On the morning of September 23, a long-haul wide-body Il-96 aircraft landed at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York. The aircraft of the special flight detachment "Russia" delivered a government delegation led by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.
The ministerial liner made a non-stop flight along the ultra-long northern route, the publication kp.ru specified. The entire journey took 12 hours. Apparently, the liner flew through the Arctic over the neutral waters of the Arctic Ocean.
The Il-96 is the main "long-haul aircraft" of Russian state aviation. Aircraft of this family are used on intercontinental flights requiring maximum autonomy.
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 payload)
Despite its venerable age, the Il-96 series has not lost its potential for innovation. Aviation expert Roman Gusarov noted that equipping the aircraft with two PD-35 engines will breathe new life into the aircraft, but changes to the aircraft's design are necessary.