The three engined Yakovlev Yak-42 was designed as a replacement for the twin engined Tupolev Tu-134 jet. It fulfills a role similar to that of the Boeing 727 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.

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, and only after the political transition of the former Soviet Union, a few Yak-42s were leased out to carriers in Africa and in former Yugoslavia.

Current models include the Yak-42 base version, the Yak-42D with a higher gross weight, and the Yak-142 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.

Specifications (Yak-42)

General Characteristics

• Crew: two pilots
• Capacity: up to 120 passengers
• 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 (1,614 ft²)
• Empty: 34,500 kg (76,058 lb)
• Loaded: kg ( lb)
• Maximum takeoff: 57,000 kg (126,765 lb)
• Powerplant: 3x ZMKB Progress D-36 , 63.7 kN (14,330 lb) thrust each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 810 km/h (506 mph)
• Range: 4,100 km (2,563 miles)
• Service ceiling:29000 ft m ( ft)
• Rate of climb: m/min ( ft/min)
• Wing loading: kg/m² ( lb/ft²)
• Thrust/Weight:

Related content

Related development:

Comparable aircraft: Boeing 727

Designation sequence: Yak-39 - Yak-40 - Yak-41 - Yak-42 - Yak-43 - Yak-44 - Yak-48 The offical webiste is www.yak.ru, click on the english version. By Rainstar Luke