Ilyushin Il-96
The Flagship
“Russia's long-hauler — and the president's ride.”
Ilyushin · commercial
The Il-96 is the long-range, fly-by-wire successor to the Il-86, and it never chased Boeing and Airbus on volume: only around 34 have been built since its 1988 first flight. Its most famous job is Flight One — the Il-96-300PU serves as the Russian presidential aircraft, operated by the Rossiya Special Flight Detachment.
Production never stopped — new Il-96s are still completed in small numbers for state VIP and cargo work, nearly four decades after the first flight.
Four underwing engines and tall winglets on a wide-body — no Western quad matches that silhouette at this size. A white-blue-red Rossiya scheme means you may be looking at Flight One.
One might be overhead right now.
Bogey turns the The Flagship from a dot in the sky into a card in your logbook.
