Russia’s new IL-476 transport plane to start flight tests

A prototype Ilyushin Il-76MD-90A (also known as the Il-476) heavy-lift transport plane will start test flights at Zhukovsky flight test center near Moscow on Wednesday, the Russian Ilyushin Aviation Complex (Aviastar) said.“The first flight is set for 12.00 Moscow time (08.00 GMT) on Wednesday, according to the Russian Defense Ministry’s program,” an Ilyushin spokeswoman said, adding the flight could be put off due to bad weather.“This [test program] will be a series of 22 test flights,” she said. After each flight, experts will collect and process data to make any improvements necessary to the aircraft, she added in a statement relayed by Russian RIA Novosti news agency today.The Il-476 is a significantly modernized variant of the Il-76 Candid transport plane, featuring a new wing, fully-digital flight control system, new cockpit with advanced digital displays and PS-90A-76 turbofans with improved fuel efficiency, Russian aerospace holding United Aircraft Corporation said.The plane carried out its first prolonged test flight from the Aviastar plant in Ulyanovsk in late January. That flight lasted four hours and 25 minutes at altitudes of up to 10,000 meters (33,000 feet).Russia’s Defense Ministry on his part, signed a contract last October for delivery of 39 Il-76MD-90As, to be built before 2018.UAC said on Tuesday it was in talks with the Defense Ministry on a contract for an unspecified number of Il-78 tanker aircraft, which are based on the Il-76MD-90A.Aviastar hopes to build up to 100 Il-76MD-90As by 2020 for Russian state customers