Genrikh Novozhilov

Genrikh Novozhilov
Born	Genrikh Vasilyevich Novozhilov Template:Birth date Moscow, Soviet Union
Died	April 28, 2019(2019-04-28) (aged 93)
Occupation	Aircraft engineer
Years active	1948–2019
Known for	Development of Ilyushin passenger aircraft models including Il-18, Il-62, Il-76, Il-86, Il-96
Notable work	Ilyushin Il-18, Il-62, Il-76, Il-86, Il-96

Genrikh Vasilyevich Novozhilov (Russian: Ге́нрих Васи́льевич Новожи́лов; 27 October 1925 – 28 April 2019) was a prominent Soviet and Russian aircraft engineer. He played a pivotal role in the development of several Ilyushin passenger aircraft models, including the Il-18, Il-62, Il-76, and Il-96.

Family background and formative years

Born in Moscow on 27 October 1925, Novozhilov was the son of Vasily Vasilyevich Sokolov, a military engineer, and Iraida Ivanova Novozhilova, who served in the armed forces. The family resided near Clean Ponds, sharing a communal apartment with a neighbour involved in civil aviation. Following his parents’ divorce in 1937, he was raised by his mother and attended School No. 233 named after V.R. Menzhinsky. Initially aspiring to become a pilot, his ambitions were cut short in September 1939 after sustaining a serious leg injury that required multiple surgeries at Botkin Hospital. Reflecting on this period, Novozhilov recounted how extensive operations from knee to foot ended his hopes of flying. Alongside his interest in aviation, he developed a passion for photography, with some of his works showcased at the first All-Union Children's Photo Exhibition in 1939. After the German invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, he and his mother were evacuated temporarily to Penza before returning to Moscow in August 1942. There, he began working within the physics department at the Moscow Aviation Institute and a year later enrolled as a student specializing in aircraft construction. It was during this time that he first encountered Sergey Ilyushin at a faculty graduation banquet, later recalling Ilyushin’s lively personality and talents in singing and dancing.

Career at Ilyushin

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The Il-62, one of the aircraft projects Novozhilov contributed to developing

Novozhilov commenced an internship at OKB-240, Sergey Ilyushin’s design bureau, and was formally appointed as a design engineer on 1 July 1948 with an initial salary of 900 rubles. After graduating from the Moscow Aviation Institute in 1949, he remained with the bureau, contributing to the design of the Il-14 passenger plane along with military aircraft such as the Il-40 attack jet and bombers Il-46 and Il-54. Early in his tenure, he focused on fuselage design under Valery Bogor’s mentorship. The Ilyushin bureau frequently competed against Tupolev’s design office; for example, although Novozhilov worked on the Il-46 bomber project, Tupolev’s Tu-14 was ultimately selected by the Soviet Air Forces instead. He then took on lead engineering responsibilities for the Il-54 bomber; however, this project was also cancelled mid-1950s after producing only two prototypes. By the late 1950s, amid shifting Soviet priorities towards space exploration, there were threats to close the Ilyushin bureau. In 1956 Novozhilov became secretary of its party committee but returned to engineering duties in September 1958 as deputy chief designer for the Il-18 passenger aircraft and its operation by Aeroflot. Despite initial reluctance due to unfamiliarity with the aircraft's operational aspects, he accepted the role under Ilyushin’s insistence. This position required extensive travel and involvement with accident investigation commissions to identify causes and recommend safety improvements—experiences Novozhilov later acknowledged as invaluable for his development as a designer.

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The Il-76, one of Ilyushin's most successful designs overseen by Novozhilov

In 1964 Novozhilov advanced to first deputy general designer, tasked with supervising both development and mass production of the Il-62 aircraft. His achievements earned him and other bureau members the Lenin Prize in early 1970. On 26 April 1971, following completion of the Soviet Union's eighth five-year plan, he was honored with the title Hero of Socialist Labour. When Sergey Ilyushin retired at age 77 in mid-1970, Novozhilov succeeded him as general designer of Moscow's "Strela" works bureau—a transition marked by a ceremony attended by Aviation Industry Minister Pyotr Vasilyevich Dementyev on 28 July. Under Novozhilov’s leadership, test flights for the military transport Il-76 began on 25 March of the following year at Khodynka Aerodrome with Ilyushin present; this model became one of the Soviet Union's most widely used passenger and military transport planes.

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The Il-86, developed during Novozhilov’s tenure as head of Ilyushin—the USSR’s inaugural wide-body passenger aircraft

Since 1969, work had been underway within the bureau to develop Russia's first wide-body passenger jet: the Il-86. Responding to growing demand for long-range aircraft capable of carrying large numbers of passengers, government specifications initially set a nominal range of 2,400 kilometres. While returning from Sochi alongside Aviation Industry Minister Dementyev and Minister of Civil Aviation Boris Bugayev, Novozhilov observed that efforts were being made to double this range; prompted by this insight, both ministers required him to commit officially to extending it to 5,000 kilometres. Evaluating adaptations based on previous models such as the IL-62 and IL-76 proved insufficient; consequently, Novozhilov led his team to design an entirely new aircraft meeting these enhanced criteria while accommodating approximately 350 passengers. The prototype’s maiden flight occurred on 22 December 1976; its success led Novozhilov to immediately commission additional units—one on the very next day and three more before year-end. Beyond these achievements, he co-founded the MAKS Air Show and directed development work on long-haul projects including the IL-96-300 and turboprop Il-114 aircraft. From 2006 onwards, Novozhilov held the position of Chief Science Adviser at Ilyushin.

Honours and awards

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Novozhilov alongside Vladimir Putin on 10 March 2016, receiving the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" First Class

Since 15 March 1979, Novozhilov held the position of corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union, and on 26 December 1984, he was promoted to full membership due to his contributions in distinguishing mechanics from control processes. His research primarily focused on aerodynamic studies, enhancing the reliability of intricate structures, and pioneering innovative methodologies for improving the manufacturability of machines and mechanisms under development. Novozhilov was credited with approximately 150 patents covering various design advancements, and on 23 June 1981, he was honored with his second Hero of Socialist Labour title.

Between 1974 and 1989, Novozhilov served as a deputy in the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union, later becoming a People's Deputy of the USSR starting in 1989. In 1986, he was inducted into the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Alongside his two Hero of Socialist Labour awards, Novozhilov received several other prestigious state honours. He was thrice awarded the Order of Lenin on 10 February 1969, 26 April 1971, and again on 23 June 1981; received the Order of the October Revolution on 27 October 1975; was granted the Order of the Red Banner of Labour on 22 July 1966; honoured with the Order of the Badge of Honour on 7 December 1957; and awarded the Order of Friendship of Peoples on 29 December 1992. Additionally, he was bestowed with the Third Class Order of Holy Prince Daniel of Moscow and received three classes of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland".

Personal life and death

On 23 April 1966, he wed Lyudmila Ivanovna Lisina, who was professionally engaged in philology. Their family included a son, Sergey Genrikhovich, born in 1967, who pursued a career as an aircraft engineer. In his later years, Genrikh Novozhilov enjoyed tennis and photography as personal hobbies.

Genrikh Novozhilov passed away on 28 April 2019 at the age of 93. His interment took place on 7 May at the Federal Military Memorial Cemetery.