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Ilyushin Il-62 family

The Il-62 story, from first flight to lasting reputation

The long-range Soviet quadjet that gave Aeroflot and allied operators a true intercontinental flagship.

Ilyushin Il-62 family is a retired airliner built by Ilyushin. It first flew in 1963, entered service in 1967, and went on to shape airline fleets, passenger journeys, and aviation memory.

First flight

1963

Service entry

1967

Seating band

168 to 195

Ilyushin Il-62 family is a retired airliner by Ilyushin, first flown in 1963 and introduced in 1967, with typical seating for 168 to 195 and range up to 5,400 nautical miles.

Its history runs through the airlines that flew it, the routes it opened, the cabin experience it offered, and the variants that changed the family's role over time.

Range band

5,400 nm

Notable operators

Aeroflot · Interflug · Cubana

Source stack

  • Manufacturer heritage material
  • type certificate and planning data
  • museum and preservation references

Variants

Representative variants

Manufacturer pageForum hubCompare families

Variant

Il-62M

Il-62M is a retired member of the Ilyushin Il-62 family, known for the improved branch that defined the family’s later long-haul service.

Range 5,400 nm · Entry 1973

Specifications

Current public facts

Manufacturer
Ilyushin
Program history
Class
Airliner
Aircraft category
First flight
1963-01-03
Program history
Service entry
1967-09-15
Operator records
Current status
Retired
Fleet references
Typical seating
168 to 195
Operator and cabin references
Range band
Up to 5,400 nm
Program literature
Cruise speed
487 kt
Planning data

Archive moments

Human context

The Il-62 is remembered for rear-mounted engines and sweeping T-tail proportions that made it look both elegant and severe in the same glance.
Passenger memory matters here because airport routine, cabin atmosphere, and route geography are part of the aircraft story rather than side notes.

Timeline

Program milestones

  1. 1963

    First flight

    The Il-62 begins flight testing and establishes the public shape of the family.

  2. 1967

    Service entry

    The family enters passenger or executive service and begins building its operating footprint.

  3. Today

    Archive afterlife

    Surviving aircraft, photographs, documents, and first-hand memories keep the program visible long after regular passenger service.

Related news

Editorial context

All news
No editorial dispatches are attached to this family yet. The aircraft record is live, and newsroom or archive coverage can be layered onto it later without changing the URL.

Forum threads

Community memory

Family hub