Kim Jong-un’s Private Jet: The Luxurious Ilyushin Il-62M Revealed

Kim Jong-un’s Private Jet: The Ilyushin Il-62M

Since his recent trip to Russia, almost everyone knows about North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s special train. But did you know he also owns a private jet? For his trip with President Putin, Kim Jong-un ditched his Soviet-made Ilyushin Il-62M private plane and traveled 1,173 kilometers by train. This Ilyushin is named after North Korea’s national bird, Chammae-1, which means “species.”

The Ilyushin Il-62M Aircraft

In 1960, the Ilyushin Design Bureau submitted a design for a long-range jet aircraft to the Soviet Design and Test Bureau, aiming to replace the Tupolev Tu-114 long-range turboprop airliner. The Ilyushin Il-62, with its four Soloviev D-30KU turbofan engines placed in twin/paired nozzles on the sides and under the T-shaped tail, entered service on September 15, 1967. The design was similar to the British Vickers VC-10 and was intended to reduce engine noise in the cabin.

The Il-62 quickly became Aeroflot’s aircraft of choice for long-haul flights and was also used by flag carriers of Poland and Romania, LOT Polish Airlines and Tarom, respectively. In total, 30 countries operated the Il-62, including North Korea’s Air Koryo, which still has three Il-62Ms in its fleet of 15. To give you an idea of the condition of these planes, P-882 is nearly 36 years old, and P-881 is nearly 38 years old. The plane used by Kim Jong-un in the past is the P-885, delivered in June 1979, making it more than 44 years old now.