Tu 244 and new projects of supersonic aircraft. Supersonic passenger plane: from the president's idea to reality

Mastering the sky for many centuries was an unattainable dream for mankind. After the open spaces were still conquered, the aircraft became more and more perfect and enduring. A significant achievement in this field was the invention of supersonic military and passenger aircraft. One of such airliners was the Tu-244, the features and characteristics of which will be discussed further. Unfortunately, this project did not develop to mass production, like most similar developments. Funds are currently being sought to resume the development of this project or similar aircraft.

How did it all begin?

Aviation began to develop with rapid strides after the Second World War. Various projects of aircraft with jet engines were developed, which were to replace conventional power units. An important point in the creation of supersonic airliners, it was not the achievement of the speed of sound, but the overcoming of this barrier, since the aerodynamic laws change at such speeds.

Massively similar technologies have been used since the fifties of the last century. Among the serial modifications can be noted domestic "MiGs", American fighters North American, Delta Dagger, French "Concordes" and many others. In passenger aviation, the introduction of supersonic speeds has been much slower. Tu-244 is an aircraft that could not only compete in this industry, but become a world leader in it.

Development and creation

The first experimental civil aircraft capable of breaking the sound barrier appeared in the second half of the sixties of the 20th century. Since then and until now, only two models have been put into serial production: the Tu-144 and the French Concorde. The liners were typical ultra-long-range aircraft. The operation of these machines ceased to be relevant in two thousand and three. Now supersonic airliners are not used to transport passengers.

There were attempts to create new modifications of civilian jet liners, but most of them remained under development or were completely closed. Such long-term projects include the Tu-244 supersonic passenger aircraft.

It was supposed to replace its predecessor, to have improved characteristics borrowed from prototypes - the Concorde and some American aircraft. The project was fully taken into development by the Tupolev design bureau, in 1973 the liner under development was named Tu-244.

Purpose

The main task of the project being developed was the creation of a supersonic jet aircraft capable of transporting passengers safely, quickly and over long distances. At the same time, the device had to significantly surpass the usual jet aircraft in all respects. The designers placed a special emphasis on speed.

In other aspects, supersonic aircraft were inferior to their counterparts. First, the transportation did not pay off economically. Secondly, flight safety was lower. By the way, serial production and use in civil aviation the predecessor Tu-244 was discontinued for the second reason. During the first year of operation, the Tu-144 suffered several accidents that led to the death of the crew. The new project was supposed to eliminate the deficiencies.

Tu-244 (aircraft): characteristics of the technical plan

The final model of the liner in question was supposed to have the following tactical and technical indicators:

1. The crew, piloting the liner, includes three pilots.
2. The passenger capacity varied from 250 to 300 people.
3. The estimated cruising speed is 2175 kilometers per hour, which is twice the sound barrier.
4. Power plants - four motors with turbine fans.
5. The flight range is from seven to nine and a half thousand kilometers.
6. The lifting capacity is three hundred tons.
7. Length / height - 88/15 meters.
8. Working surface area - 965 sq. m.
9. The wingspan is forty-five meters.

If we compare the speed indicator, then the projected Tu-244 passenger aircraft, the history of the creation of which is quite interesting, has become a little slower than its direct competitors. However, due to this, the designers wanted to increase the capacity and increase the economic benefit from the operation of the machine.

Further perspectives

The development of a new project, the result of which was to become a supersonic passenger aircraft Tu-244, dragged on for many years. A lot of changes and improvements were made to the design. However, even after the collapse of the USSR, the Tupolev Design Bureau continued to work in given direction... In 1993, details of the project were even provided.

Nevertheless, the economic crisis of the nineties had a negative impact on this area as well. There was no official announcement of the closure of the development, nor was there any active action. The project was on the verge of freezing. Specialists from the United States are involved in the work, negotiations with whom were conducted for a long time. To continue the research, two one hundred and forty-fourth series liners were converted into flying laboratories.

What's next?

The supersonic Tu-244 (the plane, the photo of which is presented below) unexpectedly disappeared from the design documentation as an object of research. It was adopted in two thousand and twelve and assumed that the first one hundred units of passenger airliners would enter service no later than 2025. Such a mess with the documentation caused a number of questions and misinterpretations. In addition, several interesting and promising developments have disappeared from this program.

This prospect was seen in a negative way. The facts indicated that the project was frozen or completely closed. However, there was no official confirmation or denial on this matter. Given the instability of the economy, you can make a lot of assumptions in a subjective configuration, but the facts speak for themselves.

The realities of today: Tu-244 (airplane)

The history of the creation of this aircraft was announced above. And how are things now? Considering all of the above, it can be assumed that the project in question is currently at least suspended in the air, if not completely covered. There is no official filing of an application about the fate of the development, as well as the reasons for the reduction and suspension of the project. Quite possibly, the main problem is insufficient funding, its economic inadequacy or obsolescence. Alternatively, all three of these factors can be combined.

Not so long ago (2014), information about the possible resumption of the Tu-244 project slipped through the media. However, the official version on this issue again did not arrive. For the sake of objectivity, it should be noted that foreign developments of passenger supersonic airliners are also far from complete, many of them are closed or are in question. I would like to believe that this grandiose machine will be built according to all modern standards in the near future.

A little about the predecessor

The development of TU-144 by decision of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union began in one thousand nine hundred and sixty-nine. The construction of a supersonic civil aircraft began at the MMZ "Experience". The estimated flight range of the liner should be three and a half thousand kilometers. To improve aerodynamics, the aircraft received a modified shape of the wings in plan and their increased area.

The fuselage length is designed to accommodate one hundred and fifty passengers. Two pairs of engines were placed under each wing. The jet aircraft made its first flight in 1971. The factory test program provided for about two hundred and thirty sorties.

Comparative characteristics

The supersonic Tu-244 is an aircraft whose dimensions are somewhat heavier than those of its predecessor. It has distinctive parameters in other tactical and technical meanings. For comparison, consider the indicators of the Tu-144 airliner:

• the crew - four people;
• capacity - one and a half hundred passengers;
• length / height - 67 / 12.5 meters;
• thrust with afterburner - 17,500 kg / s;
• maximum weight - one hundred and eighty tons;
• cruising speed is 2,200 kilometers per hour;
• practical ceiling - eighteen thousand meters;
• the maximum range is six and a half thousand kilometers.

The main external difference of the new aircraft (Tu-244) from its predecessor was to be a change in the design of the curved nose.

The cardinal feature of the two hundred and forty-fourth project from its prototype under the index "144" is the absence of a downward deflected nose. The glazing of the cab is made with minimum equipment. Such a solution is focused on the fact that during the flight the necessary visibility will be provided, and the takeoff and landing, regardless of weather conditions, is controlled by the optics unit of the electronic review.

It should be noted that the current environmental requirements for civil aircraft significantly hinder the creation of a supersonic aircraft of the class in question, since its operation a priori becomes economically disadvantageous. Developments were undertaken to create a supersonic business-class aircraft capable of breaking the supersonic barrier. However, the Tu-444 project was also suspended. Its advantages over competitors are its relative cheapness compared to the Tu-244 airliner, as well as the solution of technical issues related to environmental requirements for modern aircraft. For reference: the considered supersonic airliner was presented to the general public in France (1993, the Le Bourget air show).

Finally

If all Soviet aviation endeavors had been finalized and implemented, it is quite possible that this industry would have made a huge leap forward. However, economic, political and other problems significantly hamper this process. One of the brightest representatives in the world of supersonic civil aviation was to become the Tu-244 airliner. Unfortunately, for a number of reasons, the project is still in development or "suspended". I would like to hope that there will be people who will finance the project, and this will ultimately lead to the creation of not only the fastest passenger aircraft, but also the transport of the future, characterized by efficiency, capacity and safety.

When the sky became available to mankind, he strove not only for height, but also for speed, reliable, roomy, high-quality and high-speed aircraft were needed. The foremost invention of humanity in the 20th century was the development of the ATP. We will talk about one of these below.

The Tu-244 is a Soviet supersonic civil aircraft designed for long-haul flights by the Tupolev design bureau. Perhaps, soon the Russian airspace will be able to please us with the fact that it will return to use supersonic civil aircraft, because work on it is being carried out to the present.

The supersonic airliner will have four turbojet engines and will rise to an altitude of twenty kilometers, which will significantly relieve the forgotten timeframes of existing flights. A long runway will be required, but many airports already meet these requirements.

A breakthrough in aviation and the transition from propeller driven aircraft to jet aircraft occurred during the Great Patriotic War. Projects of jet aircraft gave an idea of \u200b\u200bthe development of tremendous speeds in comparison with existing aviation.

These aircraft later found application, both in the military industry and in the passenger industry. Further, the question was only in increasing the speed and overcoming the sound barrier. There were no problems with the first task, but how to overcome the laws of aerodynamics at gigantic speeds was more difficult. In 1947, the United States coped with this task, and by the middle of the 20th century, military aviation began to switch to supersonic aircraft.

By order of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union, in the summer of 1963, the task was set to create an ATP capable of traveling at a cruising speed of up to 2.7 thousand kilometers per hour, with a hundred passengers on board. After 3 years, the Tu-144 saw the sky for the first time, ahead of its competitor, the French "Concorde" by a couple of months. But the Soviet liner did not live up to expectations. demanded in excess of costs. The design of the Tu-244, a new generation aircraft, went into action.

Work on this liner began in 1971, was initially directed directly by Tupolev and lasted twenty-five years. The American SPS, the British-French "Concorde" and our Tu-144 were taken as a basis, which, by the way, went out of service back in 2003. The experience of creating the Tu-160 was partly useful. But back to 1971. A couple of years later, the OKB showed the Tu-244 (SPS-2) project with several variations that differed in characteristics, design, engines and aerodynamics.

There were many tasks for the SPS-2. There was a need for a competitive passenger aircraft, economically viable, environmentally friendly, although this was not paid much attention to in the 60s, and passenger comfort was important. It was calculated that due to their speed and frequent operation, the aircraft fleet would decrease, and there would be only fuel and maintenance costs. Aviation fuel, of course, would be spent more, but due to the reduction in the fleet, thanks to such liners, it would generally be more economical.

Comparing SPS-1 and SPS-2 - this is a colossal difference in size, weight category, and the efficiency of installations, aerodynamics in general is like "heaven and earth". At the very end of 1976, it was decided to reduce the size of the aircraft to 257 tons, and only then develop larger models. In 1985, the design bureau proposed making the Tu-244 with 4 variable-cycle engines, which would allow flying in different modes, which is especially important in densely populated areas.

A project with liquid hydrogen engines was also proposed.

In the nineties, a crisis broke out that became a painful ulcer for all research and development. There was no official announcement about the suspension of work on the creation of SPS-2, but everything spoke of the frozen state of this project. Until the United States got involved. After lengthy negotiations, in order to continue research, two airliners based on the Tu-144D were refitted in 1993. Of these, two flying laboratories were created, which appeared in cooperation with the Americans, and were also financed by them. Work on the SPS-2 project continued.

Full information about the SPS-2 was presented to the public in Le Bourget in 1993, where it was announced that by 2025 this airliner would operate in airspace... It was planned to create 100 of them.

In general, the leading countries of the world (Japan, Italy, Great Britain, France, the United States, Germany) joined the development of second-generation jet aircraft in the early 90s, everyone needs such airliners, and the task was to rationalize the environmental and economic factors of airliners.

This "alliance of countries" was called the "Group of Eight", which included such companies as British Aerospace, Alenia, Japan Aviation Corporation, Boeing, DASA (Deutsche Aerospace Airbus), Mc Donnell-Douglas, in fact, the Tupolev ASTC and Aerospatial.

Scientific and industrial centers worked closely with the Tupolev ASTC. Thanks to them, the "plus" different countries for SPS, allowed to develop SPS-2 "by leaps and bounds".

Now the paths of liner building have begun to diverge from different countries. NATO is not needed supersonic aviation, they are more interested in the aviation ocean fleet. Conventional fighters will cope with the delivery of missiles and bombs from military bases, of which there are already a lot of them everywhere. Well, for some, the cost of such passenger transportation is strangely unprofitable.

But back to our developments. Now the chief designer of the Tu-244 A.L. Pukhov, and M.I.Kazakov is responsible for technical work. This huge vessel, 88 meters long, meets all modern technical requirements, despite the fact that it was developed almost half a century ago. The estimated speed is more than 2 thousand km / h, but they are already working to increase this figure to 2.5 thousand km / h. It is 15 meters high and can accommodate three hundred people.

At the moment, engineers are trying to solve two key problems. The first is to increase the flight range while technical specifications it is designed for 9,200 km. The second is how to make sure that he does not "eat" so much fuel, because it is for this reason that the whole world does not use jet airliners.

It will be easy to cope with the first task, as for the second, there are a number of difficulties, but science does not stand still, so one day these liners will still fly up into the sky.

Pros of supersonic passenger airliners:

• fast travel between cities and states, at least three times faster;
• reducing the cost of tickets, due to the transportation of a large flow of passengers at a time;
• lighter, faster and simpler than those. servicing one large ship than two small ones.

Differences from Tu-144

And so, the supersonic passenger aircraft Tu-244:

• minimum glass in the cockpit;
• better aerodynamic characteristics;
• tremendous speed;
• no deviated nose;
• saving power plants with an increase in size, which will allow transporting more passengers.

Operation of Tu-244

The planes were supposed to start in use in 2025, but there is no mention of this in the aviation industry program. Nevertheless, if it appears, it will look slightly different visually than when it was developed in the Soviet Union, but the characteristics will remain practically the same as they were intended.

SPS-2 does not meet the environmental requirements (noise, sonic boom, harmful substances and emissions into the atmosphere) that are expected from an aircraft of this class, it is economically impossible. IN modern world the whole idea of \u200b\u200bthe Tu-244 was invested in a small SPS-2 - Tu-444, which is no longer being worked on either. But it is cheaper and more environmentally friendly compared to the Tu-244.

A photo

Design

The trapezoidal wing had a complex deformation on the outside and a variable profile along its length. Control and balancing lie on the ailerons, pitch and roll, at the edge there are mechanized socks that tend to deflect. The wing consists of a console, front and middle parts. Where the load on the wheel is greatest, titanium is used. The wing has a vertical tail, and the direction is directly related to the two-piece rudder.

The fuselage has three parts, this is the tail compartment, the bow, and also the pressurized cabin. The diameter of the fuselage can be different due to different layouts, and this affects the number of passengers carried. Everything is logical, the larger the plane, the more passengers, and more space for the luggage compartment.

Four pilots with ejection seats. The board is automated and has a central software control.

Due to the fact that the plane lost its deflectable nose and canopy, the problem of visibility during flight was solved by glazing the cockpit. And the visibility during landing and takeoff in various weather conditions and time of day, is carried out using an optical-electronic review system.

The landing gear retracts partly into the wing and partly into the fuselage, the main runway supports will be added for high loads.

Specifications

• Crew: three pilots.
• Capacity: up to three hundred people.
• Cruising speed: 2175 kmph.
• Power plants: 4 engines with turbine fans.
• Flight range: 9.5 thousand kilometers.
• Carrying capacity: 300 tons.
• Length / height - 88 m / 15 m.
• Working surface area - 965 m 2
• Wingspan - 45 m.

In contact with

Supersonic aviation in the Soviet Union had enormous potential. The legendary Tu-144 was the first supersonic passenger aircraft in the world. And now, decades later, Russia can once again return to the air a promising technology for air passenger transportation. This event is proved by the resumption of activity on the Tu-244 - a revolutionary project of the 1970s, which was never implemented in its time.

Work on the creation of a second-generation supersonic airliner began back in 1971 at the Tupolev Design Bureau. Taking the experience of developing the Tu-144 as a basis, it was planned to launch a fundamentally new supersonic aircraft Tu-244 on Aeroflot's line in the next decade.

The project was approached with all seriousness. The calculation included not only design features, but also the economic competitiveness of the aircraft, environmental safety and the level of passenger comfort. Considering the significantly higher flight speed compared to subsonic liners, it was possible to build a much smaller Tu-244, but the commercial efficiency would be greater.

In turn, the increased noise, greater emission of harmful substances and damage to the ozone layer of the Earth was significantly higher than that of conventional jet aircraft. All these factors were negative for the future project. However, in those years, much less attention was paid to environmental safety than now. The Tu-244 was developed in at least two versions: a giant 360-ton aircraft with a passenger capacity of more than 300 people and a smaller aircraft weighing about 275 tons. The technology of both prototypes depended heavily on innovative new engines, which were in their early stages of production in the 1970s.

The first approved copy was the SPS-1 model, developed in 1973. Four engines with a total thrust of 37.5 kgf were installed on the liner. Upon reaching a cruising speed of 2,400 km / h, the aircraft could cover a distance of 8,000 kilometers at an altitude of up to 20,000 kilometers. In parallel, a prototype of the SPS-2 was considered on which liquid hydrogen engines were used.

The development of ATP-2 was personally led by Andrey Tupolev. An important difference between the Tu-244 and its predecessor Tu-144 was the absence of a downward deflecting nose and minimal cockpit glazing. Ultimately, in 1985, the Tupolevs settled on a 275-ton prototype with an engine take-off weight of 24 thousand kgf. According to the site, the use of variable cycle engines made it possible to fully realize the operation of the power unit in different flight modes.

It would seem that the release of a promising airliner was just around the corner, but the approaching restructuring brought to naught all the grandiose plans. Full technical information about the future project became available to the public in 1993 at the Paris Air Show. And that's all ... For more than twenty years no news has been heard about the Tu-244, and only in 2014, information about a possible revival of the project began to appear on the Web.

On January 29, 2019, work on the creation of a domestic second-generation supersonic airliner was officially resumed. Currently, the Tu-244 is at the development stage, which is planned to be completed in a few years. According to sources, already in 2025, the first prototype will rise into the sky. Of course, appearance the new Tu-244 will differ slightly from the Soviet developments thirty years ago, but in technical terms, the liner will practically not tolerate any changes.

Interested in aeronautics? Then read about.

After a person began to master the heavenly expanses, he always tried to improve aircraft as much as possible, to make them more reliable, faster, and more spacious. One of the most advanced inventions of mankind in this direction is supersonic passenger aircraft... But, unfortunately, with rare exceptions, most of the developments have been closed or are currently at the project stage. One of these projects is the Tu-244 supersonic passenger aircraft, which we will discuss below.

Faster than sound

But before we start talking directly about the Tu-244, let's do brief excursion in the history of overcoming the threshold of the speed of sound by mankind, because this aircraft will be a direct continuation of scientific developments in this direction.

A significant impetus in the development of aviation was given by the Second World War. It was then that real projects of aircraft with more propeller-driven speeds appeared. Since the second half of the 40s of the last century, they have been actively adopted both in military and civil aviation.

The next task was to maximize it. If it was not difficult to reach the supersonic barrier, simply by increasing the power of the engines, then overcoming it was a significant problem, since the laws of aerodynamics change at such speeds.

Nevertheless, the first victory in the race with sound was achieved already in 1947 on an American experimental aircraft, but supersonic technologies began to be massively used only in the late 50s - early 60s of the XX century in military aviation. Production models such as the MiG-19, North American A-5 Vigilante, Convair F-102 Delta Dagger and many others appeared.

Passenger supersonic aviation

But civil aviation was so unlucky. The first supersonic passenger aircraft appeared only in the late 60s. And to date, only two production models have been created - the Soviet Tu-144 and the Franco-British "Concorde". These were typical long-haul aircraft. The Tu-144 was in service from 1975 to 1978, and the Concorde from 1976 to 2003. Thus, at the moment, no supersonic aircraft is used for passenger air transportation.

There were many projects for the construction of super- and hypersonic airliners, but some of them were eventually closed (Douglas 2229, Super-Caravelle, T-4, etc.), and the implementation of others stretched out indefinitely (Reaction Engines A2, SpaceLiner, Next Generation Supersonic Transport). The latter also includes the Tu-244 aircraft project.

Development start

The project to create an aircraft that was supposed to replace the Tu-144 was launched by the Tupolev Design Bureau back in Soviet times, in the early 70s of the last century. When designing a new airliner, the designers used the developments of its predecessor, "Concorde", as well as materials from American colleagues who took part in the work. All developments were carried out under the direction of Alexei Andreevich Tupolev.

In 1973, the projected aircraft was named Tu-244.

Project objectives

The main objective of this project was to create a truly competitive supersonic aircraft for passenger transport compared to subsonic jet airliners. Almost the only advantage of the former over the latter was the gain in speed. In all other respects, supersonic airliners were outperformed by their slower competitors. Passenger Transportation they simply did not pay off economically. In addition, flights on them were more dangerous than on simple aircraft with a jet engine. The latter factor, by the way, became the official reason why the operation of the first supersonic Tu-144 aircraft was terminated just a few months after its start.

Thus, it was the solution to these problems that was presented to the developers of the Tu-244. The plane should be reliable, fast, but, at the same time, its operation for the transport of passengers should have been economically profitable.

Specifications

The final model of the Tu - 244 aircraft, adopted for development, was supposed to have the following technical and operational characteristics.

The crew of the airliner included three people. The cabin capacity was taken at the rate of 300 passengers. True, in the final version of the project it had to be reduced to 254 people, but in any case it was much more than that of the Tu-154, which accommodated only 150 passengers.

The planned cruising speed was 2,175 thousand km / h, which was twice as high. For comparison, the same figure for the Tu-144 was 2,300 thousand km / h, and the Concorde - 2.125 thousand km / h. That is, it was planned to make the plane a little slower than its predecessor, but due to this, significantly increase its capacity, which was supposed to provide economic benefits from passenger transportation. The movement was provided by four. The flight range of the new aircraft was supposed to be 7500-9200 km. Carrying capacity - 300 tons.

The airliner was supposed to have a length of 88 m, a height of 15 m, while its wingspan was 45 m, and its working surface area was 965 m 2.

The main external difference from the Tu-144 was to be a change in the design of the nose.

Continued development

The project for the construction of a second generation supersonic airliner Tu-244 took on a rather protracted nature and underwent significant changes several times. Nevertheless, even after the collapse of the USSR, the Tupolev Design Bureau did not stop developing in this direction. For example, already in 1993 at the air show in France, detailed information about development. However, the economic situation in the country in the 90s could not but affect the fate of the project. In fact, his fate hung in the air, although the design work continued, and there was no official message about its closure. It was at this time that they began to actively join the project american specialists, although contacts with them were carried out back in the days of the USSR.

To continue research on the creation of second-generation passenger supersonic airliners, in 1993 two Tu-144 aircraft were converted into flying laboratories.

Closing or freezing?

Against the backdrop of ongoing developments and statements that by 2025 TU-244 aircraft will enter service in civil aviation in the amount of 100 units, the absence of this project in the state program for the development of aviation for 2013-2025, which was adopted in 2012, was quite unexpected. ... It must be said that this program also lacked a number of other notable developments that were considered promising in aircraft construction until that time, for example, the Tu-444 supersonic business aircraft.

This fact could indicate that the Tu-244 project was either finally closed or frozen for an indefinite period. In the latter case, the release of these supersonic aircraft will only be possible much later than 2025. However, no official clarifications on this matter have been given, which leaves a fairly wide field for different interpretations.

Perspectives

Considering all of the above, it can be stated that the Tu-244 project is currently at least suspended in the air, and, perhaps, completely closed. There has not yet been an official announcement about the fate of the project. Also, the reasons why it was suspended or permanently closed are not announced. Although it can be assumed that they may lie in the lack of public funds to finance such developments, the economic disadvantage of the project, or the fact that in 30 years it could simply become morally obsolete, and now more promising tasks are on the agenda. However, it is quite possible that all three factors can influence simultaneously.

In 2014, the media voiced suggestions about the resumption of the project, but so far they have not received official confirmation, as well as denials.

It should be noted that foreign developments of second-generation supersonic passenger aircraft have not yet reached the home stretch, and the implementation of many of them is in question.

At the same time, while there is no official statement from authorized persons, it is not worth completely putting an end to the Tu-244 aircraft project.

Characteristics

		Tu-244
Dimensions (edit)
		Tu-244
Fuselage length, m		88,7
Wingspan, m		54,77
Wing area, m 2		1200
Wing extension		2,5
Wing sweep along the leading edge	center section	75 ^ o
	console	35 ^ o
Fuselage width, m		3,9
Fuselage height, m		4,1
Luggage compartment volume, m 3		32
Masses
		Tu-244
Takeoff (maximum), kg		350000
Aircraft without fuel, kg		172000
Fuel weight, kg		178 000
Power point
		Tu-244
Engines		4 DTRD
Traction (forced), kgs		4x 33000
Flight data
		Tu-244
Cruising speed, M \u003d		2,05
Practical flight range, km		9200
Flight altitude, m		18000-20000

Description

In 1988, the Tupolev Design Bureau began research on the second-generation supersonic passenger aircraft Tu-244 (SPS-2). Western experts estimate the need for 500-1200 such aircraft for the whole world in the first or second decade of the 21st century.

The competitiveness of such an aircraft (in comparison with a conventional subsonic passenger aircraft) should be ensured by economic efficiency, environmental friendliness and convenience for passengers. At the same time, the economic efficiency (that is, lower unit costs) is due to the high performance of the ATP, which makes it possible to transport the growing passenger traffic with a smaller number of supersonic aircraft in comparison with the required subsonic fleet. The difference in the cost of the required number of those and other passenger aircraft and in the costs of their operation can compensate for the increased fuel costs for airlines.

Tu-244 [JPEG 1000x415 30]

The environmental acceptability of an ATP is also a critical factor in its success or failure. The solution to this problem is associated with determining the level of environmental impact of a supersonic passenger aircraft on environment (sonic boom, noise on the ground, emission of harmful substances, including the impact on the ozone layer), which can be adopted by international organizations as certification standards and will make the airliner economically rational. By its physical nature, a supersonic aircraft has a greater impact on the environment than a subsonic aircraft of the same passenger capacity and flight range.

These circumstances forced the leading aircraft manufacturing companies of the USA, England, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia to coordinate their research primarily in the field of environmental impact, as well as in assessing the human need for supersonic transport, determining the rational parameters of the ATP. The well-known Group of Eight was created - Boeing, McDonnell Douglas, British Aerospace, Aerospatial, Deutsche Aerospace Airbus, Alenia, the Association of Japanese Aviation Corporations, ANTK them. A.N. Tupolev.

The entire period after the creation of the Tu-144 ANTK them. A.N. Tupolev. together with leading industry research centers (such as TsAGI, TsIAM, VIAM, LII) did not stop working on the second generation ATP. This work consists of the general design of the aircraft, the development of its component parts, as well as research and experimental work on the creation of new materials, coatings, and technological processes. The experience in creating the Tu-144 was widely used in the development of a new aircraft, and in 1993 two Tu-144s were converted into flying laboratories as part of the second generation ATP work.

Here are some of the characteristic features of the Tu-244:

• basic aerodynamic configuration "tailless", characterized by the absence of horizontal tail;
• propulsion system, consisting of four turbojet engines, placed one by one in separate engine nacelles;
• takeoff weight up to 320-350 tons, which is much more than that of the Tu-144 and Concorde;
• cruising speed corresponding to the number M \u003d 2-2.05.

Design

The large size of the aircraft is determined by the increased passenger capacity (250-300 seats and more) in comparison with 110-150 for Tu-144 and Concorde, which is necessary for successful competition with subsonic aircraft (such as Boeing-747, A-310 ) with 300-500 seats.

The layout of the Tu-244 aircraft is subordinated to ensuring high aerodynamic quality both at supersonic cruising and takeoff and landing modes to reduce noise levels, as well as to create increased comfort for passengers.

Tu-244 projections [JPEG 1200x994 118]

WING Tu-244 has a trapezoidal shape in plan with an influx has a complex deformation of the middle surface and a variable profile in scope. Pitch and roll control, as well as balancing are provided by ailerons. The leading edge is equipped with a mechanization such as tilting socks. If the Tu-144 actually achieved an aerodynamic quality of 8.1 at M \u003d 2, then on the Tu-244 it was planned to get a quality of 10 at M \u003d 2 and 15 at M \u003d 0.9.

Structurally, the wing is divided into a middle wing, passing through the fuselage, consoles and the front part. A multi-spar and multi-ribbed power scheme was adopted for the middle section and consoles and a non-ribbed one for the front wing, as on the Tu-144.

It is advisable to use a high-strength titanium alloy of the VT-6Ch type as a structural material for the most loaded caisson of the middle part of the wing and consoles. Aluminum alloys and composite materials are investigated for a relatively lightly loaded front part of the wing, for mechanization and non-power elements. The widespread use of composite materials, such as graphite-epoxy, in the structure of the wing, empennage, engine nacelles, fuselage, according to our and foreign experts, can reduce the weight of the airframe by 25-30% by 2000.

In the wing there are fuel caisson tanks, niches for cleaning the main landing gear.

VERTICAL SEAL has a two-piece rudder. and is structurally similar to a wing.

FUSELAGE consists of a pressurized cabin, bow and tail compartments. The choice of the optimal fuselage diameter depends on the passenger capacity. For the number of passengers 250-320, the fuselage with a width of 3.9 meters is optimal, in which the passenger seats are arranged in a 3 + 3 row in the tourist and business classes and 2 + 2 in the first class. The height of 4.1 meters allows you to equip a convenient trunk under the floor of the passenger compartment with loading containers of international standard. The Tu-204 aircraft has a similar section of the fuselage. The pressurized cabin will be made of aluminum alloys, the bow and tail compartments will be made of composites.

The aircraft does not provide for a deflectable nose, as on the Tu-144. There is no ordinary "canopy" in the cockpit either. The glazing of the cockpit provides the necessary visibility in flight, and during takeoff, landing and movement on the ground, the required visibility of the runway is ensured by an optoelectronic review system operating under any weather conditions.

CHASSIS consists of a front pillar and three main ones, of which the outer ones have three-axle bogies and are retracted into the wing, and the middle pillar has a two-axle bogie and is retracted into the fuselage. The prototype of the nose support is the strut of the Tu-144 aircraft. The scheme with three main supports is selected from the conditions for ensuring the specified loads on the concrete of the runway.

The aerobatic navigation equipment was supposed to provide landing according to ICAO category IIIА.

condition

Information about the aircraft was presented at the Paris Air Show in June 1993. Estimated arrival date. in operation - 2025. The potential market is estimated at more than 100 aircraft.

Due to the lack of funding, the work remained at the research stage, and the Tu-144LL flying laboratory has been used since 1997 under the Russian-American agreement under the program to create the next generation HSR supersonic passenger aircraft.