Double-Decker Il-196 Surpassed Boeing 777 and Airbus A380, But Didn't Take Off: Breakthrough in Russian Aviation Failed to Materialize

In the early years of the new millennium, the Ilyushin Design Bureau presented the concept of the then-newest double-decker airliner. Among Soviet and Russian developments of this class, the initiative stood out for its potential feasibility.

In parallel, the launch of serial production of the IL-196 was planned at the Voronezh Aviation Plant at the beginning of the next decade.

Shot Down on Takeoff

Unlike the previous projects KR-860 and An-418, the Il-196 aircraft was based on the existing Il-96 model. The original fuselage was widened and a second floor was added, and four of the newest NK-93 engines, developed for the Il-86, were used as a power plant. However, the Soviet leadership never approved the units.

The airliner could accommodate 550 passengers and have a flight range of up to 12 000 km.

Competitive Advantages

With a similar load, the Russian aircraft consumed 20% less aviation fuel compared to the Boeing 777-200, and compared to the newest Airbus A380, the Russian airliner required airfields with shorter runways for takeoff and landing.

Like previous projects, the Il-196 was not implemented in serial production, and not a single prototype was created for it. The reason was economic factors - the unpreparedness of production facilities for the production of aircraft of this type and insufficient demand.

Earlier,www1.ru reported that Russia will invest 765 billion rubles in the project "Production of Aircraft and Helicopters".

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