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Further Reading

Il-476 CANDID / Il-76MD-90A

The Il-476 is a significantly modernized version of Russia's Il-76 Candid transport plane, featuring a fully-digital flight control system, new avionics and PS-90A-76 engines with improved fuel efficiency systems. There are up to 300 transport aircraft in service with the Russian Air Force, including An-12 Cub, An-72 Coaler, An-22 Cock, An-124 Condor and Il-76 Candid planes. Most of the aircraft entered service in the 1960s and 1970s and are considered outdated by modern safety and noise pollution standards.

The Russian Air Force will start receiving Il-476 heavy transport planes in 2012, the commander of the Russian Air Force's military transport aviation said on Friday 25 December 2009. "I think the Il-476, which will eventually replace the Il-76, will start arriving in the military transport aviation sometime in 2012," Lt. Gen. Viktor Kachalkin said. The plane will be built at the Urals-based Aviastar-SP aircraft-manufacturing plant. The Russian Defense Ministry plans to buy at least 38 Il-476 in cargo and aerial tanker versions in line with the state arms procurement program for the period of 2011-2020.

Before 2015, the Defense Ministry plans to purchase 38 new Il-76MD-90A aircraft, also known as the Il-476. Work is under way to upgrade the Air Force's Il-76MD planes, which are being fitted with PS-90A-76 engines. Before 2015, more than half of the 119 Il-76s in service with the Air Force must be replaced with new models, or upgraded. The source said that apart from the Defense Ministry, civilian airlines are also interested in new planes, for example, the freight carrier Volga-Dnepr, which is planning to purchase Il-76s with the new engines.

MAK Ilyushin developed a modernized Il-476 project with a new wing, avionics and engines with Perm PS-90A-76. The Il-476 or 'fourth-generation Il-76' will feature PS-90A76 engines, a glass cockpit and a further 13 to 17 per cent improvement in fuel efficiency. As of mid-2008 the Ulyanovsk Aircraft Factory was preparing for the production of a brand-new version of the Ilyushin Il-76, called the Il-476. The Ilyushin Il-476 is equipped with a full numerical flight-control system, a glass cockpit and a new-generation PS-90 engine. The factory will need to upgrade its equipment to manufacture the Ilyushin Il-476, as initially only 20 percent of the necessary equipment was ready. Fortunately, the Ilyushin Group had sufficient financial capability to organize the production.

Historically, the Il-76 aircraft was manufactured Tashkent Aviation and industry associations Chkalov. In Russia the role of a serial production final assembly was claimed Voronezhskoe aircraft association, although in recent years, cargo aircraft were not involved. The proposed corporation satisfied with the decision of all: the final issue of Il-476 will be at Ulyanovsk "Aviastar-SP, which has become a center for the creation of a transport aircraft. Voronezhtsy passing technological modernization program, becoming suppliers of critical components of the Il-476.

The restoration of the series production of transport aircraft Il-76 (Il-476 in the new version) was the first project which into some of degree demonstrates the new OAK industrial model. This step became practically inevitable after the resolution about the output of Russia from the Ukrainian An-70 project. In spite of the earlier plans for assembling Il-476 at Voronezh [VASO], Ulyanovsk Aviastar-SP, must become the center on the creation of special cargo fleet. For the program VASO goes to an important producer of components in the program, and VASO obtained a consolation prize in the form 5 billion rubles from OAK for technological re-equipping. The management of OAK made it possible to find arranging all solution and to divorce competitors on the different niches.

Moreover, into diagram of cooperation on Il-476 developed by OAK entered the previous final assembly plant for the Il-76 - the Tashkent production association of the name of Chkalov ([TAPOiCh]). The next step became the solution about the entry of the Uzbek tAPOiCh into OAK. It allowed the management of OAK to obtain political dividends, since was consistent with the Kremlin policy of the integration of post-Soviet space, and to also decrease the risks connected with the fluctuations of Ukrainian policy. The place of the An-70 was engaged by the Il-476, and instead of the regional An-140 the work now is done by the Russian-Uzbek Il-114. Instead of monopolies in the IL-76 tashkenttsy receive a stable order for spare parts and the role of supplier of IL-114 for government customers in Russia. In turn, Russian aviaprom not only expanded through the Tashkent aviation, but also solves the problem of the main turboprop liners for local airlines. Earlier this role, claimed the An-140, but Kiev in no hurry to respond to Russian proposals on the integration of OAK and aircraft concern in Ukraine.

The first IL-476 rises into the air in 2010 and during the year will be flight-tested. This project is very complicated because it involves the transfer of the factories in Voronezh and Ulyanovsk on a technological basis. Despite the difficulties, the project is implemented in accordance with established deadlines.

The first test IL-476 must be assembled to "Aviastar-SP" in 2010-2011, and by 2015, this machine should be completely replaced older versions. By 2015 OAK was planning to gather in Ulyanovsk least 25 Il-476s.