Companies

JSC “Ilyushin Aviation Complex”

Top Management:

Shareholders of JSC “Ilyushin Aviation Complex”:

• JSC “Ilyushin Interstate Aircraft-Building Company” (81,07% of the shares)
• Private shareholders (18,93% of the shares)

JSC “Ilyushin Aviation Complex” owns:

• 27,1% of the shares of JSC “Voronezh Aircraft Manufacturing Company”
• 1,23% of the shares of JSC “Ilyushin Finance K°”

Sphere of activities:

• Development, testing, certification of civil and military aviation equipment
• Series production, modernization, the technical and customer service of “IL” model aircraft

Current projects:

• Tanker Transport Military IL-78MC Aircraft;
• IL-96-400T Extra Large Transport Aircraft;
• IL-76 Family of Large Transport Aircraft;
• IL-96-300 / IL-96-400 Long Haul Passenger Wide-Body Jets;
• Multirole Transport Aircraft (joint project with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. and Corporation “IRKUT”);
• IL-114 Regional Passenger Aircraft;
• IL-112 Light Military Transport Aircraft.

History:

During 70-year period of existence, the enterprise it produced the best samples of combat, passenger and transport aircraft designed for various purposes. These are the IL-2, IL-10 and IL-102 ground attack aircraft; the IL-4 and IL-28 bombers; the IL-38 antisubmarine aircraft; the IL-12, IL-14, IL-18, IL-62, IL-86, IL-96-300, IL-114, IL-114-100, IL-103 passenger aircraft; the IL-12D, IL-14Т, IL-76 and its modifications, IL-114Т and IL-96Т transport and cargo aircraft.

The «Aviation Complex n/a S.V. Ilyushin» began its creative activities on January 13, 1933, by the order of P. Baranov, the People's Commissar Deputy of the Heavy Industry of the USSR and the Head of the Main Department of Aviation Industry. In accordance with this order, the Central Design Bureau was founded at the Plant No.39 named after V.R. Menzhinsky in order to organize a complete cycle of the light aircraft engineering design and manufacture. Sergey Vladimirovich Ilyushin was appointed the Head of the Central Design Bureau and the Plant’s Deputy Director.

The Central Design Bureau structurally consisted of independent design teams specialized at works related to aircraft types, armament, technology and various types of tests. By the end of January, 1933, a group of designers was formed within the team No.3. This group included S.M. Eger, V.V. Nikitin, V.V. Kalinin, S.N. Chernikov, Z.Z. Zhevagina, A.Y. Levin. Their activities were directly guided by the Head of the Central Design Bureau. This group became the first main body and main basis of the Ilyushin Design Bureau. From the very beginning the aircraft developed by a new design bureau met recognition and worldwide fame.

By early 1934 some changes took place in the organizational structure of the Design Bureau. According to the decision taken by the People's Commissariat of the Heavy Industry, the maritime aircraft development team led by G.M. Beriev and a number of designers from Team No.3 led by V.A. Chizhevsky was separated away from the Central Design Bureau. On their basis a new bureau of special designs was formed. The combat aircraft design and manufacture became the main direction of Team No.3 activities. The team turned into «The Ilyushin Team» and the Head of the Design Bureau became the team leader accordingly. At that time, S.V. Ilyushin expected creation of his first aircraft – a long-range bomber. The project required considerable group efforts, and the team was complemented with engineers, designers, analysts and draftsmen. In May 1934 the team included 54 specialists.

By 1935 the team has developed, built and tested the CKB-26 twin-engine bomber aircraft that was later named as the DB-3. In August 1936 the DB-3 aircraft was commissioned into service to the Red Army. Same year, test pilot V.K. Kokkinaki set the first Soviet world aeronautical record and during 1938-1939 the "Moscow" aircraft (the DB-3 aircraft civil version) carried out two outstanding (when speaking about those years) long-distance flights from Moscow to the Far East and from Moscow to North America.

Starting from 1935 the team initiated the development of a special battlefield aircraft – the ground-attack aircraft designed to destroy tanks, military equipment, mechanized units and enemy forces. The on October 2, 1939 flight became the first test for the unknown until then the aircraft of the CKB-55 that was later named BS-2 armored ground attack aircraft. In two years this aircraft became famous all over the world and known as a dreaded ground attack plane.

The "Flying tank" played an outstanding role in the Great Patriotic War (World War II). The People's Commissar of the Aviation Industry issued the Order No. 704 concerning the combat aircraft renaming and this order obligated to "rename all combat aircraft by assigning them the first letters from the chief designer's name and a numerical index". The CKB-55 ground attack aircraft and DB-3 (CKB-26) bomber aircraft were named as the IL-2 and IL-4 correspondingly.

From the first days of the Great Patriotic War the DB-3 and IL-4 conducted bomb strikes against the enemy rear areas. In August 1941 these aircraft bombed for the first time Nazi Germany capital. Through the entire war, these aircraft served as bombers, torpedo carriers, airdrop and air deployment facilities in order to deliver the reconnaissance groups to the enemy rear areas. There were more than 36 000 IL-2 manufactured and that record was not broken until now.

The IL-2 initiated a new branch of aviation. In 1944 the “Pravda” newspaper wrote: "The IL-2 aircraft are not just an aeronautical science achievement but it is a remarkable tactical discovery". The IL-2 aircraft tactical employment experience was widely used for the development of the IL-10 high-speed highly maneuverable armored ground attack aircraft that considerably exceeded the IL-2 by its flight performance. A great number of the IL-10 aircraft was involved in the warfare during the last stage of the Great Patriotic War and the war against militaristic Japan. Mass production of these aircraft continued until 1947.

The IL-10M updated ground attack aircraft were mass manufactured and were in service within the Soviet assault air forces and some foreign countries until the mid-1950 s. From October 1941 until April 1942 the Experimental Design Bureau stayed in Kuibyshev (Samara) and worked at the Aircraft Manufacturing Plant No.18. Upon return to Moscow the Experimental Design Bureau and the experimental production were situated on the PCAI Plant No. 240 territory ofKrasnoarmeyskaya Street, 17 (PCAI – The People's Commissariat of the Aviation Industry). On April 21, 1942 the People's Commissar of the Aviation Industry by its Order No. 304 nominated Sergey V. Ilyushin to become the Director and Chief Designer of the PCAI Plant No.240.

In the last years of the War the Experimental Design Bureau team began developing the first Soviet passenger airplane – IL-12. That was the beginning of a new direction in the Ilyushin team creative activity. In 1946 the Aeroflot Company began operating IL-12 aircraft. From that time the first domestic airplane for the mass passenger operations has appeared in the Soviet Union. At that time that airplane exceeded the widely used DS-3 (USA) aircraft by its flight performance. Alongside with that ILYUSHIN Design Bureau produced the IL-12 military-transport version.

In 1950 using the IL-12 aircraft operating experience the ILYUSHIN team produced the IL-14 airplane that had better flight characteristics and higher passenger comfort level. This airplane was manufactured in 14 versions and it was mass manufactured not only in the Soviet Union but in Czechoslovakia and the German Democratic Republic as well. This airplane design merits, its excellent flight and technical-and-economic features were verified and confirmed with its large-scale and continuous service within scientific expeditions to the North and South Poles and its trouble-free operation in various climatic and weather conditions.

During the post-war years the ILYUSHIN team developed the IL-22 four-engine jet bomber aircraft that began its test flights in 1947. This aircraft really became the first jet aircraft of its class in the USSR. The IL-22 aircraft test results and development experience allowed the ILYUSHIN team to build in a short time the first jet front-line bomber – IL-28.

The IL-28 possessed excellent flight performances and piloting technique simplicity. For the first time during the aircraft development the designers used a new manufacturing method worked out by S.V. Ilyushin. That method ensures the aircraft high-precision outlines (particularly, the wing contour), high quality riveting and labor costs decrease. The IL-28 was manufactured in several versions within various modifications.

The ILYUSHIN team continued with the experimental development works for the front line bomber jet aircraft improvement in order to enhance its speed characteristics, flying range and striking power, and during 1949-1954 designed the IL-46 experimental subsonic bomber aircraft and IL-54 bomber aircraft of unique design with a 55° swept wing, pylon-hanged engines and bicycle landing gear.

In 1946 the Experimental Design Bureau developed the IL-18 aircraft equipped with the piston engines to carry 66 passengers, but this aircraft was not put into mass production. When domestic turbo-propeller engines became available, in 1956 the ILYUSHIN team initiated works for the four-engine turboprop passenger airplane development. As a result the IL-18 was rebuilt , and during 1957-1970 that airplane was in mass production. This airplane entered into service with the Aeroflot airlines in April 1959 as a 75-seat version and later on – as a 100-seat version. Based on the IL-18 airplane, several special purpose versions of the airplane were built. By virtue of its excellent flight and operation performances, the airplane gained wide acceptance both in our country and many foreign countries as well. More than 120 airplanes were delivered to 17 countries all over the world.

On December 17, 1956 the Council of Ministers of the USSR adopted a resolution that conferred the Chief Designer title to S.V. Ilyushin and charged him with a duty of Executive Director at Plant No. 240 of The Ministry of Aviation Industry (the MAI). In mid-1960-s the domestic airlines began to receive second-generation turbojet airplanes. These airplanes differed from the previous generation airplanes by higher speed and enhanced comfort for the passengers. The IL-62 designed by the ILYUSHIN team really represented the aircraft of that generation.

IL-62 started to serve international airlines at once and on September 15, 1967 it opened the "Moscow-Montreal" transatlantic route. In order to increase IL-62 flight range the ILYUSHIN team has created IL-62M, a modified version. These airplanes by their technical data were at the same level with the best foreign intercontinental airliners of the same generation. On April 30, 1966 the Ministry of Aviation Industry of the USSR issued the Order No. 175 and thus approved a public name of the experimental plant – the Moscow machine-building plant “Strela” (Arrow).

On March 25, 1971 the first IL-76 cargo aircraft took off. This aircraft was developed by the designers' team led and directed by Genrikh Vasilievich Novozhilov – the Chief Designer appointed to a post of the Director of the Experimental Design Bureau of the Moscow machine-building plant «Strela» under the Order No.378/k issued by the Minister of Aviation Industry of the USSR on July 28, 1970.

For the first time in the worldwide practice the IL-76 heavy cargo jet aircraft was specially developed in order to operate from short concrete and unpaved runways. The salient feature of the aircraft is not only its ability to carry oversized cargo and various equipment with more than 40 tons of weight but significant reduction of the aircraft ground turn-around time by virtue of the loading/unloading equipment installed in the aircraft cargo compartment and use of containers and pallets made according to both international and national standards.

On December 1977 the aircraft entered into service with Aeroflot International Airlines. The IL-76 became popular within Soviet air-transport aviation being able to meet any requirements towards aircraft of this type.

The IL-76 set twenty-seven load-carrying capacity and flying speed world records. The ILYUSHIN team continued its work on improvement of the IL-76. As a result they developed the IL-76M, IL-76T, IL-76MD and IL-76TD aircraft and put them into mass production. Besides, they completed all preparations required for the IL-76ТF and IL-76МF aircraft production. These IL-76 modifications obtained increased load capacity and flight range.

On April 18, 1977 according to the resolution # 228-16 issued by the Council of Ministers of the USSR, the Moscow Machine-Building Plant “Strela” was renamed to The Moscow Machine-Building Plant n/a S.V. Ilyushin. During 1974-1988 A.V. Shaposhnikov headed the plant.

During the 1970-s the ILYUSHIN team developed the IL-86 – the first Soviet wide-body airplane for 350 passengers. The aircraft was successfully built up and appropriately certified.

From December 1980 the IL-86 was in operation on national and international routes. Compared with other airplanes, IL-86 ensured a significant reduction of operational costs and considerable fuel economy. By virtue of its design features, and particularly the principle of “luggage carried with passengers”, plus cargo containers, three entrance doors with the built-in stairs and special landing gear, IL-86 entered regular operations without preliminary expensive reconstruction of existing airports and their runways, initially designed for landing of lighter aircraft.

During the first half of the 1970-s and concurrently with the development of the IL-86 the Experimental Design Bureau n/a S.V. Ilyushin began the project-research works on a wide-body long-range passenger airliner. At the very beginning, the designers intended to modify the IL-86 in order to achieve the target. However, constantly growing needs for reduction of the passenger-kilometer operational cost, increase of payload and passenger capacity with simultaneous increase of the flight range and reduced fuel consumption finally forced the designers to design a fundamentally new airplane – the IL-96-300. During the development of the IL-96-300 the designers worked out entirely new project design decisions aimed at improving of the airplane aerodynamic perfection, the decreasing its weight and the achieving its operational and maintenance simplicity.

The IL-96-300 became a new flag-aircraft in the Soviet civil air fleet. "USSR-96000" was the first IL-96-300 airplane number. On September 28, 1988 S.G. Bliznyuk, a crew captain performed a maiden flight of this flag-jet from the Central aerodrome n/a M.V. Frunze in Moscow.

At the beginning of the 1980-s the Experimental Design Bureau n/a S.V. Ilyushin evaluated the development trends in passenger aviation and studied more than 30-years of operational experience of the IL-14 aircraft and its various modifications. Finally, the experts proposed to develop a new passenger airplane for the domestic airlines – IL-114. The Ministry of Aviation of the USSR approved that proposal and in spite of the works led by the ILYUSHIN team on the IL-96-300 airplane, development of the IL-114 airplane was launched.

The main purpose of the airplane, production of which started in 1992, was transportation of passengers with their luggage and cargo at domestic routes with heavy passenger traffic flows and at some long-haul routes with low passenger traffic flows.

The IL-114 can be operated from relatively small airfields with either concrete or unpaved runways and that contributes to the expansion of the operational geography of the utilization of this airplane.

On December 24, 1991, the “Moscow Machine-Building Plant n/a S.V. Ilyushin” was renamed to “Joint Stock Company n/a S.V. Ilyushin” under the Order # 4 of the Department of Aviation Industry.

The Company was later reorganized into the Joint Stock Company of Open-Type «Ilyushin Aviation Complex» by the Russian Federation Government Decree # 475-r of the 14-th of April 1994.

On April 8, 1996, the Company was renamed to Joint Stock Company «Ilyushin Aviation Complex».

Mr. Victor V. Livanov is the head of the company since December 1995.

Current information on the company represented at:

http://www.ilyushin.org/eng/company/news.html
http://www.ilyushin.org/eng/company/general.html