Manufacturer · Russia · Founded 1933
Ilyushin: The Soviet Long-Haulers
If you flew from Moscow to Havana, New Delhi or New York in the 1970s, there’s a good chance you did it in an Ilyushin. While Tupolev built most of the Soviet Union’s short and medium-haul jets, Ilyushin built the big ones: the four-engined long-haulers that carried Aeroflot across oceans and flew the flags of friendly airlines from Cuba to Vietnam.
From turboprops to long-haul jets
Sergey Ilyushin’s design bureau was founded in 1933 and first built military aircraft. Its first big airliner was the Il-18, a four-engined turboprop that first flew in 1957. It was fast, reliable and could operate from basic airports, and it did a lot to open up air travel inside the Soviet Union in the 1960s and 70s. At least 678 were built.
Its successor was a jet. The Il-62 first flew on 3 January 1963, and with room for almost 200 people it was the largest jet airliner in the world at the time. Its four engines sat in pairs on either side of the tail, like Britain’s Vickers VC10. That layout kept the wings clean and the cabin quieter, but it put so much weight at the back that a parked Il-62 needed a small extra wheel under its tail to stop it tipping up. 292 were built, and it became the Soviet Union’s flagship on routes to the Americas, Africa and Asia.
The arc
Ilyushin’s airliners
- 1933The bet
Sergey Ilyushin’s bureau
The design bureau is founded and builds military aircraft first.
- 1957Proof
Il-18 turboprop
A four-engined turboprop that opens up Soviet air travel; at least 678 built.
- 1963Proof
Il-62 first flight
On 3 January; at the time the largest jetliner in the world.
- 1976The bet
Il-86 first flight
The Soviet Union’s first widebody flies on 22 December.
- 1988Reset
Il-96 first flight
A modern four-engined widebody, built only in small numbers.
The Soviet jumbo
The Soviet answer to the 747 era was the Il-86, which first flew on 22 December 1976 and was the country’s first widebody. It had a clever idea for airports without many jet bridges: passengers boarded on a lower deck, left their coats and bags on racks right there, then climbed stairs inside the plane to the cabin. 106 were built, and only three were exported. Its successor, the Il-96, first flew in 1988. It was modern, but by then airlines across the region were turning to Boeing and Airbus, and only around 30 have been built, mostly used as state and government transports.
The real numbers
Ilyushin in figures
678+
Il-18s built
1957–1985
292
Il-62s built
Including prototypes
106
Il-86s built
Only three exported
~200
Il-62 capacity
Largest jetliner when it flew in 1963
Where to see one
Ilyushin airliners are now rare in passenger service, and the few still flying are mostly in Russia. Our guide to where you can still fly legacy aircraft tracks the Il-96. For the wider story of how the Soviet airliner makers compared with the West, see Tupolev and Antonov.
Iconic aircraft
1957
Ilyushin Il-18
A four-engined turboprop; at least 678 built between 1957 and 1985.
1963
Ilyushin Il-62
Four engines at the tail, the Soviet Union’s first long-haul jet; 292 built.
1976
Ilyushin Il-86
The first Soviet widebody, with luggage racks at the entrance; 106 built.
1988
Ilyushin Il-96
A modern long-haul widebody, used mainly as a state transport.
Sources & Further Reading
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Il-62 have its engines at the tail?
Rear-mounted engines left the wing clean, which helped low-speed handling, and kept the cabin quieter. The same layout was used on the British Vickers VC10. The downside was that the aircraft’s weight sat far back, so the Il-62 needed a small extra wheel under its tail when parked on the ground.
What was special about boarding the Il-86?
Passengers could board through doors on a lower level, stow their own coats and bags on racks there, and then climb internal stairs to the cabin above. The idea was to speed up boarding at airports with few jet bridges.
How many Il-96s are there?
Very few. Only around 30 have been built since it first flew in 1988. It is used mainly as a government and state transport aircraft, and it has also flown for Cubana.
Can you still fly on an Ilyushin?
Only rarely and mostly within Russia or on special charters. A few Il-96s remain in airline service, and Ilyushin turboprops and freighters are still found in some regions. See our legacy aircraft guide for the latest.
Who was Sergey Ilyushin?
A Soviet aircraft designer whose bureau was founded in 1933. It became famous first for military aircraft and later for the Soviet Union’s long-haul airliners.