Open Skies Mission in Germany

Tu-154M-LK1 RF-85655 departs Manching on September 15. Dr Andreas Zeitler THE RUSSIAN Open Skies mission in Germany during September involved a Tu-154M rather than the more usual An-30. The aircraft, Tu-154MLK1 RF-85655, arrived at Manching air base in Bavaria on the 11th before beginning a series of flights around the country. The unique Tu-154MLK1 was originally built in 1990 as a cosmonaut training aircraft. In 1991 it was adapted for aerial photography within the Open Skies programme. In 2000 it