Russia continues her commercial airline assault. Here is from Kazan two days ago. For now just mockup, which means it is already in works for real.
Enter Tupolev-454. Yes, it is Andrei Tupolev's portrait on the tail. Alaska Airlines smiled). A bit of hype (nothing goes without hype nowadays) by stating that this is "a response to B-787 and A-350". The key is, of course, PD-26 jet engine. This motor will give this aircraft the range of up to 15,000 km.
As you might expect the final decision, made in September last year, by Vladimir Putin on accelerated completion of PD-26 (it uses "hot" core from PD-35) gave birth, mostly by all kinds of the so called "experts", to all kinds of BS which has nothing to do with constant acceleration of work on all types of Russian commercial aircraft. Now fully certified and in serial production PD-14 will have PD-8 added soon, with PD-8 finishing certification (all documents and data have been submitted for expertise) and PD-26 next for tests on actual airframe. Mind you--all of it, including FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine Control) is fully Russian-built. Well, you may find a capacitor or two made in China there.
So, it is official now Tupolev design bureau is officially IN for this interesting not so much race between Yakovlev (MC-21), Sukhoi SJ-100, Ilyushin (IL-114) but, let's call it a competition, which begins to look very much as good ol' Soviet days with each of the design bureaus given their own segment where they have to deliver. They all are now under the aegis of the UAC--United Aircraft Corporation, which in itself is a part of a technological monster of Rostec.
Meanwhile, many continue to marvel at this aircraft)
Again, as Andrei Tupolev stated--only beautiful aircraft fly well (c). Tu-454 looks good, very good.
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