Conscription into the army

Pogosyan always and everywhere emphasizes: fulfilling orders from the Ministry of Defense is the primary task of Tupolev OJSC. This was the case on June 4 in Kazan, where Defense Minister S. Shoigu “inspected” the Kazan plant. Unfortunately, Mikhail Aslanovich hung around the minister, so Sergei Kuzhugetovich hardly got an objective picture. A monument to aircraft designer A.N. was unveiled. Tupolev (for the first time not a bust, but a full-length one), walked through the workshops, and solemnly handed over the repaired supersonic long-range bomber Tu-22M3 to the Air Force. Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov was also present.

Despite the fact that not a word was said from official sources about the civilian direction of the Tupolev company (which is not surprising - the Minister of Defense is busy with how to increase the combat capability of the Armed Forces), we have information that the Ministry of Defense is showing interest in the Tu-334. The explanation for this is simple - the Tu-134s, which are still flying in army aviation, are hopelessly outdated (the last aircraft was delivered to the customer in 1989), have lost their service life and require replacement. Replace worn-out aircraft of the Ministry of Defense, Internal Troops and others security forces maybe only Tu-334. In the Special Flight Detachment (SLO), which provides flights for top government leaders, the opinion is exactly the same as that of the military. The Federal Security Service (FSO) has repeatedly confirmed that the Tu-334 is the most suitable airliner for “letter” transportation.

What is very important, in Kazan, the Minister of Defense watched the Tu-334 “live”. And he said very little: “Yes, this is a good car. I want her to be in Armed Forces" How Poghosyan allowed this to happen is unknown.

Ten years ago, the Ministry of Defense said about the Tu-334 - “We will order!” Then there was another, Serdyukov’s - “The plan does not provide for...” And last week from the depths of the Ministry of Defense it sounded: “Everything is in order, the car will go.” So, we look with hope towards Arbat Square. The authority and weight of Sergei Shoigu must overcome the stupid stubbornness of Pogosyan, who is losing confidence. Getting a starting customer in the form of the Ministry of Defense is the dream of any industrialist. The main thing is to agree on the price.

Tu-334 - aircraft features

Tu-334 is easy to put into production. Because the cockpit is similar to the Tu-204/214 aircraft. Therefore, it will be easy to make the latest modernized version of the SM for a crew of two. The Tu-334 aircraft is in the same line of aircraft of Tupolev OJSC - therefore, related Tupolev equipment provides transportation from 70 to 210 passengers over a distance of 500 to 9 thousand km.

The fuselage diameter is the same as its “big brothers” - six seats in a row in economy class. It is convenient to place special communications equipment for use in the Arctic Ocean. Maximum comfort; the engines are located in the rear of the aircraft. The fuselage is clean, without engines under the wing on pylons; it will be convenient for the military to place side-view radars.

Many officials reproach the Tu-334 for its Ukrainian D-436T1 engines. But I’m reading a document from back in 2000 and I’m amazed at how deceitful officials can be. It is written in black and white: The Ufa Engine Production Association (UMPO OJSC) has completed preparations for serial production of the D-436T1 engine, and certification tests have been successfully carried out. There is an option to modernize this engine - thanks to new materials, the power was increased from 7500 to 8200 kgf.

Tu-334 - the jewel in Tupolev's crown

Arguments? - Please. Foreign aircraft are not suitable for use by security forces and other government agencies. Firstly, it is unknown what “bookmarks” aircraft manufacturers have made in electronic equipment. Spyware, malware, the ability to turn off computers and units via radio signal - this is not fantasy, but reality. Secondly, in our aircraft it is possible to provide additional (in the Tu-214, quadruple redundancy of the main systems is implemented). Thirdly, domestic airliners fully meet the operating conditions in our difficult climatic conditions, from the cold pole to hot deserts, and are unpretentious in the quality of runways. Compared to “foreign cars” they have a significant margin of safety. Critics who claim that the time for the Tupolev Tu-204 and Tu-334 are hopelessly lost are blatantly lying. Compared to the Boeing 737, which has been in production for about 50 years, Tupolev airliners are in their infancy - the Tu-334 made its first flight in 1999, certified in 2003. Of course, the Boeing 737 of 1967 differs from the latest versions of this aircraft - it was modernized many times.

Of the available “classmates” of the Tu-334, the An-148 and Sukhoi Superjet 100 are produced in Russia. But the An-148 is smaller in terms of cabin capacity, and as a special version it is cramped. In addition, the An-148 was developed by the Antonov State Enterprise in Kyiv. The new government removed general designer Dmitry Kiva from managing the enterprise, and it is unknown how relations with Ukrainian aircraft manufacturers will be built. One thing is clear - in order to satisfy Russia, Western advisors and “partners” may well persuade the newly appointed President Poroshenko to stop the cooperation of the “Antonovites” with Moscow.

“Superjet” is ours in name only. In fact, it is assembled from around the world, stuffed with foreign components and assemblies, and is no different in content from Boeings. Even the engines are French, with American roots.

Red price

For the entire civil aircraft industry of the country, it is extremely important to maintain acceptable and agreed upon cost of components. It’s not normal when chassis and brake pads for domestic aircraft cost several times more than “consumables” for foreign cars. Manufacturers of aircraft components say: give a large order, a series, and the price will go down. But government leverage, various tax incentives, and special energy tariffs for manufacturers of high-tech equipment are also possible. The Ministry of Industry and Trade is already talking about this, yes, as popular wisdom says, the fairy tale will soon be told, but things will not be done quickly.

If the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the UAC do everything right, domestic aircraft will give their fellow citizens reasons to be proud. And Russian airliners will be competitive with Western-made “recyclables” that fly on most airlines. New, off-the-line, foreign aircraft are affordable only for the giants of the air transportation market. Even Aeroflot receives Airbuses slightly worn, from someone else. Just doesn’t announce it publicly.

But it turns out that government policy in the aviation industry, implemented through the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the UAC, is completely ineffective. There are constructors. Aircraft, from the smallest to the wide-body Il-96, too. There are plenty of factories ready to build them. Huge amounts of money have been poured into the aviation industry. But in practice, there seem to be no airplanes. Single copies don't make a difference. Meanwhile, the general director of the Russian airline Transaero, Olga Pleshakova, was awarded the French Order of Merit. For what merits, you ask? It can be assumed that the main merit is one - the airline, which currently flies Boeings, will begin to receive European Airbuses from Toulouse, France, in 2015.

Small-scale production is a stranglehold for the aviation industry

But how cunning and insidious is this Pogosyan! Look - the An-148 is being made in Voronezh. The Pulkovo-based Rossiya airline has received six airliners and is flying them into high gear. The raid is like that of long-haul ones. The airlines took a look and reached out to UAC - we want to order this plane. No, they tell them, sign up for Superjet. But everyone knows how Aeroflot struggles with the plane - out of ten planes, it’s good if half of them fly. The rest are at the wall, taking turns for repairs. Airlines are leaving empty-handed. The formal reason for the refusal is that the An-148 produced is contracted by government agencies for the coming years. Almost until 2025. But Pogosyan does not allow us to increase production and make more than six aircraft per year; it was he who built the situation in such a way that the aircraft plant is simply not able to produce more. Cut off funding for state programs, modernization of machine tools, etc. Perhaps Putin will remember not only Stalingrad, but also what Comrade Stalin did with such “pogosyans”.

I believe that he, having lost in a small way, will try to implement the same trick with the Tu-334 in Kazan. For government agencies - please, for airlines - a turn away. There is no development of the program, the aircraft for the plant will be another planned unprofitable project. There is, of course, hope that the government of the Republic of Tatarstan will be able to force Tupolev OJSC to increase production. And then the Tu-334 will go to the people en masse. “AN” will continue to play the role of Cerberus in this whole terrible story of betrayal and betrayal.

Background

It makes sense to polish and modernize an aircraft if you initially have a glider that is successful in terms of weight and aerodynamics, which is quite comparable to the level of similar modern aircraft. Then “the game is worth the candle” - by upgrading (or replacing) avionics and engines, the machine can remain competitive for a long time. For example, the B-737 and 747. To “bring to mind” the Tu-334, it is necessary not only to change the ideology of the systems, like the Tu-204SM, but to seriously bring to mind the airframe of the aircraft, i.e. practically “create from scratch” a new aircraft. It would have cost no less than SSJ and with an incomprehensible result in the end

How ready the plane really is can be found out by looking at the real performance characteristics of the Tu-334

Thus, under ISA conditions, with a full cabin, the 334 is capable of flying at flight levels not higher than 10100...10600 m, with M = 0.73...0.75, at a range of about 2 thousand km. The runway characteristics are also not very impressive: the required length of the runway is 1900...2100 m. When the temperature deviates from the ISA to plus, the characteristics naturally decrease even more...

If you look in Section 7 of the Flight Manual, at the nomograms of maximum ranges, you can see a clear picture - the maximum of these curves, depending on the flight weight, varies from M = 0.7 to M = 0.75. At M > 0.75, the specific ranges rapidly “collapse” and this means only one thing - a wave crisis begins, a sharp increase in resistance, a decrease in road quality and, consequently, fuel consumption increases

Obsolete avionics:

V.A.K. wrote: I attended mock-up commissions for the Tu-334 back in 1992. (Twenty years ago!) Even then, obsolete avionics were included in the project. Because it was allowed to put on board ONLY ALREADY PRODUCED products. Where was the Superjet at that time?

Comparison of avionics capabilities:

Aircraft type	SSJ-100	Tu-334	ERJ-170	CRJ-900	A-380
Stall protection algorithm	There is	only by "alpha"	There is	No	There is
Algorithm for protection against exceeding V pr and numbers M	There is	There is	partially	No	There is
Roll angle limitation algorithm	There is	partially	No	No	There is
Pitch angle limitation algorithm	There is	partially	No	No	There is
Auto balancing across all channels	There is	There is	No	No	There is
Mechanization protection algorithm by speed	There is	only on takeoff	No	No	only in flight
Flight optimization characteristics by flight modes	There is	There is	No	No	There is

...The French and Italians considered the Tu-334 project with the idea of taking it as the basis for a new project. They calculated the weight and sent their thoughts that the Tu-334 aircraft is 3-4 tons heavier than necessary, and if it is made, then the wing area while maintaining the weight must be increased from 83 to 100 sq.m. ... In the end, the French and Italians did not start making such an aircraft due to the introduction of the A320 aircraft. But we still have a wing of 83 sq.m., and the weight has increased by almost 2 tons...

Unfortunately, the new Tupolev aircraft did not have an after-sales support system. Operators expressed many complaints.

Another operator's view of the Tu-334

With the Tu-334, it would be necessary to remove the blocks from the aircraft once every 600 hours and transport them for inspection somewhere in Zhukovsky (tested from the experience of operating the Tu-204 in the Russian Federation). An excellent prospect for a regional company, for example from Siberia! Excellent adaptability to local operating conditions! And he’s not afraid of frost - what will happen to him half-disassembled! And I haven’t yet started telling all sorts of horror stories about mandatory modifications 5 times a year according to bulletins with a stop for 3-5 days and hemorrhoids with the replacement of units. An operator's view of the Tu-334

Another problem was in the production technology: the liner was designed for the already outdated plasma-template technology, which is 3 times more labor-intensive than modern plasma-free production and jig-less assembly:

... today they asked a question: Sukhoi is accused of not taking off on the Tu-334 program... But I cannot be responsible for the inability of Tupolev and KAPO to implement modern programs. The Tu-334 program died without being born. An airplane cannot be created for twenty years. On-board equipment and materials are progressing very dynamically, and we must develop the product in accordance with the times. And to promote a product that is not in demand by the market... Today, the cost of Tu-204 and Tu-214 aircraft is higher than the price at which they are sold. Enterprises in Ulyanovsk and Voronezh are deeply unprofitable and live only due to the injection of budget money."
To be profitable, it is necessary to switch to modern methods of organizing production - digital design, precise high-speed machining, and jigless assembly. “Designs that were good in the 80s are not competitive today. I think one of the problems of the Tu-334 and the Tupolev company in general is that in modern conditions it is impossible to successfully implement a program that is not made on the above principles. With the Tu-334 It is impossible to implement a jig-free assembly, which means that the labor intensity of the process will be three times higher. You need to understand basic things and not deceive yourself, do not say that Sukhoi closed the Tu-334 program. I didn’t close anything. mass production.

"Antonovtsy" did everything in their power to prevent the Tu-334 series from taking place

Little cuckoo of the domestic aviation industry: An-148
One more point: its construction required expensive equipment, which remained in Kyiv. History of the issue: In 2007, an agreement in principle was reached on the sale of equipment; in 2008, negotiations are still underway. As a result, Dmytro Kiva "broke" such an exorbitant amount that the deal did not take place. It is obvious that the Antonovites did not want the appearance of a competitor to their An-148 and did everything in their power to prevent the Tu-334 series from taking place.

So, the Tu-334 not only had problems with weight, aerodynamics, production, software and avionics (including the anachronism of three crew members). There was no interest from airlines in the Tu-334: the aircraft did not receive a single firm commercial order.

And don’t forget about another competitor in the form of the An-148, which had a hand in ending the Tu-334 program.

About the situation at the Tupolev Design Bureau, the story of the sale of Moscow real estate for next to nothing and the appearance of the infamous “Tupolev Plaza”

The topic about the Tu-334 is quite extensive, from this page there should be links to the following topics (approximately):

Timeline of the Tu-334 project

Tupolev's participation in the competition for a regional aircraft - another look from inside the Tupolev Design Bureau
Engine layouts: in the tail or under the wing?
Deployment of serial production (in 4 series, it seems)

more discussions:

a small dispute about the Tu-334 on paralay and Discussion of the Tu-334 on the Paralay forum
About the "open letter from aviators in defense of the Tu-334", test pilot

Pavel Vlasov about the T-50, Superjet and Tu-334 - The fifth-generation fighter prototype, known as the T-50, is very confident in the air. This has been shown by tests ongoing at the Flight Research Institute. MM. Gromova. Absolutely all domestic aircraft, including combat ones...… (+22)

Testing and certification of Tu-334 - But the Tu-334 has already been scrapped. From communication with colleagues from the Tupolev team, LII and the State Research Institute of Civil Aviation, I have the following picture of the Tu-334. During the testing process, two major tactical mistakes were made: First - In an effort to obtain a Certificate...… (+8)

Overweight Tu-334 - Pages from the history of the creation of the Tu-334. G.A. Cheremukhin Continue. Higher. Faster The Tu-334 aircraft was considered as a replacement for the Tu-134 on regional routes, and to speed up its certification and preparation for production, it had to be as unified as possible...… (+6)

Kiva broke so much money for the Tu-334 equipment that it remained on Avianta - CollapseExpand Contents Background Brief History of the issue of equipment transfer An attempt to organize production in Lukhovitsy (2003-2004) An attempt to organize production in Kazan October 2007 February 2008 August 2008 April 2009...… (+5)

An operator's view of the Tu-334 - A small dispute about the screwdriver assembly, Tu-334, production technologies, domestic components, etc. Mikhail_K: If we leave aside the efficiency of the Tu-334, then it was necessary to buy the necessary technological equipment (as for the SSJ-100). This...… (+5)

Real performance characteristics of Tu-334 - Once again, the topic of 334 “innocently killed” as a result of a conspiracy by “liberal competitors” came up. Again, a complete liberalist lie! Which I never tire of exposing, just as you never tire of voicing it. A flying copy of the Tu-334 has repeatedly...… (+5)

Tu vs An - Sometimes the question arises: why exactly did the appearance of the RRJ 75 / RRJ 95 family, according to critics, have such fatal consequences for the Tushka? Why is it that “universal evil” in the form of SSJ is to blame for this, and everyone else is “white and fluffy”? Personally, I have absolutely...… (+3)

Requires special warming up in Yakutia | From the series "Another Sensation" - the radio operator writes: excellent dialogue for the picture. If you warmed up airplanes yourself, you would see the difference between heating an MP and heating from the APU. With a six-man aircraft technician. I wonder if they heat it with MP-shkoy? If so, then soon the whole cabin stinks of kerosene. What...… (+24)

A story about how an “aviation expert” talked about the payback of a Superjet - Deguntsov Oleg writes: Greetings to all sane participants in the forum, which I have been reading for more than three years. It dawned on me that on the forum it is possible to ignore some particularly ardent pissers, so I had to register in order to...… (+23)

Development of the Tu-334 began in the late 1980s. The aircraft was supposed to replace the out-of-service Yak-42, Tu-134 and Tu-154B, but in the conditions of the collapse of the economy of the 90s, funding for the project was extremely limited, which is why the design of the aircraft was greatly delayed. The Tu-334 prototype made its first flight on February 8, 1999 - 11 years after the start of work on the project.

By the mid-2000s, the aircraft was already obsolete. It was a wonderful airliner, like all “carcasses,” but of the previous generation, and its competitor, the Sukhoi Superjet 100, created with the participation of Boeing and broad international cooperation, was promoted to the market by the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) and the general director of Sukhoi, and then and the head of the UAC, Mikhail Pogosyan. Did it make sense to continue to invest a lot of money in outdated equipment, while in the most competitive aviation market - short-haul aircraft - Embraer and Bombardier were releasing the latest models? The answer is obvious - no.

Meanwhile, in comparison with the SSJ-100, the Tu-334 has a number of advantages. Domestic equipment, a large fuselage diameter for its class, the ability to operate in real Russian conditions - the airliner is capable of landing even on the ground. Considering that the quality of the domestic airfield network is inferior to that of the airfield network of Western countries, the Tu-334 could be useful in domestic transportation, especially as an ambulance or other special aircraft.

But the obvious advantages are covered by equally obvious disadvantages - the aircraft was supposed to be equipped with D-436T1 engines developed by the Zaporozhye Engineering Design Bureau Progress named after Academician A. G. Ivchenko and produced by the Motor Sich plant. Comparable in terms of thrust is the SaM-146 engine for the Superjet, which theoretically can be considered for installation on the Tu-334, but this will require significant modifications to the design of the aircraft’s tail section and its control system, which seems impractical.

In total, two flight samples of the Tu-334 were manufactured; in 2003, the basic version of the Tu-334-100 was prepared for mass production. In April 2005, a Government decree was issued on the organization of serial production of the Tu-334 in Kazan at the KAPO named after S.P. Gorbunov. As of mid-2007, a total of five gliders had been assembled, including two for static and endurance testing and two flight prototypes. However, serial production was not carried out, and firm supply contracts were concluded for 40 aircraft in 2006-2010. In fact, the project was frozen, but not formally closed.

Considering the interest shown by site visitors in the topic of resuming production of the Tu-334 and, answering the question in the title of the article, Russian Aviation believes that there will be no revival of this aircraft.

In the spring of 2016, reports appeared in a number of media outlets that it was planned to resume production of the Tu-334, and the Askon company was starting 3D design of structural elements of this aircraft.

Aviation of Russia turned to the Askon Group of Companies with a request to clarify the situation. A response was received (an email is available) that in connection with import substitution in the Ulyanovsk branch of the Tupolev Design Bureau, its engineers studied the possibility of using the Compass-3D software product, developed by the Askon Group, using the example of the design of individual parts and assemblies Tu-334.

In 2015, Askon signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Ulyanovsk-Avia aviation cluster, the essence of which is to increase the share of domestic software in the aircraft industry. The Russian aviation industry has long focused on foreign engineering software, and the company sees its role in jointly with the Tupolev Design Bureau studying the possibilities of using Askon software, testing it on specific products, technical support and training of design bureau employees.

If work on the Tu-334 is resumed, Askon Group is ready to try to use the Compass-3D software package in the design of some aircraft parts - the wing or tail. But there is no talk of any beginning of 3D design of the Tu-334 by the Askon Group., - the company is an engineering software developer and does not design aircraft.

Sources:

Heaven for your own - Russian Planet
Press release of JSC Tupolev (pdf)
Russia will continue to design the Tu-334 - Lenta.ru

In the photo in the header of the article: Tu-334 tail number 94005 at MAKS-2009, photo (c) A. Karpenko

A difficult fate awaited the Tu-334 project. This was felt even at the development stage. Years of financial difficulties have taken their toll. The aircraft, intended for short- and medium-range flights, has not yet entered mass production.

The design of the airliner began at the end of the eighties - a replacement was required for the outdated Tu-134. The debut flight took place in 1999 on February 8. Two prototypes participated in flight tests and exhibitions. In 2003, along with certification, permission to fly in different countries was obtained.

The elements of the new vehicle were unified, adapted to the structural parts of the Tu-204. This meant some savings Money. The dimensions of the aircraft were reduced and its weight was lightened. Advanced technologies were used in the development of all parts of the aircraft to reduce operating costs and improve flight performance.

The Tu-334 is not an outdated model, but one of the promising areas supporting the domestic manufacturer. This is actually noted high level. It is still planned to begin production of vehicles of this model range, albeit only for military aviation. The development of the Tu-330 model also remained unrealized; the medium-range airliner exists only in draft form.

The Tu-334 is a low-wing turbojet, with a swept wing with a supercritical profile and a T-shaped tail.

The short-haul (3,150 kilometers) aircraft is designed to accommodate 102 people. Complies with international standards for noise and navigation indicators, as well as other characteristics.

The airframe design is made using modern alloys and composites. In particular, the organics of the wing and tail section.

A remote control system using electrical signals is accompanied by steering equipment, as well as autopilot; There is an emergency mechanical backup.

By analogy with the Tu-204, the so-called “dark cockpit” of the pilots was designed, where the ergonomics of the crew room and cabin were observed. The length of the aircraft is again reduced in relation to the 204 model, but has the same fuselage diameter.

There is a chassis with three legs. The brake system has fly-by-wire automatic switching. Can be used in forced braking mode aircraft, if the takeoff is interrupted.

Thanks to navigation equipment and a flight system, you can manually or automatically:

enter initial flight data,
select a flight plan in automatic mode,
automatically drive the car along a given route, as well as in the airfield area,
regulate the longitudinal and lateral movement of the airliner, as well as approach for landing, in director mode, and more.

The airliner has two cargo compartments.

The power plant is represented by two rear-mounted engines with fuel efficiency. This is the D-436T-1 turbofan engine, on other aircraft of this family the D-436T-2 turbofan engine.

Flight and engineering characteristics of the Tu-334

Aircraft length – 31.26 meters
Height – 9.38 meters
Wingspan – 29.77 meters
Crew – 3 pilots
Passenger capacity – 102 people in the tourist version
Curb weight – 28900 kilograms
Takeoff weight – 47900 kilograms
Engines – 2 power turbojet units D-436T-1
Thrust – 2*7500 kgf
APU – 1*TA18-100
Soaring speed – 820 km/h
Flight range, distance – 4100 kilometers
Height – 11100 meters
Takeoff run - 1900 meters

Modification series

When the project was being developed, it was assumed that some additional models would be created based on the basic Tu-334-100 vehicle. The aircraft line, which has not yet received due attention, includes aircraft designs for cargo use and passenger transport:

Basic model Tu-334-100. Capacity is 102 people, and the maximum range is 3150 kilometers.
Tu-334-120 is a machine adapted for foreign-made BR710-48 engines.
The Tu-334-100D aircraft has an extended fuselage and a larger wing compared to the basic version. The flight distance has been increased to 4 thousand kilometers, power plants D-436T2.
Tu-334-120D is a variant of the above model, with engines from BMW and Rolls-Royce BR715-56.
Tu-334-200 is an airliner with a longer fuselage, D-436T2 engines, increased range and passenger capacity.
Tu-334-220 is an aircraft similar to the above, but with imported BR715-56 power plants.
Cargo modifications are represented by the Tu-334-100S and Tu-334-220S models.
The Tu-334SM is a seriously modernized aircraft with updated electrical equipment and is currently at the design stage. It is planned to install new engines and reduce the crew to two pilots.

There are also plans to produce a training vehicle for training pilots of the air force and navy.

Cabin

To ensure the competitiveness of the domestic airliner, including on international airlines, exclusively modern ideas about the layout and equipment of the cabin were used.

For a comfortable stay on board, there is an innovative, silent, high-quality air conditioning system.

There are two doors: front and rear (for two-class models). Extremely comfortable and relevant on the plane interior decoration. A wide aisle, increased seat pitch, good noise absorption - these are some indicators that give an idea of the decoration. It should be noted that the interior finishing materials used are non-flammable.

The seats are arranged according to the 3/3 system, and the interior decoration and layout are made individually for each commercial customer.

How is the Tu-334 better than previous domestic airliners:

reduced background noise in the cabin
any layout of the passenger compartment can be made
comfort corresponding to world analogues
interior design, increasing the volume of shelves
fuel efficiency
water-vacuum bathrooms
you can install multimedia
short preparation time for departure
international standards are met
emergency notification system

News and perspectives

Some sources note that the Tu-334 may be a backup version of the Sukhoi Superjet series aircraft. When installed on 334-100 imported PW1900G engines, it is possible to increase thrust, add additional seats, and improve flight performance. specifications. A rather expensive event will help to somehow realize the potential of a stagnant car.

In 2018, the Ukrainian authorities banned the supply of D-436 engines for Russian Tu-334 and An-148/158/178 aircraft.

There seems to be a demand for an excellent aircraft. It is compact and can be installed with a retractable ladder door. The Tupolev company is also available for design support, and the need for this support was once again shown by the recent An-148 crash near Moscow. When will the Special Flight Detachment “Russia” receive the Tu-334? There is no answer to this question, since the competitor Superjet is actively lobbying in ministerial circles. It is an incomprehensible situation when a completely domestic product cannot compete with a machine consisting of 80% imported components.

The developers and supporters of the long-suffering aircraft hope that production of the airliner will continue if there is an appropriate decision by the Government and the President of the Russian Federation.

The creators of the project are confident in the success of their project, because they have many years of experience in creating aircraft, which was interrupted at the turn of the twenty-first century. However, this experience will still be in demand. The transportation market is quite diverse, expanding and in demand. A certain number of states, as well as domestic charterers, are showing interest in these machines.

Many people have heard about the Tu-334 aircraft, but only a few know about the project. After reading this article, you will be able to personally learn about all the stages of creating this aircraft.

Airplane Tu-334

The fate of the Tu-334 aircraft: historical moments

The basis for developing a project to create a new aircraft model was the moral and physical deterioration of previous versions. The process began in the late 80s of the last century, but insufficient funding constantly slowed it down.

Active development continued in the 90s, and only in the winter of 1999 the first prototype was created. This is the “fruit” of the joint efforts of aircraft designers from the Tupolev Design Bureau and Ukrainian specialists.

The crew of the manned aircraft noted its high technical characteristics, especially stability, controllability and decent takeoff and landing performance. This event summed up the entire ten-year design and development phase. The result was a flying design that had many advantages over a number of its predecessors. It's worth noting here:

a successful version of a short-haul aircraft was released (based on turbojet engines), which is similar in design to the 204 Tu model, but with smaller dimensions and weight;
endowed with a high degree of aggregate-system unification;
can accommodate about 102 passengers on board, with a flight range of almost 3.2 thousand km;
has cruising speed parameters equal to 820 km/h with a maximum lift ceiling to a height of up to 11.1 thousand m;
the wings have a perfect design based on high aerodynamic performance (a caisson-tank with a center section and two consoles with vertical aerodynamic tips), which has significantly reduced the impact of inductive-type drag. Composite materials were used in its creation;
the fuselage design involves a technological division into three main parts in the form of the nose, middle and tail;
the cabins have a two-class layout and are equipped with a modern on-board air conditioning system with high performance and low noise;
The crew cabin is similar to the previous version No. 204.

When there was just talk about creating this model, it was planned that in the future two factories would be engaged in its production - Russian and Ukrainian, but the decision was changed and they were limited only to Russia.

After the first demonstration flight, events unfolded according to the following scenario:

almost 3 years later, the basic version of the Tu-331/100 was created for mass production, which was certified at the end of 2003;
Another 2 years passed and in 2005, numerous tests were carried out to expand and confirm certain operating conditions. As a result, I concluded: the aircraft, in terms of its operational capabilities, is suitable for flights to all points of the world, almost without exception. After this, the Government of the country issued a resolution to begin official proceedings, but it was never implemented. This fact was explained by the fact that this model was not included in the federal program associated with the targeted development of domestic aircraft in the period from 2002 to 2010. Experts recognized it as competitive in comparison with other presented options.

Prospects and related news

In 2011, the Ukrainian side proposed to carry out so-called resuscitation measures regarding the project for the further production of the airliner (Tu-334 in the photo). In the summer of 2012, information appeared again about the possible start of financing the model by attracting a special federal program.

P it was supposed that the process would begin in 2014, but for a number of reasons everything was suspended again. In the early spring of 2016, some part of the project began to be implemented, the company was directly involved, using 3D design to create some structural elements, but for the version designed for medium-range directions. The company's plans included the following activities:

design of individual parts of the wings and the tail itself;
development and subsequent implementation of software and engineering software.

At one of the press conferences dedicated to the level of domestic aviation, the President of the Russian Federation stated that the production of this aircraft must be resumed, taking into account all modification changes. Essentially they were last news concerning this topical issue, which remains open to this day.

According to well-known test pilots and aircraft designers, serial production has a full chance of development, which will ensure demand from potential buyers and investors. As a representative of the Presidential Press Service stated, measures to resume production will bring positive results due to objective reasons:

the use of exclusively domestic equipment and labor, which will reduce the cost of the creation process without loss of quality and fundamental technical characteristics;
partial improvement and modernization will open doors to world markets and contribute to successful implementation.

The level of equipment and capabilities of the aircraft is already arousing the interest of both our enterprises and air carriers, as well as foreign ones, and this is already a significant factor for the start of the project. It is suitable for both air security and passenger transportation tasks.

According to the latest data, work has begun related to the development of a special program named after this aircraft, which will be based on:

the creation of a whole “family” of aircraft, implying different purposes (version No. 334/10 remains the basis);
It is planned to design and build aircraft that will carry out both passenger and cargo transportation. Moreover, they will have different dimensional parameters, equipped different types engines and related equipment.

According to information received from preliminary monitoring, this project has a quick payback, since all the needs of modern domestic and global aviation markets are taken into account. Representatives of companies from Germany, Iran and China have already shown interest. The opinion of critics and skeptics is worthy of attention, who say that the lack of decent funding will remain the main “stumbling block”.

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