On the evening of March 25, an Il-96 long-range wide-body aircraft landed at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York. The aircraft with tail number RA-96023 belongs to the special flight detachment "Russia."
Prior to this, there were reports in the press that a group of deputies from various parliamentary factions was planning to fly to Washington to hold negotiations with members of the American Congress.
Il-96 is the main "long-range aircraft" of Russian state aviation. The family's airliners are used on long routes, including to North America, Asia, and Africa.
Il-96 Characteristics:
- Maximum speed — 900 km/h
- Cruising speed — 850–870 km/h
- Service ceiling — 13,100 m
- Flight range — up to 9000 km (with maximum load)
Despite its venerable age, the Il-96 series has not lost the opportunity for innovation. Aviation expert Roman Gusarov noted that equipping the aircraft with two PD-35 engines will breathe new life into the aircraft, but it is necessary to change the design of the aircraft. There were even proposals to rebuild it into a bomber instead of the Tu-95MS.