You rarely hear about flying a Yak-42 these days. Now they continue to be operated mainly by low-cost domestic carriers and firms involved in VIP transportation. And if the layout of the cabin of private firms is adjusted to the customer (or the owner of this aircraft), then the layout of the Yak-42 cabin of other airlines is almost the same.
The development of the aircraft began in 1972 with the filing of Aeroflot, which hoped to replace the Il-18 and Tu-134 with this model. However, he did not cope with his task and was gradually withdrawn from the fleet of the national carrier of the Russian Federation.
History of the Yak-42
Three-engine aircraft was based on Yak-40 models. Two engines on the sides of the rear fuselage and one on top, including the air intake in the fork. The main plumage was designed in the form of the letter T, and the tail plumage was in the form of an arrow (arrow-shaped). The chassis was designed with twin wheels on all supports. The fuselage of the aircraft is all-metal, and the aircraft itself can be described as a low-wing aircraft.
The International Aviation Exhibition Le Bourget in 1977 introduced the Yak-42 to all countries. In the same year, mass production began. Aeroflot launched passenger transportation on the Yak-42 only towards the end of 1980. However, after a two-year operation, a catastrophe occurred, which covered the release for a while. And after the crash in 2011, about fifteen airlines stopped flying on this type of aircraft.
General information about the aircraft
Despite the fact that the Yak-42 did not replace the Tu-134 as expected, some companies still use it in their flight program.
At a cruising altitude of up to 9,000 meters, the aircraft can reach a maximum speed of 700 kilometers per hour. The height of the vessel is small - 9.8 meters, the length of the Yak-42 is only 36 meters. Two pilots are needed to control the aircraft, and the cabin is equipped for one flight mechanic. The capacity of the passenger cabin starts from 39 people and ends with 120, the same figure is the most common among airlines. A distinctive feature of the passenger compartment is the numbering of seats using Cyrillic letters.
Which airlines operate this type of aircraft?
In 2017, the Yak-42 is operated by three Russian airlines. KrasAvia owns a fleet of Yak-42s of nine aircraft, Saratov Airlines of five, and Izhavia operate 10 aircraft. The total number of Yak-42s among commercial and passenger traffic is thirty-five aircraft. Gazprom Avia only two years ago withdrewmy seven pieces.
Abroad, this type of aircraft is operated by the Chinese Air Force, in the amount of two pieces. The Yak-42 is leased from Iran and Pakistan, as well as in the possession of the PRC - eight pieces and Cuba - four.
Scheme of the Yak-42 cabin in a single-class layout
In all Russian operating companies, this model is in the same lineup. The most interesting and distinctive feature of the aircraft is that passengers need to enter it not from the left side of the fuselage, but from behind. Under the tail is the main emergency exit, also known as the main service door.
According to the layout of the cabin of the Yak-42, a total of 20 rows can be counted. The first row begins in the same way as on other types of aircraft, in the bow. Here, according to reviews, the best places for the Yak-42, the cabin layout assumes only a partition in front of the passenger, that is, no one will lower the back of the seat during the flight. There is space for stretching the legs, but not much, due to the wall in front. Although sitting in the front row is much more spacious. The disadvantage of such places is the toilet room, which is located right behind this wall. Therefore, the extreme places C and D will be very inconvenient, because it is next to them that people will crowd, being in line.
The 6th row is completely uncomfortable due to the presence of an emergency exit behind the bulkhead, so the seatbacks here are fixed in an upright position throughout the flight. In the 7th row according to the cabin scheme, the best placesYak-42, as they are located directly at the emergency exit. There is a lot of space for stretching the legs, and the reclined back of the chair will not interfere in front. But the downside will be the prohibition of placing hand luggage on such a large area, and the view from the porthole will be partial.
Behind the 13th row there is also an escape hatch, so the backs of this row are locked. But the 14th row has the full advantage for a comfortable flight and the same disadvantages of the ban on the location of hand luggage in the legs. Thus, according to the layout of the cabin, the seats of the 14th row have the best places for the Yak-42. In the 19th row, extreme places C and D will be inconvenient, since the toilet room is in close proximity, and all the sounds of flushing, smells, as well as crowding lines create discomfort for rest.
The worst option for landing is the 20th row, because immediately behind the wall of the toilet, due to which the back of the chair will not recline. Plus, excessive noise in the tail section is created due to the presence of engines.
Yak-42 in a two-class layout
Certainly, comfortable business class seats are the best seats in the cabin of the Yak-42 scheme. The economy class salon reserves 100 seats, and the business class seats 16 and stretches from the first to the fourth rows. Two seats on each side of the fuselage. But the numbering of the economy class starts with the number seven and ends with the twentieth row.
In this form, the first row of the business with its extreme places B and D will have small disadvantages in the presence of a toilet room behind the front standing partition. Noises and unnecessary fuss come from the kitchen counter, as well as the ban on placing hand luggage at the feet. The 7th and 14th rows of the economy class have the same advantages in additional legroom, being the best seats in the Yak-42 according to the cabin scheme.
