-3 type containers. They are located in cargo compartments below the floor of the passenger compartment (belly cargo).

“The Il-96-300 aircraft is competitive with the Boeing 767, and a special study confirmed this,” Genrikh Novozhilov told us. - It should be understood that “-300” is a “truncated” version, and the plane was intended to carry 350 passengers! We can accommodate 386 passengers on the Il-96M; the corresponding cabin layout was made by us and preserved in the Design Bureau.”

The first flight of the Il-96-300 dates back to 1988. The type certificate was received in 1992, commercial operation began in 1993. In the same year, the Il-96M/T took off with an extended fuselage, from 55.35 to 63.94 meters. These variants were equipped with American Pratt&Whitney PW-2037 engines and Collins avionics. They have been certified in Russia and “shadow” certification by the North American Aviation Administration (U.S. FAA).

The Americans highly appreciated our aircraft and even used its main parameters when designing their own next-generation aircraft. The creation of the base model of the Boeing 777-200 and Il-96M proceeded in parallel. These machines have surprisingly similar geometry: the fuselage diameter is about six meters, the difference in length and wing span is one meter. Since all this was preceded by the appearance of the “short” Il-96-300, the OKB should be blamed for them. S.V. Ilyushin’s plagiarism is not possible (and even the Il-86, which was produced from 1980 to 1994, has a fuselage diameter of 6.08 meters). American designers first accepted the fuselage diameter as 6.08 meters, recalls Genrikh Vasilievich. But then they added another 120 mm, and, as a result, the “three sevens” had a final figure of 6.2 meters.

In the nineties, both Aeroflot and Transaero not only promised to buy dozens of Il-96M/T (and, later, Il-96-400), but even signed corresponding agreements. True, the then management of the airlines did not strive to implement them. But they purchased the Boeing 777, sequentially, in several batches. Aeroflot “explained” the acquisition of the Boeing 777-200ER (the very first batch for the airline) by saying that they were “necessary in order to roll out routes for the Il-96M.”

A few years later, however, the “three sevens” were returned to the lessors (but the Il-96M was never taken) because it turned out to be too spacious for the airline’s passenger flows at that time. A new purchase of improved aircraft of this model took place under the current leadership. And how super-capacious Boeings “helped” Transaero accumulate debts and go bankrupt - a lot was written about this at the end of last year, when the airline ceased operating activities.

"All is not lost yet"

Over the past quarter century, Russia has lost a lot in the field of civil aviation. Often, industry positions were surrendered voluntarily. Russian airlines are accustomed to operating foreign aircraft. “We are fully aware of where we are, what we are capable of and how we will ultimately attract customers. However, if the state does not help aircraft manufacturers, then all our efforts are worthless,” says Nikolai Talikov.

Today, government support mechanisms are implemented in a strange way, to put it mildly. For example, flights are subsidized regardless of whether a foreign or local aircraft is used to operate them. “The state allocates large amounts of money, subsidizing flights for Far East, and we can’t launch our own plane, with a fuel consumption of 20 grams per passenger-kilometer, into production?!,” Genrikh Vasilyevich Novozhilov is indignant. - Nikolai Dmitrievich and I preach that all is not lost. We have a ready-made aircraft with high fuel efficiency and a service life of 70 thousand flight hours, tested by certifying authorities and in operation. Why not mass-produce it?!”

For the last few years, VASO has been producing “silts” at the rate of one car per year. The extreme side with registration RA-96022 and a cabin for 160 travelers became the twenty-eighth aircraft of the Il-96 family. It made its first flight in November 2015 and is currently preparing to be transferred to the Presidential Aviation Squad. The media cited the cost of the corresponding contract in 2013 as 3.75 billion rubles, which at the current exchange rate does not exceed 52 million US dollars.

Meanwhile, price lists for foreign wide-body airliners give values ​​that are many times higher. In particular, the corresponding document from the Toulouse aircraft manufacturers contains the following figures on a scale of “millions of US dollars”: A330-200 - 231.5, A330-800neo 252.3, A330-300 256.4, A330-900neo 287.7, A350-800 272.4, A350-900 308.1, A350-1000 355.7.

When a barrel of oil sold for a hundred dollars or more, the fuel efficiency of aircraft came to the fore. The share of kerosene in the ticket price exceeded 50-60%. Since then, the situation on the world market has changed. Calculations performed by specialists from the OKB im. S.V. Ilyushin, they say the following. Today, direct operating costs are similar for twin-engine and four-engine aircraft. The change in prices for aviation kerosene (in dollar terms) “made a correction”, and the gap between the A330 and Il-96-400M practically disappeared.

“After the fall in oil prices, the life of an aircraft will be determined by its price, not its fuel. The role of the selling price of an aircraft is increasing today,” says Novozhilov.

In many ways, the selling price of an aircraft is determined by the complexity of its manufacture. Therefore, modern technologies are coming to the fore, promising a reduction in manual labor. Among the progressive moments of recent times, Genrikh Vasilyevich notes the following. According to information from American colleagues, the Boeing 737MAX fuselage will be riveted automatically. There are examples of automatic wing assembly on a slipway - so far not in relation to passenger, but combat aircraft. “Paperless” technology, when all documentation is kept on computers, is of particular importance. Of course, these and other new products should find application in the domestic aircraft industry.

Great importance is attached to serial production to reduce the cost of the aircraft. “We posed the question: the construction is not one piece per year, but, as was the case with the Il-86, eight to ten annually. Then we can talk about something. A domestic aircraft may be somewhat inferior in terms of technical excellence, but superior in terms of delivery and service,” says Nikolai Talikov.

“You can’t cross Russia on foot; you have to fly from the European part to the Pacific coast. If Russian airlines will be able to continue to acquire Western aircraft and operate them without hindrance - one scenario. And if the state feels that there are aircraft of its own design, and it is possible to work with them... the situation will change,” he continues.

So far, the main operating experience of the Il-96 is associated with its “short” version. The extended version of the “Ila” operated flights under the flag of only one airline, Polet. At the beginning of the century, it ordered four Il-96-400T freighters with PS-90A1 engines from IFC. Three of them were built and delivered to the customer. After the airline ceased operations, these cars were returned to the lessor. Two cargo planes were converted into variants at the factory special purpose for the security forces.

The decision in favor of serial production of the Il-96-400M will make it possible to preserve a large aircraft plant. At first, the airliner will be produced in Voronezh in parallel with the military transport Il-112V. The latter will be assembled “under the wing” of the Il-96 and “the weather will not play a role” in terms of plant load and redevelopment of the final assembly shop. By the standards of such a large enterprise as VASO, the estimated demand for turboprop military transport aircraft is relatively small. After the completion of the IL-112V series, what should the plant do next? The answer is Il-96-400M!

Documentation for the Il-96-400M airframe has been prepared. The decision to launch a new modification at VASO is under consideration by industry management. “We expect that if there is a team, we will be able to build the first aircraft in mid-2018,” says Talikov.

Among other domestic vehicles, the IL-96 still looks good in terms of weight return. At the same time, any machine needs to be improved as it stays in the series and the availability of new technologies. According to the General Designer, it is necessary to take measures to reduce the weight of the structure in order to increase weight efficiency and transport capabilities. “We want to reduce the empty weight of the aircraft by several tons. This is possible through the use of modern wires and electrics, other equipment, coatings and the like,” Nikolai Talikov told us.

The on-board equipment installed on the aircraft fully complies with all international standards, including ensuring landing under ICAO Category 3 and the requirements of ICAO Chapter 4 on local noise. “We will continue to improve our aircraft. In particular, if new requirements arise international organizations, we will make appropriate changes,” our interlocutor continues.

Conclusion

One of our previous publications mentioned a meeting of a commission under the Government of the Russian Federation, where the sad picture that had developed in domestic civil aviation was noted. “Foreign cars” dominate the airline fleet, and, at a certain point, this can lead to very undesirable consequences. Western sanctions, if tightened, could ultimately lead to greater problems with ensuring the constitutional right of Russian citizens to free movement.

Estimated fuel cost: 1000 US dollars per ton.

Table provided by AK "Il".

Note. The Il-96-300 fuselage can accommodate up to three hundred passengers and 16-18 containersLD-3, and Il-96-400 - up to 435 passengers and 32 containersLD-3 and 1AK-1.5. To implement the technical feasibility, it is necessary to carry out appropriate certification work. Practice shows that airlines are rarely interested in the maximum possible capacity of wide-body aircraft, preferring more comfortable passenger cabin layouts in two or three service classes.

For several decades, the domestic IL-96 aircraft has demonstrated high reliability indicators. The whole world recognizes it as one of the safest airliners, during the operation of which not a single person died.

Numerous modifications, when presented to the public, amazed with their ergonomics, technical and flight characteristics, but some of them did not enter serial production, and production was frozen.

History of creation

Work on the creation of a domestic wide-body aircraft intended for passenger air transportation were carried out back in the early 70s of the last century.

At that time, it was used for long-distance flights.

Its significant drawback was its low capacity, which increased the load on the runways. In addition, it was significantly inferior to foreign analogues in terms of comfort and safety. This was the main reason for starting work on the next generation of models being designed.

OKB im. Ilyushin carried out the development of a modern high-capacity passenger aircraft. It was decided to create new project for long-distance transport, labeled 86D, it was practically no different from the basic version, but did not make it onto the assembly line. By the end of the decade, the task is set to design a new model that will compare favorably with its analogues.

The design of the aircraft was significantly changed, which became the reason for increased technical superiority over earlier domestically produced models.

However, the technologies of that time were developing so rapidly that after each completion of work, the designers started the project again, since the project they had just created was already lagging behind its foreign competitors.

The first model IL-96 300 flew only in the fall of 1988, and received certified recognition after four years of testing.

Short description

The fuselage of the IL-96 300 aircraft has a diameter of 6.08 m, capacity depending on the location of passenger seats from 235 to 300 people. In the standard version, with 300 seats, the compartment is divided into 2 salons. One has 234 seats, the other front has 234.

Models with a smaller passenger capacity have a compartment divided into 3 parts: first, business class and economy. Comparing the level of comfort with foreign analogues, the domestic version is in no way inferior.

The 60-meter wingspan of the model with wing flaps occupying part of the lower edge and double-slotted flaps exceeds the size of the early IL-86. The lower part is occupied by cargo decks for transporting aircraft containers and piece cargo.

3 main landing gear under the center section of the aircraft and a front strut of the same diameter keep the aircraft on the runway and accelerate it during takeoff.

Sleeping area on an airplane

The description of the characteristics of the IL-96 300 flight and navigation system was striking in its intelligence. With its help, it is possible to fly a model airplane with three people, without a navigator.

For the first time, an electronic flight control system VSUP 85 4, new electronic displays and indicators, EMDS, and an electric pulse anti-icing system were installed.

Passport details

Aircraft with two engines in each wing had a length of 55.346 m, a height of 17.457 m, a wingspan of 60.106 m, a fuselage diameter of 6.079 m. And as mentioned earlier, 4 power plants of PS-90A turbofan engines with a maximum thrust of 16,000 kgf.

The maximum weight allowed for takeoff of this aircraft model is 250 tons, and the payload is no more than 40. The volume of the airliner’s fuel tanks is 150,000 liters.

As for flight characteristics, the model has an optimal speed of 860 km/h, a recommended altitude above sea level of between 9,100 and 13,100 m, and a range with a maximum payload of no more than 9,800 km.

According to the tests carried out, the service life of the IL 96-300 aircraft, as well as the IL-96 400, can withstand 25 years of operation or 10,000 flights, which translated into time spent in the air is 70,000 hours.

This period of use of the airliner was regulated by the developer: the Ilyushin Design Bureau.

The lineup

The IL-96 300 aircraft and the next 400 series were initially designed as passenger aircraft. They were intended for medium-range flights.

Il-96 cockpit

However, fate acted differently; at the moment, the early version of the airliner is practically not in use, and the next one, more modernized and equipped with electronics, has completely passed into the hands of the military.

However, several modifications were developed and released on their platform, which are still flying today.

300 series models

Since the first recognition, 22 IL-96-300 aircraft have been produced.

Many of them are in use today:

• IL-96 300PU - is a special project intended for transporting the President of the Russian Federation, a total of 5 copies were assembled. From the outside, it is practically no different from its passenger counterparts, except for a small gutter in the upper part. It has equipment that allows it to control the country’s armed forces and is equipped with a “nuclear suitcase.”
• IL-96 300 96 T - developed on the basis of its predecessor in 1997. It was repeatedly shown as a cargo airliner of Aeroflot, although it never had anything to do with the air carrier. The only copy flew once; during testing, no orders were received, so the aircraft was converted into the IL-96 400 T.

Today, production of the 300 series continues, due to the fact that it is used to transport the first person of the state.

The Voronezh plant delivered the last board in 2015; at about the same time, another government order was received with receipt at the end of 2018.

400 series models

The modernized, more advanced Ilyushki-96 400 received greater recognition. They are successfully operated by the Ministry of Defense and Aeroflot.

However, not all modifications of the aircraft were in such demand. Some of them never became popular and were not produced beyond one trial copy.

Modifications marked with this series are presented below:

• IL-96 400 - recognized as an improved, modernized version of its predecessor. Received a new PS-90A-1 power unit with corresponding improved traction. It features a long fuselage, lower fuel consumption, and new avionics.
• IL-96 400T - a cargo version of its prototype, retaining flight and specifications. Production has been carried out since 2007 in Voronezh. The first 3 copies were successfully operated by the local airline Polet, which operates international cargo flights. In July 2014, they were written off and dismantled for recycling. Currently, it is planned to resume serial production for the state order received from the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
• IL-96 400TZ – The RF Ministry of Defense entered into an agreement for the supply of 2 units equipped with universal UPAZ-1 aviation refueling devices, installed on early versions of the IL-78 aircraft. It is planned to use them to transport fuel within a radius of 3,500 km.
• IL-96 400 VKP - replacement of the outdated model IL-86 VKP (3rd generation strategic control air station) for the Russian Armed Forces.
• IL-96 400 M is the first domestic aircraft development together with foreign representatives. Serial production was not carried out; the only one created in 1993 differed from the prototype in its long fuselage, Pratt & Whitney power unit, and foreign avionics. In 1997, it received a certificate in America and was shown many times at world air shows as an aircraft labeled IL-96 400 with a new power unit.
• IL-96 400MD - equipped with American engines used in given time on " ".
• IL-96 400MK – 4 NK-92 turbojet engines.

As of 2017, a total of 30 aircraft were produced. Moreover, the most popular products of the Voronezh Joint-Stock Aircraft Manufacturing Company were in the period from 2004 to 2009.

At this time, 6 airliners were assembled.

The most famous facts

The so-called double-decker domestic airliner is a living legend of the Russian and Soviet aircraft industry; many stories and stories are associated with its operation. interesting facts.

Some of them are contradictory and negatively characterize the aircraft, while others, on the contrary, are positive, extolling the IL-96 model over foreign analogues.

The most common of them are presented below:

The IL-96M model, which was jointly developed with American designers, is considered an impeccable leader among domestic passenger airliners of the last decade.

This is the largest IL aircraft, its passenger capacity reaches 435 people, the maximum weight allowing take-off is 270 tons, the flight length is 12,800 km on one refueling.

The president's plane, marked "IL-96 300PU", stands for "Control Center". From here you can monitor the situation in the world; the plane is equipped with an air defense system, a heat gun, and the fuselage is covered with materials that ensure the reflection of radio signals from tracking systems.

Inside the model there is everything you need for comfortable movement, and, if necessary, life for some time. However, despite the increased safety measures of the airliner, 2 out of 3 negative incidents in its long history are associated with it.

The first incident with an airplane occurred on October 5, 2004 at Lisbon airport. During takeoff, there was a collision with a flock of pigeons, which resulted in an unexpected cancellation of the flight. After inspecting the technical condition of the model, it was discovered that condensate had accumulated on the SCR tubes and had gotten into the dashboard of the airliner.

This affected the sensor readings and caused the stop. Further latest version was recognized as official.
The Portuguese incident occurred without the presence of the President on board the plane, but on 08/02/2005 in Turku (Finland), he was forced to transfer to a reserve plane.

The cause was a malfunction of the steering system. The subsequent proceedings led to a ban on flights of all modifications of the IL-96 300, which lasted 42 days. One of the parts of the airliner's braking mechanism turned out to be defective, and therefore the entire braking system systematically failed.

This happened due to a discrepancy between the model design and the original drawings.

Huge airline losses prompted resignation general director VASO Vyacheslav Salikov.

On 06/03/2014, an out-of-service IL-96 300 airliner, parked in the technical parking area of ​​Sheremetyevo Airport, caught fire. Spontaneous combustion occurred in the cockpit, there were no injuries, and the frame was sawn into scrap metal.

More negative situations have not been observed in the long-term history of using the board.

The main reason that the IL-96 models have not received their worldwide recognition is the unfortunate timing of development. The main work took place at a time when the country was at the turn of the century and was in an unstable situation.

This is what did not allow the airliner to take a leading position in the world market and give way to the American Boeing 777 aircraft, which is notable for its accident rate.

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Il-96 is the first Soviet passenger airliner for long-haul flights with a wide fuselage. The Il-96 aircraft was developed by the Ilyushin design bureau in the late eighties of the last century on the basis of the previous aircraft, the Il-86. The new aircraft was distinguished by wings that had a larger area and the installation of new PS-90A turbofan engines. The aircraft is equipped with four such engines, each with a thrust of 16,000 kgf.

The reason for the creation of new passenger aircraft is the constant development of our society and the increase in those wishing to use the services of airlines. That is why the new long-range passenger aircraft Il-96 was created. The main feature of this model is that it has a wide fuselage, which allows it to accommodate even more passengers and provide them with comfortable flight conditions. By using large aircraft the airline can carry large quantity passengers at a time, and this allows you to reduce the price of this service. All these factors forced the leadership of the USSR to think about creating new car, which the IL-96 became. It was designed on the basis of the already existing Il-86 aircraft.

Where is the Il-96 passenger aircraft used?

Il-96 is a long-range aircraft that carries passengers. This aircraft model is capable of long-distance flights without landing. The main task of this model was to replace narrow-body aircraft that were used on flights both within the country and abroad. Before the creation of the new Il-96, all passenger transportation was carried out by the old Il-86. The need for a new wide-body aircraft grew every year, as the number of passengers who wanted to use airline services began to actively grow. Also, aircraft that had a wide fuselage could provide more comfortable flying conditions for customers.

History of the creation of IL-96 and its modifications

The designers began developing a new aircraft model in 1978. The new development was based on the existing domestic long-range aircraft Il-86D. The designers used the IL-86 as a basis right up until 1983, until advanced technologies began to appear, which forced the creators to reconsider the project and use more advanced materials and technologies. The designers were faced with the fact that the units and parts they had developed were no longer relevant, and the global aircraft industry had stepped far forward.

For these reasons, the designers had to retreat from their plans and develop a fundamentally new machine, which was the basis for all subsequent modifications of the new Il-96 machine. The new Il-96 first took off from the ground in October 1988, and already in 1989 it was presented in Paris at the world air show. During the testing process, Il carried out many tests, the main one being long-range flight. Based on the new car, many new modifications were created that were more specialized.

The Il-96-400 modification was improved compared to the base model, as it increased engine power and the number of seats for passengers. A cargo model of Ila was also created, which is actively used in our time. Even more progressive was the Il-96M model, which was developed jointly with US airlines. But this model currently exists in one copy and is used only for presentation at air exhibitions around the world. As for the standard IL-96 model, it entered mass production only in 1993.

Description of the Il-96 passenger aircraft

This aircraft is built according to a monoplane design, which has low wings, as well as a classic fuselage tail. The main purpose of this unit is to transport 300 passengers, their luggage and additional cargo, which amounts to 40 tons. The passenger transportation range ranges from 4 to 9 thousand kilometers, depending on the modification of the aircraft. The designers provided for a maximum flight range of 11 thousand kilometers, so it is possible to change the number of seats for passengers in the cabin.

The fuselage of the Il-96 aircraft has the same diameter as the previous model, but the length of the new Il-96 is 5 meters less than that of the old Il-86. The designers, together with aerodynamics experts, carried out fruitful work to create an efficient wing for the new aircraft. The area of ​​the tail feather was also increased in case of failure of one of the engines, this innovation would help keep the aircraft in flight.

The landing gear of this aircraft includes three main legs, which are located behind and take into account the centers of mass. A front support is also included in the chassis system. Each rear support consists of four wheels, which are equipped with effective braking systems. The front support has two wheels and does not have a braking system. All wheels that are part of the IL-96 chassis system have the same dimensions and pressure.

Lift off the ground is provided by four PS-90A engines. This model of turbofan engines is quite efficient and economical. Speaking about the fuel system, it should be noted that it works automatically, but if necessary, you can control it manually. Fuel enters the system from 9 tanks. Eight tanks are located in the wings, and one is located in the center of the aircraft.

Due to the fact that the Il-96 is a double-deck vessel, it can be used in two main versions: mixed and tourist. The first and main option is the tourist one. Its peculiarity is that passenger seats are arranged in 3 rows of 9 seats. When using this method of seating, the front cabin of the aircraft can accommodate 66 people, and the rear cabin - 234. With a mixed version, the aircraft is divided into three classes and can accommodate 235 passengers.

Il-96 in commercial operation

This aircraft entered commercial operation only in the summer of 1993; the first flight was from Russia to the USA. At the first stages of use, this unit carried out international flights around the globe, and then began servicing flights within our country. In domestic transportation, it connected Russian cities over both long and short distances. In 2005-2006, the Ilys began to be exported abroad, namely, three cars were sold to Cuba, one of them was of the presidential class. Nowadays, domestic airlines widely use the Il-96 to transport their passengers. Also, some companies have cargo models of vehicles in their hangars.

The two most widely used airlines in our country are Aeroflot and Cubana. The IL-96 has a big advantage over long distances because it is more spacious and comfortable for passengers than its narrow-body counterparts. Passengers themselves talk about the advantages of this model over all others.

Unfortunately, this airliner was not able to achieve very great popularity due to its high price and fairly high fuel consumption, which was also influenced by other economic factors. At the beginning of 2009, aircraft designers raised the issue of removing the Il-96 aircraft from mass production. This problem arose mainly due to high competition from foreign passenger aircraft models.

Interesting data about the Il-96 passenger aircraft

This passenger aircraft became the first aircraft with a wide fuselage, which was manufactured in the territory of the former USSR.

It is one of the safest passenger aircraft in the entire globe, since there was not a single accident in which a person was injured.

Two modifications of this aircraft were built under the name Il-96-300PU. It is a command and control point in case of a nuclear attack. This model also has an increased flight range.

Many Eelas are given names. As a rule, they are named after famous pilots or astronauts.

This aircraft is distinguished by its reliability, since in all the years of use of these aircraft, only one of them, namely the presidential aircraft, received a flight ban, and that was due to problems with the landing gear.

IL-96 is the first aircraft of all huge family Ilov, which can be controlled by only three people. This became possible due to the installation of the latest on-board equipment in the aircraft.

Despite the fact that today the creation of Il-96 passenger aircraft has been practically suspended, this airliner still faithfully serves the people in our country and abroad.

Il 96-Photo

The first test prototype of the Il-96 took off on September 28, 1988. After passing 1,200 hours of flight testing, the IL-96 received a certificate of airworthiness in December 1992. The aircraft was tested in different meteorological conditions, with a temperature range from -50 to +40, and in different climatic zones. The aircraft uses a fly-by-wire control system (EDCS). There is also a backup mechanical control system. Information about the states of the aircraft systems and flight indications is displayed on six color displays. The Il-96-300 aircraft has been in serial production since 1993. Production of the serial Il-96-300 is carried out by the Voronezh Joint-Stock Aircraft Manufacturing Company (VASO).

IL-96 Interior photo

In 1993, the Il-96 was modified and designated Il-96M. This modification has an elongated body, and the aircraft is equipped with American PW-2337 engines from Partt & Whitney. This aircraft is capable of flying over twelve thousand kilometers and accommodating up to 435 passenger seats.

The best seats on the IL 96-300 - Aeroflot

IL 96-300 interior diagram

In 2000, the IL-96 was improved again. The fuselage from the Il96-M was used in the new modernization. This model was designated Il96-400. This modification is equipped with PS-90A-1 turbojet engines. Each has a thrust of more than 17,000 kgf. The aircraft's avionics also underwent changes. The flight range of the Il96-400 is thirteen thousand kilometers. And on the basis of this model, a cargo version of the aircraft was developed - Il96-400T. Today, the Il96-300 models and the cargo version of the Il96-400T are in operation. The passenger version of the Il96-400 is not in service, since there were no orders for this version from air carriers.