Aviation

Russia’s Biggest Presidential aircraft completes its maiden flight

Russia prohibits its pilots from working for foreign airlines.

Russia’s Biggest Presidential aircraft completes its maiden flight: On April 9, 2021, The Russian Il-96-300 performed its maiden flight, assembled at the Voronezh Aviation Plant. It will undergo factory tests before entering services. It will be delivered to Rossiya Airlines, Rossiya is in charge of Russia’s officials’ transport, including the President.

The four-engine jet – is registered RA-96024 and fitted with Aviadvigatel PS-90A powerplants. According to the manufacturer the new aircraft is equipped with the most modern systems and equipment that meet European and international standards. In particular, an upgraded pilot navigation complex is installed on the plane and a new coloring technology has been used on the plane, which provides additional protection for the glider.

Today our new Il-96-300 aircraft, built at the Voronezh Aviation Plant, performed its maiden flight. https://t.co/YvGS0TlvMl pic.twitter.com/NfbKq8O2Os

— UAC Russia (@UAC_Russia_eng) April 9, 2021

During the flight, Il-96 operated altitude from 5000 to 9000 meters, the resistance, aircraft control, the operation of all its systems, and the power installation was carried out. During the flight, radio technical means of the landing were checked. The flight duration was about two hours. According to the crew commander Il-96 flight mission is fully completed.

The Ilyushin Il-96 was introduced in 1988 and in 2017 it was modified with a Chinese builder. Il-96-300 can carry up to 300 passengers. The il-96 plane is operated by a crew of 3 people. This Il-96-300 has been highly modified version for the main reason for the transportation of the president of the Russian Federation.

About 70 percent of the employees of company are busy on this project told by The managing director of VASO (Voronezh Aircraft Production Association).

The Russian government’s fleet to date has:

2- Airbus A319s
8- Il-96s
2- Sukhoi Superjets

Related Topics:airbus Boeing ilyushin rossiya Russia

Aviation

Airbus Enhances A350 Cabin with 10-Abreast Seating

Airbus has announced a new partnership with Jiatai Aircraft Equipment, a Chinese aircraft seating manufacturer, to supply upgraded economy-class seats for the A350 widebody series.

This collaboration, unveiled at the 2024 Airshow China, focuses on developing a newly designed economy seat tailored for the A350‘s New Production Standard (NPS) cabin.

One of the key features of the NPS cabin is the ability to accommodate 17-inch wide economy seats, compared to the previous 16.5-inch wide seats that airlines were limited to in the A350’s earlier configurations.

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This change is made possible by the expanded space in the NPS cabin, which is 35 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the previous version. This extra space is achieved by slightly moving the cockpit wall forward and shifting the rear pressure bulkhead back by one frame.

The wider cabin allows airlines to add up to 30 extra economy seats without compromising comfort. For airlines opting for a 3-4-3 seating layout, the 17-inch wide seats are an excellent choice for a more comfortable passenger experience. However, some airlines, such as Iberia, may choose to retain a 9-abreast layout with wider seats for added comfort.

The NPS cabin also offers enhanced flexibility for airline operators. One major advantage is the ability to easily switch between a 9-abreast and 10-abreast seating configuration without requiring significant downtime for aircraft reconfiguration. Airlines can use the same seat rails, tracks, and IFE interfaces, making the transition smoother and quicker.

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In addition, the design of the floor attachments and air-conditioning systems has been optimized for 10-abreast seating, meaning airlines can upgrade their cabins without needing to make substantial modifications to the aircraft’s structure.

Though it’s still unclear when Jiatai’s economy-class seats will be officially added to the A350’s Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) catalogue, the collaboration marks a significant step toward enhancing the A350’s cabin offerings.

With this partnership, Airbus is providing more seating options for airlines, ensuring that they can meet diverse customer needs while improving overall operational efficiency.