Tu-204SM rolled out!

Two non-SM 204 to be delivered in 2011!

See:
http://www.ruaviation.com/news/2010/12/24/64/

I believe that Il-96 version that could be flown by pilots was delivered some time ago. Does it mean that Tu-204 non-SM has the only flight engineer seats in production?

While I agree the aircraft is doomed, I would like to point out that a more valid comparison is the 757. I’ve pasted the wing span and area below, the aircraft is much closer to the 757 in size than the smaller A321. It seems it only took the Russians 30 years to copy the 757-200, an aircraft that is now out of production due to lack of demand.:)

type span (ft) Wing area (sq ft)
a321 112 1320
tu204 137 1938
b757 124 1951

The problem is that the Tu-204 seats less people than the A321, but weights about 13-15t more empty. For a low-cost carrier the Tu-204[SM] is a very bad deal.

While I agree the aircraft is doomed, I would like to point out that a more valid comparison is the 757. I’ve pasted the wing span and area below, the aircraft is much closer to the 757 in size than the smaller A321. It seems it only took the Russians 30 years to copy the 757-200, an aircraft that is now out of production due to lack of demand.:)

type span (ft) Wing area (sq ft)
a321 112 1320
tu204 137 1938
b757 124 1951

The Tu-204 carries the same amount of passengers as an A321 with a 30% higher empty weight. It uses late 1970ies style systems, apparently quite basic turbofan engines and a 3-men crew. No wonder why nobody – even in the third world – ever wanted this aircraft.

The SM will rectify some issues, especially the engine, the systems (probably source of most technical break-downs) and 3-men crew. Tupolev cannot do much on the empty weight, they say they gonna drive down the weight by several tons (which doesn’t sound very believable, more like the usual empty blabla of Russian aviation officials).

The aircraft is doomed.

Does DHL still operate any TU 204s? Or was that TNT?

Both actually had Tu-204s flying for them. DHL uses a third pary carrier, AirRep (RA-64024). Airliners has a picture of one as late as september 2010 at Sheremetyevo so I assume we still use them.

TNT had a few as well, also using a third party carrier: Cairo Aviation (SU-EAG, SU-EAJ). I believe these where retired late 2007-ish?

Does DHL still operate any TU 204s? Or was that TNT?

Isn’t Alitalia up for some of these?
Berlusconi and Putin seem to be getting on very well these days.

Nope, they briefly showed an interest in the Suchoi SSJ, but never the Tu-204. A few weeks ago Alitalia announced an order for Embraers so the SSJ idea is dead as well.

Isn’t Alitalia up for some of these?
Berlusconi and Putin seem to be getting on very well these days.

Flown!

See
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/12/29/351388/picture-tu-204sm-conducts-maiden-flight.html
Tupolev shall need 3 prototypes for testing.

You’d wonder who actually pays for the development costs of a derivative of an airliner that has sold all of 50 or 60 examples in the last 20 years…

… but finally arrived at a technological level of current Airbus and Boeing Single Aisles. Actually, when I quickly learned at Wikipedia what the Tu-204SM is all about, you understand why the Tu-204 Classic didn’t sell.

3-man cockpit, engines apparently comparable to early CFM56, clumsy and unreliable systems. The aircraft is a nightmare for any operator.

Someone, somewhere, is probably writing most of it off against tax. :diablo:

You’d wonder who actually pays for the development costs of a derivative of an airliner that has sold all of 50 or 60 examples in the last 20 years…

Beating a Dead Horse?

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