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Aviation History
1989
1989 - 0060.PDF
Tupolev Tu-204 makes first flight by Peter Middleton The Tupolev Tu-204 airliner made its first flight on January 2, after delays attributed by the Soviets to the late delivery of its Soloviev PS-90A turbofans. The 214-seat, twin-engined medium-haul airliner, whose nearest Western equivalent is the Boeing 757, features a range of modern technologies, including triplicated digital fly-by-wire flight controls with three-channel analogue backup. Like those of the Airbus A320, they are designed to prevent the aircraft being flown outside its normal flight envelope, but the Soviets have released insufficient informa tion for the sophistication of the system to be assessed. The Tu-204 combines reduced static stability (and hence lower trim drag) with a supercritical wing section and winglets to optimise cruise economics. Fuel is pumped, under digital control, into a fin tank to move the e.g. rearwards by up to 10 per cent of wing chord during cruise. Fin fuel is transferred back to wing tanks at the top of descent, to increase stability margins. The cockpit is designed for two-crew operation, but provision is made for a forward- facing flight engineer. Tupolev has moved towards the side- stick controls of the A320 by mounting small-deflection "ramshorn" controls between the pilots and their full-colour digital electronic flight instru mentation system. The flight control system provides for fully automatic operation from take-off to touchdown, with Category III blind landing capability. Conflict-alert and ground- proximity warning systems are also fitted, along with auto mated checklists and what the Soviets describe as the Tu-204 <£ The Tupolev Tu-204, which recently made its maiden flight, is powered by 16-tonne-thrust Soloviev PS-90A turbofans "automatic search-free" estab lishment of communications with air traffic control. It has a "dark" cockpit philosophy, under which lighting is "zoned" to reduce crew stress and switchlights are illuminated only to warn of failures. The passenger cabin, seating between 174 and 214, will be furnished to the latest fire-safety standards, say the Soviets. Tupolev says that the Tu-204 matches its flightdeck and aerodynamic efficiency with advanced lightweight struc tures, using not only new high- strength aluminium alloys and steels, but also aluminium- lithium and "carbon, glass, organic and hybrid composites". Carbon brakes contribute to a total weight saving of 1,200kg from the use of composites. Tupolev says that the struc tural efficiency and resulting low empty weight of the Tu-204 contributes to its sprightly take off. Its makers claim that it can fly from a 2,500m runway at an elevation of 1,200ft, on a 30°C day, while meeting Inter national Civil Aviation Organisation noise regulations. Assisting this performance are full-span leading-edge slats, combined with double-slotted flaps which have substantial <^ZI Fowler extension at low deflection angles, requiring complex guide rails. The Tu-204's engines are 16-tonne-thrust Soloviev PS- 90A turbofans. The engine is a modern, efficient, electronically controlled unit with a bypass ratio of 4 • 7:1, a pressure ratio of 33-8:1, turbine gas temperature of 1,292°C, and specific fuel consumption of 0-58kg/kg/hr in Mach 0-8 cruise at 36,000ft. Figures for the 18-2 tonne- thrust Rolls-Royce RB.211- 535E4 are 4-3:1, 25-8:1, and between 1,250°C and 1,350°C, with a comparable specific fuel consumption. The Soloviev engine, which weighs in at 2,800kg, compared with 3,295kg for the -535E4, BMA 737's 'engines Double engine failure is suspected in the January 8 crash of a British Midland Airways Boeing 737-400. The aircraft, on a scheduled flight from London Heathrow to Belfast Aldergrove with 117 passengers and eight crew on board, crashed half a mile short of East Midlands Airport near Derby at 2010hr local time. There were 43 fatalities. British Midland chairman Michael Bishop says that the pilot had reported "severe vibration" in one of the 737's General Electric/Snecma CFM56 engines when the aircraft was about lOmin out of Heathrow. He shut the engine down, satisfactorily extin guished an engine fire, and requested diversion to East Midlands. At this point every thing seemed to be under control, with the aircraft flying satisfactorily on one engine. About 20min after take-off from Heathrow the 737 began the approach to Runway 27 at East Midlands. At some stage during the approach the captain reported trouble with the "other" engine, an apparent reference to the port CFM56. Witnesses on the ground reported hearing a banging sound from the engine, and on 2 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 14 January 1989
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