Ilyushin IL96

The Ilyushin IL-96 is a Russian long-range wide-body airliner developed by the Ilyushin design bureau in the late Soviet era. It is a four-engine aircraft featuring a supercritical wing with winglets and fly-by-wire flight controls, representing a significant technological step for Soviet and Russian aviation. The IL-96 entered commercial service in 1993 with Aeroflot and has remained in limited production and service ever since. Several variants have been developed, including the baseline IL-96-300, the stretched IL-96-400 with updated engines, and specialized cargo and government transport versions. Production numbers have remained very low compared to Western competitors, and the type has struggled commercially due to higher operating costs and limited international interest. Today the IL-96 is primarily operated by Cubana de Aviación and as a VIP/government transport by the Russian presidential fleet. It holds the distinction of being one of the few four-engine wide-body airliners still in production in the 21st century, albeit in very small quantities.