After import substitution, the certification program for the new wide-body Il-96-400M aircraft has been frozen. The test aircraft with tail number 96115 has not taken to the skies since October 15, 2025, according to the monthly summary of the analytical blog "Flying Together."
In May 2025, the Il-96-400M resumed testing after an 18-month hiatus and flew from Voronezh to Lukhovitsy. Between October and May, the aircraft rarely took to the air, but with a minimum regularity of once a month.
In September-October, tail number 96115 briefly flew to Ulyanovsk and returned the same day. The most active month was September, when the Il-96-400M spent 25 hours in the sky over six flights. The United Aircraft Corporation has not announced the timeline for work on the aircraft.
The head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Anton Alikhanov, stated that the Il-96-400M will complement the line of civil airliners in the wide-body segment and ensure the development of the route network throughout the country.