Yakovlev Yak-40

Yak-40
Volga-Dnepr Yak-40
Role Regional jet/ VIP transport
National origin Soviet Union
Manufacturer Yakovlev
First flight October 21, 1966
Introduction September 1968 (Aeroflot)
Status In service
Primary user Aeroflot (Former)
Produced 1967–1981
Number built 1,011 (according to some sources, 1013)


The Yakovlev Yak-40 (Russian: Як-40), NATO reporting name: Codling) is a small, three-engined airliner. It is the world's first commuter trijet. Maiden flight was made in 1966, and production took place from 1967 to 1981. Introduced in September 1968, the Yak-40 was exported since 1970.

Development

Proposed VTOL and four-engined Yak-40 variants

By the early 1960s, the Soviet state airline Aeroflot's international and internal trunk routes were flown by jet or turboprop powered airliners but their local services, many of which operated from grass airfields, were operated by obsolete piston engined aircraft such as the Ilyushin Il-12, Il-14 and Lisunov Li-2.[1] 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.[2]

Yakovlev studied both turboprop and jet-powered designs to meet the requirement, including Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) designs with lift jets in the fuselage or in wing-mounted pods, but eventually they settled on a straight-winged tri-jet carrying 20 to 25 passengers. Engines were to be the new AI-25 turbofan being developed by Ivchenko at Zaporozhye in Ukraine.[3]

Design

Side view of a Yak-40
Rear view of the aircraft, showing the rear integrated airstairs

The Yak-40 is a low-winged cantilever monoplane with unswept wings, a large T-tail 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 in the rear fuselage, with air fed from a dorsal air-intake by an "S-duct", as is an auxiliary power unit, fitted to allow engine start-up without ground support on primitive airfields.[4][5] The three AI-25 engines are two-shaft engines rated at 14.7 kN (3,300 lbf). The engines have no jetpipes, and initially no thrust reversers.[6][7]

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 to 27 passengers three-abreast, although 32 passengers can be carried by switching to four-abreast seating. Passengers enter the aircraft via a set of ventral airstairs in the rear fuselage.[7][8]

The wing is fitted with large trailing-edge slotted flaps, but has 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 wings join at the aircraft centerline, with the main spar running from wingtip to wingtip The wings house 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.[5][9]

The Yak-40 was the first Soviet-built airliner designed to Western airworthiness requirements.[10]

Operational history

A Yak-40 parked on a grass apron
Bucket thrust reverser on the center engine

The first of five prototypes made its maiden flight on 21 October 1966,[7] with production being launched at the Saratov Aviation Plant in 1967 and Soviet type certification granted in 1968.[5] The type carried out its first passenger service for Aeroflot on 30 September 1968.[9] In the 1972 version, a tailspin was removed. In 1974, new version was introduced, with non-stop flight distance increased. Also, the forward door on the right side of the fuselage changed its place – it was located together with the sixth window.

In 1975, the last upgrade of Yak-40 took place – the number of cabin windows on the right side changed from nine to eight.

By the time production ended in November 1981, the factory at Saratov had produced 1,011 or 1,013 aircraft. By 1993 Yak-40s operated by Aeroflot had carried 354 million passengers.[11] 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. More than this, Yak-40 became the first Russian/Soviet aircraft getting flying certificates of Italy and West Germany. It was demonstrated in 75 countries of the world, including the USA, where orders on Yak-40 were made.

A total of 130 were exported to Afghanistan, Angola, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Italy, Laos, Madagascar, Philippines, Poland, Syria, Vietnam, Yugoslavia and Zambia.[5][11]

Variants

General Air Yak-40EC seen at Groningen Airport in the early 1970s
Front view of a civilian Yak-40

Operators

Yak-40 operators (exclusively civil operators in blue)
Serbian Air Force Yak-40
Czech Air Force Yak-40 landing
Polet Airlines Yak-40 take-off
Tajik Air Yak-40

Civilian operators

Yak-40 in livery of Rossiya Airlines

As of August 2013 a total of 45 out of 1011 Yakovlev Yak-40 aircraft remain in service. The airworthiness of several Yak-40 of smaller Russian and Central Asian charter airlines is uncertain, as is the whereabouts of one Air Libya Tibesti aircraft after the civil war. Most aircraft in service today have been reconfigured for VIP-charter services, with fewer than ten remaining in scheduled passenger service. Known operators are:[12]

 Afghanistan
 Angola
 Azerbaijan
 Belarus
 Bolivia
 Bulgaria
 Cuba
 Czech Republic
 Czechoslovakia
 Egypt
 West Germany
 Greece
 Guatemala
 Honduras
 Hungary
 Kazakhstan
 Kyrgyzstan
 Italy
 Libya
 Lithuania
 Moldova
 Philippines
 Russia
 Slovakia
 Soviet Union
 Syria
 Tajikistan
 Turkmenistan
 Ukraine
 Uzbekistan
 Venezuela
 Vietnam

Military operators

Now retired Yak-40 of Polish Air Force at the Brussels airport in 2005.

As of November 2012 no more than 17 Yak-40 remain in military service (possibly fewer, with the unclear situation in Syria). Known operators are:

 Angola
Angolan Air Force – former operator
 Bulgaria
Bulgarian Air Force – former operator
 Cuba
Cuban Air Force – 3 in service
 Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakian Air Force – former operator
 Czech Republic
Czech Air Force – 2 in service
 East Germany
East German Air Force – former operator
 Ethiopia
Ethiopian Air Force – 1 in service
 Equatorial Guinea
Military of Equatorial Guinea – presidential aircraft
 Guinea-Bissau
Military of Guinea-Bissau – former operator
 Hungary
Hungarian Air Force – former operator
 Kazakhstan
Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan – 1 in service
 Laos
Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force – former operator
 Lithuania
Lithuanian Air Force – former operator
 Madagascar
Military of Madagascar – 2 in service
 Poland
Polish Air Force – former operator
 Russia
Russian Air Force – 1 in service
 Serbia
Serbian Air Force – former operator
 Syria
Syrian Air Force – up to 6 in service, airworthiness unclear
 Soviet Union
Soviet Air Force – former operator
 Vietnam
Vietnam People's Air Force – former operator
 Yemen
Yemen Air Force – 2 in service
 Yugoslavia
Yugoslav Air Force – former operator
 Zambia
Zambian Air Force – former operator
 Zimbabwe
Air Force of Zimbabwe – former operator

Accidents and incidents

Specifications (Yak-40)

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976–77.[7]

General characteristics

Performance

Cockpit of a Yak-40

See also

Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
Related lists

References

  1. Stroud 1968, p. 269–270.
  2. Gunston and Gordon 1997, p. 185.
  3. Gunston and Gordon 1997, pp. 185–186.
  4. Stroud 1968, p. 270–272.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Gordon Komissarov and Komissarov 2005, p. 303
  6. Gunston and Gordon 1997, p. 187.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Taylor 1976, pp. 448–449.
  8. Stroud 1968, pp. 272–273.
  9. 1 2 Gunston and Gordon 1997, pp. 186–187.
  10. https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1975/1975%20-%200140.html
  11. 1 2 Gunston and Gordon 1997, p. 189.
  12. World Airlines Census 2013: http://www.flightglobal.com/airspace/media/reports_pdf/world-airliner-census-2013-106686.aspx
  13. Beek Air, current fleet: http://www.bekair.com/sections/flot
  14. 1 2 Ottenhof, 1996, p. 418
  15. Ottenhof, 1996, p.419
  16. Accident description for CCCP-87690 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 2015-08-13.
  17. "Катастрофа Як-40 Таджикского УГА в районе Ленинабада" [Accident Yak-40 Leninabad] (in Russian). airdisaster.ru. Retrieved 2015-08-13.
  18. "ASN Aircraft Accident Yakovlev 40 CCCP-87778 Bratsk Airport (BTK)". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 2012-10-09.
  19. "ASN Aircraft Accident Yakovlev 40 CCCP-87602 Semipalatinsk Airport (PLX)". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 2012-10-09.
  20. "Катастрофа Як-40 Казахского УГА близ аэропорта Семипалатинска" [Accident Yak-40 Semipalatinsk Airport] (in Russian). airdisaster.ru. Retrieved 2015-08-13.
  21. "Катастрофа Як-40 Украинского УГА близ Киева" [Accident Yak-40 Kiev] (in Russian). airdisaster.ru. Retrieved 2015-08-13.
  22. "ASN Aircraft Accident Yakovlev 40 CCCP-87475 Batumi-Chorokh Airport (BUS)". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 2012-10-09.
  23. "ASN Aircraft Accident Yakovlev 40 CCCP-87323 Krasnovodsk Airport (KRW)". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 2012-10-09.
  24. "Катастрофа Як-40 Азербайджанского УГА близ Красноводска" [Accident Yak-40 near Krasnovodsk] (in Russian). airdisaster.ru. Retrieved 2015-08-13.
  25. Accident description for CCCP-87458 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 2016-06-08.
  26. "ASN Aircraft Accident Yakovlev 40 CCCP-87772 Anapa (Black Sea)". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 2012-10-09.
  27. "ASN Aircraft Accident Yakovlev 40 CCCP-87437 Sverdlovsk-Koltsovo (SVX)". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 2012-10-09.
  28. "Катастрофа Як-40 Казахского УГА близ а/п Кольцово" [Accident Yak-40 near Koltsovo] (in Russian). airdisaster.ru. Retrieved 2015-08-13.
  29. "ASN Aircraft Accident Yakovlev 40K DT-TYC Matala". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 2012-10-09.
  30. "ASN Aircraft Accident Yakovlev 40 CCCP87689 Dushanbe". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 2012-10-09.
  31. "Катастрофа Як-40 Таджикского РПО ГА близ Душанбе" [Accident Yak-40 near Dushanbe] (in Russian). airdisaster.ru. Retrieved 2015-08-13.
  32. "ASN Aircraft Accident Yakovlev 40 CCCP-87455 Zheleznogorsk-Ilimskiy". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 2012-10-09.
  33. "Столкновение Як-40 и Ми-8 ВС УГА в районе г.Железногорск-Илимский" [Mid-air collision of Yak-40 and Mi-8 near Zeleznogorsk-Ilimskiy] (in Russian). airdisaster.ru. Retrieved 2015-08-13.
  34. "ASN Aircraft Accident Yakovlev 40 CCCP-87549 Nizhnevartovsk Airport (NJC)". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 2012-10-09.
  35. "Катастрофа Як-40 Приволжского УГА в районе Нижневартовска" [Accident Yak-40 near Nizhnevartovsk] (in Russian). airdisaster.ru. Retrieved 2015-08-13.
  36. "ASN Aircraft Accident Yakovlev 40 CCCP-87433 Stepanakert". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 2012-10-09.
  37. "Катастрофа Як-40 Армянского УГА близ Степанакерта" [Accident Yak-40 near Stepanakert] (in Russian). airdisaster.ru. Retrieved 2015-08-13.
  38. "Peru Tragedia Aérea". El Tiempo.com. 1994-02-27. Retrieved 2013-04-15.
  39. "ASN Aircraft Accident Yakovlev OB-1559 Tingo Maria". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 2012-10-09.
  40. "ASN Aircraft Accident Yakovlev 40 RA-87468 Vanavara". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 2012-10-09.
  41. http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19941105-0
  42. http://www.baaa-acro.com/1994/archives/crash-of-a-yakovlev-yak-40-in-saposoa-8-killed/
  43. http://www.apnewsarchive.com/1994/Plane-Crashes-in-Peruvian-Jungle-At-Least-20-Injured/id-f45bcb9f15e7dc59446f79933bb2309b
  44. "ASN Aircraft Accident Yakovlev 40 UN-87233 Semipalatinsk Airport (PLX)". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 2012-10-09.
  45. Accident description for 4K-87504 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 2016-06-08.
  46. "ASN Aircraft Accident Yakovlev 40 EP-TQP Sari". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 2012-10-09.
  47. Crash involving Iranian minister
  48. "ASN Aircraft Accident Yakovlev 40 UK-87985 Tashkent Airport (TAS)". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 2012-10-09.
  49. Gunston 1995, p. 492.

Bibliography

  • Gordon, Yefim, Dmitry Komissarov and Sergey Komissarov. OKB Yakovlev: A History of the Design Bureau and its Aircraft. Hinkley, UK: Midland Publishing, 2005. ISBN 1-85780-203-9.
  • Gunston, Bill. The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft 1875–1995. London:Osprey, 1995. ISBN 1-85532-405-9.
  • Gunston, Bill and Yefim Gordon. Yakovlev Aircraft since 1924. London, UK: Putnam Aeronautical Books, 1997. ISBN 1-55750-978-6.
  • Ottenhof, Guus; Hillman, Peter and Jessup, Stuart. Soviet Transports. Aviation Hobby World. 1996. ISBN 0-907178-60-X.
  • Stroud, John. Soviet Transport Aircraft since 1945. London:Putnam, 1968. ISBN 0-370-00126-5.
  • Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976–77. London:Jane's Yearbooks, 1976. ISBN 0-354-00538-3.
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