Russia Suspends All Il-76 Flights

[RPK]

Russia Suspends All Il-76 Flights

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Russia's Interior Ministry today grounded all Ilyushin Il-76 medium lift transport aircrafts, following a crash of a plane in which 11 crew members were killed, raising questions over the fate of the similar aircraft being operated by Indian Air Force.

"Pending the probe outcome, all flights Il-76 have been suspended on the orders of Commander-in-Chief of Interior Ministry Troops, Gen Nikolai Rogozhkin," Interior Troops spokesman Vasily Panchenkov was quoted as saying by ITAR-TASS.

On Sunday an Il-76 cargo plane of Interior Ministry Troops crashed shortly after take-off from Mirny airport in Russia's diamond mining region of Yakutia.

"Urgent technical inspection of all the aircraft in service with the Interior Ministry is underway, after which they will resume duty," Panchenkov said.

Indian Air Force has 17 of these aircrafts inducted in mid 80's and these planes are up for mid-life upgradation.

 

[Daredevil]

As if mig-21, 27s are not crashing enough now there is Il-76. Russia should put more efforts in making planes more safe. Looks like whole fleet is grounded, not a very good sign. Will India also ground them??

 

[ppgj]

Will India also ground them??

i would suppose so. it is a standard practice. they will check their own machines and only when satisfied they will start their operatios.
same happened with mig-29s post their fin cracks in the russian fleet.

 

[bengalraider]

First is the Ban also on the Russian IL-76 AWACS,and other variants like the IL-76 fire tender operated by russia?

I do not think India needs to ground the indian IL-76 fleet , the chinese have afar larger fleet of the same plane and those shall keep flying, nearly 38 countries operate the IL-76 in one form or another even the United States operates the IL-76 as a fire tender.The russian fleet suffered long years of neglect at the end of the U.S.S.R and is older than the indian fleet .Please find below a list of all IL-76 airframes in service around the world the source is wikipedia.

United Nations
The United Nations Humanitarian Air Service have operated several of the type from the early to mid 90's to now. Most of them are either ex Aeroflot or one that the Russian Air Force has lent to the UN.
Algeria
The Algerian Air Force operates 11 Il-76 aircraft, including 3 Il-76MD, 8 Il-76TD, and 7 Il-78 Midas.
Angola
The Angolan Air Force operated one Il-76 which crashed on 27/08/09 near 4 de Fevereiro Internacional Airport [15]
Gira Globo operates 1 Il-76.[16]
Armenia
The Armenian Air Force operates 2 Il-76 aircraft.
Dvin Airlines has operated an Il-76TD.
Yerevan-Avia operates 1 Il-76.
Azerbaijan
The Azerbaijan Air Force operates 3 Il-76 aircraft.
Azal Avia Cargo operates 1 Il-76TD.
Azerbaijan Airlines operates 1 Il-76M.
Silk Way Airlines operates 7, including 5 Il-76TD and 2 Il-76TD-90.[17]
Belarus
The Belarusian Air Force inherited a number of Il-76 aircraft from the Soviet Air Force. 4 in service.
Belair operated the Il-76 before its closure in 1999.
TransAVIAexport Airlines operates 1, including 5 Il-76MD and 18 Il-76TD.
Gomelavia operates 5 Il-76TD.
Burkina Faso
Faso Airways operates a single Il-76TD.
Cambodia
Imtrec Aviation has operated a Laotian registered Il-76.
China
The People's Liberation Army Air Force operates 17 Il-76 aircraft, including 3 KJ-2000 AWACS versions and some Il-78 tankers, with a further 30 due for delivery.
China United Airlines has operated the Il-76, but does not currently.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Air Congo has operated the Il-76.[18]
Republic of the Congo
The Republic of the Congo operates an Il-76.
Cuba
Cubana de Aviación operates 1 Il-76MD.
Equatorial Guinea
Ecuatorial Cargo operates 1 Il-76TD.[19]
Express International Cargo
Hungary
Atlant Hungary has operated the Il-76.[20]
Hungarian Ukrainian Air Cargo has operated the Il-76[21]
India
The Indian Air Force operates 26 Il-76MD, 6 Il-78MKI aircraft and 3 others with Israeli Phalcon radars for AWACS. Mostly for transporting ration in high altitude regions in Jammu and Kashmir and Siachen region
Iran
The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force operates 6 Il-76s, including some modified to carry AWACS radar.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Air Force operates 2 Il-76s.
Atlas Air has operated at least 8 Il-76TD.[22]
Chabahar Air has operated at least 2 Il-76TD.[23]
Mahan Air has operated the Il-76.
Payam Air operated 2 Il-76TD.
Qeshm Air operates 2 Il-76TD.
Safiran Airlines is a former operator.
Yas Air operates 2 Il-76TD (Registered as EP-GOL and EP-GOM).
Iraq
The Iraqi Air Force operated the Il-76, but none remain in service.
Iraqi Airways operates a single Il-76.
Kazakhstan
The Government of Kazakhstan operates 1 Il-76.
Air Almaty operates an Il-76TD for leased operations.[24]
Air Kazakhstan operated Il-76 aircraft until its closure in 2004.
GST Aero operates 1 Il-76T.[25]
Kazakhstan Airlines operated the Il-76TD before its closure in 1997.
Sayakhat Airlines operated the Il-76 previously.
Kyrgyzstan
Botir Avia operates 3, including 1 Il-76MD and 2 Il-76TD.
Kyrgyzstan Airlines operates 1 Il-76TD.
Reem Air
Laos – Lao People's Democratic Republic
Imtrec aviation of Cambodia operates Laos registered Il-76TD.[26]
Latvia
Inversija operates 3, including 2 Il-76T and 1 Il-76TD.
Libya
The Libyan Air Force has operated the Il-76 although it may not remain in service.
Jamahiria Air Transport operates the Il-76M, Il-76TD, and Il-78.[27]
Libyan Air Cargo, the cargo division of Libyan Arab Airlines, operates 21, including 1 Il-76M and 15 Il-76TD.
Mali
Transafrica Airlines
Moldova
Aerocom operated an Il-76MD as well as an Il-76T until as late as January 2005.
Airline Transport operated a number of Il-76 aircraft, losing 3 in accidents in 2004 and 2005.
Jet Line International operates the Il-76[28]
Tiramavia
North Korea
North Korean Air Force
Air Koryo
CAAK
Russia
The Russian Air Force inherited large numbers of the aircraft from the Soviet Air Force in 1991, and 119 currently remain in service.
The Ministry of Emergency Situations operates an Il-76TD.
Abakan Avia operates 3 Il-76TD.
Aeroflot operated large numbers of aircraft, especially during Soviet years, often on behalf of the Soviet military. However, none remain in service with the airline.
Air STAN operated an Il-76TD.[29]
Airlines 400 operates 2 Il-76TD.
Airstars Airways operates 4 Il-76TD on cargo services.
ALAK operated Il-76 aircraft before its closure in 1999.
Alrosa-Avia operates 4 Il-76TD on charter services.
Aram Air
Atlant-Soyuz Airlines operates 6, including 2 Il-76MD and 4 Il-76TD.
ATRAN Cargo Airlines operates 5, including 3 Il-76T and 2 Il-76TD. At least one Il-76M may have been operated in the past.
Atruvera Aviation operates 3, including 1 Il-76MD and 2 Il-76TD.
Aviacon Zitotrans operates 5, including 4 Il-76TD.
Aviaenergo operated the aircraft, but none remain in service.
Aviast operates 4, including 1 Il-76MD and 3 Il-76TD.
Continental Airways has operated the Il-76 in the past, but does not do so currently.
Dacono Air has operated the Il-76.
Dobrolet Airlines operates 3 Il-76TD.
Domodedovo Airlines has operated the Il-76, but none is currently in service.
East Line operates the Il-76.
Ilavia Airline operates 6, including 2 Il-76MD and 4 Il-76TD.
KrasAir operated the Il-76, but none is currently in service.
Krylo Airlines operated 2 Il-76TD into 2005.
Magadan Avia Leasing is a lease and charter operator of the Il-76.
Moscow Airways operated an Il-76TD in the early 1990s.[30]
Novosibirsk Air Enterprise operated the Il-76, but none is currently in service.
Pulkovo Aviation Enterprise operated the Il-76, but none is currently in service.
Samara Airlines operates 2 Il-76TD.
Tesis Aviation Enterprise operates 9 Il-76TD.
Tyumen Airlines
Uralinteravia
Volga-Dnepr operates 12 Il-76TD and 2 Il-76TD-90VD[31].
Serbia
Air Tomisko operates a single Il-76TD.
Kosmas Air operates a single Il-76TD.
Sierra Leone
Aerolift Sierra Leone operates Il-76 aircraft for special charter and cargo lift operations.[32]
Soviet Union
The Soviet Air Force operated hundreds of the aircraft, with an inventory of 310 in 1987. Most were dispersed to the successor states upon the breakup of the Soviet Union.
Aeroflot was the main civil user of the aircraft during the period of the Soviet Union, although many of its aircraft were operated on behalf of the military.
Jet Air Cargo was one of the first civil operators of the Il-76 in Russia other than Aeroflot.[33]
Sudan
Air West operated a small number of aircraft, although it is unclear how many remain in service.
Azza Transport operates 2 Il-76TD.
East West Cargo operated a number of Il-76 aircraft.
Juba Cargo operates the Il-76[34]
Badr Airlines operates 1 Il-76,}[3]
Trans Attico
Syria
The Syrian Air Force operates the Il-76.
Syrian Arab Airlines operates 4, including 3 Il-76M.
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan Airlines operates 8 Il-76TD.
Ukraine
The Ukrainian Air Force inherited a large number of Il-76 aircraft from the Soviet Air Force, with as many as 100 remaining in service.
Air Service Ukraine operated the Il-76MD.
Air Ukraine and Air Ukraine Cargo operated the aircraft, although none were in service at the time of bankruptcy.
ATI Aircompany operates a number of Il-76 models.
Azov Avia Airlines operates 2 Il-76MD.
BSL Airline operated as many as 6 Il-78.[35]
Busol Airlines operated the Il-76 before its closure in 1998.
Khors Aircompany operates 2 Il-76MD.
Lviv Airlines operates 3 Il-76MD.
South Airlines is a former operator.
Ukraine Air Alliance operates 4, including 1 Il-76MD and 3 Il-76TD.
Ukrainian Cargo Airways operates 21, including 19 Il-76MD.
Veteran Airlines
Volare Airlines operates 3, including 2 Il-76MD and 1 Il-76TD.
Yuzhmashavia operates 2 Il-76TD.
United States
Air Support Systems, LLC operates the Il-76/78 in fire fighting duties in the USA.
United Arab Emirates
Gulf Aviation Technology and Services operates a number of Il-76 aircraft on charter or lease.
Phoenix Aviation operates 2 Il-76TD.
Uzbekistan
Avialeasing operates the Il-76 on a charter and lease basis.
Uzbekistan Airways operates 14 Il-76TD.
Yemen
The Yemen Air Force operates 3 Il-76 aircraft.
Yemenia operates 2 Il-76TD.
Zimbabwe
Avient Aviation operates 1 Il-76T on Antartic support missions based in Argentina.

 

[ppgj]

First is the Ban also on the Russian IL-76 AWACS,and other variants like the IL-76 fire tender operated by russia?

I do not think India needs to ground the indian IL-76 fleet , the chinese have afar larger fleet of the same plane and those shall keep flying, nearly 38 countries operate the IL-76 in one form or another even the United States operates the IL-76 as a fire tender.The russian fleet suffered long years of neglect at the end of the U.S.S.R and is older than the indian fleet .Please find below a list of all IL-76 airframes in service around the world the source is wikipedia.

agree with you but grounding does not mean permanent. it is a standard practice. it is just to check everything is fine with their machines or not. they will be back on their feet. matter of few days. it is important to reassure oneself and not take any chances. if the russians ground the whole fleet what do you expect?

 

[Vladimir79]

Looks like we are going to have to order way more than 25 Il-476. More like 100. These birds are way past their service lives and the upgrades are coming too slow.

 

[Quickgun Murugan]

As if mig-21, 27s are not crashing enough now there is Il-76. Russia should put more efforts in making planes more safe. Looks like whole fleet is grounded, not a very good sign. Will India also ground them??

Will only be a matter of time when we hear this news.

 

[K Factor]

AFAIK, when a VVS Fulcrum crashed, Russia grounded its fleet but India did not follow suit.

 

[ptldM3]

As if mig-21, 27s are not crashing enough now there is Il-76. Russia should put more efforts in making planes more safe. Looks like whole fleet is grounded, not a very good sign. Will India also ground them??

The crash could have been anything from a bird being sucked into the engine, to pilot error, or even poor maintanance.

Some of the most safisticated, well maintained, and best piloted aircraft have crashed. Accidents happen.

 

[bhramos]

The crash could have been anything from a bird being sucked into the engine, to pilot error, or even poor maintanance.

Some of the most safisticated, well maintained, and best piloted aircraft have crashed. Accidents happen.

i doubt u r a Russie, ?
they never downplay their country at any time.
its just because of poor maintainance may be thats all.

 

[ppgj]

NEW DELHI: Russia’s move to ground its entire Ilyushin-76 fleet after one of the heavy-lift military aircraft crashed in Siberia on Sunday,
killing the 11 crew members on board, has sparked widespread concerns in India.

IAF has two IL-76 ‘Gajraj’ squadrons (around 12 aircraft in all), one based in Nagpur and other in Chandigarh, as well as six IL-78 mid-air refuellers in Agra. The aircraft crash in Russia on Sunday, soon after taking off from Mirny airport in the Sakha Republic, was the second such accident of IL-76, the mainstay of the Soviet and Russian air force since the 1970s, in less than a month.

“We’ve received no official word from Russia till now. We are trying to find out what led to the crash. Checks will be carried out on our IL-76s but there is no plan to ground them as of now,” said a senior IAF officer.

“Russia had also grounded its entire MiG-29 fleet earlier this year but we did not follow suit with our MiG-29 fighters. We’ve proper maintenance procedures in place and carried out extensive checks,” he added.

While IL-78 tankers acquired from Uzbekistan are relatively new, IL-76s were inducted from Russia in mid-1980s. Serviceability of IL-76s, which perform crucial strategic air-lift work for IAF, has been quite a problem.

Grounding of IL-76 worries IAF - India - The Times of India

 

[RPK]

Crash shadow on troops carrier

New Delhi, Nov. 2: Indian Air Force headquarters was today thinking of grounding its Ilyushin 76 fleet and has asked the manufacturers for advice after Russia ordered the heavy transport planes back to hangars following a crash.

The IAF operates two squadrons of the aircraft (17) in its transport fleet that ferries troops from difficult terrain — Kashmir and the Northeast — almost daily, and was also used last month to move paramilitary forces for counter-Maoist operations in Maharashtra.

Grounding the aircraft will severely impact the air force’s daily maintenance operations. Hundreds of Indian Army soldiers are dependent on courier services run by the IAF on its IL-76 aircraft.

Variants of the aircraft are also the basic platforms for surveillance missions by the Aviation Research Centre — an intelligence agency — and are also operated as mid-air refuellers and for India’s only airborne early warning and command system.

IAF authorities told The Telegraph the transport directorate at air headquarters was in touch with the two makers of the aircraft — Ilyushin Aviation Complex Joint Stock Company, Moscow, and Tashkent Aircraft Production Corporation in Uzbekistan.

“We are waiting for communication from the companies. We are checking out what has happened,” an IAF source said.

Sources in air headquarters said the authorities were worried after the Russian Air Force reported two IL-76 mishaps in less than a month.

On October 7, one of the four huge D30KP turbofan engines of an IL-76 fell off as it was preparing to take off. There was no casualty. The Russian Air Force had grounded the IL-76 after that incident but the IAF did not.

But on Sunday, another IL-76 doing duty for the Russian interior ministry crashed in Siberia, killing all 11 crew and passengers (troops) on board.

News reports from Russia said the aircraft failed to gain height though it was being powered on full throttle.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1091103/jsp/nation/story_11692262.jsp