Ilyushin Company is carrying out overhaul of Il-76 heavy military-transport aircraft and Il-78 tanker aircraft under contracts with foreign customers, press-service of Ilyushin Company reports.

In May 2015 two aircraft (Il-76TD and Il-78) operated by foreign customers performed flights to their home bases from an airfield in Zhukovsky after being overhauled by specialists of Ilyushin Company. A total of 10 aircraft operated by foreign organizations were overhauled in 2014-2015. In 2015 7 more aircraft should be overhauled.

“According to contracts for delivery of Il-76 heavy military-transport aircraft and its modifications the vehicles must be overhauled after 5000 flight hours or 2500 flights or 5 years depending on what milestone will be reached first. At that the assigned service life is 30000 flight hours or 10000 flights. The design life of the aircraft is 20 years. However, following the results of work aimed at extending the design life of the jet, it was extended to 40 years,” said in the statement.

The major goal of the overhaul is assessment of the aircraft’s technical condition following the results of its operation and elimination of defects. The overhaul allows extending time between overhauls and design life of the jet by 5000 flight hours or 2500 flights or 5 years. 

The press-service also added that Ilyushin Company is the only organization having a right to extend service and design life of the aircraft; the company provides the corresponding services to operators. Ilyushin Company is carrying out author and technical supervision related to Il aircraft. Decision on extension of service and design life of the aircraft is the document, which confirms the jet’s airworthiness.