Tu 144 characteristics maximum speed. Supersonic aircraft: history of development

In the Soviet Union, the design bureau of academician Andrei Tupolev was involved in the creation of the Tu-144 supersonic aircraft. At a preliminary meeting of the design bureau in January 1963, Tupolev said: “Reflecting on the future of air transportation of people from one continent to another, you come to an unequivocal conclusion: supersonic airliners are undoubtedly needed, and I have no doubt that they will come to life...” Appointed lead designer of the project son of the academician - Alexey Tupolev. More than a thousand specialists from other organizations worked closely with his design bureau. The creation of the aircraft was preceded by extensive theoretical and experimental work, which included numerous tests in wind tunnels and natural conditions during flights of an analogue aircraft.

The developers had to rack their brains to find the optimal design for the machine. The speed of the designed airliner is fundamentally important - 2500 or 3000 km/h. The Americans, having learned that the Concorde is designed for 2500 km/h, announced that just six months later they would release their passenger Boeing 2707, made of steel and titanium. Only these materials could withstand the heating of the structure when in contact with air flow at speeds of 3000 km/h and above without destructive consequences. However, solid steel and titanium structures still have to undergo serious technological and operational testing. This will take a lot of time, and Tupolev decides to build the Tu-144 from duralumin, with a speed of 2500 km/h in mind. The American Boeing project was subsequently completely closed.

In June 1965, the model was shown at the annual Paris Air Show. Concorde and Tu-144 turned out to be strikingly similar to each other. Soviet designers said - nothing surprising: the general shape of the aircraft is determined by the laws of aerodynamics and the requirements for a certain type of machine.

But what should the shape of an airplane wing be? We settled on a thin delta wing with the front edge shaped like the letter “8”. The tailless design - inevitable with such a design of the load-bearing plane - made the supersonic airliner stable and well controllable in all flight modes. Four engines were located under the fuselage, closer to the axis of the aircraft. The fuel is placed in caisson wing tanks. The trim tanks, located in the rear fuselage and wing flaps, are designed to change the position of the aircraft's center of gravity during the transition from subsonic to supersonic flight speeds. The nose of the plane was made sharp and smooth. But how can pilots have forward visibility in this case? They found a solution - the “bowing nose.” The fuselage had a circular cross-section and had a cockpit nose cone that tilted downward at an angle of 12 degrees during takeoff and 17 degrees during landing.

For the first time, the Tu-144 took to the skies on the last day of 1968. The car was flown by test pilot E. Elyan. As a passenger aircraft, the TU-144 was the first in the world to overcome the speed of sound in early June 1969, while at an altitude of 11 kilometers. The Tu-144 reached the second speed of sound (2M) in mid-1970, at an altitude of 16.3 kilometers. The Tu-144 incorporates many design and technical innovations. Here I would like to note such a solution as the front horizontal tail. When using PGO, flight maneuverability was improved and the speed was reduced when the aircraft was landing. The domestic Tu-144 could be operated from two dozen airports, while the French-English Concorde, having a high landing speed, could land only at a certified airport. The designers of the Tupolev Design Bureau did a colossal job. Take, for example, full-scale testing of a new aircraft wing. They took place on a flying laboratory - a MiG-21I aircraft, converted specifically for testing the design and equipment of the wing of the future Tu-144.

Work on the development of the basic design of the "044" aircraft went in two directions: the creation of a new economical afterburning turbojet engine of the RD-36-51 type and a significant improvement in the aerodynamics and design of the Tu-144. The result of this was to meet the requirements for supersonic flight range. The decision of the commission of the USSR Council of Ministers on the Tu-144 version with RD-36-51 was made in 1969. At the same time, at the proposal of the MAP - MGA, a decision is made, before the creation of the RD-36-51 and their installation on the Tu-144, on the construction of six Tu-144 with NK-144A with reduced specific fuel consumption. The design of the serial Tu-144 with NK-144A was supposed to be significantly modernized, significant changes to be made in the aerodynamics of the aircraft, obtaining a Kmax of more than 8 in supersonic cruising mode. This modernization was supposed to ensure the fulfillment of the requirements of the first stage in terms of range (4000-4500 km), in the future it was planned transition in series to RD-36-51.

Clickable 2000 px

Construction of the pre-production modernized Tu-144 aircraft ("004) began at MMZ "Experience" in 1968. According to calculated data with NK-144 engines (Cp = 2.01), the estimated supersonic range was supposed to be 3275 km, and with NK-144A (Avg = 1.91) exceed 3500 km. In order to improve the aerodynamic characteristics of the aircraft at cruising mode M = 2.2, the wing planform was changed (the sweep of the floating part along the leading edge was reduced to 76°, and the base one was increased to 57°), The shape of the wing became closer to “Gothic.” Compared to the “044”, the wing area increased, and a more intense conical twist of the wing ends was introduced. However, the most important innovation in the aerodynamics of the wing was the change in the middle part of the wing, which ensured self-balancing in cruising mode with minimal losses. quality, taking into account the optimization of flight deformations of the wing in this mode, the length of the fuselage was increased to accommodate 150 passengers, the shape of the nose was improved, which also had a positive effect on the aerodynamics of the aircraft.

Unlike "044", each pair of engines in paired engine nacelles with air intakes was moved apart, freeing the lower part of the fuselage from them, unloading it from increased temperature and vibration loads, while changing the lower surface of the wing in the place of the calculated area of ​​flow compression, increasing the gap between the lower surface wing and the upper surface of the air intake - all this made it possible to more intensively use the effect of compressing the flow at the entrance to the air intakes on the Kmax than was possible to achieve on the "044". The new layout of the engine nacelles required changes to the chassis: the main landing gear was placed under the engine nacelles, with them retracted inside between the air ducts of the engines, they switched to an eight-wheeled trolley, and the scheme for retracting the nose landing gear also changed. An important difference between “004” and “044” was the introduction of a front multi-section destabilizer wing retractable in flight, which extended from the fuselage during takeoff and landing modes, and made it possible to ensure the required balancing of the aircraft with the elevons-flaps deflected. Design improvements, an increase in payload and fuel reserves led to an increase in the aircraft's take-off weight, which exceeded 190 tons (for "044" - 150 tons).

Construction of the pre-production Tu-144 No. 01-1 (tail No. 77101) was completed at the beginning of 1971, and the aircraft made its first flight on June 1, 1971. According to the factory test program, the aircraft completed 231 flights, lasting 338 hours, of which 55 hours the aircraft flew at supersonic speed. This machine was used to work out complex issues of interaction between the power plant and the aircraft in various flight modes. On September 20, 1972, the car flew along the Moscow-Tashkent highway, while the route was covered in 1 hour 50 minutes, the cruising speed during the flight reached 2500 km/h. The pre-production vehicle became the basis for the deployment of serial production at the Voronezh Aviation Plant (VAZ), which, by decision of the government, was entrusted with the development of the Tu-144 series.

The first flight of serial Tu-144 No. 01-2 (tail No. 77102) with NK-144A engines took place on March 20, 1972. In the series, based on the results of tests of the pre-production vehicle, the aerodynamics of the wing were adjusted and its area was once again slightly increased. The take-off weight in the series reached 195 tons. By the time of operational testing of production vehicles, the specific fuel consumption of the NK-144A was intended to be increased to 1.65-1.67 kg/kgf/hour by optimizing the engine nozzle, and subsequently to 1.57 kg/kgf/hour, while the flight range should was increased to 3855-4250 km and 4550 km, respectively. In reality, they were able to achieve by 1977 during testing and development of the Tu-144 and NK-144A series Av = 1.81 kg/kgf hour in cruising supersonic thrust mode 5000 kgf, Av = 1.65 kg/kgf hour in takeoff afterburner thrust mode 20000 kgf, Av = 0.92 kg/kgf hour in cruising subsonic mode of thrust 3000 kgf and in maximum afterburning mode in transonic mode we received 11800 kgf. Tu-144 fragment

In a short period of time, in strict accordance with the program, 395 flights were completed with a total flight time of 739 hours, including more than 430 hours in supersonic modes.

At the second stage of operational testing, in accordance with the joint order of the Ministers of Aviation Industry and Civil Aviation dated September 13, 1977 No. 149-223, a more active connection of civil aviation facilities and services took place. A new testing commission was formed, headed by Deputy Minister of Civil Aviation B.D. Rude. By decision of the commission, then confirmed by a joint order dated September 30 - October 5, 1977, crews were appointed to conduct operational tests:
First crew: pilots B.F. Kuznetsov (Moscow State Transport Administration), S.T. Agapov (ZhLIiDB), navigator S.P. Khramov (MTU GA), flight engineers Yu.N. Avaev (MTU GA), Yu.T. Seliverstov (ZhLIiDB), leading engineer S.P. Avakimov (ZhLIiDB).
Second crew: pilots V.P. Voronin (MSU GA), I.K. Vedernikov (ZhLIiDB), navigator A.A. Senyuk (MTU GA), flight engineers E.A. Trebuntsov (MTU GA) and V.V. Solomatin (ZhLIiDB), leading engineer V.V. Isaev (GosNIIGA).
Third crew: pilots M.S. Kuznetsov (GosNIIGA), G.V. Voronchenko (ZhLIiDB), navigator V.V. Vyazigin (GosNIIGA), flight engineers M.P. Isaev (MTU GA), V.V. Solomatin (ZhLIiDB), leading engineer V.N. Poklad (ZhLIiDB).
Fourth crew: pilots N.I. Yurskov (GosNIIGA), V.A. Sevankaev (ZhLIiDB), navigator Yu.A. Vasiliev (GosNIIGA), flight engineer V.L. Venediktov (GosNIIGA), leading engineer I.S. Mayboroda (GosNIIGA).

Before testing began, a lot of work was done to review all the materials received in order to use them “for credit” for meeting specific requirements. However, despite this, some civil aviation specialists insisted on implementing the “Operational Test Program for the Tu-144 Aircraft,” developed at GosNIIGA back in 1975 under the leadership of leading engineer A.M. Teteryukov. This program essentially required the repetition of previously completed flights in the amount of 750 flights (1200 flight hours) on MGA routes.

The total volume of operational flights and tests for both stages will be 445 flights with 835 flight hours, of which 475 hours in supersonic modes. 128 paired flights were performed on the Moscow-Alma-Ata route.

The final stage of testing was not stressful from a technical point of view. Rhythmic work according to schedule was ensured without serious failures or major defects. The engineering and technical crews “had fun” by assessing household equipment in preparation for passenger transportation. Flight attendants and relevant specialists from GosNIIGA, who were involved in the tests, began to conduct ground training to develop the technology for servicing passengers in flight. The so-called “pranks” and two technical flights with passengers. The “raffle” was held on October 16, 1977 with a complete simulation of the cycle of ticket check-in, baggage check-in, passenger boarding, flight of actual duration, passenger disembarkation, baggage check-in at the destination airport. There was no end to the “passengers” (the best workers of OKB, ZhLIiDB, GosNIIGA and other organizations). The diet during the “flight” was at the highest level, since it was based on the first class menu, everyone enjoyed it very much. The “draw” made it possible to clarify many important elements and details of passenger service. On October 20 and 21, 1977, two technical flights were carried out along the Moscow-Alma-Ata highway with passengers. The first passengers were employees of many organizations that were directly involved in the creation and testing of the Tu-144 aircraft. Today it is even difficult to imagine the atmosphere on board the plane: there was a feeling of joy and pride, great hope for development against the backdrop of first-class service, to which technical people are absolutely not accustomed. On the first flights, all the heads of the parent institutes and organizations were on board the plane.

The technical flights went off without any serious problems and showed the full readiness of the Tu-144 aircraft and all ground services for regular transportation. On October 25, 1977, the Minister of Civil Aviation of the USSR B.P. Bugaev and the Minister of Aviation Industry of the USSR V.A. Kazakov approved the main document: “Act on the results of operational tests of the Tu-144 aircraft with NK-144 engines” with a positive conclusion and conclusions.

Based on the presented tables of compliance of the Tu-144 aircraft with the requirements of the Temporary Airworthiness Standards for Civil Aircraft of the USSR, the full volume of submitted evidentiary documentation, including acts on state and operational tests, on October 29, 1977, Chairman of the State Aviation Register of the USSR I.K. Mulkidzhanov approved the conclusion and signed the first airworthiness certificate in the USSR, type No. 03-144, for the Tu-144 aircraft with NK-144A engines.

The road was open for passenger traffic.

The Tu-144 could land and take off at 18 airports in the USSR, while the Concorde, whose takeoff and landing speed was 15% higher, required a separate landing certificate for each airport. According to some experts, if the Concorde engines had been placed in the same way as the Tu-144, the accident on July 25, 2000 would not have occurred.

According to experts, the design of the Tu-144 airframe was ideal, but the shortcomings concerned the engines and various systems.

In June 1973, the 30th International Paris Air Show took place in France. The interest generated by the Soviet Tu-144 airliner, the world's first supersonic passenger jet, was enormous. On June 2, thousands of visitors to the air show in the Paris suburb of Le Bourget watched the second production version of the Tu-144 take to the runway. The roar of four engines, a powerful take-off - and now the car is in the air. The sharp nose of the airliner straightened and aimed at the sky. The supersonic Tu, led by Captain Kozlov, made its first demonstration flight over Paris: having gained the required altitude, the car went beyond the horizon, then returned and circled over the airfield. The flight proceeded normally, no technical problems were noted.

The next day, the Soviet crew decided to show everything that the new aircraft was capable of.

The sunny morning of June 3 did not seem to foretell trouble. At first, everything went according to plan - the audience raised their heads and applauded in unison. The Tu-144, having shown the “top class”, began to decline. At that moment, a French Mirage fighter appeared in the air (as it later turned out, it was filming an air show). A collision seemed inevitable. In order not to crash into the airfield and spectators, the crew commander decided to rise higher and pulled the steering wheel towards himself. However, the height had already been lost, creating large loads on the structure; As a result, the right wing cracked and fell off. A fire started in the plane, and a few seconds later the flaming Tu-144 rushed to the ground. A terrible landing occurred on one of the streets of the Parisian suburb of Goussainville. The giant machine, destroying everything in its path, crashed to the ground and exploded. The entire crew - six people - and eight Frenchmen on the ground were killed. Goosenville also suffered - several buildings were destroyed. What led to the tragedy? According to most experts, the cause of the disaster was the attempt of the Tu-144 crew to avoid a collision with the Mirage. During landing, the Tu was caught in a wake from the French Mirage fighter.

This version is given in Gene Alexander’s book “Russian Airplanes Since 1944” and in an article in Aviation Week and Space Technology magazine for June 11, 1973, written on fresh tracks. The authors believe that pilot Mikhail Kozlov landed on the wrong runway, either due to a mistake by the flight director, or due to the carelessness of the pilots. The controller noticed the error in time and warned the Soviet pilots. But instead of going around, Kozlov made a sharp turn - and found himself right in front of the French Air Force fighter. At that time, the co-pilot was filming a story about the Tu crew for French television with a movie camera and therefore was not wearing a seatbelt. During the maneuver, he fell onto the center console, and while he was returning to his place, the plane had already lost altitude. Kozlov sharply pulled the steering wheel towards himself - overload: the right wing could not stand it. Here is another explanation for the terrible tragedy. Kozlov received orders to get the most out of the car. Even during takeoff, at low speed, he took an almost vertical angle. For an aircraft with such a configuration, this is fraught with enormous overloads. As a result, one of the external nodes could not stand it and fell off.

According to the employees of the A.N. Tupolev Design Bureau, the cause of the disaster was the connection of an undebugged analog block of the control system, which led to a destructive overload.

The spy version belongs to writer James Alberg. Briefly it is like this. The Soviets tried to “furnish” the Concorde. Group N.D. Kuznetsova created good engines, but they could not operate at low temperatures, unlike the Concorde ones. Then Soviet intelligence officers got involved. Penkovsky, through his agent Greville Wine, obtained part of the Concorde drawings and sent them to Moscow through an East German trade representative. British counterintelligence thus identified the leak, but instead of arresting the spy, it decided to release disinformation into Moscow through his own channels. As a result, the Tu-144 was born, very similar to the Concorde. It is difficult to establish the truth, since the “black boxes” did not clarify anything. One was found in Bourges, at the crash site, but, judging by reports, damaged. The second one was never discovered. It is believed that the Tu-144 “black box” became a point of contention between the KGB and the GRU.

According to the pilots, emergency situations occurred on almost every flight. On May 23, 1978, the second Tu-144 crash occurred. An improved experimental version of the aircraft, Tu-144D (No. 77111), after a fuel fire in the engine nacelle area of ​​the 3rd power plant due to the destruction of the fuel line, smoke in the cabin and the crew turning off two engines, made an emergency landing on a field near the village of Ilyinsky Pogost, not far from the city Yegoryevsk.

After landing, crew commander V.D. Popov, co-pilot E.V. Elyan and navigator V.V. Vyazigin left the plane through the cockpit window. Engineers V.M. Kulesh, V.A. Isaev, V.N. Stolpovsky, who were in the cabin, left the plane through the front entrance door. Flight engineers O. A. Nikolaev and V. L. Venediktov found themselves trapped in their workplace by structures that were deformed during landing and died. (The deflected nose cone touched the ground first, worked like a bulldozer blade, picking up dirt, and rotated under its belly, entering the fuselage.) On June 1, 1978, Aeroflot stopped supersonic passenger flights forever.

Work on improving the Tu-144 aircraft continued for several more years. Five production aircraft were produced; another five were under construction. A new modification has been developed - Tu-144D (long-range). However, the choice of a new engine (more economical), RD-36-51, required significant redesign of the aircraft, especially the power plant. Serious design gaps in this area led to a delay in the release of the new airliner. Only in November 1974 did the serial Tu-144D (tail number 77105) take off, and nine (!) years after its first flight, on November 1, 1977, the Tu-144 received a certificate of airworthiness. Passenger flights opened on the same day. During their short operation, Tu-144 airliners carried 3,194 passengers. On May 31, 1978, flights were stopped: a fire broke out on one of the production Tu-144Ds, and the plane crashed during an emergency landing.

The disasters in Paris and Yegoryevsk led to the fact that interest in the project on the part of the state decreased. From 1977 to 1978, 600 problems were identified. As a result, already in the 80s, it was decided to remove the Tu-144, explaining this with “a bad effect on people’s health when crossing the sound barrier.” Nevertheless, four out of five Tu-144Ds in production were still completed. Subsequently, they were based in Zhukovsky and took to the air as flying laboratories. A total of 16 Tu-144 aircraft were built (including long-range modifications), which made a total of 2,556 sorties. By the mid-90s, ten of them had survived: four in museums (Monino, Kazan, Kuibyshev, Ulyanovsk); one remained at the plant in Voronezh, where it was built; another one was in Zhukovsky along with four Tu-144Ds.

Subsequently, the Tu-144D was used only for cargo transportation between Moscow and Khabarovsk. In total, the Tu-144 made 102 flights under the Aeroflot flag, of which 55 were passenger flights (3,194 passengers were carried).

Later, the Tu-144 made only test flights and several flights with the aim of setting world records.

The Tu-144LL was equipped with NK-32 engines due to the lack of serviceable NK-144 or RD-36-51, similar to those used on the Tu-160, various sensors and test monitoring and recording equipment.
A total of 16 Tu-144 aircraft were built, which made a total of 2,556 sorties and flew 4,110 hours (among them, aircraft 77144 flew the most, 432 hours). The construction of four more aircraft was never completed.
What happened to the planes

A total of 16 aircraft were built - sides 68001, 77101, 77102, 77105, 77106, 77107, 77108, 77109, 77110, 77111, 77112, 77113, 77114, 77115, 77116 and 4.
Those remaining in flying condition do not currently exist. The sides of the Tu-144LL No. 77114 and TU-144D No. 77115 are almost completely complete with parts and can be restored to flight condition.

In repairable condition, TU-144LL No. 77114, which was used for NASA tests, is stored at the airfield in Zhukovsky.
TU-144D No. 77115 is also stored at the airfield in Zhukovsky. In 2007, both aircraft were repainted and exhibited for public viewing at the MAKS-2007 air show.

Aircraft No. 77114 and No. 77115 will most likely be installed as monuments or displayed at the airfield in Zhukovsky. In 2004-2005, some transactions were made with them to sell them for scrap metal, but protests from the aviation community led to their preservation. The danger of selling them for scrap metal has not been completely eliminated. The questions of whose ownership they will become have not been finally resolved.

Blogger igor113 studied the Tu-144 aircraft in detail on the Ulyanovsk field,

The photograph contains the signature of the first cosmonaut who landed on the moon, Neil Armstrong, pilot cosmonaut Georgiy Timofeevich Beregovoy and all the dead crew members. Tu-144 No. 77102 crashed during a demonstration flight at the Le Bourget air show. All 6 crew members (Honored test pilot Hero of the Soviet Union M.V. Kozlov, test pilot V.M. Molchanov, navigator G.N. Bazhenov, deputy chief designer, engineer Major General V.N. Benderov, leading engineer B.A. Pervukhin and flight engineer A.I. Dralin) died.

From left to right. Six crew members on board the TU-144 aircraft No. 77102: Honored Test Pilot Hero of the Soviet Union M.V. Kozlov, Test Pilot V.M. Molchanov, Navigator G.N. Bazhenov, Deputy Chief Designer, Engineer Major General V. N. Benderov, leading engineer B.A. Pervukhin and flight engineer A.I. Dralin (unfortunately, she did not specify who is in order). Next is the pilot-cosmonaut twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Major General Georgy Timofeevich Beregovoy, behind him on the left is Vladimir Aleksandrovich Lavrov, then the first American cosmonaut to land on the moon Neil Armstrong, then (standing behind Neil) is Stepan Gavrilovich Korneev (head of the Internal Affairs Directorate from the Department of External Relations Presidium of the Academy of Sciences), in the center Andrey Nikolaevich Tupolev - Soviet aircraft designer, academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences, colonel general, three times Hero of Socialist Labor, Hero of Labor of the RSFSR, then Alexander Alexandrovich Arkhangelsky, chief designer of the plant, Soviet aircraft designer, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Honored Scientist and technicians of the RSFSR, Hero of Socialist Labor. Far right is Tupolev Alexey Andreevich (son of A.N. Tupolev) - Russian aircraft designer, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences since 1984, Hero of Socialist Labor. The photo was taken in 1970. Captions on the photo of G.T. Beregovoy and Neil Armstrong.

source neferjournal

Concord..

Concorde accident.

The aircraft is currently not in service due to a crash on July 25, 2000. On April 10, 2003, British Airways and Air France announced their decision to cease commercial operations of their Concorde fleet. The last flights took place on October 24. Concorde's final flight took place on November 26, 2003, with G-BOAF (the last aircraft built) departing Heathrow, flying over the Bay of Biscay, passing over Bristol, and landing at Filton Airport.

Tupolev's supersonic aircraft is often called the "lost generation." Intercontinental flights were recognized as uneconomical: in an hour of flight, the Tu-144 burned eight times more fuel than a regular passenger plane. For the same reason, long-distance flights to Khabarovsk and Vladivostok were not justified. It is not advisable to use the supersonic Tu as a transport aircraft due to its small carrying capacity. True, passenger transportation on the Tu-144 nevertheless became a prestigious and profitable business for Aeroflot, although tickets were considered very expensive at that time. Even after the official closure of the project, in August 1984, the head of the Zhukovsky flight test base Klimov, the head of the design department Pukhov and deputy chief designer Popov, with the support of supersonic flight enthusiasts, restored and put into operation two Tu-144Ds, and in 1985 they obtained permission to carry out flights to set world records. The crews of Aganov and Veremey set more than 18 world records in the class of supersonic aircraft - in speed, rate of climb and flight range with cargo.

On March 16, 1996, a series of research flights of the Tu-144LL began in Zhukovsky, which marked the beginning of the development of the second generation of supersonic passenger airliners.

95-99 years. Tu-144D with tail number 77114 was used by the American NASA as a flying laboratory. Received the name Tu-144LL. The main purpose is research and testing of American developments to create our own modern supersonic aircraft for passenger transportation.

Here's the story...

sources
nnm.ru
aminpro.narod.ru
neferjournal.livejournal.com
testpilot.ru
igor113.livejournal.com
alexandernaumov.ru
topwar.ru
www.airwar.ru
sergib.agava.ru

On December 31, 1968, the experimental supersonic aircraft Tu-144 (tail number USSR-68001) made its first flight. The Tu-144 managed to take off two months earlier than its Anglo-French competitor, the Concorde airliner, which made its first flight on March 2, 1969.

Tu-144 is a supersonic passenger aircraft developed in the 1960s by the design bureau of Andrei Tupolev (now Tupolev OJSC, part of the United Aircraft Corporation).

Research into the development of a supersonic passenger aircraft (SPS) began in the late 1950s in the USA, England and France. In the early 1960s, the first preliminary designs of the SPS already appeared. This was the reason for the development of a similar aircraft in the USSR. On July 16, 1963, a resolution was issued by the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of the USSR “On the creation of the A.N. Tupolev Design Bureau SPS Tu-144 with four jet engines and on the construction of a batch of such aircraft.” Alexey Tupolev was appointed lead designer for the aircraft (since 1973 Boris Gantsevsky, since 1979 Valentin Bliznyuk). General management was carried out by Andrey Tupolev. The development of the engine was entrusted to the Nikolai Kuznetsov Design Bureau.

When working on the project, the developers had to face a number of complex technical problems: aerodynamics, kinetic heating, elastic and thermal deformations of the structure, new lubricants and sealing materials, new life support systems for passengers and crew. The development of the design and aerodynamics of the wing required a lot of effort (200 options were studied in the wind tunnel). The use of titanium alloys in construction required the creation of new machines and welding machines. These problems, together with the Andrei Tupolev Design Bureau, were solved by specialists from the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (TsAGI), the Central Institute of Aviation Engine Engineering (CIAM), the Siberian Scientific Research Institute of Aviation (SibNIA) and other organizations. Since 1965, regular consultations have been held with the designers of the French company Aerospatial, which developed the Concorde SPS. During the preparation of working drawings, more than 1,000 specialists were seconded from the design bureau of Oleg Antonov and Sergei Ilyushin. When designing the aircraft, two analogue aircraft of the MiG-21I were used as a working model (now one of them is stored in the Air Force Museum in Monino).

In July 1965, the preliminary design of the Tu-144 was ready. In the same year, a model of an aircraft with a wingspan of about two meters was exhibited at the air show in Le Bourget (France). On June 22, 1966, a full-size mockup of the aircraft was approved. In parallel with the design, the experimental production of the OKB in Zhukovsky was producing two prototypes (flight and for static tests). The Voronezh and Kuibyshev aircraft factories also participated in their production.

On December 31, 1968, the crew led by test pilot Eduard Elyan took it into the air for the first time. On June 5, 1969, the prototype reached the speed of sound, and on June 26, 1970, it doubled it. For testing the Tu-144, Eduard Elyan was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Simultaneously with the flight tests, research was carried out at 80 ground stands, where all the most important design and layout solutions were worked out. With the help of these stands, for the first time in the USSR, a comprehensive system for assessing failures taking into account their consequences was developed. State tests continued until May 15, 1977. On October 29, 1977, the aircraft received an airworthiness certificate (for the first time in the USSR).

The Tu-144 was first shown at an aviation festival at Sheremetyevo Airport on May 21, 1970. In the summer of 1971, trial operation of the prototype began at Aeroflot. Flights were made from Moscow to Prague (Czechoslovakia, now the Czech Republic), Berlin (GDR, now Germany), Warsaw (Poland), Sofia (Bulgaria). In 1972, the Tu-144 was demonstrated at air shows in Hanover (Germany) and Budapest (Hungary).

The first production Tu-144 was assembled in the spring of 1971 in Zhukovsky. In 1972, production began at the Voronezh Aviation Plant. A total of 16 aircraft were built. Another one remained unfinished. Production aircraft differed from the prototype by having a fuselage length increased by 5.7 meters, a slightly modified wing shape and the presence of retractable front wings. The number of seats for passengers increased from 120 to 140. The first flight of the production aircraft took place on September 20, 1972 on the route Moscow - Tashkent - Moscow. In March 1975, the Moscow-Alma-Ata high-speed airline opened (mail and cargo were transported). On October 20, 1977, the first flight with passengers was carried out.

The Tu-144 is an all-metal low-wing aircraft designed according to the tailless design. The aircraft's wing is triangular, of low aspect ratio, and has a variable sweep angle (76° at the root and 57° at the ends of the wing). The wing skin is made of solid aluminum alloy plates. Along the entire trailing edge there are elevons made of titanium alloys. Elevons and rudders are deflected using irreversible boosters (an auxiliary device to increase the force and speed of the main mechanism).

The aircraft has four turbojet bypass engines with an afterburner NK-144A designed by Nikolai Kuznetsov's OKB (on the Tu-144D - non-afterburning RD-36-51A designed by Peter Kolesov's OKB-36), which are located close to each other under the wing. Each engine has its own separate air intake. The air intakes are grouped in pairs.

The main volume of fuel is located in 18 wing tanks. A balancing tank is installed at the rear of the fuselage. Fuel was pumped into it during flight to shift the center of mass during the transition from subsonic to supersonic speed.

The aircraft has a tricycle landing gear with a nose strut. The main supports have a two-axle eight-wheel bogie. All wheels are equipped with brakes. The supports are retracted forward along the flight into niches between the air intake channels.

The cockpit is integrated into the contours of the fuselage and does not have the usual protruding canopy. Therefore, the forward unsealed part of the fuselage with the radar and antenna systems tilts down during takeoff and landing, opening the windshields of the pilot's cabin for visual viewing. To improve takeoff and landing characteristics, a retractable front horizontal tail was used.

To increase the reliability of operation on the aircraft, quadruple redundancy of all major systems was used. An on-board electronic computer was used to control the aircraft. The landing approach could be carried out automatically at any time of the day and in any weather. For the first time in the USSR, the Tu-144 used an automatic system for monitoring the technical condition of on-board systems, which made it possible to reduce the labor intensity of maintenance. Baggage on the plane was placed in containers in the luggage compartments.

Basic technical data of the serial SPS Tu-144D:

The length of the aircraft without PVD is 64.45 m;

Wingspan - 28.8 m;

Aircraft height - 12.5 m;

Wing area with overflow - 506.35 sq. m;

Maximum take-off weight - 207000 kg;

The empty weight of the aircraft for the 150-passenger version is 99,200 kg;

Cruising supersonic flight speed - 2120 km/h;

Practical flight range, with commercial load:

7 tons (70 passengers) - 6200 km;

11-13 tons (110-130 passengers) - 5500-5700 km;

15 tons (150 passengers) - 5330 km.

Crew - 4 people.

The main disadvantages of the Tu-144 aircraft were the high cost of production and operation, increased noise, and it was not economical and consumed a large amount of fuel.

The creation and development of the Tu-144 became the largest and most complex program in the history of Soviet aircraft construction. As a result of long-term work, it was possible to create an aircraft of the highest world class, which in its basic flight performance characteristics is not inferior to the corresponding aircraft created in the West.

However, fate was unfair to the unique car. The first major failure was the crash on June 3, 1973, during a demonstration flight at the Le Bourget air show, in which 14 people were killed - six crew members and eight Frenchmen on the ground - and 25 were injured.

May 23, 1978 - an improved prototype version of the aircraft, the Tu-144D, equipped with improved engines, made an emergency landing near Yegoryevsk near Moscow due to a fire caused by the destruction of one of the fuel lines. Two of the seven crew members on board were killed.

On June 1, 1978, Aeroflot management decided to cancel Tu-144 passenger flights. In addition to the disasters, the fate of the Tu-144 was affected by its commercial unprofitability.

One of the improved Tu-144Ds was used for some time on the Moscow-Khabarovsk line to deliver urgent cargo. In total, the Tu-144 made 102 flights under the Aeroflot flag, 55 of which were passenger flights.

Until the mid-1990s, Tu-144 aircraft were used to conduct various tests, as well as to study the ozone layer of the Earth's atmosphere, solar eclipses, and focused sonic boom. Cosmonauts undergoing training under the Buran program trained on the Tu-144. In July 1983, the Tu-144D set 13 world aviation records.

From 1995 to 1999, one significantly modified Tu-144D (No. 77114) called Tu-144LL was used by the American space agency NASA for research into high-speed commercial flights in order to develop a plan for the creation of a new, modern supersonic passenger aircraft.

The experience gained during the creation of the Tu-144 was used in the development of heavy supersonic aircraft Tu-22M and Tu-160.

At the request of the Ministry of Science and by decision of the MAP, several aircraft were installed as exhibits on the territory of the Air Force Museum in Monino, the Civil Aviation Museum in Ulyanovsk, and aircraft factories in Voronezh, Kazan and Samara. One aircraft was sold to a private technology museum in Sinheim (Germany).

Several aircraft were melted down in the 1990s.

Two aircraft TU-144LL No. 77114, which was used for NASA tests, and TU-144D No. 77115 are stored at the airfield in Zhukovsky. One of them was exhibited at the MAKS air show, most recently in 2013.

The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources

Exactly 15 years ago, the last three supersonic passenger aircraft Concorde of the British airline British Airways made their farewell flight. On that day, October 24, 2003, these planes, flying at low altitude over London, landed at Heathrow, ending the short history of supersonic passenger aviation. However, today aircraft designers around the world are again thinking about the possibility of fast flights - from Paris to New York in 3.5 hours, from Sydney to Los Angeles in 6 hours, from London to Tokyo in 5 hours. But before supersonic aircraft return to international passenger routes, developers will have to solve many problems, among which one of the most important is reducing the noise of fast aircraft.

A short history of fast flights

Passenger aviation began to take shape in the 1910s, when the first airplanes specifically designed to transport people by air appeared. The very first of them was the French Bleriot XXIV Limousine from Bleriot Aeronautique. It was used for pleasure air rides. Two years later, the S-21 Grand appeared in Russia, created on the basis of the Russian Knight heavy bomber by Igor Sikorsky. It was built at the Russian-Baltic Carriage Plant. Then aviation began to develop by leaps and bounds: first flights began between cities, then between countries, and then between continents. Airplanes made it possible to get to your destination faster than by train or ship.

In the 1950s, progress in the development of jet engines accelerated significantly, and supersonic flight became available to military aircraft, albeit briefly. Supersonic speed is usually called movement up to five times faster than the speed of sound, which varies depending on the propagation medium and its temperature. At normal atmospheric pressure at sea level, sound travels at a speed of 331 meters per second, or 1191 kilometers per hour. As you gain altitude, the density and temperature of the air decrease, and the speed of sound decreases. For example, at an altitude of 20 thousand meters it is already about 295 meters per second. But already at an altitude of about 25 thousand meters and as it rises to more than 50 thousand meters, the temperature of the atmosphere begins to gradually increase compared to the lower layers, and with it the local speed of sound increases.

The increase in temperature at these altitudes is explained, among other things, by the high concentration of ozone in the air, which forms the ozone shield and absorbs part of the solar energy. As a result, the speed of sound at an altitude of 30 thousand meters above the sea is about 318 meters per second, and at an altitude of 50 thousand - almost 330 meters per second. In aviation, Mach number is widely used to measure flight speed. In simple terms, it expresses the local speed of sound for a specific altitude, density and air temperature. Thus, the speed of a conventional flight, equal to two Mach numbers, at sea level will be 2383 kilometers per hour, and at an altitude of 10 thousand meters - 2157 kilometers per hour. For the first time, American pilot Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier at a speed of Mach 1.04 (1066 kilometers per hour) at an altitude of 12.2 thousand meters in 1947. This was an important step towards the development of supersonic flights.

In the 1950s, aircraft designers in several countries around the world began working on designs for supersonic passenger aircraft. As a result, the French Concorde and the Soviet Tu-144 appeared in the 1970s. These were the first and so far the only passenger supersonic aircraft in the world. Both types of aircraft used conventional turbojet engines optimized for long-term operation in supersonic flight. Tu-144 were in service until 1977. The planes flew at a speed of 2.3 thousand kilometers per hour and could carry up to 140 passengers. However, tickets for their flights cost on average 2.5–3 times more than usual. Low demand for fast but expensive flights, as well as general difficulties in operating and maintaining the Tu-144, led to their removal from passenger flights. However, the aircraft were used for some time in test flights, including under a contract with NASA.

Concorde served much longer - until 2003. Flights on French airliners were also expensive and were not very popular, but France and Great Britain continued to operate them. The cost of one ticket for such a flight was, in terms of today's prices, about 20 thousand dollars. The French Concorde flew at a speed of just over two thousand kilometers per hour. The plane could cover the distance from Paris to New York in 3.5 hours. Depending on configuration, Concorde could carry from 92 to 120 people.

The Concorde story ended unexpectedly and quickly. In 2000, the Concorde plane crash occurred, in which 113 people died. A year later, a crisis began in passenger air travel caused by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 (two hijacked planes with passengers crashed into the World Trade Center towers in New York, another, third, into the Pentagon building in Arlington County, and a fourth crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania). Then the warranty period for Concorde aircraft, which was handled by Airbus, expired. All these factors together made the operation of supersonic passenger aircraft extremely unprofitable, and in the summer and autumn of 2003, Air France and British Airways one by one wrote off all Concordes.

After the closure of the Concorde program in 2003, there was still hope for the return of supersonic passenger aircraft to service. Designers hoped for new efficient engines, aerodynamic calculations and computer-aided design systems that could make supersonic flights economically affordable. But in 2006 and 2008, the International Civil Aviation Organization adopted new aircraft noise standards that banned, among other things, all supersonic flights over populated land in peacetime. This ban does not apply to air corridors specifically designated for military aviation. Work on projects for new supersonic aircraft has slowed down, but today they have begun to gain momentum again.

Quiet supersonic

Today, several enterprises and government organizations in the world are developing supersonic passenger aircraft. Such projects, in particular, are carried out by the Russian companies Sukhoi and Tupolev, the Zhukovsky Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute, the French Dassault, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, the European concern Airbus, the American Lockheed Martin and Boeing, as well as several startups, including Aerion and Boom Technologies. In general, designers were divided into two camps. Representatives of the first of them believe that it will not be possible to develop a “quiet” supersonic aircraft that matches the noise level of subsonic airliners in the near future, which means that it is necessary to build a fast passenger aircraft that will switch to supersonic where it is allowed. This approach, the designers from the first camp believe, will still reduce the flight time from one point to another.

Designers from the second camp primarily focused on combating shock waves. When flying at supersonic speed, an aircraft's airframe generates many shock waves, the most significant of which occur in the nose and tail area. In addition, shock waves typically occur at the leading and trailing edges of the wing, at the leading edges of the tail, at the swirler areas, and at the edges of air intakes. A shock wave is a region in which the pressure, density and temperature of a medium experience a sudden and strong jump. By observers on the ground, such waves are perceived as a loud bang or even an explosion - it is because of this that supersonic flights over populated land are prohibited.

The effect of an explosion or a very loud bang is produced by so-called N-type shock waves, which are formed when a bomb explodes or on the glider of a supersonic fighter. On a graph of pressure and density growth, such waves resemble the letter N of the Latin alphabet due to a sharp increase in pressure at the wave front with a sharp drop in pressure after it and subsequent normalization. In laboratory experiments, researchers at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency found that changing the shape of the airframe can smooth out the peaks in the shock wave graph, turning it into an S-type wave. Such a wave has a smooth pressure drop that is not as significant as that of an N-wave. NASA experts believe that S-waves will be perceived by observers as a distant slam of a car door.

N-wave (red) before aerodynamic optimization of a supersonic glider and a similarity to the S-wave after optimization

In 2015, Japanese designers assembled the D-SEND 2 unmanned glider, whose aerodynamic shape was designed to reduce the number of shock waves generated on it and their intensity. In July 2015, the developers tested the airframe at the Esrange missile test site in Sweden and noted a significant reduction in the number of shock waves generated on the surface of the new airframe. During the test, D-SEND 2, not equipped with engines, was dropped from a balloon from a height of 30.5 thousand meters. During the fall, the 7.9-meter-long glider picked up a speed of Mach 1.39 and flew past tethered balloons equipped with microphones located at different heights. At the same time, the researchers measured not only the intensity and number of shock waves, but also analyzed the influence of the state of the atmosphere on their early occurrence.

According to the Japanese agency, the sonic boom from aircraft comparable in size to the Concorde supersonic passenger jets and designed according to the D-SEND 2 design, when flying at supersonic speeds, will be half as intense as before. The Japanese D-SEND 2 differs from the gliders of conventional modern aircraft in the non-axisymmetric arrangement of the nose. The keel of the vehicle is shifted towards the bow, and the horizontal tail unit is all-moving and has a negative installation angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the airframe, that is, the tips of the empennage are located below the attachment point, and not above, as usual. The glider wing has a normal sweep, but is stepped: it smoothly mates with the fuselage, and part of its leading edge is located at an acute angle to the fuselage, but closer to the trailing edge this angle increases sharply.

According to a similar scheme, a supersonic American startup Aerion is currently being created and is being developed by Lockheed Martin for NASA. The Russian (Supersonic Business Aircraft/Supersonic Passenger Aircraft) is also being designed with an emphasis on reducing the number and intensity of shock waves. Some of the fast passenger aircraft projects are planned to be completed in the first half of the 2020s, but aviation regulations will not yet be revised by then. This means that the new aircraft will initially perform supersonic flights only over water. The fact is that in order to lift the restriction on supersonic flights over populated land, developers will have to conduct many tests and submit their results to aviation authorities, including the US Federal Aviation Administration and the European Aviation Safety Agency.

S-512 / Spike Aerospace

New engines

Another serious obstacle to the creation of a serial passenger supersonic aircraft is the engines. Designers have already found many ways to make turbojet engines more economical than they were ten to twenty years ago. This includes the use of gearboxes that remove the rigid coupling of the fan and turbine in the engine, and the use of ceramic composite materials that allow optimizing the temperature balance in the hot zone of the power plant, and even the introduction of an additional third air circuit in addition to the already existing two, internal and external. In the field of creating economical subsonic engines, designers have already achieved amazing results, and ongoing new developments promise significant savings. You can read more about promising research in our material.

But, despite all these developments, it is still difficult to call supersonic flight economical. For example, a promising supersonic passenger aircraft from the startup Boom Technologies will receive three turbofan engines of the JT8D family from Pratt & Whitney or the J79 from GE Aviation. In cruising flight, the specific fuel consumption of these engines is about 740 grams per kilogram-force per hour. In this case, the J79 engine can be equipped with an afterburner, which increases fuel consumption to two kilograms per kilogram-force per hour. This consumption is comparable to the fuel consumption of engines, for example, of the Su-27 fighter, whose tasks are significantly different from transporting passengers.

For comparison, the specific fuel consumption of the world's only serial turbofan engines D-27, installed on the Ukrainian An-70 transport aircraft, is only 140 grams per kilogram-force per hour. The American CFM56 engine, a “classic” of Boeing and Airbus airliners, has a specific fuel consumption of 545 grams per kilogram-force per hour. This means that without a major redesign of jet aircraft engines, supersonic flights will not become cheap enough to become widespread, and will only be in demand in business aviation - high fuel consumption leads to higher ticket prices. It will also not be possible to reduce the high cost of supersonic air transportation by volume - the aircraft being designed today are designed to carry from 8 to 45 passengers. Conventional planes can accommodate more than a hundred people.

However, in early October of this year, GE Aviation projected a new Affinity turbofan jet engine. These power plants are planned to be installed on Aerion's promising AS2 supersonic passenger aircraft. The new power plant structurally combines the features of jet engines with a low bypass ratio for combat aircraft and power plants with a high bypass ratio for passenger aircraft. At the same time, there are no new or breakthrough technologies in Affinity. GE Aviation classifies the new engine as a power plant with a medium bypass ratio.

The engine is based on a modified gas generator from the CFM56 turbofan engine, which in turn is structurally based on the gas generator from the F101, the power plant for the B-1B Lancer supersonic bomber. The power plant will receive an upgraded electronic digital engine control system with full responsibility. The developers did not disclose any details about the design of the promising engine. However, GE Aviation expects that the specific fuel consumption of the Affinity engines will not be much higher than or even comparable to the fuel consumption of modern turbofan engines of conventional subsonic passenger aircraft. How this can be achieved for supersonic flight is not clear.

Boom / Boom Technologies

Projects

Despite the many projects of supersonic passenger aircraft in the world (including even the unrealized project of converting the Tu-160 strategic bomber into a supersonic passenger airliner proposed by Russian President Vladimir Putin), the AS2 of the American startup Aerion, S-512, can be considered the closest to flight testing and small-scale production Spanish Spike Aerospace and Boom American Boom Technologies. The first is planned to fly at Mach 1.5, the second at Mach 1.6, and the third at Mach 2.2. The X-59 aircraft, created by Lockheed Martin for NASA, will be a technology demonstrator and a flying laboratory; there are no plans to launch it into production.

Boom Technologies has already announced that they will try to make flights on supersonic aircraft very cheap. For example, the cost of a flight on the route New York - London was estimated by Boom Technologies at five thousand dollars. This is how much it costs today to fly on this route in business class on a regular subsonic airliner. The Boom airliner will fly at subsonic speed over populated land and switch to supersonic speed over the ocean. The aircraft, with a length of 52 meters and a wingspan of 18 meters, will be able to carry up to 45 passengers. By the end of 2018, Boom Technologies plans to select one of several new aircraft projects for implementation in metal. The first flight of the airliner is planned for 2025. The company postponed these deadlines; Boom was originally scheduled to fly in 2023.

According to preliminary calculations, the length of the AS2 aircraft, designed for 8-12 passengers, will be 51.8 meters, and the wingspan will be 18.6 meters. The maximum take-off weight of the supersonic aircraft will be 54.8 tons. AS2 will fly over water at a cruising speed of Mach 1.4-1.6, slowing to Mach 1.2 over land. The somewhat lower flight speed over land, coupled with the special aerodynamic shape of the airframe, will, as the developers expect, almost completely avoid the formation of shock waves. The aircraft's flight range at a speed of Mach 1.4 will be 7.8 thousand kilometers and 10 thousand kilometers at a speed of Mach 0.95. The first flight of the aircraft is planned for the summer of 2023, and the first transatlantic flight will take place in October of the same year. Its developers will mark the 20th anniversary of the last flight of Concorde.

Finally, Spike Aerospace plans to begin flight testing a full prototype of the S-512 no later than 2021. Deliveries of the first production aircraft to customers are scheduled for 2023. According to the project, the S-512 will be able to carry up to 22 passengers at speeds up to Mach 1.6. The flight range of this aircraft will be 11.5 thousand kilometers. Since October last year, Spike Aerospace has launched several scaled-down models of supersonic aircraft. Their purpose is to test the design solutions and effectiveness of flight control elements. All three promising passenger aircraft are being created with an emphasis on a special aerodynamic shape that will reduce the intensity of shock waves generated during supersonic flight.

In 2017, the volume of air passenger traffic worldwide amounted to four billion people, of which 650 million made long-haul flights ranging from 3.7 to 13 thousand kilometers. 72 million long-haul passengers flew first and business class. It is these 72 million people that developers of supersonic passenger planes are targeting first, believing that they will gladly pay a little more money for the opportunity to spend about half as much time in the air as usual. However, supersonic passenger aviation will most likely begin to actively develop after 2025. The fact is that research flights of the X-59 laboratory will begin only in 2021 and will last several years.

The research results obtained during the X-59 flights, including over volunteer settlements (their residents agreed to have supersonic planes fly over them on weekdays; after the flights, observers will tell the researchers about their perception of noise), it is planned to transfer to FAA review. It is expected that on their basis it may revise the ban on supersonic flights over populated land, but this will not happen before 2025.

Vasily Sychev

The development of supersonic engine technology prompted designers to use it in the design of passenger airliners. Such developments were supposed to increase the intensity of long-distance flights, reducing flight times and increasing the flow of passengers.

The first aircraft capable of carrying passengers at supersonic speeds were the Anglo-French Concorde and the Soviet Tu 144. In matters of design, one can argue about the primacy of development, but it was Tupolev’s aircraft that was the first to take off.

Tu-144 is considered one of the best passenger airliners of its time. However, the aircraft never received widespread use either in the country or abroad. The main reason was the high cost of maintenance with low return on investment, which made commercial transportation economically unprofitable.

History of the development of the Tu-144 supersonic passenger aircraft

The origins of work on the Tu-144 are usually associated with similar developments in Great Britain and France. The first developments in these countries in the field of supersonic airliners began in 1956, when the largest aviation organizations in the UK were merged. In 1962, the efforts of Great Britain and France were combined in the Concorde project.

Soviet engineers knew about developments from international exhibitions. In this direction, we conducted our own research, which was supported by the resolution of the CPSU Central Committee on the creation of the Tu-144 dated July 16, 1963.

The overall design of the Soviet aircraft was similar to the Concorde under development. In 1965, Soviet engineers began to actively collaborate with Anglo-French developers. In the same year, construction began on the first Tu-144 aircraft and its copy for static testing.

To test the wing of the new airliner, a lightweight MiG-21I model was developed on the basis of a light fighter. Test flights of this modification began in 1968. On December 31 of the same year, the Tu-144 also made its first flight, beating the Anglo-French Concorde by two months. The first to test the Tu 144 was Eduard Elyan.

On June 5, 1969, a Tupolev plane at an altitude of 11 km reached speeds above sound. On May 25 of the following year, at an altitude of 16.3 km, he flew at a speed of 2150 km/h, breaking the Mach 2 mark.

Tests of the flight model, as well as the experience of the Anglo-French aircraft, formed the basis for the modification of the Tu-144C, oriented towards mass production. Construction of the first such airliner began in 1968, the first flight took place on June 1, 1971.

Design features of the airliner

In designing the supersonic aircraft, engineers relied on the experience of creating the Tu-22 and M-50. The latest scientific achievements were also involved in the development, which made the Tu-144 one of the best aircraft of its time.

The design features of this aircraft include the following aspects:

• the airliner is a low-wing aircraft designed according to the “tailless” design;
• in the lower part of the fuselage there are four propulsion, bypass, jet engines, supplemented by an auxiliary power unit;
• the nose of the aircraft up to the cockpit deviates during takeoff and landing;
• the landing gear is tricycle, has a safety tail heel;
• all major aircraft systems, including electrical and hydraulic, have four reserves.

The design of the Tu-144 wings does not include wheel arch liners or flaps. Instead, a horizontal front tail is used, which is retractable in flight. Engine thrust reverse is also not provided; instead, there are powerful disc brakes. A braking parachute could be used to reduce speed during landing.

Taking into account the high loads at supersonic speeds, the design of the airliner uses materials unusual for aircraft. A special type of fuel TS-6 and synthetic oil were used. Thin sheets of stainless steel are used in the fuselage tail skin. The portholes are made of heat-resistant plexiglass containing fluorine.

At the same time, the first aircraft, taking into account modifications, differed in design. The serial Tu-144S already had differences from the first model:

• the fuselage has become longer, the aerodynamics of the nose have been optimized;
• the maneuverability of the aircraft has been improved, and the landing speed has been reduced by 15% compared to Concorde;
• the wing area was modified and increased, which improved aerodynamics at cruising speed;
• the twin engine nacelles were moved apart, which reduced heat and vibration of the fuselage;
• The chassis was changed, the main struts were placed under the engine nacelles.

The changes made significantly increased the take-off weight of the aircraft - up to 190 tons instead of 150. At the same time, the number of passengers carried was increased, not counting the general improvement in aerodynamic performance.

Interior layout and seating arrangement

Tu-144 aircraft have several variants of passenger seat layouts. The most common is the division into two departments of a mixed or general type. In the first case, increased comfort seats are provided, which can be compared with modern business class.

A distinctive feature of the interior layout is the front seats. In modern airplanes, these are considered the most attractive due to the lack of front seats and the presence of more legroom. In the Tu-144, the front seats are made in a paired version with tables.

The division of the seats also varies: the bulk of the seats are located in 3 and 2 on each side. Closer to the rear, where the cabin narrows, the seats are arranged in pairs. Places of increased comfort are arranged with two and one chair on each side.

Technical and flight characteristics of the Tu-144

The flight performance characteristics of the Tu-144 are presented by the following indicators:

• length - 65.695 m;
• wingspan - 28 m;
• wing area - 503 sq. m;
• height - 12.5 m;
• fuselage diameter - 3.3 m;
• wing sweep - 57°;
• longitudinal chassis base - 19.63 m;
• track width - 6.05 m;
• turning radius - 48 m;
• permissible take-off weight - 195 t, normal - 180 t;
• permissible landing weight - 120 t;
• fuel consumption - 39 t/h;
• cruising subsonic and supersonic speed - M=0.85 and M=2, respectively;
• permissible overload - M=2.3;
• flight range - 3100 km;
• flight altitude at cruising speed - 15 km, permissible limit - 19 km;
• crew - 4 people.

The presented performance characteristics refer to aircraft with NK-144A engines. Depending on the modification and assembly, flight performance may differ in flight length, capacity, dimensions and other aspects.

Flight safety

The characteristics of the Tu-144 are distinguished by high safety indicators. The main emphasis is on creating redundant hydraulic, electrical and control systems, which makes aircraft control more reliable, regardless of flight conditions.

Here we should highlight the on-board computer, which is capable of automatically landing the plane in any weather, regardless of the time of day. The advanced automatic flight condition monitoring system was new, but its creation and integration were successful.

Over the short history of operation, several incidents related to Tu-144 accidents are known. In 1973, the plane crashed during a demonstration flight near Paris. The crew members and 8 people on the ground were killed. The reason is considered to be too sharp maneuvering.

Incidents involving test flights of the Tu-144D occurred in 1978 and 1980. In the first case, two flight engineers were killed when they were unable to escape due to structural deformation. The reason was a fuel fire in the engine nacelle area. In the second case, one of the engines collapsed at an altitude of 16 km, but the crew managed to land the plane.

During the history of operation of the Tu-144, no accidents involving the death of passengers occurred. This is explained not so much by the reliability of the airliner as by the short period of its use. However, all technical data and flight characteristics show a high level of safety for its time.

Advantages and disadvantages of an airliner

The main advantage of the Tu-144 is associated with fast flights at supersonic speeds. In this matter, comparisons with the Anglo-French Concorde are not ignored, considering the Soviet airliner a completely borrowed development.

Such a comparison has no basis. Soviet and French engineers actively collaborated on the creation of the Tu-144. However, a number of technical and flight characteristics of aircraft differ. The Soviet airliner is more powerful, has a greater carrying capacity due to an increase in take-off weight.

The front horizontal tail on the wings increased the maneuverability of the Tu-144 and shortened the take-off run length required for takeoff. This also made it possible to slow down faster when landing. As a result, the aircraft was able to be accepted at more airports than Concorde.

However, it was not without a significant drawback - flight range. In some modifications this figure was increased, but remained a significant limitation for the use of the aircraft. The Tu-144 turned out to be more expensive to operate, which made it economically unfeasible.

Modifications of the Tu-144 aircraft

Modifications of the Tu-144 airliner began to be designed at the stage of development of the main model. The first aircraft were largely experimental, and therefore had certain differences from each other in technical terms. At the same time, in addition to passenger modifications, military ones were also developed.

The first supersonic passenger aircraft Tu-144 powered by Nk-144 engines became the base model. It has significant differences from subsequent production liners and is considered a separate model. Distinctive features are the shape of the wings, the placement of the landing gear and engines, the length and shape of the fuselage, and the ejection of the pilot's seats.

TU-144 VTA

The Tu-144 VTA modification was designed as a military aircraft for supersonic transportation of passengers and cargo. However, the aircraft remained an unrealized project.

TU-144DA

Tu-144DA is a modification of the Tu-144D, designed to increase the flight range. Powered by 61 engines, it has an increased fuel supply and take-off weight.

TU-144K

Tu-144K is a missile aircraft project developed in the 1970s. It was intended to develop several such aircraft for long-distance transport.

TU-144P

Tu-144P is another experimental modification for military purposes. The main task is interference with electronics. Developed on the basis of 144D for the navy.

TU-14PR

Modification of jammer 144P. Purpose - reconnaissance. The project was developed in the 1970s and was not widely used.

Aircraft operation

The Tu-144 was considered the leading aircraft of its time. The most experienced pilots and the most beautiful flight attendants flew on it. In fact, the airliner became the face of USSR civil aviation for the whole world.

Active operation of the aircraft in commercial air transportation began in 1977 and lasted about a year. The problem with the supersonic airliner was the high cost of operation. For Soviet citizens, the price of tickets turned out to be too high. Over the entire period of use of these aircraft in civil aviation, a little more than three thousand passengers were transported.

The accidents of 1978 and 1980 played a significant role in the decommissioning of the aircraft. Despite the absence of mass casualties, they showed the likelihood of catastrophic consequences of using such airliners.

Taking into account the inexpediency of its use, the Tu-144 was withdrawn from service in passenger aviation and was used for some time for cargo transportation. The last flight took place in 1999. Currently, most of the aircraft have been decommissioned into museums. Of these, only three aircraft remained capable of taking off after repair.

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them

Post for the birthday of the great Russian aircraft designer Tupolev ">Post for the birthday of the great Russian aircraft designer Tupolev " alt="TU-144. The sad story of an aircraft that was ahead of its time Post for the birthday of the great Russian aircraft designer Tupolev!}">

Today, on the birthday of Andrei Nikolaevich Tupolev (1988-1972), the legendary aircraft manufacturer who designed more than 100 aircraft, Babr decided to recall a post about the pinnacle of aircraft engineering thought, about the legend, and, in our opinion, the best passenger aircraft in the history of mankind - Tu- 144 and his tragic fate

Once upon a time, in childhood, many Soviet boys had a model of an unusual airplane on a shelf in their room, bowing its nose like a heron. Unusual contours, huge engines and funny “ears” - everything said that this was not just a plane with the inscription USSR on its triangular wings.

From Mokva to Turkey in 40 minutes!

The plane is interesting because that it was the only supersonic passenger aircraft in the USSR.

For those who are not strong in physics, he flew 2 times faster than the speed of sound. Those. if he were flying awayshout something after the plane, the plane will fly away faster than the sound reaches it. At two times.

From Moscow to Turkey the plane flew in 40 minutes at a speed of 2200km/h, and nothing prevented you from ending up in America 3.5 hours after takeoff.

After flying on such a huge speed, the wings and skin of the “Carcass” heated up to 150 degrees.The pilots even joked: “When we land, put the kettle on the wing and brew some tea.”

Flight routes and projected profitability of flights when fully loaded with passengers.

Just think about it: work on the creation of the Tu-144 began in the mid-50s of the 20th century, just 10 years after the end of the War! Just imagine the incredible level of progress our country has achieved, despite being half in ruins!

Of similar aircraft in the world except Tu-144 there was only the well-known Concorde, so in the history of aviation there were only two supersonic passenger aircraft in the USSR and jointly in England and France.

It is worth noting that our Tu-144 was the first to be put into operation, namely on December 31, 1968. The first Concorde took off on March 2, 1969.

November 1, 1977- the start of operation of the world's first supersonic passenger aircraft Tu-144 - the first flight No. 499 of this airliner was carried out on the route Domodedovo - Alma-Ata. The ticket cost 83 rubles 70 kopecks (22 rubles more expensive than the Il-62 or Tu-154). For comparison, 83 rubles is more than half the average salary of that time. There was a funny thing: after boarding the passengers and sealing the cabin, the airfield services were unable to clear the ramp - the batteries were dead. The fact is that special high-height escalators were built for the Tu-144, powered by electric batteries. They caused the incident, as a result of which the departure of the supersonic Tu-144 was delayed for half an hour.

For the first time in history domestic civil aviation, food on board the Tu-144 was served in individual packaging on trays served on the ground. Everyone who flew a Tu-144 had a stamp in their passport: “I flew a Tu-144.” And even the tickets for this plane were special, with special markings - the type of aircraft “Tu-144” was indicated in the upper right corner.

Aeroflot pilots Only co-pilots flew on such aircraft; test pilots from the Tupolev design bureau were always appointed commanders of the aircraft. In total, 55 flights were made and 3,194 passengers were transported. The Tu-144 also had 11 first class seats, apparently for very influential passengers.

Unusual nose design The TU-144 was due to its high flight speed and swept-back fuselage: during takeoff and landing, the nose “pecked down” and straightened out during flight. Of course, it would be possible to fly and land with the nose extended, but then the pilots would not be able to see the runway.

“The shapes of the supersonic passenger airliner Tu-144 are elegant and swift... The spacious cabins of the aircraft, the color scheme of which can be made taking into account the traditions of individual airlines, can comfortably accommodate 120 passengers... Short travel time, high regularity of flights, excellent comfort for passengers, flexibility and efficiency in using the aircraft - all this opens it up for its operation on many airlines.”

Number of serial production units built Tu-144 (16 units) and Concorde (20 units) were approximately the same, but unlike the Tushka, the French aircraft were in active operation until the 90s, although it was unprofitable - it received money from the state.

London ticket price- New York in 1986 was 2745 USD. Only very wealthy and busy people, for whom the formula “time is money” is the main credo of existence, could and can afford such expensive flights. There are such people in the West, and for them, flying on Concorde is a natural saving of time and money. In the USSR, there were no rich business people for whom time would turn into money. So, the service market that was supposed to satisfy the Tu-144 simply did not exist in the USSR. The plane obviously had to become largely unprofitable for Aeroflot, flying half empty.

Therefore, the creation program The Tu-144 can to a large extent be attributed to the country's prestige program, which is not met by the real economic needs of the domestic aviation services market.

At the time of preparing this post, Babr involuntarily drew an analogy between the TU-144 project and the BAM. Bothprojects - unimaginable in their scale and ambition, at the peak of humanIn reality, practically no one needed the opportunities.

Currently, none of the 144 are in operation. Some of them, after several flights, were scrapped, while others are museum exhibits. For example, the Civil Aviation Museum in Ulyanovsk has preserved one of the Tu-144s in very good condition. For a small fee, you will be shown around the cabin and even allowed into the cockpit of the legendary aircraft, which made only 8 flights. Being inside, an unusual feeling arises - a feeling of touching something grandiose, huge ambitions and the colossal work of its creators.