Yakovlev Yak-40
Unanswered Questions
Encyclopedia
Yakovlev
The Yak Aircraft Corporation is a Russian aircraft designer and manufacturer...
Yak-40 (NATO reporting name
NATO reporting name
NATO reporting names are classified code names for military equipment of the Eastern Bloc...
: Codling) is a small, three-engined
Trijet
A Trijet is an aircraft powered by three jet engines. Early twin-jet designs were limited by the FAA's "60-minute rule", whereby the flight path of twin-engined jetliners was restricted to within 60 minutes' flying time from a suitable airport, in case of engine failure. In 1964 this rule was...
airliner that is often called the first regional jet
Regional jet
A Regional jet , is a class of short to medium-range turbofan powered airliners.-History:The term "Regional jet" describes a range of short to medium-haul turbofan powered aircraft, whose use throughout the world expanded after the advent of Airline Deregulation in the United States in...
transport aircraft. It was introduced in September 1968 with Aeroflot
Aeroflot
OJSC AeroflotRussian Airlines , commonly known as Aeroflot , is the flag carrier and largest airline of the Russian Federation, based on passengers carried per year...
.
Development
By the early 1960s, the Soviet state airline AeroflotAeroflot
OJSC AeroflotRussian Airlines , commonly known as Aeroflot , is the flag carrier and largest airline of the Russian Federation, based on passengers carried per year...
's international and internal trunk routes were been flown by jet
Jet engine
A jet engine is a reaction engine that discharges a fast moving jet to generate thrust by jet propulsion and in accordance with Newton's laws of motion. This broad definition of jet engines includes turbojets, turbofans, rockets, ramjets, pulse jets...
or turboprop
Turboprop
A turboprop engine is a type of turbine engine which drives an aircraft propeller using a reduction gear.The gas turbine is designed specifically for this application, with almost all of its output being used to drive the propeller...
powered airliners, but its local services, many of which operated from grass airfields, were operated by obsolete piston engined aircraft such as the Ilyushin Il-12
Ilyushin Il-12
The Ilyushin Il-12 was a Soviet twin-engine cargo aircraft, developed in the mid-1940s for small and medium-haul airline routes and as a military transport.-Design and development:...
, Il-14
Ilyushin Il-14
The Ilyushin Il-14 was a Soviet twin-engine commercial and military personnel and cargo transport aircraft that first flew in 1950, and entered service in 1954. Il-14 was also manufactured in East Germany by VVB Flugzeugbau, in Czechoslovakia as the Avia 14, and in China under the Chinese...
and Lisunov Li-2
Lisunov Li-2
The Lisunov Li-2, originally designated PS-84 , was a license-built version of the Douglas DC-3. It was produced by the GAZ-84 works at Moscow-Khimki, and subsequently at GAZ-33 at Tashkent-Vostochn. The project was directed by aeronautical engineer Boris Pavlovich Lisunov.-Design and...
. Aeroflot wanted to replace these elderly airliners with a turbine-powered aircraft, with the Yakovlev design bureau being assigned to design the new airliner. High speed was not required, but it would have to operate safely and reliably out of poorly equipped airports with short (less than 700 m, (2,300 ft)) unpaved runways in poor weather.
Yakovlev studied both turboprop powered and jet-powered designs to meet the requirement, including Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL
VTOL
A vertical take-off and landing aircraft is one that can hover, take off and land vertically. This classification includes fixed-wing aircraft as well as helicopters and other aircraft with powered rotors, such as cyclogyros/cyclocopters and tiltrotors...
) designs with lift jet
Lift jet
A lift jet is a jet engine angled to provide an aircraft with aerostatic lift instead of thrust...
s in the fuselage or in wing-mounted pods, but eventually settled on a straight-winged tri-jet carrying 20 to 25 passengers. Engines were to be the new AI-25 turbofan
Turbofan
The turbofan is a type of airbreathing jet engine that is widely used for aircraft propulsion. A turbofan combines two types of engines, the turbo portion which is a conventional gas turbine engine, and the fan, a propeller-like ducted fan...
being developed by Ivchenko at Zaporozhye in Ukraine.
Design
The Yak-40 is a low-winged cantileverCantilever
A cantilever is a beam anchored at only one end. The beam carries the load to the support where it is resisted by moment and shear stress. Cantilever construction allows for overhanging structures without external bracing. Cantilevers can also be constructed with trusses or slabs.This is in...
monoplane
Monoplane
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with one main set of wing surfaces, in contrast to a biplane or triplane. Since the late 1930s it has been the most common form for a fixed wing aircraft.-Types of monoplane:...
with unswept wings, a large T-tail
T-tail
thumb|right|Grob motor gliderA T-tail is an aircraft tail stabilizer configuration in which the horizontal surfaces are mounted to the top of the vertical stabilizer. Traditionally, the horizontal control surfaces are mounted to the fuselage at the base of the vertical stabilizer...
and a retractable tricycle landing gear. The passenger cabin is ahead of the wing, with the short rear fuselage carrying the three turbofan engines, with two engines mounted on short pylons on the side of the fuselage and a third engine buried in the rear fuselage, with air fed from a dorsal air-intake ahead of the fin by a "S-duct", as was an auxiliary power unit
Auxiliary power unit
An auxiliary power unit is a device on a vehicle that provides energy for functions other than propulsion. They are commonly found on large aircraft, as well as some large land vehicles.-Function:...
which was fitted to allow engine start-up without ground support on primitive airfields. The three AI-25 engines were two-shaft engines rated at 14.7 kN (3,300 lbf). The engines had no jetpipes, and initially no thrust reversers.
The pressurized fuselage has a diameter of 2.4 metres (94 in). Pilot and co-pilot sit side-by-side in the aircraft's flight deck, while the passenger cabin has a standard layout seating 24 passengers three-abreast, although 32 passengers can be carried by switching to four-abreast seating. Passengers entered and left the aircraft via a set of ventral airstair
Airstair
An airstair is a passenger staircase that is built in to an airliner — often, though not always, on the inside of a clamshell-style door. The stairs can be raised or lowered while the aircraft is on the ground, allowing passengers and ground personnel to board or depart the aircraft without the...
s in the rear fuselage.
The wing is fitted with large trailing-edge slotted flaps
Flap (aircraft)
Flaps are normally hinged surfaces mounted on the trailing edges of the wings of a fixed-wing aircraft to reduce the speed an aircraft can be safely flown at and to increase the angle of descent for landing without increasing air speed. They shorten takeoff and landing distances as well as...
, but had no other high-lift devices, relying on the aircraft's low wing loading to give the required short-field take-off and landing performance. The port and starbord wings join at the aircraft centreline, with the main spar
Spar (aviation)
In a fixed-wing aircraft, the spar is often the main structural member of the wing, running spanwise at right angles to the fuselage. The spar carries flight loads and the weight of the wings whilst on the ground...
running from wingtip to wingtip, with the wings housing integral fuel tanks with a capacity of 3,800 litres (1,000 US gal; 840 imp gal). The aircraft has a large fin, which is swept back at an angle of 50 degrees to move the tailplane rearwards to compensate for the short rear fuselage. The horizontal tailplane itself is unswept.
Operational history
The first of five prototypes made its maiden flight on 21 October 1966, with production being launched at the Saratov Aviation Plant in 1967 and Soviet type certification granted in 1968. The type carried out its first passenger service for Aeroflot on 30 September 1968.By the time production ended in 1981 the factory at Saratov had produced 1,011 aircraft. By 1993 Yak-40s operated by Aeroflot had carried 354 million passengers. As well as being the backbone of Aeroflot's local operations, flying to 276 domestic destinations in 1980, the Yak-40 was also an export success A total of 130 were exported .to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea, officially the Republic of Equatorial Guinea where the capital Malabo is situated.Annobón is the southernmost island of Equatorial Guinea and is situated just south of the equator. Bioko island is the northernmost point of Equatorial Guinea. Between the two islands and to the...
, Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
, Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
and Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
.
Variants
- Yak-40 - The first production model.
- Yak-40-25 Military conversion with the nose of a MiG-25R and SRS-4A Elint installation.
- Yak-40 Akva (Aqua) - Military conversion with nose probe, pylon-mounted sensors, a fuselage dispenser and underwing active jammer pods.
- Yak-40DTS - Only known by the designation. Possibly a long-range cargo version.
- Yak-40EC - Export version.
- Yak-40 Fobos (Phobos) - Military conversion with two dorsal viewing domes and a removable window on each side.
- Yak-40K - cargo / convertible / combi version with a large freight door.
- Yak-40 Kalibrovshchik - Military Elint conversion with a "farm" of blade, dipole and planar antennas.
- Yak-40L - Proposed version with two Lycoming LF507-1N turbofans, a joint program between Skorost and TextronTextronTextron is a conglomerate that includes Bell Helicopter, E-Z-GO, Cessna Aircraft Company, and Greenlee, among others. It was founded by Royal Little in 1923 as the Special Yarns Company, and is headquartered at the Textron Tower in Providence, Rhode Island, United States.With total revenues of...
(now Allied-Signal) Lycoming. The original design would have had a slightly swept wing. - Yak-40 Liros - Military conversion with nose probe carrying air-data sensors.
- Yak-40M - Proposed 40-seat stretched passenger version.
- Yak-40 M-602 - Flying testbed with a Czechoslovak M 602 turboprop installed in the nose.
- Yak-40 Meteo - Military conversion with multipole dipole antennas and fuselage dispenser.
- Yak-40P - Yak-40L with large nacelles projecting ahead of the wings.
- Yak-40REO - Military conversion with large ventral canoe for IR linescan. Lateral observation blister on right side.
- Yak-40 Shtorm - Military conversion with multiple probes and sensors on the forward sidewalls.
- Yak-40TL - Proposed American version, to be powered by three Lycoming LF 507 turbofan engines.
- Yak-40V - Export version powered by three AI-25T turbofan engines.
Operators
Civilian Operators
In November 2011 a total of 220 out of 926 Yakovlev Yak-40 aircraft remain in airlineAirline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
service.
Major operators include:
- Ariana Afghan AirlinesAriana Afghan AirlinesAriana Afghan Airlines Co. Ltd. is the oldest and the national airline of Afghanistan, and is currently the largest Afghan airline, headquartered in Kabul...
- Former operator. - Bakhtar Afghan AirlinesBakhtar Afghan AirlinesBakhtar Afghan Airlines was an airline from Afghanistan, which offered domestic flights. The company was founded in 1967 as Bakhtar Alwatana, a name it kept until 1985, when it was renamed Bakhtar Afghan Airlines. In 1985 the company absorbed Ariana Afghan Airlines and became Afghanistan's sole...
- Former operator.
Azerbaijan
- Azerbaijan AirlinesAzerbaijan AirlinesAzerbaijan Airlines is the national flag carrier of Azerbaijan with a main base in the Heydar Aliyev International Airport, Baku, operating a network of scheduled passenger and cargo services. Member of IATA....
- Former operator.
- Lloyd Aereo BolivianoLloyd Aereo BolivianoLloyd Aéreo Boliviano S.A. was an airline serving as flag carrier of Bolivia. It operated domestic and international flights, aiming at passenger as well as cargo transport. LAB was active for more than 80 years, having been based in Cochabamba most of the time, with Cochabamba Airport being an...
- Former operator.
- Balkan Bulgarian AirlinesBalkan Bulgarian AirlinesBalkan Airlines was Bulgaria's government-owned flag carrier between 1947 and 2002. During the 1970s the airliner became a significant European carrier. The company encountered financial instability following the fall of communism in Eastern Europe...
- Former operator. - Hemus AirHemus AirHemus Air was an airline based in Sofia, Bulgaria. It operated scheduled domestic and international services from Sofia and Varna, as well as charter, cargo and air ambulance services. Its main base was Sofia Airport, with a hub at Varna Airport...
- Former operator.
- Aerocaribbean (6)
- Cubana - Former operator.
- CSA Czech AirlinesCzech AirlinesCzech Airlines j.s.c. , trading as Czech Airlines , is the national airline of the Czech Republic and temporary in Slovakia with its head office on the grounds of Ruzyně Airport in Ruzyně, Prague...
- Former operator. - Slov-AirSlov-AirSlov-Air was an airline from Czechoslovakia , which provided services for agriculture, civil engineering and the industry.-History:...
- Former operator.
- EgyptairEgyptAirEgyptAir is the flag carrier airline of Egypt and a member of Star Alliance. The airline is based at Cairo International Airport, its main hub, operating scheduled passenger and freight services to more than 75 destinations in the Middle East, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas...
- Former operator.
- General Air - Former operator.
- Olympic Airways - Former operator.
- Rollins Air (2)
- MALÉV - Former operator.
- Air KokshetauAir KokshetauAir Kokshetau was an airline based in Koksetau, Kazakhstan, based at Kokshetau Airport. It started operations in 2002 and had 238 employees ....
(5) - SemeyaviaSemeyaviaSemeyavia O.A. is an airline based in Semey, Kazakhstan, operating scheduled domestic flights between its home base at Semey Airport and Almaty International Airport.- Fleet :...
(2) - Tulpar Air ServiceTulpar Air ServiceTulpar Air Service, also known as Tulpar Avia Service, was an airline from Kazakhstan which operated scheduled and chartered flights out of Sary-Arka Airport, Karaganda...
(7)
Kyrgyzstan
- Kyrgyzstan AirlinesKyrgyzstan AirlinesJSC National Air Carrier "Kyrgyzstan Airlines" was the national airline of Kyrgyzstan, with its head office on the grounds of Manas International Airport in Bishkek. It operated scheduled international and domestic services, as well as charter flights...
(2)
Libya
- Air Libya TibestiAir Libya TibestiAir Libya is a privately owned airline based in Benghazi, Libya. It was established in 1996 as Tibesti Air Libya and was initially based in Tripoli. The company now operates charter flights in support of oil field operations, as well as providing some scheduled and ad-hoc charter services...
(5)
Lithuania
- Air LithuaniaAir LithuaniaAir Lithuania was a regional airline based in Kaunas in Lithuania. It operated scheduled and charter flights, provided cargo services and aircraft rental...
- Former operator.
Moldova
- Air MoldovaAir MoldovaAir Moldova is an airline with its head office on the grounds of Chişinău International Airport in Chişinău, Moldova. It is the national airline of Moldova and operates scheduled services to 17 destinations in Europe. Its main base is Chişinău International Airport. The Air Moldova air operators...
(1)
- Interisland AirlinesInterisland AirlinesInterisland Airlines is an airline based in Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City, Manila, the Philippines. It operates domestic scheduled services and passenger and cargo domestic and international charter services. Its main base is Ninoy Aquino International Airport,...
(1)
- Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Air Enterprise (5)
- 2nd Sverdlovsk Air Enterprise2nd Sverdlovsk Air EnterpriseJSC "2nd Sverdlovsk Air Enterprise" was a second level airline based in Yekaterinburg, Russia. It was founded in 1993 and continued to operate for 18 years until closing down in 2011.-Fleet:As of May 2007 the 2nd Sverdlovsk Air Enterprise fleet includes:...
(6) - Belgorod Air EnterpriseBelgorod Air EnterpriseOJSC "Belgorod Air Enterprise" was an airline based in Belgorod, Russia. It operated domestic charter and scheduled passenger services in central Russia.-Code data:*ICAO Code: BED*Callsign: Belogorye-History:...
(6) - Bugulma Air EnterpriseBugulma Air EnterpriseOJSC Ak Bars Aero , formerly OJSC Bugulma Air Enterprise , is an airline based in Bugulma, Russia. It operates regional scheduled and charter passenger services in connection with Tatarstan Airlines...
(11) - Euro-Asia AirEuro-Asia AirEuro-Asia Air is an airline based in Atyrau, Kazakhstan. It operates passenger services to Russia, United Arab Emirates, Turkey and within the Asian republics. Its main base is Atyrau Airport.-History:The airline started operations in May 1997...
(2) - GazpromaviaGazpromaviaGazpromavia is an airline based in Moscow, Russia. It operates passenger and cargo charters, mainly in support of the oil and gas industry. It also operates regular domestic flights from Moscow and international charter passenger and cargo services.-History:The airline was established in March...
(6) - RossiyaRossiya (airline)Rossiya Airlines OJSC , operating as Rossiya — Russian Airlines is a secondary national airline with its head office in Saint Petersburg, Russia, resulting from the 2006 merger of the Moscow-based company of the same name and Saint Petersburg-based Pulkovo Aviation Enterprise...
(6) - RusAirRusAirRusAir is an airline with its headquarters in Moscow, Russia. It provides aviation services within western Russia and eastern Europe, including business flights, aviation management and project support. It also offers international medevac services....
(5) - LUKoil-AviaLUKoil-AviaLUKoil-Avia is a Russian airline based at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport. Owned by the LUKoil conglomerate, LUKoil-Avia operates flights for LUKoil executives, whilst also operating general executive charter flights.-Fleet:...
(1) - Severstal Air CompanySeverstal Air CompanySeverstal Aircompany is an airline based in Cherepovets, Russia.-Services:Severstal Aircompany operates services to the following scheduled destinations : Helsinki-Vantaa Airport and Petrozavodsk....
(1) - TomskaviaTomskaviaTomsk Avia, LLC is an airline based in Tomsk, Russia. It operates domestic passenger and cargo services and charters.-Code data:*ICAO Code: TSK*Callsign: TOMSK-AVIA-History:...
(4) - UTair Aviation (11)
- Vladivostok AviaVladivostok AviaVladivostok Air is an airline based in Vladivostok, Russia.-Description:As the largest carrier in the Russian Far East and Siberia, Vladivostok Air operates scheduled domestic flights within Russia and international flights to Africa, Asia, and Europe, as well as charter flights and a well...
(5) - Volga-DneprVolga-DneprVolga-Dnepr Airlines, LLC is an airline based in Ulyanovsk, Russia. It operates scheduled and charter passenger and cargo services, but specialises in outsize cargo operations using the world's largest fleet of Antonov An-124 aircraft. It is a world leader in the global market for the movement of...
(7) - Vologda Aviation Enterprise (8)
- Yak Service (3)
- Yakutia AirlinesYakutia AirlinesYakutia Airlines is an airline based in Yakutsk, Russia. It operates domestic passenger services in Russia and within the CIS, as well as charters to destinations in Europe from its hubs at Yakutsk Airport and Moscow's Vnukovo Airport.-History:...
(4) - Yamal AirlinesYamal AirlinesYamal Airlines is an airline based in Salekhard, Russia. It operates regional passenger services and was established in 1997.-Destinations:As of May 2010 Yamal Airlines operates flights to the following: Armenia...
(4)
- AeroflotAeroflotOJSC AeroflotRussian Airlines , commonly known as Aeroflot , is the flag carrier and largest airline of the Russian Federation, based on passengers carried per year...
- Former operator.
- Syrian Arab AirlinesSyrian Arab AirlinesSyrian Arab Airlines , operating as Syrian Air , is the flag carrier airline of Syria. It operates scheduled international services to over 40 destinations in Asia, Europe and North Africa, as well as domestic services. Its main base is Damascus International Airport. Syrian Air has a fleet of...
(1) (operating as Syrian Air)
Tajikistan
- Tajik Air (4)
- Tajikistan Airlines - Former operator.
Turkmenistan
- Turkmenistan AirlinesTurkmenistan AirlinesTurkmenistan Airlines is the flag carrier of Turkmenistan, headquartered in Ashgabat. The airline connects its home base of Ashgabat with destinations in Russia, Europe and Asia...
- Former operator.
- Motor Sich Airlines (2)
- Aerostar AirlinesAerostar AirlinesAerostar Airlines is an airline based in Kiev, Ukraine. It started operations on 18 August 1997 and operates charter flights within Ukraine and to neighbouring CIS countries...
(3) - Constanta AirlineConstanta AirlineConstanta Airline is an airline based in Zaporizhia, Ukraine. It operates charter flights from Ukraine's main airports to Europe, Russia and the CIS...
(7) - ChallengeAeroChallengeAeroChallenge Aero is an airline based in Kiev, Ukraine. It operates charter flights within Ukraine and to neighbouring CIS countries.- Fleet :The Challenge Aero fleet consists of the following aircraft :*2 Yakovlev Yak-40*4 Yakovlev Yak-40K...
(6)
Uzbekistan
- Oriental de Aviación
- Vietnam AirlinesVietnam AirlinesVietnam Airlines Company Limited, trading as Vietnam Airlines , is the national flag carrier of Vietnam. Founded in 1956 under the name Vietnam Civil Aviation, the airline was established as a state enterprise in April 1989. Vietnam Airlines is headquartered in Long Bien, Hanoi, with hubs at Noi...
- Former operator.
Military Operators
: Angolan Air Force: Bulgarian Air Force
Bulgarian Air Force
The Bulgarian Air Force is a branch of the Military of Bulgaria, the other two being the Bulgarian Navy and Bulgarian land forces. Its mission is to guard and protect the sovereignty of Bulgarian airspace, to provide aerial support and to assist the Land Forces in case of war. The Bulgarian Air...
- former operator
: Cuban Air Force
: Czech Air Force
Czech Air Force
The Czech Air Force is the air force branch of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic. The Air Force, with the Land Forces, comprises the Joint Forces, the main combat power of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic...
- 8 in service
: East German Air Force
: Ethiopian Air Force
Ethiopian Air Force
The Ethiopian Air Force is the air arm of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces and is tasked with protecting the air space, providing support to the ground forces as well as assisting during national emergencies.- Early years :...
: Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force
Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force
The Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force is the air force of Laos.-History:The present-day LPLAAF is descended from the Aviation Laotienne, which was established by the French and later became the Royal Lao Air Force. Pathet Lao guerrilla forces began to operate a few aircraft from 1960, as did...
: Lithuanian Air Force
: Polish Air Force
Polish Air Force
The Polish Air Force is the military Air Force wing of the Polish Armed Forces. Until July 2004 it was officially known as Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej...
- All 4 grounded
: Russian Air Force
Russian Air Force
The Russian Air Force is the air force of Russian Military. It is currently under the command of Colonel General Aleksandr Zelin. The Russian Navy has its own air arm, the Russian Naval Aviation, which is the former Soviet Aviatsiya Voyenno Morskogo Flota , or AV-MF).The Air Force was formed from...
: Serbian Air Force
Serbian Air Force
The Serbian Air Force and Air Defence is the air force of Serbia and service branch of the Serbian Armed Forces. Established in 1912, it is one of the oldest air forces in the world.-History:...
: Syrian Air Force
Syrian Air Force
The Syrian Air Force is the Aviation branch of the Syrian Armed Forces. It was established in 1948.-History:The end of World War II led to a withdrawal of the United Kingdom and France from the Middle East, and this included a withdrawal from Syria...
: Soviet Air Force
Soviet Air Force
The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces...
- former operator
: Vietnam People's Air Force
Vietnam People's Air Force
The Vietnam People's Air Force is the air force of Vietnam. It is the successor of the former North Vietnamese Air Force and the absorbed Republic of Vietnam Air Force following the re-unification of Vietnam in 1975.-Beginning-1964 :The first Vietnamese aircraft were two trainers, a de Havilland...
: Yemen Air Force
Yemen Air Force
-North and South Yemen:The Yemen Air Force, known as al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Yamaniya, was established in 1926. During the mid-1950s, the Imam of Yemen established a private fleet that was run by the military. Later, the Russians delivered MiG-15 and MiG-17 fighters, followed by MiG-21s to the...
:
: Air Force of Zimbabwe
Air Force of Zimbabwe
The Air Force of Zimbabwe is the air force of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces. It was known as the Rhodesian Air Force until 1980. The Air Force of Zimbabwe saw service in the Mozambican Civil War in 1985 and the Second Congo War of 1998–2001....
: Slovak Air Force
Slovak Air Force
The Slovak Air Force, known since 2002 as the Air Force of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic , is the aviation and air defense branch of the Slovak Armed Forces. Operating 70 aircraft from 3 major bases - Kuchyňa, Sliač, Prešov...
Notable accidents and incidents
- On May 4, 1972, an Aeroflot/East Siberia Yak-40 with 18 passengers and crew on approach to Bratsk AirportBratsk AirportBratsk Airport is an airport in Irkutsk Oblast, Russia located north of Bratsk. It is a mixed use airfield, providing 32 parking spaces for medium-sized airliners, as well as a large number of branched fighter revetments....
, RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
(then USSR) crashed due to wind shear. All aboard perished. - On February 28, 1973, an Aeroflot/Kazakhstan flight from Semipalatinsk AirportSemey AirportSemipalatinsk Airport is an airport in Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan located 8 km south of the city. It services large airliners. The airfield contains two groups of alert fighter pads. A 400 meter overrun exists at each end of Runway 08/26.The Tupolev Tu-128 and MiG-31 were based here at...
, KazakhstanKazakhstanKazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
(then USSR) to Ust-Kamenogorsk Airport, KazakhstanKazakhstanKazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
fell back onto the runway after take-off. All 28 passengers and 4 crew died. - On July 15, 1975, an Aeroflot/Armenia passenger flight from Zvartnots International AirportZvartnots International AirportZvartnots International Airport is located near Zvartnots, west of Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia. The airport was built in 1961. It is now the busiest airport in Armenia and the Caucasus. The draftsmen of the airport included architects M. Khachikyan, A. Tarkhanyan, J. Sheqhlyan, L....
, ArmeniaArmeniaArmenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
to Batumi-Chorokh Airport GeorgiaGeorgia (country)Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
on go-around crashed into Mount Mtirala (in the CaucasusCaucasus MountainsThe Caucasus Mountains is a mountain system in Eurasia between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea in the Caucasus region .The Caucasus Mountains includes:* the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range and* the Lesser Caucasus Mountains....
) killing all 41 on board. - On August 15, 1975, an Aeroflot/Azerbaijan aircraft from Baku Airport, AzerbaijanAzerbaijanAzerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
(then USSR) to Krasnovodsk Airport (now the airport of TürkmenbaşyTürkmenbasy, TurkmenistanTürkmenbaşy , formerly known as Krasnovodsk and, more properly, Kyzyl-Su, is a city in Balkan Province in Turkmenistan, on the Krasnovodsk Gulf of the Caspian Sea. It is located at latitude 40.0231 North; longitude 52.9697 East, at an altitude of 27 meters. The population was 86,800, mostly...
), TurkmenistanTurkmenistanTurkmenistan , formerly also known as Turkmenia is one of the Turkic states in Central Asia. Until 1991, it was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic . Turkmenistan is one of the six independent Turkic states...
(then USSR) stalled and subsequently crashed during approach due to pilot error and unfavourable weather conditions killing 23 of the 28 on board. - On September 9, 1976, an Aeroflot/North Kavkaz flight from Rostov AirportRostov-on-Don AirportRostov-on-Don Airport Aeroport Rostov-na-Donu is an international airport located 9 km east of the city of Rostov-on-Don, in southern Russia...
, RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
(then USSR) to Kerch AirportKerchKerch is a city on the Kerch Peninsula of eastern Crimea, an important industrial, transport and tourist centre of Ukraine. Kerch, founded 2600 years ago, is considered as one of the most ancient cities in Ukraine.-Ancient times:...
, UkraineUkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
(then also USSR) collided with an Antonov An-24 passenger flight over the Black SeaBlack SeaThe Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
37 km/23 miles off AnapaAnapaAnapa is a town in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, located on the northern coast of the Black Sea near the Sea of Azov. It was originally a seaport for the Natkhuay tribe of the Adyghe people. Population: The town boasts a number of sanatoria and hotels...
due to violation of separation rules and error of both aircrafts crew and probably ground ATCATC- Military :* Air Training Command, the predecessor to Air Education and Training Command in the United States Air Force* New Zealand Air Training Corps* Air Training Corps, United Kingdom...
. All 18 occupants of the Yak-40 and 46 people on board the An-24 died. - On October 7, 1978, an Aeroflot/Kazakhstan flight with 38 people on board departed Sverdlovsk-Koltsovo Airport, RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
for Kostanay-Narimanovka AirportKostanay AirportKostanay Airport is an airport in Kostanay, Kazakhstan .Runways of the airport can accept the following types of airplanes: Tu-134, Tu-154,...
, KazakhstanKazakhstanKazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
but the left engine failed about 30 seconds after take off due to icing. The aircraft lost height and collided with a hill killing all occupants. - On June 8, 1980, a TAAG Angola Airlines Yak transporting civilians was shot down by a MiG-19Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 is a Soviet second-generation, single-seat, twin jet-engined fighter aircraft. It was the first Soviet production aircraft capable of supersonic speeds in level flight. A comparable U.S...
(origin unclear) near MatalaMatala, AngolaMatala is a town and municipality in Huíla Province in Angola.- External links :*...
, AngolaAngolaAngola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
killing all 19 occupants. - On June 12, 1980, an AeroflotAeroflotOJSC AeroflotRussian Airlines , commonly known as Aeroflot , is the flag carrier and largest airline of the Russian Federation, based on passengers carried per year...
/Tajikistan on a passenger flight from Leninabad, since 1991 called KhujandKhujandKhujand , also transliterated as Khudzhand, , formerly Khodjend or Khodzhent until 1936 and Leninabad until 1991, is the second-largest city of Tajikistan. It is situated on the Syr Darya River at the mouth of the Fergana Valley...
, TajikistanTajikistanTajikistan , officially the Republic of Tajikistan , is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders it to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east....
(then USSR) to Dushanbe AirportDushanbe AirportDushanbe International Airport is an airport located in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan. Work has begun on upgrading facilities at the airport. Funds made available from unnamed sources will finance enhancements to the runway and apron and the upgrade of the terminal buildings to handle...
, TajikistanTajikistanTajikistan , officially the Republic of Tajikistan , is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders it to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east....
with 29 on board crashed into a mountain 44 km/27m north-west of the airport due to navigational errors by the crew killing all occupants. - On September 18, 1981, an AeroflotAeroflotOJSC AeroflotRussian Airlines , commonly known as Aeroflot , is the flag carrier and largest airline of the Russian Federation, based on passengers carried per year...
/East Siberia flight from Irkutsk Airport, RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
to Zheleznogorsk-Ilimskiy AirportZheleznogorsk AirportZheleznogorsk Airport is an airport in Russia located 10 km south of Zheleznogorsk-Ilimsky. It services small airliners....
, RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
collided with a Mi-8Mil Mi-8The Mil Mi-8 is a medium twin-turbine transport helicopter that can also act as a gunship. The Mi-8 is the world's most-produced helicopter, and is used by over 50 countries. Russia is the largest operator of the Mi-8/Mi-17 helicopter....
helicopter on a training flight while approaching its destination airport. The supposed site of the collision occurred in the clouds. All 33 on board the Yak-40 and 7 occupants of the Mi-8Mil Mi-8The Mil Mi-8 is a medium twin-turbine transport helicopter that can also act as a gunship. The Mi-8 is the world's most-produced helicopter, and is used by over 50 countries. Russia is the largest operator of the Mi-8/Mi-17 helicopter....
were killed, resulting in 40 fatalities, making it the deadliest Yak-40 incident prior to August 1, 1990. - On January 24, 1988, an AeroflotAeroflotOJSC AeroflotRussian Airlines , commonly known as Aeroflot , is the flag carrier and largest airline of the Russian Federation, based on passengers carried per year...
/Privolzhsk aircraft experienced failure of engine No.1 and No.3 during take-off from Nizhnevartovsk AirportNizhnevartovsk AirportNizhnevartovsk Airport is a major airport in Russia located 4 km northwest of Nizhnevartovsk. It is a large civilian airport with an asphalt runway, handling some widebody aircraft. The airport is a key element of the region's gas production region....
, RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. Engine No.2 also experienced some problems, but recovered while engines No.1 and No.3 eventually failed. The plane stalled, crashed and broke up killing 27 of 31 on board. Cause was possible crew error. - On August 2, 1988, at Sofia Airport, the BalkanBalkan Bulgarian AirlinesBalkan Airlines was Bulgaria's government-owned flag carrier between 1947 and 2002. During the 1970s the airliner became a significant European carrier. The company encountered financial instability following the fall of communism in Eastern Europe...
Yak-40 LZ-DOK crashed on take-off. All civil traffic had been halted minutes before because of the departure of the Bulgarian "Air Force One" Tupolev Tu-154, carrying Bulgarian leader Todor Zhivkov. Because of a delay of this flight, the air traffic controller cleared LZ-DOK for take-off to Varna, asking the crew to expedite their departure. Trying to leave in a hurry, the crew forgot to set the trim correctly and initiated the start from the middle of the 3000 m runaway. Consequently, the aircraft failed to become airborne. It overran the runway into a ravine and got into fire. Fatalities 28 from 37 occupants. - On August 1, 1990, an AeroflotAeroflotOJSC AeroflotRussian Airlines , commonly known as Aeroflot , is the flag carrier and largest airline of the Russian Federation, based on passengers carried per year...
/Armenia Yak-40 traveling from Zvartnots International AirportZvartnots International AirportZvartnots International Airport is located near Zvartnots, west of Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia. The airport was built in 1961. It is now the busiest airport in Armenia and the Caucasus. The draftsmen of the airport included architects M. Khachikyan, A. Tarkhanyan, J. Sheqhlyan, L....
, ArmeniaArmeniaArmenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
to Stepanakert Airport, AzerbaijanAzerbaijanAzerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
carrying 47 passengers, crashed when the crew suddenly hit a mountain 22 km (14 mi) away from its destination killing all on board. The cause was most likely pilot error (premature descent) - On November 14, 1992, Vietnam AirlinesVietnam AirlinesVietnam Airlines Company Limited, trading as Vietnam Airlines , is the national flag carrier of Vietnam. Founded in 1956 under the name Vietnam Civil Aviation, the airline was established as a state enterprise in April 1989. Vietnam Airlines is headquartered in Long Bien, Hanoi, with hubs at Noi...
flight 474 with 31 passengers and crew flying from Ho Chi Minh City-Tan Son Nhat International AirportTan Son Nhat International AirportTan Son Nhat International Airport is Vietnam's largest international airport in terms of area . It has a handling capacity of 15-17 million passengers per year, compared with the capacity of Hanoi - Noi Bai airport of 8 million passengers and Da Nang's 2 million passengers...
, VietnamVietnamVietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
to the previously civilian Nha Trang AirportNha Trang Air BaseNha Trang Air Base is a Vietnam People's Air Force military airfield in Vietnam. It is located northwest of Nha Trang in Khanh Hoa Province....
, VietnamVietnamVietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
impacted obstacles on landing approach killing all but one passenger. Adverse weather conditions might have been involved (unclear at investigation). - On August 28, 1993 a Tajikistan AirlinesTajikistan AirlinesState Unitary Aviation Enterprise "Tajik Air" is the national airline of the former Soviet republic of Tajikistan. It has its head office on the property of Dushanbe Airport in Dushanbe...
non-scheduled flight that was grossly overloaded with 86 passengers overran the runway at KhorogKhorogThe town of Khorugh , also transliterated as Khoroq, Khorogh, Khorog, or Xoroq) is the capital of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province in Tajikistan. It is also the capital of the Shughnon District of Gorno-Badakhshan. It has a population of 28,000...
Airport, TajikistanTajikistanTajikistan , officially the Republic of Tajikistan , is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders it to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east....
and fell into the Panj RiverPanj RiverThe Panj River , also known as Pyandzh River or Piandj River , is a tributary of the Amu Darya. The river is 1,125 km long and forms a considerable part of the Afghanistan - Tajikistan border....
. Three passengers survived. The crew was forced at gunpoint to overload the aircraft. This was the worst accident involving a Yak-40 - On September 26, 1994, a Cheremshanka Airlines flight from Krasnoyarsk Airport, RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
to Tura ran out of fuel due to crew and ATCATC- Military :* Air Training Command, the predecessor to Air Education and Training Command in the United States Air Force* New Zealand Air Training Corps* Air Training Corps, United Kingdom...
errors and crashed, killing all 28 on board. - On May 17, 2001, a Faraz Qeshm AirlinesQeshm AirQeshm Air was an Iranian passenger airline based on the island of Qeshm in the Persian Gulf. The airline was founded in 1993 and discontinued in 2008.- Services :...
flight departed TehranTehranTehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
, IranIranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
heading for Gorgan AirportGorgan AirportGorgan Airport is an international airport in Gorgan, Iran .It is located at some 2 kilometers west of the Gorgan-AqQala Highway, and some 6 kilometers north of the city of Gorgan, the capital of Golestan province. There are services to Tehran, Mashhad and Zahedan from the airport. There are also...
, IranIranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
carrying 30 people, amongst those the Iranian Transport Minister Rahman DadmanRahman DadmanRahman Dadman was an Iranian politician born in Ardabil. He was the Minister of Roads and Transportation, under President Mohammad Khatami until May 18, 2001 when he died in an air accident with about 30 other passengers in the crash of an Iranian YAK-40 plane, 13 miles from the city of Sari, Iran...
, two deputy ministers and seven more members of parliament was forced to divert due to bad weather conditions and was later discovered crashed into the Elburz mountains, IranIranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. All on board perished - On January 13, 2004, Uzbekistan Airways flight 1154 from Termez AirportTermez AirportTermez Airport is an airport serving Termez, a city in southern Uzbekistan. It is used as a base for German C-160 "Transalls" who are part of the German ISAF-contingent.-Airlines and destinations:...
, UzbekistanUzbekistanUzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
to Tashkent International Airport, UzbekistanUzbekistanUzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
, carrying 37 passengers, crashed, the crew failed to descend for approach on time. Finding the runway too short to land an attempted go-aroundGo-aroundA go-around is an aborted landing of an aircraft that is on final approach.- Origin of the term :The term arises from the traditional use of traffic patterns at airfields. A landing aircraft will first join the circuit pattern and prepare for landing in an orderly fashion...
was initiated but ultimately failed, resulting in the left wing striking a concrete building, leading to a crash, with the subsequent fire killing all on board.
Specifications (Yak-40)
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