Il-96-300: Takeoff after Ten Years of Idleness

Take a look at the photo: this is not a dump - this is an aircraft preparing for takeoff. The airliner was built in 1992, in 2008 it made its last passenger flight and was laid up at Domodedovo Airport. However, aircraft did not suffer the sad fate of being dismantled and disposed of.

In 2018, they decided to revive the aircraft, carry out the necessary repairs and fly it to Zhukovsky. However, the years take their toll: the Il-96-300 failed to take off on the first try. But perhaps this was just testing the engines at maximum speed, checking the wing mechanization, etc. And then the second attempt was crowned with success: the aircraft slowly, even gracefully, took off from the runway and went into the sky.

It is worth reminding our esteemed readers that this model made its first flight in September 1988, although full-scale operation began only in 1993. As of mid-summer last year, only 33 aircraft had been produced. The planes were made in Voronezh, and not in a hurry - one or two units per year. Interestingly, the same pace is planned for 2025 - 2 aircraft. The "revival" of the Il-96-300, shown in a video on the OKandrew Planespotting Channel, suggests that aircraft developed in Soviet times are capable of being revived, even after years of inactivity. And if you want to enjoy the sight of a liner taking off, almost written off, watch the video!