In the history of Soviet aircraft construction there is an aircraft that, over almost half a century of history, has become the pride of military transport aviation. He became business card“winged infantry” - airborne troops of the USSR and the Russian Federation.
An experienced reader will immediately understand that the article will focus on the famous development of the Design Bureau named after. S.V. Ilyushin - transport aircraft Il-76 (NATO code - Candid).
History of the creation of the Il-76 aircraft
In the sixties of the twentieth century, the rearmament of airborne troops began. To carry out the tasks assigned to paratroopers in modern military conflicts, high-speed and spacious transport aircraft were needed.
By that time, the main Air Force trucks - An-12, An-22 and An-26 - ceased to meet these requirements. What was needed was a new military transport vehicle with a jet power plant, capable of quickly transporting paratroopers and equipment over long distances.
The development of the new aircraft was entrusted to the aviation design bureau.
Which was led by Sergei Ilyushin.
The first version of the project was not approved. The chassis and frame, designed for landing on unpaved airfields with a fabric density of no more than 5 kilograms per cubic centimeter, were further strengthened.
This led to a significant increase in the weight of the aircraft. The flight range (3000 km) and payload capacity (20 tons) declared in the IL-76 project did not meet the customer’s requirements.
Considering that the number of landings of military aircraft on unprepared sites was planned to be within 10% of the total volume, in the fall of 1967 it was decided to redesign the aircraft for operation on unpaved and concrete runways. It took a little over three years.
The military Il-76 goes on its first test flight. Moscow, March 25, 1971 Aircraft design
The military set strict conditions for the aircraft designers:
- transportation of any types of equipment that was in service with the airborne troops;
- the capacity of the Il-76 is 126 people in the cargo compartment for parachute landing, or 145 for transfer to another airfield;
- the IL-76's armament must provide protection for the aircraft during attacks in flight and upon landing;
- the ability to transport up to 80% of heavy equipment of other military branches;
Guided by the requirements, the designers designed a fuselage with a cargo compartment measuring 20x3.4 m (excluding the size of the cargo ramp). Considering the complexity of the process of loading heavy equipment using ramps, winches and hoists, the crew included a flight technician for airborne equipment. He is fully responsible for the correct placement of cargo on the aircraft.
A few words about the most important components of the IL-76 design:
Fuselage and wings
The design of the Il-76 is a military transport aircraft - a high-wing aircraft with a swept wing and one T-shaped fin with tail. The upper position of the wing significantly increases the handling characteristics of a heavy vehicle.
Free space on both sides under the planes allows for parachute landing personnel through the side loading hatches. The main loading hatch is rear, three-leaf. The side doors open downwards, the central pillar opens up and inwards.
Inside the fuselage there are roller tables, ten-ton loading hoists and a monorail for moving equipment during landing.
The wing of the Il-76 was equipped with powerful mechanization.
In order for the aircraft to take off and land with a large commercial load, the Il-76 wing was equipped with powerful mechanization. Along the entire length of the leading edge of the half-wing there is a slat consisting of five sections. The trailing edge is equipped with two slot-type sliding flaps.
In addition, the wing is equipped with three-section ailerons and braking flaps. Distinctive feature The fin of the Il-76 was the presence of a special staircase for carrying out technical inspection and diagnosing problems with the rudders. “Novozhilova Avenue” is still successfully used on other types of aircraft.
Chassis
The design of the Il-76 aircraft is made on a five-legged landing gear: with one nose and four main legs. The wheels on the front strut are tubeless, while the main wheels are tubed. The pressure inside the tires is adjusted depending on the type of runway:
When the chassis is retracted into the cargo hatch using the hydraulic system, the main struts rotate inward towards each other at an angle of 90 degrees.
Fuel system
Caisson-type fuel tanks with a drainage unit are mounted inside the wing planes on both sides.
The fuel supply system includes the following mechanisms:
- ensuring the supply of kerosene to the main engines and auxiliary power unit;
- refueling of the Il-76 at the airfield is carried out through special booms;
- equipment for removing fuel residues and condensate.
The Il-76 military transport aircraft holds 84.84 tons of aviation kerosene in its tanks.
Fuel tanks are distributed into 4 separate groups.
Each of them has three reservoirs:
- main (G);
- additional (D);
- reserve (R).
The complex fuel supply system provides for the presence of supply and pre-supply compartments in the tanks. Fuel flow occurs unilaterally due to work check valves. The tanks are separated by special ribs that seal a separate fuel tank.
The system is equipped with valves and pressure taps. This is necessary for the top supply of fuel and draining remaining condensate from the tanks. General control of the refueling process is carried out using the SPUT-4-1 programmable fuel control system.
Main modifications of the aircraft
The Il-76 transport aircraft brilliantly demonstrated its flight characteristics to the world during the war in Afghanistan.
Over ten years, the military Il-76 transported 84% of all cargo and 74% of the personnel of a limited contingent Soviet troops. The designers included in the characteristics of the IL-76, whose capacity is already considered the largest, a huge resource for improving technical parameters.
Thanks to this, new modifications of the Ila regularly take to the skies. The range of use of a transport aircraft for the military department has expanded to immeasurable limits. First of all, due to the excellent flight performance characteristics of the Il-76 cargo aircraft. It is used in the army, civil and special aviation.
Il-76 is used in the army, civil and special aviation.
One board is used Russian Federation for carrying out unique flights in extremely severe weather conditions. The crew of the Il-76TD "Antarctica" aircraft, led by the commander, Honored Test Pilot, Hero of Russia Ruben Yesayan, transports cargo and fuel to Russian research polar stations on the sixth continent. The capacity of the Il-76 made it an indispensable assistant for expeditionary missions in northern latitudes.
Let's briefly look at the most common and interesting modifications of the Il-76, designed and built over the years of operation of the aircraft:
| Modification | Prescription and use information |
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The planes were converted into zero-gravity simulation laboratories. Used for training members of the cosmonaut corps since 1981. 3 units of IL-76KT were used. The plane entered weightlessness mode according to the “Kepler parabola” (climbing from 6.5 to 9 km), then a sharp transition into a dive with an angle of about 40° |
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Since 1978, modifications have been produced, the load capacity of which, due to the strengthening of the fuselage structure, was increased to 42 tons. Maximum take-off weight - 170 tons. Main purpose - transport and landing operations of the USSR Armed Forces |
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Civil cargo-passenger modification. Payload - up to 50 tons. There is no rear gunner's cabin, military equipment has been removed. The Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia is actively used. Flight range - 3650 km. Engines D-30KP 2nd series |
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Military Il-76 - jammer. Il-76MD was chosen as the base aircraft. Supplemented with a special hardware complex “Lily of the Valley” for searching and direction finding of signals. Was not put into production |
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The modification was used as a strategic control point for the nuclear forces of the Russian Armed Forces. Engines - 4 turbofan engines D-3-KP. Speed - 780 km/h. Range - 6800 km. Additional equipment - satellite communication container (“hump”), exhaust, lobe and whip antennas |
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High-altitude laboratory complex for testing power plant operating modes. The engine under study was placed in place of the standard engine No. 2 during flight. Otherwise - a standard Il-76 with a cargo weight of up to 33 tons. Flight range - 3200 km |
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High-altitude command and measurement point for telemetric information of the Strategic Missile Forces. Includes various measurement, control and relay systems |
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The “modified long-range” Il-76, when fully loaded (40 tons of fuel and 48 tons of payload), can cover 4,200 km. It was produced as a transporter, firefighting aircraft and mobile medical hospital. The basic payload of the Il-76 aircraft is 48 tons. A modification whose weight has been increased from 170 to 190 tons |
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Russian Air Force tankers. Designed for in-flight refueling of fighters, bomber and auxiliary aircraft using the hose-cone system. Il-78/Il-78M:
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A-100 is a multifunctional aviation complex for radar patrol and guidance "Premier". The Il-76MD-90A aircraft was converted to the NTK named after. Beriev. Distinctive features:
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Of course, this is not the entire list of IL76’s merits. Over the years of operation, the aircraft appeared almost everywhere where prompt transportation of goods and people was required. Reliability and unpretentiousness, simplicity of design and high flight performance made it extremely popular in dozens of countries around the world.
Flight performance characteristics of the Il-76 aircraft
Main flight and technical characteristics of the Il-76 (modification MD-90A):
| Length, m | 46,59 |
| Width, m | 3,46 |
| Height, m | 14,76 |
| Wingspan, m | 50,5 |
| Wing area, m2 | 300 |
| Run length, m | 1500-2000 |
| Run length, m | 930-1000 |
| Power point | 4 PS90-A76 turbofan engines (thrust 14.5 t) |
| Weight without load, t | 92,0 |
| Take-off weight (maximum), t | 190,0 |
| Cargo compartment volume, m 3 | 400 |
| Maximum payload capacity of IL-76, t | 48-50 |
| Capacity, person | 145 (one deck), 225 (2 decks) |
| Flight range with maximum payload, km | 5000 |
| Fuel tank capacity, l | 109 500 |
| Cruising speed, km/h | 800 |
| Maximum speed, km/h | 850 |
| Crew, people | 5 |
In various modifications, designers changed mainly the strength characteristics and dimensions of the airframe, taking into account operating conditions.
Today's day of Russian military transport aviation
Separately, we should talk about the most famous modification of the IL-76. No, not one of those that has passed every conceivable test over many years of flawless operation. We will talk about an aircraft into which the designers have invested the most modern characteristics, using the latest achievements of science and technology.
This model is Il-76MD-90A (Il-476). “Product 476” is still the same Il-76, but thanks to the efforts of the design team, it has become significantly more economical than its older brothers. This became possible thanks to the replacement of D-30KP engines with PS-90A ones. Their thrust is 14.5 tons, fuel consumption has decreased by 12%, and their flight range has increased by 18%.
Il-76MD-90A - “today and tomorrow” of Russian military transport aviation.
The wing has undergone the greatest changes. Unlike previous modifications of the Il-76, long wing caissons without partitions were used. During installation, 25-meter solid segments 3-4 meters wide are laid along the half-wing body. This made it possible to reduce the weight of the wing by 2.7 tons without changing its geometric dimensions.
It is critically important that it was possible to replace with the range of Russian manufacturers those components whose supply was stopped due to sanctions. In addition to the power plant, the on-board radar equipment and various control and monitoring systems have been almost completely updated.
An ultra-modern flight and navigation system allows landings in weather conditions of any degree of complexity. As a result of deep modernization, the service life of the aircraft was extended by 15 years.
The Ulyanovsk Aviastar plant has become the place where the latest modification of the Il-76 is made.
IL-76s also fall
Severe aviation accidents occur from time to time in all types of aircraft. The reasons for this are various (technical faults, weather conditions, human factor), and the consequences can be catastrophic (death of passengers and crew members, loss of aircraft).
Most of the crashes of Il-76 aircraft occur on Russian aircraft.
But one of the most severe disasters involving an Il-76 aircraft, an Iranian plane crashed 35 km from the Kerman airfield. The truck was traveling from Zahedan to Kerman, transporting IRGC soldiers.
As a result of the fall of the car (according to unofficial data - due to bad weather conditions), 275 people died - all passengers and 18 crew members. In the history of world aviation, this disaster is the most serious flight accident involving a Soviet (Russian) aircraft.
Instead of an afterword
About the legendary military transport aircraft IL-76 we can say with complete confidence:
“A winged car with a happy destiny and an excellent biography.”
Over the forty-five years of its active operation, some other high-profile transport aircraft projects in many countries of the world have been completely forgotten, but the Ilyushin carries out daily work on transporting cargo and passengers around the world.
The vital project of the next generation transport aircraft - the advanced aviation complex of transport aviation (PAK DA) - has already been put on the table of the big army authorities. But so far it exists only in drawings, so the main transport load in aviation still goes to the reliable, powerful and unpretentious winged giants Il-76.
- Il-76MD-90A - developed by the Design Bureau named after. S.V. Ilyushin together with the design bureau of the Aviastar aviation plant (Ulyanovsk). According to unconfirmed reports, preliminary work on the modernization project was carried out in the late 1980s - early 1990s. The decision to transfer the production of Il-76 from Tashkent (Uzbekistan) to Russia to the Aviastar aircraft plant in Ulyanovsk was made in 2006. The development of the Il-76MD-90A aircraft was generally completed by the spring of 2009. During 2009, it was planned to conclude a contract for the production of a series of 6 Il-476 aircraft for India. During 2010, it was planned to build a model of the aircraft for endurance testing at TsAGI, and in 2011 to begin serial production of the Il-476.
Construction of the first flight prototype “01-02” began in the second half of 2009. In November 2009, a contract was concluded between JSC UAC-TS and the Ministry of Industry of Russia for “execution of work on a modernized version of product 476”. Testing of the aircraft was planned to begin in 2012. In the first half of 2010, the media reported plans to complete construction of a prototype aircraft by July 2011, and a copy for statistical testing in October 2011. As of April 2011, all efforts were devoted to the construction of the flight model “01-02” - the first flight of the aircraft was postponed to the beginning of 2012, but unofficial sources at the Aviastar aircraft plant called a more realistic date - October-November 2012.
In 2011, as previously planned, the construction of the “01-01” aircraft was completed for endurance static tests and the aircraft was transferred to TsAGI in early October 2011. Testing of the sample for static testing was postponed to 2012 and its completion was planned for the spring of 2012.
Construction of the first flightable aircraft "01-02" was completed in December 2011 - the rollout took place on December 15, 2011. The first flight of the aircraft 01-02 was expected in April 2012. On July 5, 2012, the Il-476 (No. 01-02) was rolled out again - the aircraft was transferred to the plant’s flight test station. Now the first flight of the aircraft was expected in August-September 2012. As of August 1, 2012, the aircraft is again in the assembly shop of the plant. By August 23, 2012, the debugging of the aircraft's systems was completed, and the aircraft was again moved to the flight test station of the Aviastar plant.
As a result, the 01-02 Il-76MD-90A aircraft made its first flight on September 22, 2012. The flight took place from the Ulyanovsk-Vostochny airfield under the control of a crew consisting of test pilot Hero of Russia Nikolai Kuimov (commander), Honored Test Pilot of Russia Vladimir Irinarkhov (2nd pilot), Valery Grechko (navigator), Alexey Zhuravlev (flight engineer) and Sergei Orlov (flight operator). The first flight lasted about 40 minutes and went as usual.
On January 30, 2013, the lead Il-76MD-90A in the livery of the Russian Air Force with registration number RA-78650 flew to the Flight Research Institute named after. M.M. Gromov to Ramenskoye - to undergo flight design tests. As Viktor Livanov reported, there are several stages of testing to be carried out: factory, state, as well as a stage of special tests for dropping various cargo, landing equipment and troops, incl. by parachute method.
On March 13, 2013, the flight design testing program for the flagship Il-76MD-90A was to begin in Ramenskoye. The program includes 22 flights performing different tasks. Due to weather conditions, the first flight on March 13, 2013 was postponed. On May 21, 2013, the media announced the early completion of flight development tests of the aircraft. In total, 19 flights out of the planned 22 were completed during the flight test. Technical specialists from the flight test and development base of OJSC Il are completing modifications to the aircraft systems in order to prepare it for transfer for further testing by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
According to media reports, on July 10, 2013, the first flight of the first stage of state joint testing of the Il-76MD-90A took place at the Gromov Flight Research Institute airfield in Ramenskoye. The third flight took place on July 12. After the completion of the first stage of the GSI in November 2013, the Ministry of Defense must approve an act with a preliminary conclusion on the release of the pilot batch, giving the right to carry out serial production of aircraft of this modification. The program of the first stage of the GSI consists of two stages, the first is development, the second is evaluation. “The program of the first stage of the GSI includes a comprehensive check of the functioning of the aircraft, assessment of systems and equipment: flight and navigation complex, automatic control system, state identification transponder, radio communication equipment and other systems.”
The first stage of state testing of the aircraft was completed on December 4, 2013. The first Il-76MD-90A (serial number 01-02) flew from the airfield of the LII named after. M.M. Gromova, Zhukovsky to the Ulyanovsk-Vostochny airport of Aviastar-SP JSC for further refinement based on the results of the first stage of state joint tests (GST). During the first stage of testing, 38 flights were carried out, the functioning of the flight navigation complex and its systems, fuel system, autopilot, and radio communications was tested. Maximum strength modes at maximum speed, maximum overloads, and the combination of achieving maximum speed and maximum overload simultaneously have been tested. Within the framework of the GSI, flights with a maximum take-off weight of 210 tons and a maximum landing weight of 170 tons were carried out, and a technique for an aircraft go-around in the event of a “failure” of one or two engines was developed. The aircraft will be modified at the Ulyanovsk aviation plant Aviastar-SP. It is planned to install a new communications complex, a defense complex, and external and internal video cameras. Upon completion of the modification stage, the prototype will begin the second stage of the geological survey in the city of Zhukovsky. The second stage of the GSI provides for the testing of the on-board defense complex and the on-board communications complex, as well as the landing of cargo and equipment.
Testing of the first flightable Il-76MD-90A aircraft is planned to be completed in mid-2014.
The aircraft differs from the Il-76 in a new modified wing using long caisson panels, new engines, an upgraded fuel and control system, a digital sighting and navigation system and an automatic aircraft control system, as well as a new “glass” cockpit (control devices made using LCD -displays).
Serial production of the Il-476 is expected to be carried out at the Aviastar aircraft plant in Ulyanovsk (the Il-76 was produced by the Tashkent aircraft plant). In 2009, the Russian Air Force's needs were estimated at 38 aircraft of this type until 2020. In February 2011, the media reported about 50 aircraft in tanker and military transport aircraft variants included in State program weapons of the Russian Federation for 2011-2020. On August 23, 2011, contract No. 155.476.08.2011 was concluded between JSC UAC-TS and CJSC Aviastar-SP for the construction of an initial batch of Il-76MD-90A aircraft (3 units). Production of the pilot batch began in 2012. On January 24, 2012, information appeared in the media about plans to purchase more than 100 Il-476 aircraft in various modifications by 2020. In addition, on the basis of the Il-476 it is planned to build a new AWACS and U A-100 Premier aircraft.
On August 23, 2012, the media reported plans to conclude a contract in October 2012 with Ilyushin AK for the supply of 41 Il-476 aircraft to the Russian Ministry of Defense with delivery of the first two aircraft in 2014. (source). On October 4, 2012, the Russian Ministry of Defense and JSC UAC-Transport Aircraft signed contract No. З/4/2/1-13-DOGOZ for the supply of 39 aircraft by 2018 in the amount of 140 billion rubles. As it turned out later (September 2013), the contract provides for delivery until 2020 inclusive.
On October 12, 2012, the press announced that Perm Motor Plant OJSC had received an order for 200 PS-90A-76 engines to equip aircraft that would be built under the contract dated October 4, 2012. The R&D contract for the creation of the Il-76MD-90A and a tanker aircraft based on it, No. 11/4/05-12-DOGOZ, was signed on December 19, 2012.
The first production aircraft Il-76MD-90A, built by order of the Russian Ministry of Defense, made its first flight on October 3, 2014 - a flight lasting 4 hours and 20 minutes was performed by the crew of the Honored Test Pilot of the Russian Federation Vladimir Irinarkhov. The aircraft is planned to be transferred to OJSC Taganrog Aviation Scientific and Technical Complex named after. G.M. Beriev" for the creation of a special aviation complex AWACS and U A-100.
The design of the aircraft is identical to that of the Il-76. The manufacture of the aircraft airframe (fuselage, wings, tail) is carried out at the Aviastar aircraft plant (Ulyanovsk), the landing gear is manufactured by the Aviaagregat Production Association (Samara), mechanization of production at the Tashkent aircraft plant (according to unconfirmed reports, poor condition is found), the tail is so same production of the Tashkent aircraft plant, pylons - VASO. Starting from the first pre-production aircraft, mechanization and pylons (pylons - starting with the 01-06 aircraft) will be manufactured at the Aviastar aircraft plant.
The wing was redesigned using long caisson panels. Previously, on the Il-76 at the aircraft plant in Tashkent, the wing panels were made of 3 parts along the length and 4 parts along the width. For the Il-476, the wing panels are made in one piece (25 meters long) and 3-4 segments wide. The design of the wing panels has also changed significantly - previously the stringers were processed integrally with the panel (from a plate), but now they will be made separately and riveted with the panels. The theoretical contour of the wing did not change. The panels are made long and as a result the weight is reduced by 2.7 tons. The power design of the Il-476 wing is similar to that used on the Il-96-300. Initially, it was planned to manufacture the wing at VASO, but in the fall of 2009 it was decided to manufacture the wings at the Aviastar aircraft plant. At the initial stage, this caused a number of problems due to the lack of equipment at the factory for automatic riveting of panels with rod rivets - therefore, on the first aircraft 01-02, rod rivets were replaced with universal ones.
The landing gear is identical to that of the base aircraft (Il-76), but reinforced to accommodate the increased weight of the aircraft.
Airborne transport equipment is installed, allowing the aircraft to be used in the following conditions:
-for transportation of personnel;
-for parachute landing of paratroopers;
-for transportation of goods, equipment, universal sea and aviation containers and pallets;
-for parachute landing of cargo and equipment on platforms;
-for parachute-free drop of cargo from low altitudes.
Loading of cargo and equipment is carried out through the cargo hatch using onboard winches and electric hoists. Two winches allow loading non-self-propelled wheeled vehicles with a maximum force on the cable of each winch of 3000 kgf. Winches have electric and manual drives. Four hoists can be used to load a monocargo weighing up to 10 tons. The cargo compartment has a ramp, which can be installed in a horizontal or any other necessary position during loading and unloading. If necessary, loads weighing up to 30 tons can be lifted into the cargo compartment using a ramp. To load tracked and wheeled vehicles, as well as the platform, four step pads are mounted on the ramp, ensuring smooth entry of the equipment onto the ramp.
Four roller tracks with a monorail are installed on the floor of the cargo compartment and ramp in two versions: in special niches for landing platforms; on beams for transporting aviation containers and pallets.
To transport people, the aircraft's cargo cabin has side seats and removable central seats. The single-deck version (with central seats) provides transportation for 145 military personnel or 126 paratroopers. In the double-deck version, up to 225 troops.
The aircraft is equipped with a cargo drop system that allows for single and serial landing of platforms with cargo and equipment.
In addition, equipment can be installed in the cargo cabin of the aircraft allowing:
-transport up to 114 wounded and medical staff;
-realize intensive care up to 20 seriously wounded;
- extinguish fires.
Modification: Il-76MD-90A (Id. 476)
Aircraft length, m: 46.60
Aircraft height when parked, m: 14.76
Wingspan, m: 50.50
Wing area (trapezoid), m2: 300.0
Chassis track (on external wheels), m: 8.16
Midsection diameter, m: 4.8
Characteristics of the PS-90A-76 engine
Number of engines: 4
Bypass ratio: 4.4
Thrust, kgf
-maximum mode: 14500
-maximum boost mode: 16000
-cruising mode: 3300
- reverse thrust mode (reverse): 3600
Specific fuel consumption, cruise mode, kg/kgf h: 0.59
Mass characteristics:
Maximum take-off weight, t: 210
Maximum load, t: 52
Total capacity of fuel tanks, l: 109500
Flight data:
Flight speed, km/h: 750 – 800
Flight range, km
-with a load of 52 tons: 5000
-with a load of 20 tons: 8500
Flight altitude, m: 12100
Run length, m: 1540
Required take-off distance on a runway, m: 1700
Run length with engine thrust reverser, m: 960
Landing
Landing height, m
-technicians: 300-4000
-paratroopers: up to 8000
Speed during parachute landing, km/h
-techniques: 260-400
-paratroopers: 220-400
Number of places
Crew: 5
-paratroopers: 126
- personnel / when installing the second deck: 145 / 225
-injured during the installation of sanitary equipment: 114
Cargo compartment dimensions
Length with ramp, m: 24.54
Width, m: 3.45
Height, m: 3.40
Cargo compartment volume, m3: 321
Aircraft resource
Calendar, years: 30
Number of landings: 10,000
Number of flight hours: 30,000.
The first production Il-76MD-90A in flight.
Il-76MD-90A on the slipway (workshop No. 300) of Aviastar-SP.
The first experimental Il-76MD-90A (No. 01-02), Ulyanovsk, summer 2012.
Il-76MD-90A taxiing.
Il-76MD-90A after takeoff.
Il-76MD-90A after takeoff.
Il-76MD-90A comes in for landing.
Il-76MD-90A comes in for landing.
Il-76MD-90A is being towed to the parking lot.
(NATO code Candid - “direct, sincere”) is a Soviet and Russian military transport heavy aircraft. Developed by Ilyushin design bureau.
At the end of June 1966, the USSR Ministry of Aviation Industry instructed the Ilyushin Design Bureau to create the Il-76 military transport aircraft. In February 1967, designer Sergei Ilyushin approved the technical proposal for the design of the Il-76. In November of the same year, the Council of Ministers adopted a resolution to begin the construction of a military transport aircraft.
The plane first took off on March 25, 1971. The first production model took off on May 5, 1973.
The IL-76 is intended for landing personnel and transporting cargo and equipment for various purposes. It is the first transport military aircraft with turbojet engines in the history of the Soviet Union. The aircraft is capable of delivering cargo largest mass 28-60 tons at a distance of 3600-4200 km with a cruising speed of 770-800 km/h (the largest weight of transported cargo and flight range are associated with the modification).
The aircraft is designed according to the traditional design for heavy transport aircraft of a single-fuselage high-wing aircraft with a swept wing and a single-fin T-shaped tail. It has ordinary swept wings and single-fin tail in the form of a T-shape. The aircraft wing is trapezoidal with a fracture along the trailing edge.
The fuselage of the aircraft has a round shape and is divided into several sealed compartments. The IL-76 pilot's cabin is located in the upper part, and the navigator's cabin is located under the pilot's cabin. There is also a pressurized cargo compartment. Military models have a gunner's cabin equipped with a rear gun mount.
The plane has three hatches - two in the front and one in the rear. The rear hatch is a cargo hatch and has a three-leaf structure.
The aircraft is equipped with four turbojet engines, each of which is suspended on its own pylon under the wing of the aircraft. In addition, there is a five-wheel landing gear, which is retracted into the fuselage during takeoff.
Technical characteristics of the Il-76 aircraft:
Length: 46.6 meters
Wingspan: 50.5 meters
Wing area: 300 square meters.
Largest take-off weight: 210 tons
Empty weight: 88,500 kilograms
Load capacity: up to 60 tons
Fuel capacity: 109,000 liters
Speed at flight level: 780-850 km/h
Range of flight:
with a load of 60 tons: less than 4000 kilometers
with a load of 48 tons: 5500 kilometers
with a load of 40 tons: 6500 kilometers
Cargo compartment volume: 321 square meters.
Crew: 5 people.
Number of paratroopers on board: 126
Aircraft life: 30,000 hours/10,000 landings/30 years.
The aircraft has several modifications: Il-76T - a modification with a reinforced structure and an additional fuel tank; Il-76TD - modification of Il-76T; Il-76M - a specialized military version of the Il-76T with cannon armament, and a system with dipole reflectors and jamming; Il-76P (TP, TDP) - firefighting aircraft; IL-76PS - modification for search and rescue operations at sea; Il-76MD Scalpel - “flying hospital”; IL-76K/MDK - modification for simulating the state of weightlessness during training of astronauts, etc.
Military transport aircraft Il-76 (according to NATO classification, Candid - “direct, sincere”) from the moment it entered service until today is the main heavy military transport aircraft of the Russian Armed Forces. It became the first transport military aircraft in the history of the Soviet Union with turbojet engines and was initially capable of transporting cargo weighing 28-60 tons over a distance of 3600-4200 km with a cruising speed of 770-800 km/h. Over the decades of its successful operation, more than 950 aircraft of various modifications for military, civil and special purposes were built. The Il-76 was conceived as a transport aircraft that was supposed to replace the An-12 and An-8 aircraft. He laid the foundation for the use of jet aircraft to perform transport and landing missions. Work on the creation of the aircraft took place under the leadership of Deputy General Designer Genrikh Novozhilov (on July 28, 1970, he was appointed general designer of the Design Bureau of the Moscow machine-building plant Strela, now the S.V. Ilyushin Aviation Complex). The first prototype of the Il-76 appeared in early 1971. Its rollout took place at the famous Khodynka - the central airfield of Moscow, located just six kilometers from the Kremlin. The first flight was to be carried out from here, which was resisted by numerous officials who were worried about the safety of the capital, its residents and top officials of the state, over whose heads the new Il-76 was supposed to take off for the first time. However, the military, primarily the commander of the Airborne Forces, General Army Hero of the Soviet Union Vasily Margelov, under whose direct supervision the work on the new aircraft was carried out, convinced everyone that the flight was safe, since the machine was absolutely reliable. In May of the same year, the Il-76 was demonstrated to the country's leaders at the Vnukovo airfield near Moscow, and then presented at the XXIX International Aviation and Space Salon in Paris, where it created a sensation. The first production Il-76 aircraft - also the third experimental one - took off on May 5, 1973 year in Uzbekistan from the airfield of the Aviation Production Association named after. V.P. Chkalov, where its production was launched. The first Il-76 aircraft began to enter service in the 339th Military Transport Order of Suvorov III Class air regiment, stationed in Vitebsk, Belarus. Here, at the base of the regiment, the first tests for its combat use took place. The first modifications of the Il-76 had a take-off weight of 170 tons, a payload capacity of 28 tons and a flight range with a maximum load of 4200 km. However, gradually, during further modernization, the take-off weight of the IL-76 increased to 190 tons, and the payload capacity - to 60 tons. The cargo cabin of the aircraft could accommodate 145 or 225 (modifications M, MD in a double-deck version) soldiers or 126 paratroopers (in the original version there were 115). The Il-76 could accommodate three BMD-1 airborne combat vehicles, which could be transported in both landing and parachute landing versions. Compared to turboprop aircraft, the Il-76 had a significantly expanded range of flight speeds - from 260 to 825 km/h, which made it possible to reduce the time required to complete combat missions, increased the ability to overcome enemy air defenses, and also improved the conditions for landing personnel and military equipment. 
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Compared to its predecessors, the IL-76 had significantly improved all the main characteristics: radio communications, navigation, flight equipment, airborne transport equipment and weapons. When designing the Il-76 aircraft, one of the most difficult problems was determining the optimal dimensions of the fuselage, its configuration, as well as the location of the cargo hatch, which would most effectively meet the operating conditions of the aircraft. Cargo compartment size due to great variety transported cargo and equipment represented the most difficult problem that the creators of the aircraft had to solve. The length of the cargo compartment - 20 m (excluding the ramp) - was determined from the condition of placing six standard aviation containers 2.44x2.44x2.91 m (or three containers) in it 2.44x2.44x6.06 m) and various types of equipment, taking into account the installation of two loading winches in the front part of the cargo compartment, a workplace for an on-board technician for airborne equipment and the presence of a cross passage of sufficient width. total length The cargo compartment with an inclined cargo ramp, which also serves as a ramp for the entry of equipment, is 24.5 m. The space under the floor of the cargo compartment is used for auxiliary cargo compartments to accommodate various equipment. The rear part of the fuselage was no less problematic. It was designed with an inclined cargo hatch through which heavy bulky cargo could be dropped, as well as military equipment by parachute drop, both on and without platforms. After studying the layout options for various foreign and Soviet transport aircraft, the designers chose a configuration of the rear fuselage that could ensure free and quick loading of the aircraft from the tail side and the same free exit of cargo during parachute landing. To achieve this, the IL-76 design had to seriously work on strengthening the rigidity of the rear fuselage. 
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In addition, a number of know-how were applied to the Il-76, giving this aircraft advantages over other similar ones. For example, the forward part of the fuselage, where the cockpit was located, was divided into the upper part, which accommodates two pilots, a flight engineer and a flight radio operator, and the lower part, where the navigator with a set of flight and navigation equipment is located. Behind the cockpit there is a technical compartment with equipment, an additional folding seat for the flight operator for airborne transport equipment and rest areas for the crew. The big advantage of the Il-76 is that the flight deck and cargo compartment of the aircraft are sealed. Thanks to this, up to a flight altitude of 6,700 m, normal atmospheric pressure is maintained there, and at an altitude of 11,000 m, the pressure in the cabins corresponds to a flight altitude of 2,400 m. Another important feature of the IL-76 is its landing gear and wheels, equipped with highly efficient brakes of high energy intensity. The wheels of the front support can be rotated at an angle of 50 degrees to ensure the aircraft turns on a runway 40 m wide. A special multi-wheel landing gear allowed the IL-76 to be used significantly larger number unpaved airfields than the An-12 aircraft. 
Initially, the Il-76 was equipped with four D-30KP engines, providing the aircraft with a high thrust-to-weight ratio. Moreover, which is important for aircraft maintenance, the engines on pylons under the wing are located in such a way that they can be interchangeable. As for the fuel system, on the Il-76 it was initially distinguished by its simplicity and high reliability. The fuel was placed in wing caisson tanks, divided into four groups according to the number of engines. Each group of tanks had a supply compartment from which fuel was automatically supplied to the engine without additional switching of tanks during fuel depletion. At the time of the aircraft’s creation, its control system also had a number of features. One of the main ones is the ability to switch from booster control to manual control. This ensured reliable control of the aircraft in the event of failure of all engines during landing, which significantly increased flight safety. The complex of its onboard airborne transport equipment was also unique on the Il-76. It not only significantly expanded the range of transported cargo, including long and large equipment, standard land and sea containers of international standard, but also ensured their rapid loading and unloading without the use of special ground equipment. Moreover, all these tasks could now be solved equally effectively when operating the aircraft both in the central air harbors and at remote, poorly equipped airfields of the country. Special equipment was also created for landing tasks, which made it possible to significantly reduce the time when transferring it from the traveling position to the working position. It consisted of side and central sections of seats, cables for forced deployment of parachutes, separators and flow interrupters for paratroopers, and side protective panels that covered the paratroopers on the ramp during landing. Thanks to this equipment, the deployment of paratroopers' stabilizing parachutes occurred in the opening of the cargo hatch, but outside the ramp, which made it possible to eliminate possible snags or gusts of the stabilizing devices. And the side doors protected the parachutists from the oncoming flow and allowed them to safely leave the plane. 
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By the mid-1980s, the Il-76 became the main aircraft of the BTA (about 50% of the aircraft fleet). The main test for the IL-76 was the war in Afghanistan. Since 1985, the bulk of transportation to this country was carried out on Il-76 aircraft (89% of personnel and 74% of cargo), which were most protected from enemy air defenses. In total, during the war years, the BTA carried out more than 26,900 flights to Afghanistan, of which the Il-76 aircraft accounted for 14,700. In addition, the Il-76 opened up new opportunities for delivering various cargo to hard to reach places. Including to drifting scientific stations in Northern Arctic Ocean. Since 1982, high-latitude air expeditions have been repeatedly carried out to deliver cargo to drifting stations. During these expeditions, specialists from the Design Bureau named after. S. V. Ilyushin was developed new way landing cargo on parachute cargo systems using gravity (dropping cargo in climb mode), which today is quite often used when solving problems of delivering cargo in extreme situations. 
World records set on the Il-76- On April 4, 1975, Soviet paratroopers left the plane at an altitude of 15,386 m and flew 14,780 m in free fall. The commander of the aircraft crew was Major General S. G. Dedukh. - In July 1975, on the first production aircraft Il-76, the crew Honored test pilot of the USSR, Hero of the Soviet Union Ya. I. Bernikov, in flight with a load weighing 70,121 kg, reached a height of 11,875 m. On the same day, the crew of Honored test pilot A. M. Tyuryumin, in flights along a closed route, showed a record average speed flight 857.657 km/h with a load of 70 tons at a distance of 1000 km, and with a load of 70 tons at a distance of 2000 km a record average speed of 856.697 km/h was achieved. - On October 26, 1977, Soviet parachutists set two world records - a single jump from a height of 15,760 meters and a free fall to a height of 960 m and a group jump from a height of 14,846 meters - a free fall to a height of 631 m. - On October 27 of the same year, another women's world record was set - a parachutist left the board of an Il-76 aircraft at an altitude of 14,974 m and flew in free fall to a height of 574 m. The crew commander in these flights was A. M. Tyuryumin. 
The Il-76MD-90A heavy military transport aircraft is a deeply modernized version of the well-proven Il-76MD aircraft, which was produced in the Republic of Uzbekistan at the Tashkent Aviation Enterprise. Chkalova. However, the lack of prospects for the production and technological capabilities of the Tashkent plant jeopardizes the development program of this wonderful aircraft, an unrivaled leader in the 40...50 ton payload class.
In accordance with the decision of the Russian Government to transfer the production of aircraft of the Il-76 family to Russia, UAC-TS carried out work to prepare serial production and developed the technical appearance of the modernized aircraft. In the course of work on the program, an assessment was made of the modern requirements of the main customer - the Russian Ministry of Defense and other potential customers. Changes in the modernized Il-76MD-90A will affect both on-board equipment and systems, as well as the design of the product.
The new flight and navigation complex, automatic control system, communications complex and glass cockpit meet all modern requirements for aircraft avionics and significantly increase flight safety, precision of aircraft navigation and landing. Replacing standard D-30KP2 engines with much more modern PS-90A-76 engines, installing a modified wing and reinforced landing gear significantly expand the aircraft's operational capabilities.
From the moment it entered service until today, the Il-76 has been the main heavy military transport aircraft of the Russian Air Force. Over decades of successful operation, more than 950 aircraft of various modifications for military, civil and special purposes were built. The Il-76MD-90A heavy operational-strategic military transport aircraft is being created on the basis of the Il-76MD and is designed for interregional transportation of troops, heavy large equipment and cargo, as well as airdropping of personnel, equipment and cargo by parachute and landing. The aircraft transports the entire range of weapons and military equipment used by the Russian airborne troops. The Il-76MD-90A can also be used to transport sick and wounded people and extinguish area fires.
The maximum load has been increased to 60 tons. The maximum take-off weight of the aircraft has been increased to 210 tons. The aircraft is a high-wing cantilever monoplane with four engines mounted on the wing on pylons, a T-shaped tail and a five-post landing gear. At the bottom of the rear fuselage there is a cargo hatch with a ramp for loading and unloading cargo and equipment and landing.
The aircraft can take off and land on unpaved (with soil density up to 7.5 kg/cm2) and concrete airfields with an altitude of minus 300 to 3000 m above sea level, and perform flights at any time of the day over land and water. Modernization of the aircraft, which includes the installation of modern engines, aircraft control systems, a new wing and a reinforced landing gear, significantly expands the operational capabilities of the Il-76MD-90A and increases the accuracy of aircraft navigation and landing
MAIN DESIGN FEATURES OF THE IL-76MD-90A AIRCRAFT:
PS-90A-76 engines are installed;
new wing - long panels are used;
the fuel system is being modified for the new wing;
a sighting and navigation flight complex “Kupol-III-76M” with on-screen display is installed;
digital SAU-76 is installed;
is installed complex system electronic indication and signaling KSEIS-KN-76 with 8 MFIs, providing indication of parameters of aircraft systems, flight and navigation parameters and self-propelled guns-76;
aircraft systems are being finalized to install the PS-90A-76 engine and provide indication and control;
APU TA-12A is installed.
Installation of modern fourth generation PS-90A-76 engines can significantly increase the operational efficiency of the aircraft due to:
Reducing specific fuel consumption by 12%,
increasing flight range by 18%,
reducing direct operating costs,
possibility of operation with high mountain airfields and in conditions
high temperatures,
compliance of noise and emission levels with modern ICAO standards.
Cockpit and flight navigation system:
The aircraft implements the principle of a “glass” cockpit. The cockpit is equipped with eight multifunctional LCD displays and three intelligent control panels. The cockpit glazing provides good review from the workplaces of pilots and navigators. The Il-76MD-90A aircraft is equipped with the Kupol-III-76M flight and navigation system, which provides solutions to aircraft navigation problems and is intended for:
ensuring work with navigation databases, including the global database: when preparing a flight plan, when flying along the route, when maneuvering in the airfield area and approach (SID/STAR, APPR);
automation of solving aircraft navigation problems, ensuring automated flight along a programmed trajectory using autonomous and non-autonomous correction means;
ensuring the prevention of aircraft collisions in the air;
automatic landing approach according to category II at aerodromes equipped with landing aids corresponding to category II ICAO;
detection, recognition using a weather navigation radar station and displaying meteorological formations in horizontal and vertical sections on a complex navigation situation indicator, including four-color indication of precipitation intensity and the presence of turbulence in accordance with the recommendations of ARINC-708A, detection of mountain peaks, large cities, detection of oncoming aircraft using a passive method , detection and tracking of RLMO, provision of inter-aircraft navigation mode;
ensuring automated control of the complex on the ground and in flight.
LANDING TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT:
Airborne transport equipment is installed, allowing the aircraft to be used in the following conditions:
for transportation of personnel;
for parachute landing of paratroopers;
for transportation of goods, equipment, universal sea and aviation containers and pallets;
for parachute landing of cargo and equipment on platforms;
for parachute-free drop of cargo from low altitudes.
Loading of cargo and equipment is carried out through the cargo hatch using onboard winches and electric hoists. Two winches allow loading non-self-propelled wheeled vehicles with a maximum force on the cable of each winch of 3000 kgf. Winches have electric and manual drives. Four hoists can be used to load a monocargo weighing up to 10 tons. The cargo compartment has a ramp, which can be installed in a horizontal or any other necessary position during loading and unloading. If necessary, loads weighing up to 30 tons can be lifted into the cargo compartment using a ramp. To load tracked and wheeled vehicles, as well as the platform, four step pads are mounted on the ramp, ensuring smooth entry of the equipment onto the ramp. Four roller tracks with a monorail are installed on the floor of the cargo compartment and ramp in two versions: in special niches for landing platforms; on beams for transporting aviation containers and pallets.
To transport people, the aircraft's cargo cabin has side seats and removable central seats. The single-deck version (with central seats) provides transportation for 145 military personnel or 126 paratroopers. In the double-deck version - up to 225 military personnel. The aircraft is equipped with a cargo drop system that allows for single and serial landing of platforms with cargo and equipment.
In addition, equipment can be installed in the cargo cabin of the aircraft allowing:
transport up to 114 wounded and medical personnel;
provide intensive care to up to 20 seriously injured people;
extinguish fires.
MAIN FLIGHT PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS:
General geometric data:
Aircraft length, m 46.60
Aircraft height when parked, m 14.76
Wingspan, m 50.50
Wing area (trapezoid), m2 300.0
Chassis track (along external wheels), m 8.16
Midsection diameter, m 4.8
Characteristics of the PS-90A-76 turbojet engine:
Number of engines 4
Bypass ratio 4.4
Thrust, kgf
maximum mode 14500
maximum boost mode 16000
cruise mode 3300
reverse thrust mode (reverse) 3600
Compliance with ICAO standards clause 16, Chapter IV
Specific fuel consumption during cruising mode, kg/kgf h 0.59
Mass characteristics:
Maximum take-off weight, t 210
Maximum load, t 60
Total capacity of fuel tanks, l 109500
Flight data:
Flight speed, km/h 750 … 800
Flight range, km
with a load of 52 tons 5000
with a load of 20 tons 8500
Flight altitude, m 12100
Run length, m 1540
Required take-off distance on a runway, m 1700
Run length using engine thrust reverse, m 960
Aircraft resource:
Calendar, 30 years
Number of landings 10000
Number of flight hours 30,000
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