Ilyushin IL-96-300 – From the Black Sea to the Capital with Aeroflot

Ilyushin’s long range IL-96-300 has always had a hard life. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russian airlines rather took cheap and old western aircraft. The once as new flagship designed airliner in the end only flew a few years for Domodedovo Airlines and Kras Air in larger numbers and only at Aeroflot actually took over the role as leading aircraft type. Today, only Cubana operates this airliner, all the others are gone. And it was the last summer of Ilyushin IL-96 ops with Aeroflot, when this wonderful piece of Russian engineering was used for flights to Sochi.

Every Russian needs to be in Sochi once, since it is Russia’s most famous sea resort. But with international competitors, such as Antalya, things are not that easy on Russia’s side of the Black Sea. But for Russians it’s really easy to go there, visas are not needed and it’s only a three hour hop from Moscow. Demand justified a few wide body aircraft each day during summer season, and one was Aeroflot’s IL-96.

Since a decade or even longer flights in Russia tend to be booked really well, so the flight back to Moscow was full. But with online check in one could get the desired seats. Unfortunately the windows of most of Aeroflot’s IL-96 were crazed, meaning that filming was difficult and fotos nearly impossible. But hey, it’s an Ilyushin, so who cares…

The mighty wing seemed even bigger from the forward part of the economy cabin, and the huge wing droops were quite impressive. The flight itself was perfect by all means, which unfortunately excludes roaring engines, shaky cabins and thundering thrust reversers. The IL-96 is a great, comfortable and modern airliner, and with Aeroflot was sure a thing not to be missed by the aviation community.

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