Tupolev Tu 204/214 family
| Tupolev Tu 204/214 family | |
|---|---|
 A Tu-214 of the Transaero |
|
| Type: | Double-engine medium- haul aircraft |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
January 2, 1989 |
| Commissioning: |
December 1994 |
| Production time: |
In series production since 1990 |
| Number of pieces: |
85 (2018) |
The Tupolev Tu-204 is a twin-engine medium- haul aircraft produced by the Russian design office Tupolev . It was designed as the successor to the Tupolev Tu-154 and can be compared with the types Airbus A321 , Boeing 737-900ER and Boeing 757 .
history
The development goals for a successor to the Tu-154 in the form of the Tu-204 included a modern medium-haul aircraft with 196 seats, a range of up to 6,500 km and two turbofan engines, whereby it was to be the first Soviet aircraft to be equipped with both Soviet and western engines. Work on the project began in 1982, and a dummy was presented for the first time on November 14, 1984. The first flight of the prototype (SSSR-64001) took place on January 2, 1989 in Schukowski by the five-man crew of A. Talalakin, the certification of the first variant followed in January 1995. Leo Aronowitsch Lanowski was in charge of the development of the model. However, the program has been struggling with some difficulties as it is not actually competitive. The reasons for this are mainly the oversized size for the eastern market and the relatively poor direct operating costs, which is why the CIS airlines prefer to switch to older, but western products such as the Airbus A320 or the Boeing 737 in the classic versions. The main problem with the aircraft is that it is far too heavy. The basic version Tu-204-100 weighs 58 t empty - an Airbus A321 of the same size 48 t, a Boeing 737-900ER even only 44.7 t.
In the eyes of the operators, the Tu-204 is characterized by a comparatively high level of reliability. For example, the aircraft used by KMV have not experienced any engine failures during their ten years of service. However, frequent bottlenecks on the part of manufacturers in the supply of necessary spare parts are pushing many other Russian airlines, also for this reason, to similar western flight patterns.
Only one western customer was found in the form of the logistics company TNT Express , which has since retired the aircraft.
With the annual production of 8 aircraft, production reached its peak in 2008.
In mid-October 2006, plans became known for the first time to modernize the aircraft family in order to be able to better compete against its western counterparts. The variant known as Tu-204SM (see below) had a reduced take-off mass, a shorter range and more modern engines and flew for the first time on December 29, 2010. With the lower range one adapted to the western competition, but the mass savings were very small. In the long term, the type should be replaced by the Irkut MC-21 . This was able to significantly reduce the mass through a very high proportion of composite materials in the construction.
In 2018, problems emerged for the operators of the Tu-204 because the manufacturer could not guarantee enough operating cycles: For example, 25,000 cycles were agreed in the contract with the leasing company "Ilyushin Finance", which owns seven Tu-204, while Tupolev could only guarantee 8,000.
Technologies
The Tupolev Tu-204 is one of the first Russian aircraft of a new generation , along with the Ilyushin Il-96 . New technologies were used for them, some of which could not even be found in their western counterparts. They included a fly-by-wire system, a glass cockpit with six color screens, a head-up display , a fully automatic landing facility, an advanced, supercritical wing with winglets , western avionics and a variant with modern western Rolls-Royce -RB211- 535 engines.
variants
Tu-204-100 / 200
The first version of the aircraft was by Soloviev (now aviadvigatel ) PS90 - turbofans driven. It uses Russian engines and Russian avionics. The Tu-204-200 is a heavier version with additional tanks to increase range. This type is built in Kazan and operated by the Transaero and Dalavia airlines.
In addition, the Tu-204-100C and Tu-204-200C also offer cargo variants. In the meantime, revised PS-90A2 engines are also available, which have a mean overhaul distance that is 40% longer .
Tu-204-120 / 220
In order to increase the competitiveness of the Tu-204, Tupolev brought a new variant onto the market, which was equipped with western engines and western avionics. The first flight of the Tu-204-120 with Rolls-Royce engines RB211-535 took place on August 14, 1992. Air Cairo became its first customer in November 1998 with an order for Tu-204-120 and the associated cargo version Tu-204-120C. The Tu-204-220 and the Tu-204-220C are available for longer ranges.
Tu-204-300
The Tu-204-300 is a 6 m shortened variant of the Tu-204 in order to adapt the aircraft to the necessary capacities. It is available in two versions; the long-haul version is powered by Awiadwigatel PS-90 -A2 engines and has a range of 9,300 km, the lighter version can only fly 3,500 km. The Russian airline Vladivostok Avia became the first customer for this aircraft. The North Korean Air Koryo also uses the Tu-204-300.
Tu-204SM / Tu-204-400
The Tu-204SM, also known as the Tu-204-400, is a version of the Tu-204 that is currently being flight-tested, which is the same size and is said to weigh about 4 to 5 tons less than the basic model Tu-204-100 and thus the distance to the Airbus A321 would be roughly halved. For this purpose, the weight savings should be realized both in the structure and in the equipment. The Tu-204SM is to have an improved digital two-man cockpit with revised Aviapribor holding avionics systems and also receive a new flight control system, a new air conditioning system from Liebherr , an improved flight entertainment system and electrically operated flaps. Awiadwigatel PS-90A2 with ETOPS approval are planned as engines, but there are also discussions with CFM International and International Aero Engines about the possible use of CFM56-5 / 7 or V2500 . These are the engines that are also used on the competing models from Airbus and Boeing.
The first prototype was originally supposed to fly for the first time in 2009. However, this was delayed so that the roll-out did not take place until December 28, 2010, followed by the first flight on the following day, December 29, 2010.
It is planned that the Tu-204SM will replace the Tu-204-100 as the standard production model. The changes developed for this variant should also be adopted for the other models in the Tu-204 series (including the Tu-214). According to Tupolev's parent company OAK , 70% of all Tu-204SM systems have been significantly improved compared to the basic model.
Tu-204-500
This variant of the Tu-204-300 is to be optimized for short distances. To do this, it uses shorter wings and reaches a higher speed. It is a direct competitor of the Boeing 737 NG and is ETOPS approved. A revised version with a reduced wing area (with identical wingspan) should fly for the first time in 2010. The smaller wing area is to be optimized for use on short distances and thereby enable a higher cruising speed of Mach 0.82 to Mach 0.85 (instead of the previous Mach 0.8). The wings should also become lighter due to the increased use of composite materials . Until the end of 2010, however, no news of this variant was received.
Tu-206 and Tu-216
These variants were developed as test aircraft. The Tu-206 ran on natural gas while the Tu-216 used hydrogen .
Tu-214
The Tu-214 is a heavier and more versatile advancement of the Tupolev Tu-204. The cabin of the Tu-214 is very flexible and, depending on your wishes and requirements, can be set up in a pure passenger or cargo configuration as well as a mixed passenger and cargo configuration. The Tu-214 was specially designed for medium-haul routes. It meets western approval criteria and is the cheapest aircraft in its class to buy.
In addition to the basic version, there is also a long-haul version with additional tanks with a range of 8,150 km, a version with VIP equipment that has a range of 9,075 km equipped with additional tanks, and the "quick-change" version Tu-214C3, the configuration of which can be changed flexibly and quickly between pure freighter and normal two-class seating. At the beginning of June 2009 the first two Tu-214SRs built by KAPO in Kazan were handed over to GTK Rossija (the airline responsible for the transport of Russian government members). So far (February 2013) six TU-214SR have been delivered to Rossija, two more are still on order.
Military versions of the Tu-214 are also in the development or test phase. It is planned to equip two aircraft designated as Tu-214ON for open skies missions . The ELINT version Tu-214R is currently being tested and is intended to replace the Il-20 in the Russian air force . The first deployment took place during the Russian intervention in Syria in 2016.
operator
As of January 2013, 50 machines of the Tupolev Tu-204/214 family were still in operation worldwide:
- Aviastar-TU (three Tu-204-100C ) cargo
- Business Aero (a Tu-204-300 )
- KAPO Aviakompania (three Tu-214 ) freight (until 2015)
- Red Wings Airlines (seven Tu-204-100 and three Tu-204-120 )
- Rossiya (two Tu-204 and three Tu-214 )
- Tupolew PSC (two Tu-204 SM as test and demonstration models)
- Vladivostok Avia (six Tu-204-300 )
- Cairo Aviation (two Tu-204-120 and one Tu-204-120 C )
- China Flight Test Establishment (a Tu-204-120 CE )
- Cubana (two each of Tu-204-100 CE and Tu-204-100 E )
- Air Koryo (one each Tu-204-100 and Tu-204-300 )
At least six aircraft have since been shut down, including two from Air Cairo and several from the logistics company TNT. Transaero Airlines announced the phasing out of its three Tu-214s in January 2013. Red Wings Airlines was the last operator of the type to fly commercial passenger flights in Russia until autumn 2018, from then on only cargo planes were in operation as well as the now 14 non-commercial aircraft from Rossiya and two from Roskosmos .
In December 2016, the Russian Post started operating freighter versions; until then, it had only operated small aircraft.
Incidents
- On January 14, 2002, a Siberia Airlines Tu-204-100 was diverted to Omsk on a flight from Frankfurt to Novosibirsk due to bad weather . Both engines failed during the approach, but the crew managed to extend the landing gear. The machine ( aircraft registration number RA-64011 ) shot 450 meters over the icy runway and was damaged, but later repaired.
- On March 22, 2010 the same Tu-204 (RA-64011) , meanwhile in the service of the airline Aviastar-TU , crashed while approaching Moscow-Domodedovo Airport . On this flight, the aircraft was only manned by crew members. All occupants survived the crash. The plane was destroyed.
- On December 29, 2012, a Tu-204 (RA-64047) shot over the runway while landing at Moscow's Vnukovo Airport , shattered and caught fire. Five crew members were killed. According to preliminary investigations, a defective braking system could have triggered the accident (see also Red Wings Airlines flight 9268 ) .
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Tu-204-100 | Tu-204-120 | Tu-214 | Tu-204-300 | Tu-204SM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First flight | January 2, 1989 | October 1998 | March 21, 1996 | August 18, 2003 | December 29, 2010 |
| Serial production | from 1995 | from 1998 | From 2001 onwards | from 2005 | from 2011 |
| Crew (cockpit) | 2 | ||||
| Passengers (max.) | 210 | 157 | 194 | ||
| length | 46 m | 40 m | |||
| span | 42 m | ||||
| height | 13.88 m | ||||
| Wing area | 184.20 m² | ||||
| Empty mass | 59,000 kg | 54,000 kg | |||
| Max. Takeoff mass | 103,000 kg | 110,750 kg | 107,500 kg | 105,000 kg | |
| Cruising speed | 810 km / h | ||||
| Top speed | 850 km / h | ||||
| Service ceiling | 12,600 m | ||||
| Reach (ø) | 6,500 km | 6,670 km | 7,500 km | 4,000 km | |
| Engines | 2 × Awiadwigatel PS-90 A | 2 × Rolls-Royce RB211 -535 | 2 × Awiadwigatel PS-90 A | 2 × Awiadwigatel PS-90 A2 | |
See also
literature
- Harald Franke: A novelty from the design office AN Tupolew. In: Horst Skull (Ed.): Fliegerkalender der DDR 1989. Military Publishing House of the GDR, Berlin 1988, pp. 83–87.
Web links
- Official manufacturer's website for the Tu-204 / Tu-214
- Type certificate of the Tupolev TU 204-120CE - EASA-TCDS-A.162 (PDF; 31 kB)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Ch-aviation - Aircraft Data: Tupolev Tu-204 / Tu-214 (English), accessed on September 12, 2017
- ^ Ulrich Unger: Medium-range jet Tu-204. In: Flieger Revue 12/1994. Pp. 40-44.
- ↑ KMV press release of July 5, 2010 (Russian) ( Memento of January 18, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) (accessed on January 7, 2011; 7:07 pm CET)
- ↑ a b Russia To Convert Tu-204 Passenger Jets into Freighters , ainonline.com, March 11, 2019
- ↑ RIA Novosti : New Tu-204 to compete with Airbus 320
- ↑ a b Aviation Week: Tu-204SM Completes First Flight ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , December 30, 2010
- ^ "Ilyushin Finance" did not receive enough landings , Kommersant, February 22, 2018
- ↑ Flight Global: Tupolev rolls out first Tu-204SM (December 28, 2010)
- ↑ Flight Global: Tu-204SM flies for first time (December 31, 2010) Video (Flash)
- ↑ a b Vladimir Karnozov: Tupolev to showcase Tu-204SM in 2009. Flight International , September 17, 2007, accessed on January 1, 2011 (English).
- ↑ Flight Global: Tu-204SM conducts maiden flight
- ^ Tupolev: About us. (No longer available online.) PSC «Tupolev» , archived from the original on November 26, 2003 ; accessed on January 1, 2011 .
- ↑ planespotters.net : Rossiya Fleet Details ( Memento from February 1, 2013 in the Internet Archive ), February 6, 2013
- ↑ Heiko Thiesler: Tu-204 - the reversible pilot. In: Fliegerrevue No. 10/2014, p. 17
- ↑ http://www.ibtimes.com/russia-deploys-advanced-spy-plane-tu-214r-syrias-hmeimim-military-base-2312397
- ↑ ch-aviation.ch - Aircraft Quick Search (English) accessed on January 25, 2013
- ↑ Rossiya - Russian Airlines Fleet Details and History , accessed October 16, 2019
- ↑ aerotelegraph.com - Transaero leaves Tu-214 on the ground January 23, 2013
- ↑ INSIGHT: The end of the Tupolev 204 passenger aircraft era in Russia , rusaviainsider, July 3, 2019
- ↑ Tupolew 204-300 for the cosmonaut transport in Flugrevue, accessed on July 22, 2019
- ↑ Aircraft accident data and report in the Aviation Safety Network (English)
- ↑ Report the incident on Flightglobal.com (English)
- ↑ Aircraft accident data and report in the Aviation Safety Network (English)
- ↑ Report on faz.net from December 30, 2012
- ↑ Aircraft accident data and report in the Aviation Safety Network (English)
