Planning A New Life Run With The 214 The Tupolev Tu-204. Designed and produced to replace the Tu-154 trijet, the Tu-204 is great for both cargo and passenger applications, making it a wonderful addition to most airlines. There are currently 69 of these planes in service around the world, servicing customers in many different areas.
The Tu-204 is a medium-range airliner that relies on twin engines to easily carry up to 210 passengers. Intended to be the equivalent of the Boeing 757, this airliner is designed to be a bit more competitive and to have better fuel efficiency and a lower payload and range. It has undergone many variants and updates to create the powerful plane that is so common in the skies today.
Development
Developed to be available with a number of layouts, the Tu-204 is very customizable. The first certificate for this plane was issued in 1994, with multiple variants following soon after. Designed with new equipment and updates, the Tu-204 is available with either foreign or Russian avionics. It has tails and wings that will resist ice building up.
The Tu-204/204C is the basic model of the plane, designed for passengers. The Tu-204C is the cargo model, perfectly designed for handling lots of cargo with ease.
The Tu-204-100/200 was certified in 1995, designed to carry more fuel for a further range.
Other variants include the Tu-204-120, Tu-204-300, and Tu-204-500.
Orders and Deliveries
There have been many airlines around the world that have ordered the Tu-204. Some of the customers that use the majority of this powerful plane are Air China Cargo, Palestinian Authority, China Cargo Airlines, Transaero, Icaro Air, and Red Wings.
Design
Designed to function for cargo transport, passengers, or a combination of both, the Tu-204 is easy to adapt to certain needs. The fuselage on this plane is much shorter than on other aircraft, and it has modern winglets and wings. Built in Ulyanovsk, the Tu-204 is put together in a modern and large factory.
There were around 700 design innovations introduced in the creation of this aircraft. Tupolev Design Bureau worked hard to improve the technical, aerodynamic, and structural function and performance of the Tu-204.
Flight Deck
One thing that sets this jetliner apart from others is the fact that it has such an advanced flight deck. The cockpit is large and able to easily accommodate three people. There are six screens in the cockpit, all displaying pertinent data for the flight.
Additionally, there are electronic flight instrumentation systems, fly-by-wire systems, a voice recorder, weather radar, and other equipment.
The glass cockpit is highly advanced, although it was changed in later variants. The Tu-204SM, for example, has a cockpit only designed for use by two people. It has an updated computer, flight management system, LCD displays, and diagnostic system.
Cabin
The spacious cabin is designed to be very comfortable for passengers. Up to 210 passengers can easily fly in a single class layout. If updated to a two or three class layout, the Tu-204 has room for 164 to 193 passengers.
A divided cabin is split into business and economy class. The business class passengers sit in a 2-2 seating arrangement, while the economy class passengers sit in a 3-3 arrangement. There are removable curtains to separate the two classes.
With plenty of overhead light under the bins and room to move around, the cabin is comfortable. It measures 2.16 m high, 30.18 m long, and 3.57 m wide. It is also very quiet, ensuring that passengers can enjoy a quiet ride, and the seats are spacious, with plenty of room in the overhead bins for storage.
Engines
The Tu-204 gets its power from twin Aviadvigatel PS-90A turbofan engines. These engines each provide 157kN of thrust during take-off. The engines are fitted with fans, thrust reversers, core air flows, and a system for absorbing noise.
Equipped with sound attenuation systems, these engines easily meet stage four noise requirements. Additionally, the engines have monitoring systems and electronic controls. These allow for troubleshooting and help during operation.
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Performance
This plane can easily reach a speed of 900 km/h, with a cruising speed of 850 km/h. It has a service ceiling of 12,600 m and a range of 4,300 km.
The Tu-204 weighs 21,000 kg and has a max take-off weight of an impressive 103,000 kg.
Landing Gear
This aircraft features the typical tricycle type retractable landing gear that is so common on this type of plane.
Competitors
Designed to compete with the Boeing 757, the Tu-204 has some other competitors, as well. The Airbus A321 is a similar plane, and the McDonnell Douglas MD-90 is another competitor.
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