On August 16 Russia celebrates Air Fleet Day, a professional holiday for aviators and workers of the country’s aviation infrastructure. Russian civil aviation has seen a number of outstanding aircraft and glorious achievements throughout its history.
This photo gallery will introduce you to some of the legendary Russian civil aircraft.
The Yakovlev Yak-40 was a Soviet regional passenger jet developed in the 1960s. In 1970, the Yakovlev Design Bureau was awarded with the Lenin Award. By mid-1972, Yak-40 planes flew more than 150 million kilometers and carried nearly seven million passengers. A total of 1,011 Yak-40 jets were produced. Since the early 2000s, the aircraft has been taken out of service.
Above: A Tajik riding a mountain ox passing by a YAK-40 aircraft.
Above: A Tajik riding a mountain ox passing by a YAK-40 aircraft.
In September 2007, Russia launched its first modern commercial regional airliner with up to 108 seats – the Superjet 100. Its development was initiated in 2000. The aircraft was built by the Sukhoi Design Bureau in cooperation with several foreign partners. Its maiden flight was conducted on May 19, 2008. In comparison with its foreign analogues, the SSJ-100 provides lower operating costs as well as a lower purchase price.
Above: An SSJ-100 airliner seen during the final rehearsal flight over the Zhukovsky Airfield outside Moscow before the MAKS-2009 international air show.
Above: An SSJ-100 airliner seen during the final rehearsal flight over the Zhukovsky Airfield outside Moscow before the MAKS-2009 international air show.
The Tupolev Tu-214 passenger airliner is the updated version of the Tu-204-100 twin-engine jet. The modernized aircraft has an increased gross weight and flight range. The Tu-214 operates at flight ranges of over 5,000 kilometers.
Above: A Tu-214 aircraft in midflight.
Above: A Tu-214 aircraft in midflight.
The Yakovlev Yak-42 is a three-engine mid-range passenger jet developed in the USSR in the mid-1970s. It was designed to replace the obsolete Tu-134 airliner. The aircraft was introduced in 1980 and was in operation until 2003. A total of 183 Yak-42 jets were produced.
Above: A Yak-42 of the Russian Emergency Ministry at the Krasnoyarsk airport.
Above: A Yak-42 of the Russian Emergency Ministry at the Krasnoyarsk airport.
The Ilyushin Il-96-300 passenger is shorter by 5.5 meters than its predecessor, the Il-86. It also has a wider wing span and modernized passenger interior. Depending on the modification, the aircraft can carry from 235 to 300 passengers. During its development, special attention was paid to safety and reliability. There is a special modification of the Il-96-300, designed especially for the President of the Russian Federation. Four Il-96-300PU (punkt upravleniya, command point) aircraft were built.
Above: An Il-96-300 Aeroflot at Sheremetyevo airport, Moscow.
Above: An Il-96-300 Aeroflot at Sheremetyevo airport, Moscow.
The Tupolev Tu-134 was a Soviet short and mid-range passenger airliner, developed by the Tupolev Design Bureau in the early-1960s. Its production ended in 1984. The model has seen long-term service with some 42 countries. In addition to regular passenger service, it has also been used in various air force, army and navy support roles.
Above: A Tupolev Tu-134 jetliner at Pulkovo airport.
Above: A Tupolev Tu-134 jetliner at Pulkovo airport.
Tu-204 is a Soviet/Russian short-range passenger airliner, developed in the late 1980s – early 1990s by the Tupolev Design Bureau to replace the Tu-154. The Tu-204 is authorized to fly to European Union countries and performs regular flights across the world, including North and South America.
Above: A Vladivostok Air Tu-204-300 in midflight.
Above: A Vladivostok Air Tu-204-300 in midflight.
In January 2012, the Special Flight Team "Rossiya" of the Administrative Department of the Russian President received a Tu-204-300 VIP aircraft. The plane was designed by the Tupolev Design Bureau and built at the Aviastar-SP factory in the city of Ulyanovsk. The aircraft has a luxury interior cabin effectively protected from noise. It is equipped with a modern communication and navigation system to match all flight worthiness requirements, including European.
Above: A Tu-204-300 VIP aircraft in a hangar.
Above: A Tu-204-300 VIP aircraft in a hangar.
The Tu-154 is a three-engine medium-range aircraft developed by the Tupolev Designed Bureau in the 1960s as a replacement for the Tu-104. The Tu-154 is the largest produced Soviet jet passenger airliner. It was the standard domestic-route airliner of Russia and former Soviet states until the mid-2000s. It was exported to 17 non-Russian airlines and used as head-of-state transport by the air forces of several countries.
Above: A TU-154 passenger jet in midflight.
Above: A TU-154 passenger jet in midflight.
The Tu-154’s modifications were the most popular passenger airliners in the USSR in the mid-1980s. It carried a number of Soviet passengers. The Tu-154 flew to many Soviet airports as well as to over 80 cities across the world.
Above: A TU-154M passenger jet in Kamchatka.
Above: A TU-154M passenger jet in Kamchatka.
The Ilyushin Il-62 is the first Soviet intercontinental passenger jet. Aimed to replace the Tu-114, it was developed by the Ilyushin Design Bureau in 1960 taking into account worldwide requirements for the aircraft of this type. Several world records in flight speed and range have been set on the Il-62. For several decades, the Il-62 has been used as the presidential aircraft ("Air Force One") in the USSR, Russia, North Korea and Ukraine.
Above: The crew of an Il-62 airliner at Moscow's Domodedovo Airport.
Above: The crew of an Il-62 airliner at Moscow's Domodedovo Airport.
