Tupolev Tu-154

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Tupolev Tu-154
KMV Avia Tu-154m at Moscow airport
Type	Airliner
Manufacturer	Tupolev/Aviakor
Maiden flight	October 4, 1968
Status	in service
Primary user	Aeroflot
Produced	1968-2006
Number built	935

The Tupolev Tu-154 (NATO reporting name: Careless) is a Russian medium-range trijet airliner, equivalent to the Boeing 727. It remains the standard airliner for domestic routes in Russia and other states of the former Soviet Union and to a lesser extent in eastern Europe and Iran.

The Tu-154 was developed to replace the jet-powered Tu-104, plus the Antonov An-10 'Cat' and Ilyushin Il-18 'Coot' turboprops. It is designed to operate from conventinal and unconventional runways, to be able to fly at high altitudes above most Russian air traffic, and for takeoff performance.

The Tu-154 first flew on October 4, 1968. Regular commercial service began in February 1972, and production ended in 2006.^[1]

In 1988 modified Tu-154 (dubbed Tu-155 and Tu-156) successfully flew on liquid hydrogen and in 1989 on liquified natural gas used as a fuel in its engines.

Contents 1 Design features 2 Variants 2.1 Tu-154 2.2 Tu-154A 2.3 Tu-154B 2.4 Tu-154B-1 2.5 Tu-154B-2 2.6 Tu-154S 2.7 Tu-155 / Tu-156 2.8 Tu-154M 2.9 Tu-154M-LK-1 2.10 Tu-154M2 2.11 Tu-154-100 3 Specifications (Tu-154B2) 4 Operators 4.1 Civil operators 4.2 Military operators 5 Incidents 6 External links 7 References 8 Related content

[edit] Design features

The Tu-154 is powered by three rear-mounted low-bypass turbofan engines arranged similarly to those of the Boeing 727, and is slightly larger than its American counterpart. The original model had Kuznetsov NK-8-2, while the Tu-154M has Soloviev D-30KU-154s. All Tu-154 aircraft models have a higher thrust-to-weight ratio than that of the 727 – this gives them superior performance, although at the expense of poorer fuel efficiency and thus shorter range.

The cabin of the Tu-154 gives the impression is of an oval interior, with a lower ceiling than is common on western airliners (Boeing or Airbus). The passenger doors are also smaller than on the Tu-154's western counterparts. Furthermore, luggage space in the overhead compartments is very limited.

The Tu-154's airframe and the landing gear is strong, since it is partially based on a design meant for bomber aircraft. The design's military heritage is reflected in its cockpit, which includes G force and angle of attack gauges (unusual for a civilian airliner). Like the Tupolev Tu-134, the Tu-154 has a wing swept back at 35 degrees at the quarter-chord line. The British Hawker Siddeley Trident has the same sweepback angle, while the Boeing 727 has a slightly smaller sweepback angle of 32 degrees.

Like many other Soviet-built airliners, the Tu-154 has an oversized landing gear enabling it to land on snow-covered unpaved runways without sustaining serious damage. The aircraft has two six-wheel main bogies fitted with large low-pressure tyres and which retract into pods extending from the trailing edges of the wings (a common Tupolev feature), plus a two-wheel nose gear unit.

On July 4, 2000, HA-LCR, a chartered MALÉV Hungarian airlines Tu-154 landed on its belly in Thessaloniki, Greece. The crew simply forgot to extend the landing gear and the plane skidded 400 metres (440 yards) on the runway. The plane became airborne as the pilots applied throttle, flew around and landed on wheels.^[2] There were no injuries, but it was deemed uneconomical to repair the aircraft for circa $2m.

About 900 have been built, 500 of which are still in service.

[edit] Variants

Many variants of this versatile airliner have been built. Apart from the normal differences between weights and powerplants, the Tu-154 was produced in variants which used exotic fuels. Like its western counterpart, the 727, many of the Tu-154s in service have been hush-kitted, and some converted to freighters.

[edit] Tu-154

The Tu-154 entered service with Aeroflot in 1972. Powered by Kuznetsov NK-8-2 turbofans, it carried 167 passengers.

[edit] Tu-154A

The first upgraded version of the original Tu-154, the A model added centre-section fuel tanks and more emergency exits, while engines were upgraded to Kuznetsov NK-8-2U models. Avionics upgrades were also included.

[edit] Tu-154B

A 180 passenger model with modernised flight controls, added entry doors, and new spoilers.

[edit] Tu-154B-1

This version had uprated engines, and advanced operating equipment.

[edit] Tu-154B-2

This version has Western flight control and navigation systems, including a crosswind landing system and a new radar system.

[edit] Tu-154S

The Tu-154S is an all-cargo or freighter version of the Tu-154B, using a strengthened floor, and adding a forward cargo door on the port side of the fuselage.

[edit] Tu-155 / Tu-156

Two prototypes based on this aircraft are the hydrogen- or natural gas-powered Tu-155 and Tu-156. The Tu-155 prototype uses natural gas, or methane, fuel for its central engine, and made its maiden flight in the late 1980s. In the Tu-156 all three engines are adapted to burn either hydrogen or natural gas. Cryogenics technology is used to store the liquid fuel in the Tu-155 and Tu-156.

[edit] Tu-154M

Currently, the Tu-154M is the production standard which first flew in 1982. It uses more efficient Soloviev D-30KU turbofans. It is far more economical, quiet, and reliable than previous versions. Aeroflot consistently achieves dispatch reliability above 99% with the Tu-154M, which compares favourably with current western airliners. The original designation was Tu-164.

[edit] Tu-154M-LK-1

VIP transport version.

[edit] Tu-154M2

Proposed twin engined version, to be powered by two PS-90A turbofan engines.

[edit] Tu-154-100

Design with modernised cockpit and redesigned cabin.

[edit] Specifications (Tu-154B2)

General characteristics

• Crew: 3-4
• Capacity: 114-180 passengers
• Length: 48.0 m (157 ft)
• Wingspan: 37.55 m (123 ft 3 in)
• Height: 11.40 m (37 ft 5 in)
• Wing area: 201.5 m² (2,168 ft²)
• Empty weight: 53,000 kg (117,000 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 102,000 kg - 104,000 kg (224,870 lb)
• Powerplant: 3× Kuznetsov NK-8-2U turbofans turbofans, 104 kN (22,400 lbf)^[3] each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 950 km/h (510 kt, 590 mph , max M = 0.9)
• Range:
  
  • With maximum payload: 3,900 km (2,100 nm, 2,400 mi)
  • With maximum fuel: 6,600 km (3,600 nm, 4,100 mi)
• Service ceiling: 12,100 m (39,700 ft)

[edit] Operators

[edit] Civil operators

In August 2006 a total of 435 Tupolev Tu-154 aircraft (all variants) remained in airline service. Major operators include: Iran Air Tours (12), Aeroflot Don (10), Aeroflot (26), Azerbaijan Airlines (10), BAL Bashkirian Airlines (6), Belavia (17), Dalavia Far East Airways (8), Gromov Air (6), Kavminvodyavia (10), Kogalymavia Airlines (7), KrasAir (15), Kyrgyzstan Airlines (10), Alrosa Avia (6), Pulkovo Air (29), Rossiya (9), S7 Airlines (31), Samara Airlines (8), Tajikistan Airlines (9), Ukrainian Airlines (15), Ural Airlines (16), UT Air (16), Uzbekistan Airways (13), Vladivostok Avia (12) and Yakutia Airlines (12). Some 55 other airlines operate smaller numbers of the type.^[4]

Past and present operators: Abakan Air Enterprise, Abakan Avia, Aerocom, Aeroflot, Aeroflot-Don, Aeroflot-Nord, Aerokuznetsk, Aeronica, Aeroservice Kazakhstan, Aerotrans, Aerovolga, Air Georgia, Air Great Wall, Air Koryo, Airlines 400, Air Moldova, Air Savari, Air Transport Europe, Air Ukraine, Air Via, Air Volga, AJT, Albanian Airlines, Alak, Amur Avia, Aria Air, Ariana, Armenian Airlines, Asian Star, Atlant, Atlant-Soyuz, Atyrau Airways, Aviaenergo, Aviaprima, Avial, Avioimpex, AVL Arkhangel, Azerbaijan Airlines, Baikal Airlines, Bulgaria Air, Baltic Express, Barnaul Air, Bashkirian Airlines, Belavia, BH Air, Bratsk Air, Bulgarian Air Charter, CAAC, Caspian Airlines, Chelal, Chernomoravia, China Glory, China Northwest, China Southwest, China United, China Xingjiang, Chita Avia, Continental Airways, CSA, Cubana, Daallo, Diamond Sakha, East Line, Elk Estonian, Enkor, Georgia Air Prague, Gomel UAD, Hemus Air, Imair, Iran Air Tours, Iron Dragonfly, Kaliningradavia, Khabarovsk Aero, Kish Air, KrasAir, KMV, Kolavia, Kyrgyzstan Airlines, Latpass, Libyan Arab Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Macedonia Airservice, Mahan Air, Malev, Mavial Magadan, Moscow Airways, Murmansk Air, Nizhny Novgorod Air, Odessa Airlines, Omskavia, Orbi Georgian, Orenburg Airlines, Pakistan International Airlines, Perm Airlines, Polet, Pulkovo, Rossija, Russian Sky, Sakha Avia, Samara Airlines, Samarkand, Shaheen Air, Sibaviatrans, Sibir, Sichuan Airlines, Slovak Airlines, Spair, Surgut Avia, Syrianair, Taban Airlines, Tajikistan Airlines, Tarom, Tatarstan Airlines, Tavria, Tesis, Tomsk Air, Transair Georgia, Transeuropean, Turanair, Turkmenistan, Tyumen airlines, Ulyanovsk Airlines, Ural Airlines, UTair, Uzbekistan Airways, Vietnam Airlines, Vitair, Vladivostok Airlines, Vnukovo, Yakutia Airlines, Yamal Airlines, Yuzhnaya.

[edit] Military operators

•  Azerbaijan
•  People's Republic of China
•  Czechoslovakia: (passed on successor states)
•  Czech Republic
•  East Germany
•  Germany
•  Kazakhstan
•  DPR Korea
•  Poland: 2 Tu-154M
•  Russia
•  Slovakia
•  Soviet Union: (passed on successor states)
•  Ukraine

• The NATO reporting name of the Tu-154 is Careless.^[5]

[edit] Incidents

Since it was first delivered for service, 63 TU-154s have been lost to accidents, which is above the average for the comparable Boeing aircraft (e.g. 6.8% of Tu-154 planes ever built have been counted as hull losses versus the figure of 5.5% for Boeing 727). However 28 of 63 losses were with no human fatalities. Six of the 63 losses were the result of terrorist or military shootdowns and several were the result of poor runway conditions, including one which struck snowploughs left on the runway. Others losses came as a result of mechanical problems, piloting errors, and faulty air traffic control, including a mid air collision in July 2002. ^[6]

• On October 4, 2001, Siberia Airlines Flight 1812 from Tel Aviv to Novosibirsk crashed into the Black Sea after being accidentally shot down by an Ukrainian surface to air missile. All 66 passengers and 12 crew were killed.

• On August 22, 2006, while en route from the Russian Black Sea port of Anapa to St. Petersburg, Pulkovo Airlines Flight 612 crashed near the Russian border over eastern Ukraine. All 160 passengers and 10 crew were killed. There were 45 children among the passengers.

• Eleven days later, on September 1, 2006, an Iran Air Tours Tu-154 skidded off the runway as it was landing in Mashhad and caught fire. A tyre had blown on the aircraft during landing. The aircraft was carrying 147 passengers, 29 of them died in the accident. Mashhad, located 620 miles northeast of Tehran, is visited by some 12 million people annually on pilgrimage to its Shiite Islamic shrines.

• On 26 September 2006 a Kyrgyzstan Airlines Tupolev Tu-154 aircraft taking off at Bishkek (bound for Moscow with 52 passengers and 9 crew on board) lost part of its wing in a collision with a USAF Boeing KC-135 tanker. The aircraft was able to take off and return to make a safe landing with a 2.5m part of the wing cut away. ^[4]

[edit] External links

• Tu-155 hydrogen-powered aircraft details
• More pictures of Tu-154
• Chinese surveillance/ELINT version of TU-154M
• Hundreds of Tupolev 154 photos
• No survivors in air crash in Ukraine
• BBC: Tu-154: The backbone of Russian fleets
• Most realistic Tu-154 model for Microsoft Flight Simulator

[edit] References

[edit] Related content

Related development

• Tupolev Tu-134
• Tupolev Tu-204 (replacement)

Comparable aircraft

• Boeing 727
• Hawker-Siddeley Trident

 

Related lists

• List of airliners