Ilyushin IL-62
The Ilyushin IL-62 is a medium capacity airliner capable of transporting a 10 tonne payload over 9,200km. The aircraft made its debut in September 1962 and was configured as a rear-mounted four engine turbofan design with a T-tail and a four-point undercarriage. Originally designed to be powered by four 103.0kN (23,150lb) Kuznetsov NK84 turbofans, the prototype was equipped with under powered Lyulka AL-7 turbojets as the chosen Kuznetsov engines were not ready at the time.
The IL-62 was designed around the principle of simplicity; the T-tail arrangement and rear mounted engines normally required a larger and heavier tail to maintain directional stability. The controls would also need to have been powered in some way. The Ilyushin bureau avoided these problems by extending the fuselage and hence the control moment aft of the wing in order that smaller and lighter controls and a smaller tail could be employed, allowing manual control by cables and pulleys.
Aeroflot introduced the IL-62 onto intercontinental service between Moscow and Montreal in September 1967 replacing the Tu-114. In 1971 an improved version of the aircraft appeared at that year's Paris airshow. Designated IL-62M the new machine was powered by more economical Soloviev D30KU turbofans, the outer engines being provided with thrust reversers; a tail fuel tank was installed as well as containerised baggage and cargo handling. The increased fuel capacity and more efficient engines allowed a range increase to 10,000 km with a 10 tonne payload. The IL-62M entered service on the Moscow to Havana route in 1974, subsequently taking over all of Aeroflot's long range routes.
