The Yakovlev Yak-40 is a small, three-engine jet airliner. It has been the world’s first commuter tri-jet and the first Soviet-built airliner designed to Western airworthiness requirements. Its maiden flight was made on 21 October 1966 and it was in production from 1967 to 1981 for a total of more than 1.000 units built.
The Yak-40 was designed to connect remote areas of the immense USSR territory, operating from semi-prepared airfields with short runways and little or no ground support equipment. It is a low-winged monoplane with unswept wings and a large T-tail. It is powered by three Ivchenko AI-25 engines rated at 14.7 kN (3,300 lbf) with thrust reverser on the central engine.
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 32 passengers 3 or 4 abreast. Passengers enter the aircraft via ventral integrated airstair in the rear fuselage. An auxiliary power unit allows engine start-up without ground support on remote airfields.
The wing is fitted with large trailing-edge slotted flaps, 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). 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.
As well as being the backbone of Aeroflot’s local operations, flying up to 276 domestic destinations in 1980, Yak-40 became the first Russian/Soviet aircraft to get “western” flying certificates from Italy and West Germany. the Yak-40 was also an export success. It was demonstrated in 75 Countries of the world, including the USA and a total of 130 were exported to 21 Countries
In Italy five Yak-40s served in the ’70s and ’80s on short-haul routes with the Aertirrena, Alinord, Avioligure and Cadabo Airlines.
The Yak 40 exhibited at Volandia (c/n 9412030 S/N 87351) has been flying with Aeroflot from 1973 to 1997, when it entered the Liberian register on behalf of the Italian Ales Airlines. In 2000 it was grounded, after only 7.000 flight hours, due to the airline bankruptcy. It was seized by the Italian tax agency and for many years stuck at the Milan-Linate airport, where it became a kind of landmark It was presented to the Museum in 2018 and put on exhibition in November 2019.