Ilyushin IL-62

The Ilyushin IL-62 is a historic Soviet long-range narrow-body jet airliner, representing the first Soviet long-range jetliner designed for intercontinental flights. First flown on January 3, 1963, and entering service with Aeroflot in 1967, the IL-62 was the world's largest jet airliner at the time of its first flight with capacity for 168-186 passengers. The aircraft features a distinctive rear-engine configuration with four turbofan engines mounted in pairs on the rear fuselage, T-tail design, low-wing monoplane, and tricycle retractable landing gear - a design concept similar to the British Vickers VC-10. The IL-62 enabled Aeroflot to operate nonstop flights from Moscow to New York and other long-distance routes. The family includes the original IL-62 powered by Kuznetsov NK-8-4 engines, the improved IL-62M (1971) with more efficient Soloviev D-30KU engines and increased fuel capacity, and the IL-62MK (1978) with strengthened structure for higher MTOW and passenger capacity. Production ceased in 1994 after 292 units were built, with over 80 exported to 30+ nations. The IL-62 served as the backbone of Soviet and Eastern Bloc long-haul aviation for decades.