Tupolev flies Tu-214 jet with Russian components
An old Tupolev Tu-214 that had been in storage since 2015 and was recovered by United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) has begun test flights with Russian components, the state-owned company said.
The narrow-body commercial jet is being prepared to return to series production after Western sanctions prevented the sale of modern aircraft to the country.
Similar to a Boeing 757, the Tu-214 is an aircraft of antiquated design, with inefficient turbofan engines and a three-man cockpit, a configuration that has been discontinued since the 1980s in the West.
UAC, however, said that the Tu-214 will have an upgraded flight deck to operate with only the captain and co-pilot, in order to reduce its operating costs.
“Based on this machine, we will continue flight tests, further modernization and development of the Tu-214 platform, including the creation of a two-member cockpit,” Konstantin Timofeev, Tupolev’s managing director.
The Tu-214, registration 64509, belonged to Transaero and was repainted in UAC colors.
The aircraft, however, is intended to be a bridge for Russian carriers until the more modern SJ-100 and MC-21 reach higher production rates on the assembly line.
Both programs are significantly behind schedule due to difficulties in developing domestic components. The SJ-100, for example, has not yet flown with the PD-8 engine, which will replace the SaM-146 turbofan produced in partnership with Safran.
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