Just prior to the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the country fielded its first four-engined wide-body jet airliner for short-to-medium routes (something of a competitor to the West's more successful Boeing Model 747 "Jumbo Jet"). This product - the relatively short-lived "IL-86" - emerged from the storied Soviet aero-concern of Ilyushin and represented a major national accomplishment - despite a prolonged developmental period and production totals reaching just 106 units (1976 to 1991). Despite this, the IL-86 still managed to find some marketplace value, even coming into use with the modern Russian Air Force (four examples under the "IL-86VKP" mark). All civilian market IL-86 airliners have been retired since 2011, these having operated with air carriers such as Aeroflot, Donavia, Kras Air, Siberia Airlines, and Xinjiang Airlines.
The IL-86 was known to NATO under the name of "Camber" and became the foundational airframe for the follow-up Ilyushin IL-96 of 1992 (30 produced). This aircraft is detailed elsewhere on this site.
Everything quality of the IL-86 was highly conventional: Its layout incorporated the flightdeck over a short nosecone assembly and the wing mainplanes were set along the lower sides of the tubular fuselage in the usual way. Under each mainplane member were a pair of podded engines. The undercarriage was of a non-conventional arrangement in that three main legs (as opposed to two) were used in conjunction with the twin-wheeled nose leg. The tail unit incorporated a single, large vertical fin with low-mounted horizontal planes.
Power to the design came from 4 x Kuznetsov NK-86 turbofan engines outputting 28,665lb of thrust. Typical cruising speeds reached 160 knots with a range out to 1,835 nautical miles and a rate-of-climb equal to 3,000 feet-per-minute.
The 255,000lb (empty) aircraft was crewed by three or four depending on operator and a flight crew of eleven could be carried. Total passenger seating could reach up to 350 persons while a mixed-class arrangement reduced this number to 320. Beyond its passenger-hauling capabilities, the aircraft could manage up to 565,035 cubic feet of cargo across three individual compartments. The maximum take-off weight was rated up to 460,000lb.
The aircraft became the subject of several championed - but ultimately unrealized - forms including Long-Range (LR) and High-Capacity (HC) versions. Additionally, one proposal was to cover re-engined (RB211-22 series turbofans) IL-86 airliners under the IL-86V designation.
Former operating nations included Armenia, China, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, the Soviet Union, Uzbekistan, and Ukraine - all former Soviet-era states or allies.
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Transport
General transport functionality to move supplies/cargo or personnel (including wounded and VIP) over range.
✓Commercial Aviation
Used in roles serving the commercial aviation market, ferrying both passengers and goods over range.
Length
197.5 ft (60.20 m)
Width/Span
157.6 ft (48.05 m)
Height
51.4 ft (15.68 m)
Empty Wgt
259,043 lb (117,500 kg)
MTOW
478,403 lb (217,000 kg)
Wgt Diff
+219,360 lb (+99,500 kg)
(Showcased structural values pertain to the base Ilyushin IL-86 (Camber) production variant)
Installed:
4 x Kuznetsov NK-86 turbofan engines developing 28,665lb of thrust.
IL-86 ("Camber") - Base Series Designation.
IL-86D - Proposed long-range variant.
IL-86V - Proposed high-capacity variant.
IL-86V (II) - Proposed re-engined variant with RB211-22 series turbofans.
IL-80 - Military Airborne Command Post variant for the Soviet (Russian) Air Force.
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.
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Armenia; China; Georgia; Kazakhstan; Pakistan; Russia; Soviet Union; Uzbekistan; Ukraine
