The llyushin Il-86, which has the NATO reporting name 'Camber', is the Soviet Union's first wide-body civil transport. Of low/mid-wing monoplane configuration, it has a circular-section pressurised fuselage with a maximum internal width of 5.70m, and is powered by four Kuznetsov NK-86 turbofan engines pylon-mounted beneath the wings. Accommodation is provided for a crew of three or four on the flight deck, and there is seating for a maximum of 350 passengers, distributed between three cabins which are separated by wardrobes. Access to this aircraft is unique, being via three lower-deck airstair-type doors which allow the aircraft to be operated without conventional airport loading/unloading bridges. The airstairs reach down to ground level and, after boarding, passengers can deposit their baggage in lower-deck stowage positions before climbing an internal fixed staircase to the passenger cabin.

Construction of two prototypes began in 1974 and the first flew on 22 December 1976. The Il-86 was subjected to rigorous testing and the first production aircraft flew in October 1977. Deliveries to Aeroflot began in September 1979, since when between 80 and 85 have entered service out of an order for 100. Although most former Eastern Bloc airlines, and particularly CSA and LOT, were mentioned as potential export customers, no orders have materialised and the type remains peculiar to Aeroflot. Domestic operations began on 26 December 1980 followed by international services in July 1981. Poor performance, particularly in terms of payload/range, has led to the suggested re-engining of the II-86 with Soloviev PS-90 or CFM56 engines.