Tu 134 specifications. Regional passenger aircraft

Tu-134- a regional passenger aircraft developed in the OKB im. Tupolev in the early 1960s. One of the most massive passenger aircraft produced in the USSR, in total, in the period from 1966 to 1989, 854 units of various modifications were produced. The aircraft was operated in the USSR and allied countries.

History of Tu-134

In the early 1960s, global civil aviation was entering the era of jetliners. The first Tu-104 jet aircraft in the USSR was used only on international and especially busy intra-union lines, while obsolete aircraft were used on regional routes. The need for a new jet aircraft capable of carrying at least 40 people at a distance of about 2000 kilometers at a speed of 800-900 km / h has become obvious.

However, the aircraft was not designed with clean slate. The Tu-124 liner served as the base for it. The base aircraft has undergone significant changes, including the transfer of engines to tail section, lengthening the fuselage and changing the scheme of the tail unit. The first prototypes were produced in 1963 and began to perform flight tests.

By 1965, the aircraft received the designation Tu-134 and finally replaced the predecessor Tu-124. A year later, serial production began at the Kharkov Aviation Production Association, where it was produced for 18 years until 1984.

The first production aircraft were handed over to Aeroflot in 1966. The Tu-134 was actively exported: in 1968, the first aircraft were sold to the East German airline Interflug, and a little later, to the Polish LOT.

By the beginning of 1972, most of the Tu-134 was operated on international flights, however, after the crash of the An-10 near Kharkov in 1972, it was decided to abandon the obsolete aircraft and replace it with the Tu-134 on domestic flights. Since then, for a decade, this aircraft has been the main workhorse of regional air travel.

Until the early 1990s, the Tu-134 fleet transported about 500 million passengers to the USSR alone and today continues to operate on the lines of the CIS countries and the Air Force. In addition to passenger transportation, some modifications are used in military and agricultural aviation.

Currently, the aircraft are being decommissioned because they are morally and physically obsolete. Some cars are installed as monuments.

Tu-134 design

Tu-134 is a short-haul passenger aircraft with two bypass engines installed in the rear fuselage. The tail unit is T-shaped (horizontal stabilizers are raised to the top of the keel). Swept wing, located according to the low-wing scheme with built-in caisson fuel tanks and the main legs of the four-wheeled landing gear.

Tu-134 video: Aeroflot-Plus (Jetalliance East) RA-65559 aircraft landing

Tu-134 modifications

Tu-134 (1966-1970)
The first series of liners, produced between 1966 and 1970 in the amount of 78 units, took on board from 64 passengers. Initially, the aircraft had the designation Tu-124A and only later became officially referred to as Tu-134. The aircraft of the first series were equipped with a glazed nose and a drag parachute.
Tu-134A (1970-1980)
Starting from 1970, the large-scale production of the Tu-134A model began, which lasted 10 years. The aircraft was equipped with more economical D-30 engines with thrust reverser, which made it possible to abandon the brake parachute and integrate the APU instead. The fuselage was lengthened by 2.1 meters, and the number of passengers increased to 76 people. It was from the Tu-134A model that the aircraft received its shape.
During the release process, some modifications were made to the model:

• Tu-134A-2 - improvements were made to the nasal glazing,
• Tu-134A-3 - a series with improved D-30 engines of the third series,
• Tu-134AK - in the passenger cabin, it became possible to create a 1st class cabin and a luxury cabin. This modification was used mainly by the Air Force and government services.

Tu-134B (1980-1984)

Upgraded Tu-134A. The weight of the empty aircraft was reduced, large rear emergency exits were added, the crew was reduced to 3 people, a new layout of the cabin, cargo compartment and utility rooms was developed, passenger capacity increased to 80 seats. Serial production began in March 1980. Instead of the glazed forward cockpit of the navigator, the Groza-134 radar system was installed. The control of the power plant, the elevator trimmer and the navigation system has been moved to the central console. Unlike the Tu-134A with a "radar nose", 2 radar screens were installed on the side consoles instead of one in the middle. Some B models have an increased fuel capacity.

Since 1980, the production of a modernized version of the Tu-134B began. The aircraft received rear emergency exits and increased fuel capacity, reduced empty weight and crew size to 3 people. Passenger capacity has increased to 80 people. This version also had a number of modifications: a VIP version, a version with improved engines, and even a version for high-altitude launch of spacecraft.

Also, during the entire period of development and operation, the Tu-134 had many other modifications for special tasks.

Scheme of the cabin Tu-134

Characteristics of aircraft TU-134 (version B-3)

Type of	regional passenger aircraft
Power point	two double-circuit turbojet engines D-30-II, 6,930 kgf each
Maximum number of passengers	80 people
practical ceiling	10 100 m
Range of flight	2020 km
Maximum takeoff weight	47.6 t
Cruising speed	880 km/h
Wingspan	29 m
Wing area	127 sq. m
Length	37.1 m
Height	9.02 m

In the middle of the last century, the engineers of the French airline Sud Aviation developed and in 1958 put into serial production the SE-210 liner ("Carabella"). A feature of the aircraft was the location of the turbojet engines: a pair of power units was located in the tail section of the aircraft. Other leading aircraft manufacturers began to use the new scheme in their designs.

This is how the legend was born

There is an opinion that the initiator of the creation of the Tu-134 aircraft was the leader of the Soviet state N. S. Khrushchev, who was greatly impressed during a visit to Paris by a demonstration flight on a new French liner.

The result was a decree of the Council of Ministers on the creation in the Design Bureau. Tupolev for civil aviation similar aircraft with the following characteristics:

• Cruising speed - 800 km / h, maximum - up to 1000 km / h.
• Flight altitude - up to 12 km.
• Maximum range - up to 2 thousand km.
• The minimum capacity is 40 passengers.

First tests

It was decided to create the required machine on the basis of the Tu-124 aircraft undergoing factory tests. The design work at the initial stage was headed by the chief designer of OKB-156 (now OAO Tupolev) D. S. Markov, and then he was replaced by L. L. Selyakov. The first prototype of the future leader of the aviation industry of the USSR (Tu-124A) was lifted into the sky in July 1963 by test pilot A. D. Kalina. Two years later, the Tu-134 received its usual designation.

At the same time, the creation of ships of a similar layout was carried out by the British company British Aerospace and Douglas Aircraft Company (USA). The tragedy that occurred during a test flight with the British BAC111 as a result of an unexplored "deep stall" mode (shading of the elevators by the aircraft's wings at high angles of attack), allowed Soviet and American designers to timely amend the design of their machines.

Aeroflot received the first serial Tu-134 aircraft in 1966, and in the next three years they began to be used for regular intra-Union flights. The first flights connected the capital of the country with Leningrad and Kyiv.

Tu-134 - the plane of the devil

Among specialists and people close to aviation, several well-aimed alternative names were immediately assigned to the new airliner: "dude" - for an elegant elongated fuselage, "whistle" - for the characteristic high sound when starting engines, "devil of heaven" - for excellent flight performance. In NATO countries, the novelty of the Russians was called Crusty ( from English. "arrogant", "sharp").

The first three serial vessels were equipped with D-20P-125 turbojet units, and the subsequent ones were equipped with more advanced D-30 power plants. The Tu-134 aircraft is the first airliner in the history of the domestic aircraft industry to receive international certificates BCAR (airworthiness compliance with British standards) and ICAO (requirements for noise on the ground). It took more than ten years to create the aircraft, but the result of the efforts of a huge number of specialists exceeded all expectations.

More than half a century in service

Serial production of the Tu-134 aircraft model was carried out at the aviation plant in Kharkov until 1985. For twenty years, 852 airliners were "put on the wing". Soon, most of all international and short-haul flights were carried out by these aircraft. According to numerous reviews of passengers, the noise and vibration characteristics of the cabin of the Tu-134 aircraft made flying on an airliner comfortable and enjoyable. During its operation in the Soviet Union alone, the Tu-134 fleet transported more than half a billion passengers.

Aviators also enthusiastically received new liner Tupolev. According to experts, in order to fly this aircraft, you need to be a really good pilot, and not a "computer". Many pilots, after being transferred to other aircraft, recall with nostalgia the atmosphere and smoothness of flight on the Tu-134, the density of the “landing” in the air, and the sensitive and precise reaction to the rudders.

Since 1968, the car has been actively exported to the Warsaw Pact countries, Turkey, Iraq, Vietnam and some states of the African continent. The cost of the Tu-134 aircraft, its flight performance and operational characteristics allowed the Soviet product to successfully compete with foreign-made ships of a similar class.

Modifications

The first modernization of the airliner was carried out already in 1970. The Tu-134A fuselage length was increased by 2.1 meters, the engines were equipped with a reverser and slightly reduced fuel consumption. The number of passenger seats increased to 76. On the export versions of the aircraft, the navigator was replaced with a radar station. Since 1980 (modification of the Tu-134B), radars have been installed on all aircraft. The takeoff weight of the liner was increased to 47 tons, and the passenger capacity was increased to 96 seats.

On the basis of the Tu-134A, aircraft were created to provide cargo transportation (Tu-134C), agricultural needs and monitoring earth's surface(Tu-134SH), training of flight personnel for naval and strategic aviation (Tu-134UBL and UBL-Sh). Aircraft with the letters LK were used to work out space programs as a flying laboratory and to train astronauts under weightless conditions. As part of the Tu-134D project, it was supposed to install power units with increased thrust on aircraft, but work was stopped. Conducting a deep modernization was considered inappropriate.

Time for rest?

Mass production of the "dude" was stopped in 1984, and 5 years later the last car left the assembly line of the aircraft factory in Kharkov. After the entry into force of new noise standards for aircraft in European countries, liners were gradually transferred to domestic flights.

In 2007, 146 vehicles were operated in Russia. The low price of Tu-134 aircraft made it possible to use them for servicing business charters and in the fleets of small airlines. For example, a Tu-134B model with a flight time of about 6,500 hours could be purchased for only 1.5 million euros.

After the plane crash in 2011 of the airliner on the route Moscow - Petrozavodsk, the Russian Ministry of Transport was instructed by the head of state in 2012 to replace the Tu-134 on regular flights with more modern aircraft. Since 2015, it was decided to send obsolete cars to a well-deserved rest. The combination of excellent aerodynamic qualities of a strong, comfortable airframe and one of the most trouble-free engines in the history of aviation provided the Tu-134 airliner with a glorious and long journey through the endless air spaces of our planet.

Sad statistic

Although the veteran aircraft have proven themselves to be reliable and trouble-free machines, they have not been without disasters. The causes of Tu-134 accidents are objective and subjective factors. Over the entire period of operation (as of 2012), 78 aircraft were lost, which claimed 1494 human lives, and ten aircraft were destroyed during the hostilities.

More than 71% of aircraft losses are related to the human factor (premature descent, overrunning the runway, gross landing violations), 16% - to aircraft malfunctions (problems with the landing gear). In other cases, external factors played fatal roles - natural conditions and bad repairs. Despite the ominous nickname of the Tu-134 - "the devil's plane", the Soviet airliner is only in sixth place in the mournful statistics of "one accident per flight in hours" with an indicator of 1087600 hours.

Aircraft museum

The legendary aircrafts that have served their purpose have rightfully taken pride of place in aviation museums. Total on the territory Russian Federation about two dozen cars were installed as exhibits and monuments. You can admire them, for example, in the People's Aviation Museum of the North (Arkhangelsk), in the Patriot Park (Kubinka, Moscow Region), in the Far Eastern Aviation Museum (Arsenyev, Primorsky Territory), in the Museum of Military Glory (Saratov) and the Museum history of GA (Ulyanovsk).

The famous Tu-134 can also be seen abroad - in a private collection in Sinsheim, in the aviation technical expositions of Bernsdorf and Merseburg (Germany), in the Krakow Aviation Museum (Poland), in the eternal parking lot at the Chisinau airport (Moldova), in the Krivoy Rog Civil Aviation School and the Kiev Aviation Museum (Ukraine), as well as at the site of the Riga Institute of Civil Aviation Engineers (Latvia).

The "dude" was also noted in Soviet cinema. In Eldar Ryazanov's New Year's bestseller "The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath!" the hero of Andrey Myagkov flew from the capital to the City on the Neva on the Tu-134 liner. True, there were some blunders: in Moscow, the hero is put in an Il-62, in flight he sleeps peacefully in the cabin of a Tu-134, and in Pulkovo he goes down the ladder from a Tu-154.

But the pinnacle of the Tu-134 film career was landing on the highway in the comedy of the same director "The Incredible Adventures of Italians in Russia." The shooting of the episode took place on the runway with road markings of the aviation school "Barateevo" (Ulyanovsk). Trees were specially planted along the runway, traffic lights, road signs and kiosks were installed. The "Hero" of the episode (tail number USSR-65748) is by far the most popular exhibit in the Museum of Aviation History in Ulyanovsk.

P.S. Maybe the glorious history of the Tu-134 does not end there. Information has appeared that the Russian Air Force Main Command is initiating the restoration and modernization of the Tu-134 aircraft simulators and the entire remaining fleet of UBL(Sh) training modifications.

At the Syktyvkar airport, which was once a Tu-134 nature reserve in our country (many photos of "whistles" in Syktyvkar -), there are now only two aircraft of this type - one is dismantled and is used to train firefighters and rescuers, but the second one was much more fortunate . And not without reason - he wears the lucky tail number RA-65777 (at the beginning of his career in 1971, of course, it was USSR-65777). At one time, this Tu-134 flew a lot, first on central air lines, then since 1985 - in the sky of the Komi ASSR as part of our regional airlines (Komi UGA, Komiavia, Komiinteravia), in the 2000s it worked on Aeroflot, KrasAir, UTair and UTair Express. In 2012, it was put into storage in Syktyvkar and could well share the fate of its brothers, butchered for metal. However, the aviation community of the Komi Republic intervened in its fate, which remembered this board as one of its best aircraft, which did not know complex technical malfunctions and accidents. Aviators would like to keep the TU-134 with a lucky number as a monument to Komi aviation. Long negotiations between the leadership of our regional JSC "Komiaviatrans" and JSC "UTair" on the purchase of RA-65777 ended in 2014, when we finally managed to agree on a price. The aircraft was re-equipped with equipment and seats, one engine was returned to it, and from that moment it was transferred to the storage of Komiaviatrans, but for a long time retained the livery of its former operator.

RA-65777 in storage in 2014-2016:

In 2016, it was decided to hold in Syktyvkaras part of the celebration of the 95th anniversary of the Komi Republicair show of small and regional aviation "Aviaregion-2016", and the Tu-134 was supposed to be one of its exhibits, representing the history of aviation in the region. Especially for this, the plane was repainted in the livery of "Aeroflot" of the sample of 1974. In general, back in the USSR, as one famous song says.

This is how the already updated USSR-65777 appeared at the air show:

The air show was held in two days - August 20 and 21, the weather on the first day of its work was not very good, the sky was covered with clouds and it rained periodically.
On the first day of the air show, there were so many people who wanted to see the Tu-134 that the queue stretched for a good hundred meters, and the waiting time was, surprisingly, about 3 hours. Agree, the sight of the Soviet Aeroflot classical livery evokes nostalgia for the past - childhood, youth, youth, so I wanted to go on board and see those round portholes, chairs with iron tables again. And the children, who had never flown on Soviet aircraft, were simply interested in literally touching history.

On the second day in Syktyvkar there was a sunny sky, so it was foolish not to go to the airport and take pictures of planes and air shows in better conditions. However, due to good weather, the number of visitors increased noticeably, which is why all the queues grew at least twice, so I didn’t get on board the “carcass” that day: there was no time to stand in line again for 3-4 hours , no strength.

Tu-134 is a special aircraft for me, since childhood I have flown a lot on it as a passenger, and in 2012-2013. I often photographed "carcasses" at our airport (see), but now, thanks to the air show, it became possible not only to board it again and sit in the passenger seat, but also to look into the cockpit and generally take a close look at the aircraft itself from all sides.

So, Tu-134 outside and inside in detail.Next - a lot of full-size photos of the aircraft outside and inside for Tu-134 fans:

The forward part of the fuselage with the cockpits of the pilots and navigator:

By the way, if they restored an old ladder like the SPT-154 and put it under the plane, it would be more identical and old school. Although, of course, with such an influx of visitors, the wider gangway of the new model with a platform at the top turned out to be both more reliable and more convenient, including for the crew on board, who sometimes had to restrain Syktyvkar residents who literally stormed the plane.

View of the tail section of the aircraft:

Tail luggage compartment:

Keel and engine nacelles:

Left engine reverse:

Nozzle internal power plant:

Wingtips with green and red taillights and static electricity drains:

Location of one of the flight recorders:

Inscriptions on the sides:

Now it's time to climb aboard and inspect the passenger cabin and cockpit:

First salon:

Emergency exit seats:

Good old Soviet armchairs with metal thin folding tables:

Passenger panels - individual airflow, lighting, flight attendant call:

View from the porthole to the wing:

Second salon:

The queue on the plane does not decrease:

And it's time for us to look into the cockpit.

Working vestibule with a kitchen and a corridor to the cabin:

Kitchen equipment:

Equipment for flight attendants to communicate with pilots and passengers:

Cabin corridor. On the left behind it is a door to the forward luggage compartment and a shield with buttons and toggle switches, on the right is a vestibule with a door:

Actually, the cockpit:

Navigator's cabin:

After the air show Tu-134 RA-65777 should become a monument at the Syktyvkar airport. I hope that he has a better fate than his predecessor, the Il-14 aircraft, which stood in front of the airport terminal (). The main thing is not to put the Tu-134 on an unprotected space outside the airport: while I was standing in line, I saw how many parents lifted their children on the wings of the aircraft and were indignant when the airport staff demanded to take their frolicking offspring to the ground. But it is unsafe for children and harmful to the aircraft.

For those who are interested in the history of the Tu-134 - a book by its designer L.L. Selyakova

The history of Soviet civil aviation has many glorious pages, one of which is the turbojet TU-134, one of the most mass-produced aircraft in the Soviet Union. He had a lot of unofficial names, among which there were such as "tulip", "dandy" and even "whistle". Until recently, it could often be found on local airlines, despite the fact that it was developed back in the 60s.

Beautiful and comfortable, for its time, the aircraft is the pride of the domestic aviation industry.

History of creation

The beginning of the 60s marked the massive entry of civil aviation into the age of jet engines. At that time, domestic flights in most cases were served by Il-14 piston aircraft, which by this time were already obsolete. In addition, the passenger capacity of these aircraft left much to be desired - 36 people, given that the number of people using air travel was only growing.

Aeroflot's fleet at that time already had several models of jet aircraft, in particular the TU-104 and TU-124. The first was successfully used on international lines and heavily loaded domestic ones. The second one was quite successfully operated both in local and foreign directions.

Creation and running

The legend says that the plane owes its creation to Nikita Sergeevich Khrushchev. The year 1960 was marked by the introduction of the new French airliner Caravella (Sud Aviation Caravella).

One of its differences from the existing Soviet models was the location of the turbojet engines in the tail - this design significantly reduced the noise level in the cabin, which naturally affected the flight comfort.

Returning from France, Khrushchev instructed Tupolev's experimental design bureau to develop a domestic analogue of the machine.

The initial plan of the designers was the modernization of the already indicated TU-124. To achieve these goals, the length of the fuselage was increased, the engines, respectively, took their place in the tail section of the aircraft, and instead of the standard tail, a T-shaped one was installed.

In 1961, the design work was completed and, given that the design was based on another machine, it initially received the TU-124A marking. Prototypes, in the amount of 2 pieces, were completed by 1963, and their flight tests began in the summer of the same year. The aircraft received the designation Tu-134 in 1965, and a year later, its serial production at Khapo began.

By the way, in parallel, the development of such a machine was carried out in other countries - England and the USA.

With the English prototype during the tests, a disaster occurred that introduced global community aircraft designers with such a concept as "deep stall".

With it, behind the wings, during a high angle of attack, an airflow shading area is created, into which the elevators also fall, as a result of which they can no longer influence the flight state. Getting the aircraft out of this situation is extremely difficult, and in some cases practically impossible.

Some features of the first models

When designing the cabin, it was initially calculated that the number of passenger seats would be 56 in the usual layout and 50 with two classes. For intra-union versions of the first class, for a number of understandable reasons, it was decided to abandon. Thanks to this, the number of seats was increased to 72. Subsequently, the division into classes was returned to most of the aircraft.

There were versions with both first class and business class seats.

The first copies, including 9 pre-production versions, did not have a reverse on the engines, as a result of which the landing mileage was a serious value, which in turn made corresponding demands on the GDP.

Initially, they wanted to solve this problem by installing a special parachute that would be used when the aircraft touched the ground (a similar system was implemented on the TU-104). But this idea did not find positive feedback from the management and the problem was partially solved by placing special brake flaps under the center section.

Entry into service and the first modifications

Aeroflot received the first TU-134 in 1966. A year later, the first commercial flight of this airliner was registered as part of the Moscow-Adler airline. Despite the fact that the aircraft was designed specifically for domestic short-haul routes, until the summer of 1969, it performed exclusively international flights.

On intra-union lines, he first served flights Moscow-Kyiv and Moscow-Leningrad.

At the same time, the sale of cars to the countries of the socialist camp began: in 1968, a batch of TU-134s was sent to the GDR for the local airline Interflug. By the way, it was in the west that the plane was nicknamed the "devil of heaven" for its excellent flight characteristics. How one is connected with the other is still not entirely clear - each nation has its own logic.

In 1970, the first modification of the aircraft appeared, which received the index "A". It received a number of critical improvements, including:

• installation of a reverse, the so-called reverse braking thrust, on power plants;
• refusal of the brake flap (due to its uselessness);
• fuselage extension by 2.1m.

The latter made it possible to place 4 more seats in the cabin, thus increasing total number places up to 76. These changes also affected the flight range of the TU-134A - it decreased from 3100 to 2770 kilometers.

Transition to intra-union use

In the late 60s and early 70s, international lines remained the main field of operation of the TU-134 aircraft. Among intra-union destinations, only 12 were closed by this liner - from the capital to the most big cities countries.

The turning point was 1972, May of which was marked by a serious one, which was the main car on domestic airlines. The crash killed 112 people.

An urgent decision is made to temporarily abandon the use of the An-10, until the causes of the crash are clarified and analyzed, and its replacement with the TU-134. However, the airstrips of many Soviet cities were not intended for the landing and takeoff of the airliner, and the command was given to immediately re-equip them.

The investigation of the indicated air crash led to the fact that a year later - in 1972 - it was decided to completely abandon the use of the An-10.

However, there were not enough 134s for all directions, which led to their replacement at the capital's airports by the medium-haul TU-154 and Il-62, which were designed for long-haul flights.

In the 80th year, the aircraft received another update, which received the designation TU-134B. The changes affected the number of passenger seats, which increased to 96, takeoff weight, increased to 47000kg. In addition, it was decided to completely abandon the navigator.

Next in line was another project with the “D” index, which involved the installation of upgraded power plants with enhanced traction on the liner, but it did not see the light of day due to the complete cessation of production of the “tupolenka” in 1989. However, during this time, modifications were created for a variety of needs, including the military.

An example is the TU-134, on which the navigators of long-range and attack aviation crews performed training in strategic interaction and bombing.

Over the entire period of its production, that is, from the 66th to the 89th year, about half a billion people were transported by all passenger varieties of the TU-134 aircraft. Its gradual decommissioning was due to the acquisition of new, more economical and modern machines. Another reason was the simple obsolescence of the "whistles".

For example, due to the introduction by the European Union of new standards for the level of “noise” of aircraft in the 2000s, it was necessary to abandon the use of an airliner on foreign routes.

Today, these aircraft are practically not used even on local airlines - they are morally and constructively outdated.

Fans of the domestic aircraft industry have created a special register of aircraft, in which you can see where today you can still find this or that aircraft, including the TU-134. This list can be easily found on aviation forums.

The design of the aircraft and its performance characteristics

Technically, the TU-134 is an all-metal cantilever low-wing aircraft. The wing has a swept shape (the angle is 35°). As power plants located in the tail, various modifications of the D-30 turbojet bypass engine were used.

The mechanization of the wing, that is, the system of control elements and control of the flight and aerodynamic resistance on it, is represented by double-slotted flaps, as well as spoilers, which were produced exclusively on the runway. The slat is missing.

The fuselage is an elongated version of the corresponding part of the TU-124 - its length is 7m longer. As already mentioned, the aircraft has a T-tail. The landing gear has three struts: a front strut that retracts into a special niche in the bottom of the fuselage, and two main struts that have a two-axis design and fold into gondolas under the wing.

It has its own fire extinguishing system.

Also worth noting is the rudder control system. If the predecessors used a cable system (both passenger jet aircraft and the military, for example, had this), the TU-134 aircraft implemented the principle of rigid traction using hydraulic boosters.

aircraft cockpit

This part of the liner has differences depending on the modification of the aircraft. So in the TU-134A model, 4 crew seats were provided, while the version with the “B” index had a three-seater cabin. On the latest model it was decided to abandon the navigator, whose place was abolished.

Another feature of the "A" model was the glazed nose, where, in fact, the navigational chair was located. However, not everyone could boast of such a design - there were TU-134A with a deaf or, as it was also called, "wooden" nose.

In the latter case, the navigator had to "huddle" in the aisle so as not to reduce the size of the luggage compartment. Cabin wall decoration is made of lightweight materials. Luggage shelves were made of plywood or foam.

Salon

As mentioned earlier, on intra-union lines in the cabin there was no distribution of seats by class. This division was returned only at the end of the so-called "perestroika period" of the USSR. Since that time, the most common scheme has been two-class.

The first two rows were occupied by business class seats. An interesting feature was their location "facing" to each other - no other aircraft has such an arrangement. In the future, it was decided to abandon this arrangement and the chairs were installed in the usual way. The numbering of the rows begins with the number 5 - all the previous ones are assigned to the crew positions.

Specifications

The performance characteristics of the most common modifications of the TU-134 are presented in the following table:

	"BUT"	"B"	"SH"
Dimensions
Length, m	37,1
Wingspan, m	29
Height, m	9,02
Fuselage diameter, m	2,9
Number of seats
Crew	4	3	3
landing	68	80	12
1st class	8	8	-
Takeoff, t	43	47,6	47
Commercial, t	8,2	9	-
Landing, t	43	43	43
Fuel reserve, t	14,4	13,2	16,5
LTH
Cruise speed, km/h	850	880	885
Maximum range, km	2100	2020	1890
Ceiling height, m	12100	10100	11900
Required length of GDP, m	2200	2550	2200
Average takeoff time, seconds	56

As can be seen from the table, the difference in modifications is minimal, with the exception of seats, of course.

overhaul life

Following international rules and safety requirements for air passenger transportation, in 2002 the commission, consisting of representatives of Roskosmos and the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation, approved a list that spelled out the service life of each of the aircraft manufactured in the USSR and the Russian Federation.

Initially, the TU-134 aircraft and its modifications, not counting the military, had a limit of 8,000 flight hours for 5,000 flights.

At the same time, the service life should not exceed 9 years.

Gradually these figures increased to 40,000 flight hours for 25,000 flights and for a period of 25 years. Moreover, these indicators can be revised towards their increase, if the aircraft is recognized as fit for its further use.

Modifications

Many modifications of the TU-134 were created for a variety of purposes, in the light of which one can speak not only of the outstanding flight characteristics of the aircraft, but also of the modification possibilities inherent in its design. The list is represented by the following models:

• TU-134 - the first model that could accommodate 72 passengers (engines without reverse, brake flap under the fuselage);
• TU-134A - second-generation D-30 engines with reverse and lower fuel consumption, passenger capacity - 76 people;
• TU-134A-2 - modification with a glazed nose;
• TU-134A-3 - engines D-30 of the third generation were installed;
• TU-134AK - the salon was divided into two classes: the first, which had 24 seats, and suite - 13 seats. It had a second door for passengers. Used by the highest ranks of the Air Force and in government needs;
• TU-134A "salon" - everything is similar to the previous model, except for the second door.
• TU-134B - the number of passenger seats has been increased to 80, the crew has been reduced to 3 people, the weight of the empty aircraft has been reduced, new radar equipment has been installed, control has been improved, some have increased fuel capacity;
• TU-134B-3 - D-30 engines of the third generation were installed;
• TU-134BV - a modification specially designed for the delivery of near-space and space vehicles (shuttles) to low orbit, with the aim of their subsequent launch;
• TU-134B "salon" - is distinguished by an increased level of comfort, the presence of a second door for exiting passengers in the rear of the fuselage;
• TU-134LK - laboratory aircraft, part of the cosmonaut training program;
• TU-134M - development of 1993, where it was planned to install engines of a new type - did not go beyond the project;
• TU-134S - modification of model "A" under freight transportation- did not go into the series;
• TU-134SH - a model designed for the needs of the agricultural industry;
• TU-134UBL - acts as a simulator for strategic aviation pilots and their crews. Distinctive feature is a special aircraft nose design, similar to machines such as.
• TU-134UBL-Sh - the difference from the previous version is the presence of a place for the navigator of strategic aircraft, for whom the aircraft is actually a simulator. The installed equipment (navigation complex NK-45 and bomb racks of the MBD series) makes it possible to practice bombing and missile launches in real conditions. It is part of the training program for navigators for the Tu-22M supersonic bomber and its modifications.
• TU-134Sh is a modification designed for training navigators of front-line and long-range bomber aircraft. Is used for .
• TU-134Sh-SL - laboratory aircraft designed for testing radar equipment and electronic weapons;
• TU-134A-3M - a model for VIPs. Created 6 pieces for individual orders.

A huge number of modifications only confirms the popularity and relevance of the model.

Interesting Airplane Facts

Considering that the TU-134 is one of the most massively produced aircraft in the USSR, it gradually acquired its own legends.

But not all of them are fiction and here are some facts that really took place:

1. One of the test flights of the liner was carried out in bad weather and the plane hit ball lightning. Moreover, she entered the cockpit and flew further into the cabin. The board was landed in the usual mode and no serious consequences were found, not taking into account several melted parts and a skin dotted with small through holes.
2. The aircraft is the first among the Soviet aircraft to receive an international certificate of conformity.
3. Being the basis of the aircraft fleet of the USSR government, it was equipped with various unique equipment. For example, the plane of L.I. Brezhnev had on board the Tatra communication complex, which made it possible to contact any telephone subscriber of the Earth and was the most modern system similar pattern of the time. And Defense Minister Grechko "flaunted" the Karpaty satellite communications system, which, in turn, made it possible to contact anyone who had at hand something resembling a means of communication.
4. Some of the aircraft that flew off their resource were not disposed of, but were installed as monuments or museum exhibits in different cities of the USSR, and later the Russian Federation. So, such a "sculpture" can boast of Murom, Voronezh, Poltava, Ulyanovsk, Riga, Moscow and others.
5. It is the TU-134 that is present in the flight frame in the legendary Soviet film The Irony of Fate or Enjoy Your Bath.

This plane is, without exaggeration, a whole era domestic aviation and engineering thought of Soviet aircraft designers.

At one time, he appeared not just a modern machine, his performance was significantly ahead of the corresponding characteristics of Western counterparts.

Today, of course, it cannot compete with modern airliners, but do not forget that many of the solutions used in their design were tested on the TU-134 "devil's plane".

Video

Tu-134 is a narrow-body short-haul passenger aircraft. It was developed by the experimental design bureau of A. N. Tupolev and was mass-produced from 1966 to 1989.

Salon overview and layout of the best places

The passenger capacity of the Tu-134 depends on the model of the aircraft, as well as on the layout of its passenger cabin and varies from 12 seats (Tu-134Sh) to 80 (Tu-134B-3).

Currently, the most common are aircraft with a two-class layout of the passenger cabin (as indicated in the diagram).

The business class of the Tu-134 aircraft is represented by softer seats, the distance between which is from 1 meter to 1 meter 30 centimeters. Also, the chairs can be laid out at a larger angle, thereby achieving comfort and best holiday During the flight. Business class seats are located in rows numbered 2 and 3 (according to the passenger cabin layout). For this class, the best places will definitely be those located near the windows, since everyone knows that a good overview and a view overboard are the key to a pleasant trip.

The seats in row number 2 in the business class are not very successful, largely due to their location: in the immediate vicinity of them there are utility and toilet rooms, whose proximity can bring a lot of trouble and inconvenience.

The economy class cabin on the Tu-134 aircraft is represented by seats located in rows marked with numbers from 5 to 19. As for the business class, here the seats are arranged according to the “2-2” scheme and have a wide central aisle. Seats in rows 5 and 13 will definitely be the best for economy class due to the slightly greater legroom here. An unsuccessful choice would be a place in row 18 or 19 (according to the diagram) due to the proximity of the toilet facilities.

History of development and operation

In the early 60s of the XX century, a rather interesting situation developed in the USSR. Passenger air transportation began to gain popularity, but the new Tu-104 jet aircraft were not enough to meet all the needs for them. So, these aircraft were used mainly for international flights, including between the countries of the socialist camp, as well as on the busiest air routes. The main part of the domestic fleet of the country was made up of obsolete aircraft, which no longer differed in reliability, convenience and cost-effectiveness of operation.

It was for the commission of short-range aviation passenger flights that the development of a new aircraft began. Initially, the liner was conceived as a modernization of the Tu-124, so its designation was Tu-124A. Already in 1963, the first aircraft was built and started flight tests. However, a number of changes were soon made to the design of the aircraft, due to which it was decided to recognize the liner as a new, independent model and give it the name Tu-134.

In 1965, the Tu-134 aircraft was certified, and a year later its mass production began. Commercial operation of the Tu-134 began with Aeroflot in 1967. From the first flights, the machine proved to be reliable, stable in the air and easy to maintain, thanks to which, during next year Tu-134s were purchased by East German and Polish airlines.

In 1970, taking into account the design features of the aircraft, as well as the conditions of its operation, the Tupolev Design Bureau developed the first modification of the Tu-134 - Tu-134A, which had an elongated body and more economical engines. This modification and changed the basic model in serial production.

In the first half of the 70s of the XX century, Tu-134s were used on almost all domestic airlines in the Soviet Union, but closer to the 80s, new Tu-154s began to replace them more actively. Nevertheless, in 1980, a new modification of the Tu-134, the Tu-134B, was developed and went into mass production.

In 1989, the operation of the Tu-134 was sharply reduced, as a result of which its mass production was discontinued. As of 2013, there were just under 130 aircraft in service, most of which were cargo.

Tu-134 modifications

In the period from 1996 to 1984, 12 modifications of the Tu-134 aircraft were developed and produced, some of which had several versions.

• Tu-134 - the basic modification of the aircraft, which has a passenger capacity of up to 64 people (later - up to 72). It has a glazed nose, as well as a braking parachute to reduce the landing run distance. Produced from 1966 to 1970.
• Tu-134A - a modification of the liner, equipped with more advanced engines, which made it possible to abandon the use of braking parachutes to reduce the speed of the liner during landing. The efficiency of aircraft operation has also been seriously improved. Thanks to the fuselage lengthened by 2 meters, the passenger capacity of the Tu-134 was also increased. The model was produced from 1970 to 1980.
• Tu-134B is an improved version of Tu-134A. It has a lower weight and a new layout of the passenger compartment. The crew of the aircraft was reduced (from 4 to 3 people). Added new emergency exits. Some aircraft of this modification have additional fuel tanks, which allows them to increase their flight range. Serial production lasted from 1980 to 1984.
• Tu-134LK is a modification, which is a flying laboratory used mainly for space needs.
• Tu-134M is an upgraded version of Tu-134B equipped with new engines.
• Tu-134S - cargo modification of the aircraft.
• Tu-134SH is a modification of the Tu-134 for agricultural use.
• Tu-134UBL (also called Tu-134A-4) is an aircraft used to train pilots of naval and strategic bombers.
• Tu-134UBL-Sh is a specialized modification of the Tu-134UBL, designed to train navigators for naval and strategic aircraft.
• Tu-134Sh (the designation Tu-134Uch is also found) is an aircraft designed to train navigational personnel for long-range and front-line bomber aviation.
• Tu-134Sh-SL is a modification used as a flying laboratory for testing electronic equipment.
• Tu-134A-3M - VIP modification of the Tu-134. A total of 6 aircraft of this model were built.

Overview and characteristics of the Tu-134

Aerodynamically, the Tu-134 is an all-metal cantilever low-wing aircraft of the normal design. The tail unit is T-shaped. The power plant of the liner is represented by two engines installed in the tail section.

Flight performance of the Tu-134:

Dimensions
Length, m	37,1	37,1	37,1
Wingspan, m	29	29	29
Height, m	9	9	9
Fuselage diameter, m	2,9	2,9	2,9
Cabin width, m	2,6	2,6	2,6
Cabin height, m	2	2	2
Number of places
Crew	4	3	3
Passenger	76	80	12
Weight
Takeoff, t	47	47,6	47
Commercial, t	8,2	9	-
Landing, t	43	43	43
Fuel reserve, t	13,2	14,4	16,5
flight data
Cruise speed, km/h	850	880	885
Flight range, km	2100	2020	1890
Operational ceiling, m	12 100	10 100	11 900
Runway length, m	2200	2550	2200
Engines	2 × 6800 kgf	2 × 6930 kgf	2 × 6800 kgf
	(D‑30‑II)	(D‑30‑III)	(D‑30‑II)
Fuel consumption (take-off mode)	8296 kg/h	8454.6 kg/h	-
Fuel consumption (cruise)	2300 kg/h	2062 kg/h	-
Fuel consumption	2907 kg/h	3182 kg/h	-
Specific fuel consumption	45g/(pass.⋅km)	45.2g/(pass.⋅km)	-

Conclusion

Tu-134 is an important milestone in the domestic civil aircraft industry. This aircraft was in mass production for almost a quarter of a century, thus influencing the further development of the Soviet aviation industry. It will not be an exaggeration that this aircraft, to a certain extent, has also become part of the culture Soviet Union, and, consequently, the countries that were once part of it. A striking example of this "role" of the aircraft in the life of the country was its appearance in many Soviet films (for example, "The Adventures of Italians in Russia" or "Mimino").