On December 29, 2010, Tu-204SM performed its first test flight. The aircraft took off from Ulyanovsk-Vostochny airport at 13.25, Moscow time, and was airborne for about an hour. Test pilot Victor Minashkin was the captain of the aircraft. The first flight test program was successfully completed. The aircraft landed exactly on schedule.

The representative of a new generation of Russian passenger aircraft was manufactured at the Ulyanovsk aviation plant. Tu-204SM was designed by JSC Tupolev. The airliner is equipped with PS-90A2 engines. Its nonrefuelling flight duration is up to nine hours. Flight range is about 4,000 km. The aircraft can take 174 passengers in a two-class layout.

The aircraft is equipped with new navigation and radio communication equipment, as well as new hardware. The enhanced aircraft is controlled by two pilots instead of three crew members required to navigate the basic version.

Tu-204SM is a modification of Tu-204 aircraft. It corresponds to the present international flight safety requirements.

Source and photo: UAC