Yak-42
Dniproavia Yak-42D
Role	Airliner
Manufacturer	Yakovlev
Introduction	1980
Produced	1979-2002
Number built	188
Developed from	Yakovlev Yak-40

The three-engined Yakovlev Yak-42 (NATO reporting name: Clobber) was designed as a replacement for the twin engined Tupolev Tu-134 jet as a mid-range passenger jet. The Yak-42 was also the first airliner to be produced in the Soviet Union to be powered by modern high-bypass turbofan engines.

[edit] Design and development

Yak-42 seen from behind with rear airstair deployed

To save design time, Yakovlev started with the Yak-40, making it larger and sweeping back the wings, with an 11-degree sweep prototype being rejected in favor of a 23-degree sweep. The Yak-42 was built at Smolensk, and it entered service with Aeroflot in late 1980. Almost 100 had been delivered by 1993.

Shortly after the type's introduction into commercial service, a number of accidents caused by vibrations in the tail section of the aircraft forced a suspension of the type's operations. After the necessary modifications were made, the Yak-42 re-entered service in the Soviet Union circa 1985.

The type was never exported as new, only after the political transition of the former Soviet Union, a few Yak-42s were leased out to carriers in Africa, Cuba, Pakistan and in former Yugoslavia.

Current models include the Yak-42 base version, the Yak-142 with a higher gross weight, and the Yak-42D-100 with western avionics that never entered serial production. Late in 1997, Yakovlev announced the development of the Yak-42A, an improved version of the Yak-42D featuring a higher range and a modernised cabin interior.
(Yak-42D clears ICAO Chapter3 noise regulation.^[1])

The Yak 242 was a planned design but never got beyond the drawing board. Instead, the MS-21 is essentially an improved version of the Yak-242 and is to be built by 2012.

[edit] Civil operators

In August 2007 a total of 133 Yakovlev Yak-42 aircraft remain in airline service. Major operators include: Dniproavia (5), DonbassAero (10), Elbrus-Avia (5), Gazpromavia (7), Karat (5), Kuban Airlines (12), Lviv Airlines (6), Saravia (8), Tatarstan Airlines (7), Turkmenistan Airlines (4) and Cubana (7). Some 25 other airlines also operate smaller numbers of the type.^[2]

 Cuba

• Cubana

 Russia

• Alania Airlines
• Elbrus-Avia
• Gazpromavia
• Karat (airline)
• Kuban Airlines
• Saravia
• Tatarstan Airlines
• Volga-Aviaexpress

 Ukraine

• Dniproavia
• DonbassAero
• Lviv Airlines

Former operators:

 Soviet Union/ Russia

• Aeroflot

[edit] Accidents and incidents

As of 1 May 2008 seven Yak-42 accidents are responsible for 526 deaths.

[edit] Specifications (Yak-42D)

General characteristics

• Crew: two pilots
• Capacity: up to 120 passengers (But usually 8 first class and 96 economy class)
• Length: 36.38 m (119 ft 4 in)
• Wingspan: 34.88 m (114 ft 5 in)
• Height: 9.83 m (32 ft 3 in)
• Wing area: 150 m² (1,610 ft²)
• Empty weight: 34,500 kg (76,100 lb)
• Loaded weight: kg (lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 57,000 kg (125,700 lb)
• Powerplant: 3× ZMKB Progress D-36 , 64 kN (14,300 lbf) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 810 km/h (506 mph)
• Range: 4,100 km (2,200 nm)
• Service ceiling 8,800 m (29,000 ft)
• Rate of climb: m/s (ft/min)
• Wing loading: kg/m² (lb/ft²)

The Yak-42 can fly with only 2 engines and continue level flight on one.

[edit] References

1. ^ ”After updating the Yak-42 aircraft fully meet the Chapter 3 ICAO standard on noise level.”_Yakovlev HP
2. ^ Flight International, 21-27 August 2007

[edit] Similar aircraft

• Boeing 727
• Tupolev Tu-154
• Lockheed L1011 Tristar
• Hawker Siddeley Trident

[edit] Related developments

• Yakovlev Yak-40

[edit] See also

• Airstair
• Trijet

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Yakovlev Yak-42

• Yakovlev design bureau official site
• Trabzon crash
  • Spain: Relatives of military plane crash victims met with official indifference (November 2003 report from World Socialist Web Site.
  • Report in Spanish by El País.
  • Report in Spanish by El Mundo.
  • Tribute page to the victims in Spanish.
  • Another tribute page in Spanish (last updated on 2004).
• The Airstair of Yakovlev Yak-42D Airliners.net