Yakovlev Yak-40 Facts for Kids

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Polish Air Force Yakovlev Yak-40

! First flight | 21 October 1966 |-

! Introduction | 15 September 1967 with Aeroflot |-

The Yakovlev Yak-40 (also known as Яковлев Як-40) is a small jet airplane. It was built in the Soviet Union by a company called Yakovlev. This plane is special because it has three engines and can carry up to 32 passengers. Its NATO reporting name, used by Western countries, is Codling.

What is the Yak-40?
- Design and Features
- First Flight and Production
Where Was It Used?
Images for kids
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What is the Yak-40?

The Yak-40 is a type of jet airliner. This means it's an airplane that uses jet engines and is designed to carry passengers. It was made to fly on shorter routes, connecting smaller cities or towns. It's known for being able to land and take off from shorter runways, which was very useful for many airports.

Design and Features

The Yak-40 has a unique design with three jet engines. Two engines are placed on the sides of the rear part of the plane, and one is in the middle, inside the tail. This setup helps the plane be powerful enough for its size.

Engines: It uses three turbofan engines. These engines are efficient and help the plane fly smoothly.
Size: The Yak-40 is considered a "regional jet." This means it's smaller than the large planes you might see flying across countries.
Seating: Inside, it usually has seats for about 32 passengers. The seats are often arranged with three seats across in each row.
Landing Gear: It has strong landing gear that helps it land on different types of runways, including those that are not perfectly smooth.

First Flight and Production

The very first Yak-40 took to the skies on October 21, 1966. After successful testing, it began carrying passengers for the airline Aeroflot on September 15, 1967. The plane was built from 1967 until 1981. Over these years, more than 1,000 Yak-40 aircraft were made.

Where Was It Used?

The Yak-40 was mainly used by Aeroflot, the national airline of the Soviet Union. It helped connect many parts of the vast country. Because it could operate from smaller airports, it was very important for regional travel. Besides the Soviet Union, many other countries also used the Yak-40. These included countries in Eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia. Some of these planes are still flying today, though many have been retired.