Characteristics of a supersonic aircraft. Supersonic flights: the first aircraft, breaking the supersonic barrier and Mach number in aviation

The aircraft designers were faced with the task of further increasing their speed. Higher speed expanded the combat capabilities of both fighters and bombers.

The supersonic era began with the flight of Chuck Yeager, an American test pilot, on October 14, 1947, on an experimental Bell X-1 aircraft powered by an XLR-11 rocket engine, reaching supersonic speed in controlled flight.

Development

The 60s-70s of the XX century were marked by the rapid development of supersonic aviation. The main problems of stability and controllability of aircraft, their aerodynamic efficiency were solved. The high flight speed also made it possible to increase the ceiling over 20 km, which was important for reconnaissance aircraft and bombers. At that time, before the appearance of anti-aircraft missile systems capable of hitting targets at high altitudes, the main principle of using bombers was to fly to the target at the highest possible height and speed. During these years, supersonic aircraft for various purposes were built and launched into series - fighters, bombers, interceptors, fighter-bombers, reconnaissance aircraft (the first supersonic all-weather interceptor - Convair F-102 Delta Dagger; the first supersonic long-range bomber - Convair B-58 Hustler) ...

Nowadays, new aircraft appear, including those made using the Stealth technology.

Comparative schemes of Tu-144 and Concorde

Supersonic passenger aircraft

In the history of aviation, there were only two supersonic passenger aircraft that performed regular flights. The Soviet Tu-144 made its first flight on December 31, 1968, and was in operation from 1978 to 1978. The Anglo-French Concorde (fr. Concorde- "consent") made transatlantic flights from 2003 to 2003. Their operation allowed not only to significantly reduce the flight time on long-haul flights, but also to use unloaded airspace at high altitudes (≈18 km), while the main airspace used by liners (altitudes of 9-12 km) was already in those years loaded. Also, supersonic aircraft flew on straightened routes (outside airways).

Theoretical questions

Flight at supersonic speed, in contrast to subsonic, proceeds according to different laws, since when the object reaches the speed of sound, the aerodynamic flow pattern changes qualitatively, due to which the aerodynamic drag increases sharply, the kinetic heating of the structure increases, the aerodynamic focus shifts, which leads to the loss of stability and controllability of the aircraft. In addition, such a hitherto unknown phenomenon as "wave resistance" has appeared.

Therefore, achieving the speed of sound and effective flight were impossible by simply increasing the power of the engines; new design solutions were required. The consequence was a change in the appearance of the aircraft - characteristic straight lines, sharp corners appeared, in contrast to the "smooth" shape of subsonic aircraft.

It should be noted that the task of creating an effective supersonic aircraft cannot be considered solved until now. The creators have to compromise between the requirement to increase speed and maintain acceptable takeoff and landing characteristics. Thus, the conquest of new frontiers in speed and altitude by aviation is associated not only with the use of a more advanced or fundamentally new propulsion system and a new layout of aircraft, but also with changes in their geometry in flight. Such changes, while improving the characteristics of the aircraft at high speeds, should not impair their qualities at low speeds, and vice versa. Recently, the creators refuse to reduce the wing area and the relative thickness of their profiles, as well as to increase the wing sweep angle in aircraft with variable geometry, returning to the wings of small sweep and large relative thickness, if satisfactory values of the maximum speed and ceiling have already been achieved. In such a case, it is considered important that the supersonic aircraft has good flight performance at low speeds and reduced drag at high speeds, especially at low altitudes.

Notes (edit)

supersonic aircraft- supersonic aircraft - an aircraft, the operating conditions of which provide for flight at speeds exceeding the speed of sound. Introduction of the concept "C. with." in the 1950s. caused by a significant difference in geometric shapes that provide ... ... Encyclopedia "Aviation"

It is known that the main ways of development of aviation were determined and are determined mainly by the progress of military aircraft, the development of which requires great efforts and resources. At the same time, civil aviation, for which ... ... Wikipedia

Supersonic airliner Tu-144: flight performance- On December 31, 1968, an experimental supersonic aircraft Tu 144 (tail number of the USSR 68001) made its first flight. The Tu-144 managed to take off two months earlier than its Anglo-French competitor of the Concorde liner, which made its maiden flight 2 ... ... Encyclopedia of Newsmakers

supersonic passenger aircraft- Rice. 1. Supersonic passenger aircraft Tu-144. supersonic passenger aircraft (SPS) - designed to carry passengers, baggage and cargo at a supersonic cruising flight speed (Mach flight number M∞> 1). The first (and ... ... Encyclopedia "Aviation"

avia-su.ru

The twin-engine fighter produced by the Sukhoi Design Bureau was adopted by the USSR Air Force in 1985, although it made its first flight back in May 1977.

This aircraft can reach a maximum supersonic speed of Mach 2.35 (2500 km / h), which is more than twice the speed of sound.

The Su-27 has earned a reputation as one of the most efficient units of its time, and some models are still used in the armies of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.

www.f-16.net

A tactical attack aircraft developed in the 1960s by General Dynamics. Designed for two crew members, the first aircraft entered service with the US Air Force in 1967, and was used for strategic bombing, reconnaissance and electronic warfare. The F-111 was able to reach Mach 2.5 (2655 km / h), or 2.5 times the speed of sound.

letsgoflying.wordpress.com

Twin-engine tactical fighter developed by McDonnell Douglas in 1967. The all-weather aircraft is designed to capture and maintain air superiority over enemy forces during aerial combat. The F-15 Eagle first flew in July 1972 and officially entered service with the United States Air Force in 1976.

The F-15 is capable of flying at speeds in excess of Mach 2.5 (2655 km / h) and is considered one of the most successful aircraft ever built. The F-15 Eagle is expected to be in service with the US Air Force until 2025. The fighter is now exported to a number of foreign countries, including Japan, Israel and Saudi Arabia.

airforce.ru

A large, twin-engine supersonic aircraft manufactured by the Mikoyan Design Bureau is designed to intercept foreign aircraft at high speeds. The aircraft made its maiden flight in September 1975, and entered service with the Air Force in 1982.

The MiG-31 reaches a speed of Mach 2.83 (3000 km / h) and was capable of flying at supersonic speeds even at low altitudes. The MiG-31 is still in service with the Air Forces of Russia and Kazakhstan.

XB-70 newspaceandaircraft.com

The six-engine XB-70 Valkyrie aircraft was developed by North American Aviation in the late 1950s. The aircraft was built as a prototype for a strategic bomber with nuclear bombs.

The XB-70 Valkyrie reached its design speed on October 14, 1965, when it reached Mach 3.02 (3219 km / h), 21,300 m above Edwards Air Force Base in California.

Two XB-70s were built and used on test flights from 1964 to 1969. One prototype crashed in 1966 after a mid-air collision, and another XB-70 is on display at the National Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio.

Bell x-2 starbuster

X-2 wikipedia.org

The rocket-powered aircraft was a joint development of Bell Aircraft Corporation, the US Air Force and the National Aeronautics Advisory Committee (NASA's predecessor) in 1945. The aircraft was built to study the aerodynamic properties during supersonic flight in the range of Mach 2 and 3.

The X-2, nicknamed Starbuster, made its maiden flight in November 1955. The next year, in September 1956, Captain Milburn at the helm was able to reach a speed of Mach 3.2 (3370 km / h) at an altitude of 19,800 m.

Shortly after reaching this maximum speed, the aircraft became uncontrollable and crashed. This tragic incident put an end to the X-2 program.

airforce.ru

The Mikoyan-Gurevich aircraft was designed to intercept enemy aircraft at supersonic speeds and collect reconnaissance data. The MiG-25 is one of the fastest military aircraft ever put into service. The MiG-25 made its first flight in 1964 and was first used by the Soviet Air Force in 1970.

The MiG-25 has an incredible top speed of Mach 3.2 (3524 km / h). The aircraft is still in service with the Russian Air Force, and is also used in a number of other countries, including the Algerian Air Force and the Syrian Air Force.

wikipedia.org

A prototype aircraft developed by the Lockheed Corporation in the late 50s and early 60s. The aircraft was built to intercept enemy aircraft at Mach 3.

Testing of the YF-12 took place at Area 51, a top-secret US Air Force training ground that ufologists have credited with having an alien connection. The YF-12 made its maiden flight in 1963 and developed a maximum speed of Mach 3.2 (3330 km / h) at an altitude of 24,400 m.The USAF eventually canceled the program, but YF-12 still made a number of research flights for the Air Force NASA. The aircraft finally stopped flying in 1978.

Throughout history, a person is drawn to overcome all possible barriers. One of them has long been the speed of sound. At the moment, there are many supersonic aircraft, some of which are actively used by various states, while others, for one reason or another, no longer take to the sky.

In the course of development, which was carried out for many decades, not only military supersonic fighters were designed, but also civilian liners, which carried passengers for some time.

The development of aircraft capable of exceeding it began in the middle of the last century. This happened during the Second World War, when German scientists worked hard to develop a supersonic aircraft that could turn the tide of the war.

However, the war ended, and many of the German scientists who worked on these developments were captured by the Americans. Largely thanks to them, a rocket-powered aircraft was developed in the United States - the Bell X-1, on which in 1947 Chuck Yeager was the first in the world to exceed the speed of sound.

A year later, the Soviet Union came to a similar result, developing the LA-176, which at first equaled the speed of sound at an altitude of 9000 meters, and a month later, having received improved engines, exceeded it at an altitude of 7000 meters.

Unfortunately, the project was canceled due to the tragic death of O.V. Sokolovsky, one of the pilots of this aircraft. Further progress in the design of supersonic aircraft slowed down due to some physical obstacles: air liquefaction at too high a speed, changes in aerodynamics and streamlining. Overheating of aircraft breaking the sound barrier became a serious obstacle. This phenomenon is called "flutter".

Over the next several years, designers worked on streamlining, aerodynamics, body materials and other improvements.

Military aviation in the 1950s

At the beginning of this decade, the F-100 Super Saber and the MiG-19 were developed by competing in all areas of the United States and the USSR. At first, the American F-100 overtook the Soviet MiG, reaching a speed of 1215 kilometers per hour in 1953, but a year later the Soviet MiG was able to outstrip it, accelerating to 1,450 kilometers per hour.

Despite the absence of open military clashes between the USA and the USSR, in the local conflicts of the Vietnam and Korean War, it was found that the Soviet MiG is in many ways superior to its American competitor.

The MiG-19 was lighter, took off faster, surpassed its competitor in dynamic performance, and its combat range was 200 kilometers higher than the F-100.

Such circumstances led to increased interest in Soviet developments on the part of the Americans, and after the end of the Korean War, officer No Geum Sokom hijacked the MiG-19 from the Soviet airbase, providing it to the United States, for which he received a reward of $ 100,000.

Civil supersonic aviation

The technical developments obtained during the war years gave impetus to the rapid development of aviation in the 60s. The main problems caused by breaking the sound barrier were solved, and the designers were able to start designing the first supersonic civil aircraft.

The first supersonic airliner designed to carry passengers flew in 1961. This aircraft was a Douglas DC-8, piloted without passengers, with ballast placed on board simulating their weight for testing in conditions as close to real ones as possible. At the time of descent from a height of 15877, a speed of 1262 km / h was developed.

Also, the speed of sound was unplanned by a Boeing 747, when the plane heading from Taipei to Los Angeles, as a result of malfunction and incompetence of the crew, went into an uncontrolled dive. Diving from an altitude of 125,000 meters to 2,900 meters, the aircraft exceeded the speed of sound, sustaining damage to the tail section and delivering serious grass to two passengers. The incident happened in 1985.

In total, two aircraft were built, capable of truly exceeding the speed of sound on regular flights. They were the Soviet Tu-144 and the Anglo-French Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde. Apart from these aircraft, no other passenger aircraft could maintain a cruising supersonic speed.

Tu-144 and Concorde

The Tu-144 is rightfully considered the first supersonic passenger aircraft in history, because it was built before the Concorde. These liners were distinguished not only by their excellent technical characteristics, but also by their graceful appearance - many consider them the most beautiful aircraft in the entire history of aviation.

Unfortunately, the Tu-144 became not only the first supersonic passenger aircraft to take off into the sky, but also the first crashed airliner of this type. In 1973, 14 people died in the crash at Le Bourget, which was the first impetus for the termination of flights on this machine.

The second crash of the Tu-144 occurred in the Moscow region in 1978 - a fire began on the plane, due to which the landing for two crew members was fatal.

During the check, it was established that the cause of the fire was a flaw in the fuel system of the new engine, which was being tested at that time, but otherwise the aircraft showed excellent characteristics, since it was able to land when it caught fire. Despite this, commercial rails on it were discontinued.

The Concorde served European aviation for much longer - flights on it lasted from 1976 to 2003. However, in 2000, this liner also crashed. Taking off at Charles de Gaulle, the plane caught fire and crashed to the ground, killing 113 people.

In the entire history of flights, the Concorde did not begin to pay off, and after the disaster, the flow of passengers decreased so much that the project became even more unprofitable, and after three years flights on this supersonic aircraft stopped.

Technical characteristics of Tu-144

Many people wonder what was the speed of a supersonic aircraft? Consider the technical characteristics of the aircraft, which has long been the pride of Russian aviation:

Crew - 4 people;
Capacity - 150 people;
Length-to-height ratio - 67 / 12.5 meters;
Maximum weight - 180 tons;
Thrust with afterburner - 17,500 kg / s;
Cruising speed -2200 km / h;
Maximum flight altitude - 18,000 meters;
The flight range is 6500 kilometers.

M = 1.2-5).

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Nowadays, new aircraft appear, including those made using the Stealth technology.

Supersonic passenger aircraft

Only two serially produced supersonic passenger aircraft are known to perform regular flights: the Soviet Tu-144 aircraft, which made its first flight on December 31, 1968 and was in operation from to 1978 and completed its first flight in England two months later, on March 2, 1969. French "Concorde" (fr. Concorde - "consent"), which made transatlantic flights from 2003 to 2003. Their operation made it possible not only to significantly reduce the flight time on long-haul flights, but also to use unloaded airspace at high altitudes (≈18 km), while the main airspace used by liners (altitudes of 9-12 km) was already strong in those years. loaded. Also, supersonic aircraft flew on straightened routes (outside airways).
Despite the failure to implement several other former and existing projects of passenger supersonic and transonic aircraft (Boeing 2707, Boeing Sonic Cruiser, Douglas 2229, Lockheed L-2000, Tu-244, Tu-344, Tu-444, SSBJ, etc.) and withdrawal from the operation of the aircraft of the two implemented projects, were developed earlier and there are modern projects of hypersonic (including suborbital) passenger airliners (for example, ZEHST, SpaceLiner) and military transport (landing) rapid response aircraft. The Aerion AS2 passenger business jet under development was firmly ordered in November 2015 for 20 units with a total cost of $ 2.4 billion, with deliveries starting in 2023.

Theoretical problems

Flight at supersonic speed, in contrast to subsonic, proceeds under conditions of different aerodynamics, since when the aircraft reaches the speed of sound, the aerodynamics of the streamline change qualitatively, which sharply increases the aerodynamic drag, and the kinetic heating of the structure also increases from friction of the incoming air stream at high speed. , the aerodynamic focus is shifted, which leads to the loss of stability and controllability of the aircraft. In addition, such a phenomenon, unknown before the creation of the first supersonic aircraft, manifested itself as “wave drag”.
Therefore, the achievement of the speed of sound and effective stable flight at near and supersonic speeds were impossible due to a simple increase in engine power - new design solutions were required. As a result, the appearance of the aircraft changed: characteristic straight lines, sharp corners appeared, in contrast to the "smooth" forms of subsonic aircraft.
It should be noted that the problem of creating an effective supersonic aircraft cannot be considered resolved until now. The creators have to compromise between the requirement to increase speed and maintain acceptable takeoff and landing characteristics. Thus, the conquest of new frontiers in terms of speed and altitude by aviation is associated not only with the use of a more advanced or fundamentally new propulsion system and a new structural layout of aircraft, but also with changes in their geometry in flight. Such changes, while improving the characteristics of the aircraft at high speeds, should not degrade their quality at low speeds, and vice versa. Recently, the creators refuse to reduce the wing area and the relative thickness of their profiles, as well as to increase the wing sweep angle in aircraft with variable geometry, returning to the wings of small sweep and large relative thickness, if satisfactory values of the maximum speed and practical ceiling have already been achieved. In such a case, it is considered important that the supersonic aircraft has good flight performance at low speeds and low drag at high speeds, especially at low altitudes.

Tu-144 is a Soviet supersonic aircraft developed by the Tupolev Design Bureau in the 1960s. Along with the Concorde, it is one of only two supersonic airliners ever used by airlines for commercial travel.

In the 60s, in the aviation circles of the USA, Great Britain, France and the USSR, projects to create a supersonic passenger aircraft with a maximum speed of 2500-3000 km / h and a flight range of at least 6-8 thousand km were actively discussed. In November 1962, France and Great Britain signed an agreement on the joint development and construction of the Concorde (Concord).

Supersonic aircraft creators

In the Soviet Union, the design bureau of academician Andrei Tupolev was engaged in the creation of a supersonic aircraft. At a preliminary meeting of the Design Bureau in January 1963, Tupolev said:

“Thinking about the future of air transportation of people from one continent to another, you come to an unambiguous conclusion: supersonic air liners are undoubtedly needed, and I have no doubt that they will come into life ...”

The academician's son, Aleksey Tupolev, was appointed the lead designer of the project. More than a thousand specialists from other organizations worked closely with his OKB. The creation was preceded by extensive theoretical and experimental work, which included numerous tests in wind tunnels and natural conditions during analogue flights.

Concorde and Tu-144

The developers had to smash their brains to find the optimal machine layout. The speed of the designed liner is of fundamental importance - 2500 or 3000 km / h. The Americans, having learned that the Concorde is designed for 2500 km / h, announced that they would release their passenger Boeing-2707 made of steel and titanium just six months later. Only these materials could withstand the heating of the structure without destructive consequences in contact with the air flow at speeds of 3000 km / h and higher. However, solid steel and titanium structures still need to undergo rigorous process and operational testing. This will take a long time, and Tupolev decides to build a supersonic aircraft from duralumin, based on a speed of 2500 km / h. The American Boeing project was subsequently canceled altogether.

In June 1965, the model was shown at the annual Paris Air Show. The Concorde and the Tu-144 turned out to be strikingly similar to each other. Soviet designers said - nothing surprising: the general form is determined by the laws of aerodynamics and the requirements for a particular type of machine.

Supersonic aircraft wing shape

But what should be the shape of the wing? We settled on a thin triangular wing with the outline of the leading edge in the form of the letter "8". The tailless scheme - inevitable with such a design of the bearing plane - made the supersonic airliner stable and well-controlled in all flight modes. Four engines were located under the fuselage, closer to the axis. The fuel is stored in wing-coffered tanks. The balance tanks, located at the rear of the fuselage and wing overlays, are designed to change the position of the center of gravity during the transition from subsonic to supersonic flight speed. The nose was made sharp and smooth. But how do you provide the pilots with forward visibility? Found a way out - "bowing nose". The circular fuselage had a cockpit nose cone that tilted downward at an angle of 12 degrees during takeoff and 17 degrees during landing.

A supersonic plane takes to the sky

For the first time, a supersonic plane takes to the skies on the last day of 1968. The car was driven by test pilot E. Elyan. As a passenger aircraft, it was the first in the world to overcome the speed of sound in early June 1969, at an altitude of 11 kilometers. The supersonic aircraft took the second speed of sound (2M) in the middle of 1970, being at an altitude of 16.3 kilometers. The supersonic aircraft incorporates many design and technical innovations. Here I would like to mention such a solution as the front horizontal tail. When using the PGO, the flight maneuverability was improved and the speed was suppressed during the landing approach. Domestic supersonic aircraft could be operated from two dozen airports, while the French-English Concorde, having a high landing speed, could only land at a certified airport. The designers of the Tupolev Design Bureau did a tremendous job. Take, for example, field testing of a wing. They took place at a flying laboratory - the MiG-21I, converted specifically for testing the design and equipment of the wing of the future supersonic aircraft.

Development and modification

Work on the development of the basic design of the "044" went in two directions: the creation of a new economical turbojet engine of the RD-36-51 type and a significant improvement in the aerodynamics and design of the supersonic aircraft. The result was to meet the requirements for the range of supersonic flight. The decision of the Commission of the Council of Ministers of the USSR on the version of the supersonic aircraft with the RD-36-51 was adopted in 1969. At the same time, at the suggestion of the MAP - MGA, a decision is made, until the creation of the RD-36-51 and their installation on a supersonic aircraft, on the construction of six supersonic aircraft with NK-144A with reduced specific fuel consumption. The design of serial supersonic aircraft with the NK-144A was supposed to be significantly modernized, to make significant changes in aerodynamics, having received more than 8 Kmax at the supersonic cruising mode. series on RD-36-51.

Construction of a modernized supersonic aircraft

Construction of the pre-production modernized Tu-144 ("004)" began at MMZ "Experience" in 1968. According to the calculated data with the NK-144 engines (Cp = 2.01), the estimated supersonic range should have been 3275 km, and with the NK-144A (Cp = 1.91), exceed 3500 km. In order to improve the aerodynamic characteristics in cruising mode M = 2.2, the wing shape was changed in plan (the sweep of the flowing part along the leading edge was reduced to 76 °, and the base part was increased to 57 °), the wing shape became closer to the "Gothic" one. Compared with the "044", the wing area has increased, a more intensive conical twist of the wing end parts has been introduced. However, the most important innovation in wing aerodynamics was the change in the middle part of the wing, which ensured self-balancing in cruise mode with minimal loss of quality, taking into account the optimization of flight deformations of the wing in this mode. The length of the fuselage was increased to accommodate 150 passengers, the shape of the bow was improved, which also had a positive effect on aerodynamics.

In contrast to "044", each pair of engines in paired engine nacelles with air intakes was pushed apart, releasing the lower part of the fuselage from them, relieving it from increased temperature and vibration loads, while changing the lower wing surface in the place of the calculated flow compression region, increased the gap between the lower surface wing and the upper surface of the air intake - all this made it possible to use more intensively the effect of flow compression at the inlet to the air intakes on the Kmax than it was possible to get on the "044". The new layout of the engine nacelles required changes in the chassis: the main landing gear struts were placed under the engine nacelles, with their retraction inside between the engine air channels, they switched to an eight-wheeled bogie, and the nose landing gear retraction scheme was also changed. An important difference between "004" and "044" was the introduction of a front multi-section retractable in-flight destabilizer wing, which was extended from the fuselage in take-off and landing modes, and made it possible to provide the required balancing with deflected flaps elevons. Modifications to the design, an increase in payload and fuel reserve led to an increase in take-off weight, which exceeded 190 tons (for "044" - 150 tons).

Pre-production Tu-144

The construction of the pre-production supersonic aircraft No. 01-1 (side No. 77101) was completed at the beginning of 1971, and on June 1, 1971 it made its first flight. According to the factory test program, the aircraft performed 231 flights, lasting 338 hours, of which 55 hours flew in supersonic mode. On this machine, complex issues of interaction of the power plant in various flight modes were worked out. On September 20, 1972, the car flew along the Moscow-Tashkent highway, while the route was completed in 1 hour 50 minutes, the cruising speed during the flight reached 2500 km / h. The pre-production aircraft became the basis for the deployment of serial production at the Voronezh Aviation Plant (VAZ), which was ordered by the government to develop a series of supersonic aircraft.

The first flight of the serial Tu-144

The first flight of serial supersonic aircraft No. 01-2 (side No. 77102) powered by NK-144A engines took place on March 20, 1972. In the series, according to the results of tests of the pre-production machine, the aerodynamics of the wing was corrected and its area was slightly increased again. The takeoff weight in the series reached 195 tons. The specific fuel consumption of the NK-144A by the time of operational tests of serial machines was intended to be increased to 1.65-1.67 kg / kgf h by optimizing the engine nozzle, and later to 1.57 kg / kgf h, while the flight range should was to increase to 3855-4250 km and 4550 km, respectively. In fact, they were able to achieve by 1977, during tests and refinements of the Tu-144 and NK-144A series, Cp = 1.81 kg / kgf hour at cruising supersonic thrust mode 5000 kgf, Cp = 1.65 kg / kgf hour at takeoff afterburner thrust mode 20,000 kgf, Cp = 0.92 kg / kgf hour at a subsonic cruising mode of thrust of 3000 kgf and at a maximum afterburner mode in a transonic mode, they received 11,800 kgf. A fragment of a supersonic aircraft.

Flights and tests of a supersonic aircraft

First stage of testing

In a short period of time, in strict accordance with the program, 395 flights were performed with a total flight time of 739 hours, including more than 430 hours at supersonic modes.

Second stage of testing

At the second stage of operational tests, in accordance with the joint order of the Ministers of the Aviation Industry and Civil Aviation of September 13, 1977, No. 149-223, a more active connection of the means and services of civil aviation took place. A new commission was formed to conduct tests, headed by the Deputy Minister of Civil Aviation B.D. Rude. By the decision of the commission, then confirmed by a joint order dated September 30 - October 5, 1977, the crews were assigned to conduct operational tests:
1. The first crew: pilots B.F. Kuznetsov (Moscow Transport Department of Civil Aviation), S.T. Agapov (ZhLiDB), navigator S.P. Khramov (MTU GA), flight engineers Yu.N. Avayev (MTU GA), Yu.T. Seliverstov (ZhLiDB), leading engineer S.P. Avakimov (ZhLiDB).
2. Second crew: pilots V.P. Voronin (Moscow State University GA), I.K. Vedernikov (ZhLiDB), navigator A.A. Senyuk (MTU GA), flight engineers E.A. Trebuntsov (MTU GA) and V.V. Solomatin (ZhLiDB), leading engineer V.V. Isaev (GosNIIGA).
3. Third crew: pilots M.S. Kuznetsov (GosNIIGA), G.V. Voronchenko (ZhLiDB), navigator V.V. Vyazigin (GosNIIGA), flight engineers M.P. Isaev (MTU GA), V.V. Solomatin (ZhLiDB), leading engineer V.N. Poklad (ZhLiDB).
4. The fourth crew: pilots N.I. Yurskov (GosNIIGA), V.A. Sevankaev (ZhLiDB), navigator Yu.A. Vasiliev (GosNIIGA), flight engineer V.L. Venediktov (GosNIIGA), leading engineer I.S. Mayboroda (GosNIIGA).
Before the start of the tests, a lot of work was done to review all the materials received in order to use them "for offset" to meet specific requirements. However, despite this, some civil aviation specialists insisted on the implementation of the "Program for operational tests of a supersonic aircraft" developed at GosNIIGA back in 1975 under the leadership of the leading engineer A.M. Teterukov. This program essentially required the repetition of previously performed flights in the amount of 750 flights (1200 flight hours) on the MGA routes.

The total volume of operational flights and tests for both stages will amount to 445 flights with 835 flight hours, of which 475 hours at supersonic modes. There were performed 128 pair flights on the Moscow-Alma-Ata route.

The final stage

The final test phase was not technically challenging. Rhythmic work on a schedule was ensured without major disruptions and major defects. The engineering and technical crews were “having fun”, assessing household equipment, preparing for passenger transportation. The flight attendants and the corresponding specialists of GosNIIGA, connected to the tests, began to conduct ground trainings to test the technology of servicing passengers in flight. The so-called. "Raffles" and two technical flights with passengers. The “raffle” was held on October 16, 1977 with a complete simulation of the cycle of ticket check-in, baggage clearance, passenger boarding, flight duration, passengers disembarkation, baggage check-in at the destination airport. From the “passengers” (the best workers of OKB, ZhLiDB, GosNIIGA and other organizations) there was no end. The ration of food in the "flight" was at the highest level, since it was approved according to the first class menu, everyone enjoyed it very much. The "raffle" made it possible to clarify many important elements and details of passenger service. On October 20 and 21, 1977, two technical flights were performed along the Moscow-Alma-Ata highway with passengers. The first passengers were employees of many organizations who were directly involved in the creation and testing of a supersonic aircraft. Today it is even difficult to imagine the atmosphere on board: a feeling of joy and pride reigned there, a great hope for development against the background of first-class service, to which technical people are absolutely not accustomed. On the first flights, all the heads of the leading institutes and organizations were on board.

The road is open for passenger traffic

Technical flights passed without serious comments and showed the full readiness of the supersonic aircraft and all ground services for regular flights. On October 25, 1977, the Minister of Civil Aviation of the USSR B.P. Bugaev and Minister of Aviation Industry of the USSR V.A. Kazakov approved the main document: "Act on the results of operational tests of a supersonic aircraft with NK-144 engines" with a positive conclusion and conclusions.

On the basis of the presented tables of compliance of the Tu-144 with the requirements of the Temporary Airworthiness Standards of the civil Tu-144 of the USSR, the full volume of the presented evidentiary documentation, including acts on state and operational tests, on October 29, 1977, Chairman of the USSR State Aviation Register I.K. Mulkidzhanov approved the conclusion and signed the first in the USSR certificate of airworthiness of type No. 03-144 for a supersonic aircraft with NK-144A engines.

The road was opened for passenger traffic.

The supersonic aircraft could land and take off at 18 airports in the USSR, while the Concordu, whose takeoff and landing speed was 15% higher, required a separate landing certificate for each airport. According to some experts, if the engines of the Concorde were located in the same way as that of the Tu-144, then the accident on July 25, 2000 would not have happened.

According to experts, the design of the Tu-144 airframe was perfect, while the flaws concerned engines and various systems.

The second production copy of a supersonic aircraft

In June 1973, the 30th International Paris Air Show took place in France. There was enormous interest aroused by the Soviet Tu-144, the world's first supersonic aircraft. On June 2, thousands of visitors to the air show in the Paris suburb of Le Bourget watched the second production prototype of a supersonic aircraft enter the runway. The roar of four engines, a powerful takeoff - and now the car is in the air. The ship's sharp nose straightened and aimed at the sky. The supersonic Tu, led by Captain Kozlov, made its first demonstration flight over Paris: after gaining the required altitude, the car went over the horizon, then returned and made a circle over the airfield. The flight took place in normal mode, no technical problems were noted.

The next day, the Soviet crew decided to show everything that the new one is capable of.

Disaster during the demonstration

The sunny morning of June 3 did not seem to bode well. At first, everything went according to plan - the audience, raising their heads, applauded in unison. The supersonic plane, having shown the "highest class", went down. At that moment, the French Mirage fighter appeared in the air (as it turned out later, he was filming an air show). A collision seemed inevitable. In order not to crash into the airfield and spectators, the crew commander decided to climb higher and pulled the steering wheel towards himself. However, the height had already been lost, and heavy loads were placed on the structure; as a result, the right wing cracked and fell off. A fire broke out there, and after a few seconds the blazing supersonic plane rushed to the ground. A terrible landing took place on one of the streets of the Parisian suburb of Gusenville. The giant car, destroying everything in its path, crashed to the ground and exploded. The entire crew - six people - and eight Frenchmen on the ground were killed. Gusenville also suffered - several buildings were destroyed. What led to the tragedy? According to most experts, the cause of the disaster was an attempt by the crew of a supersonic aircraft to avoid a collision with the Mirage. During the landing approach, the Tu was caught in a wake from the French Mirage fighter.

Video: The crash of the Tu-144 in 1973: how it was

This version can be found in Gene Alexander's book, Russian Airplanes Since 1944, and in an article in the Aviation Week and Space Technology magazine for June 11, 1973, written with fresh traces. The authors believe that pilot Mikhail Kozlov landed on the wrong runway - either by mistake of the flight director, or by the inattention of the pilots. The dispatcher noticed the error in time and warned the Soviet pilots. But instead of going around, Kozlov laid a sharp turn - and found himself right in front of the nose of the French Air Force fighter. At that time, the co-pilot was filming with a movie camera a story about the Tu crew for French television and therefore was not wearing his seatbelt. During the maneuver, he fell onto the center console, and while returning to his place, he had already lost altitude. Kozlov abruptly pulled the steering wheel towards himself - overload: the right wing could not stand it. And here is another explanation for the terrible tragedy. Kozlov was ordered to squeeze the maximum out of the car. Even during takeoff, he took an almost vertical angle at low speed. For a liner with such a configuration, this is fraught with enormous overloads. As a result, one of the external nodes could not stand it and fell off.

According to the employees of the Tupolev Design Bureau, the cause of the disaster was the connection of an unsettled analog block of the control system, which led to a destructive overload.

The spy version belongs to the writer James Olberg. In short, it is as follows. The Soviets tried to "beat" the Concorde. The group of N. D. Kuznetsova created good engines, but they could not work at low temperatures, unlike the Concord ones. Then Soviet intelligence officers got involved in the case. Penkovsky, through his agent Grevil Wyne, obtained some of the Concorde's blueprints and shipped them to Moscow through an East German trade representative. British counterintelligence thus established the leak, but, instead of arresting the spy, decided to let disinformation into Moscow through his own channels. As a result, the Tu-144 was born, very similar to the Concorde. It is difficult to establish the truth, since the “black boxes” have not clarified anything. One was found in Bourges, at the crash site, but reportedly damaged. The second was never found. It is believed that the "black box" of a supersonic aircraft has become a point of contention between the KGB and the GRU.

According to the pilots, emergency situations occurred in almost every flight. On May 23, 1978, the second supersonic plane crash occurred. An improved experimental version of the liner, Tu-144D (No. 77111), after fuel ignition in the nacelle area of the 3rd power plant due to the destruction of the fuel line, smoke in the cockpit and the crew shutting off two engines, made an emergency landing on a field near the village of Ilyinsky Pogost, not far from the city Yegoryevsk.

After landing through the cockpit window, crew commander V.D.Popov, co-pilot E.V. Elyan and navigator V.V. Vyazigin left the airliner. Engineers V. M. Kulesh, V. A. Isaev, V. N. Stolpovsky who were in the cabin left the liner through the front entrance door. Flight engineers O. A. Nikolaev and V. L. Venediktov were trapped in the workplace by structures deformed during landing and died. (The deflected nose cone touched the ground first, worked like a bulldozer knife, picking up the ground, and turned under the belly, entering the fuselage.) On June 1, 1978, Aeroflot permanently stopped supersonic passenger flights.

Improvement of the supersonic aircraft

Work on improving the supersonic aircraft continued for several more years. Five production aircraft were produced; five more were under construction. A new modification has been developed - Tu-144D (long-range). However, the choice of a new (more economical) engine, RD-36-51, required a significant redesign of the aircraft, especially the power plant. Serious design gaps in this area led to the delay in the release of the new liner. Only in November 1974, the serial Tu-144D (tail number 77105) took off, and nine (!) Years after its first flight, on November 1, 1977, the supersonic aircraft received a certificate of airworthiness. Passenger flights were opened on the same day. During their short operation, the liners carried 3194 passengers. On May 31, 1978, flights were stopped: a fire broke out on one of the serial Tu-144Ds, and the liner crashed during an emergency landing.

The disasters in Paris and Yegoryevsk led to the fact that the interest in the project on the part of the state decreased. From 1977 to 1978, 600 problems were identified. As a result, it was decided to remove the supersonic aircraft already in the 80s, explaining this by "a bad effect on human health when crossing the sound barrier." Nevertheless, four of the five Tu-144Ds that were in production were nevertheless completed. Later they were based in Zhukovsky and took off as flying laboratories. A total of 16 supersonic aircraft (including long-range modifications) were built, making a total of 2556 sorties. By the mid-90s, ten of them survived: four in museums (Monino, Kazan, Kuibyshev, Ulyanovsk); one remained at the factory in Voronezh, where it was built; one more was in Zhukovsky along with four Tu-144Ds.

Subsequently, the Tu-144D was used only for freight traffic between Moscow and Khabarovsk. In total, the supersonic aircraft made 102 flights under the Aeroflot flag, of which 55 were passenger (3,194 passengers were transported).

Later, supersonic aircraft made only test flights and several flights in order to establish world records.

On the Tu-144LL, the NK-32 engines were installed due to the lack of serviceable NK-144 or RD-36-51, similar to those used on the Tu-160, a variety of sensors and test control and recording equipment.

In total, 16 Tu-144 airliners were built, which made a total of 2,556 flights and flew 4,110 hours (of which most of them, 432 hours, flew 77,144). The construction of four more liners was never completed.

What happened to the planes

A total of 16 were built - boards 68001, 77101, 77102, 77105, 77106, 77107, 77108, 77109, 77110, 77111, 77112, 77113, 77114, 77115, 77116 and 77144.

Those remaining in flight status do not currently exist. The Tu-144LL No. 77114 and TU-144D No. 77115 boards are almost completely completed with parts and can be restored to flight condition.

In a recoverable state, TU-144LL No. 77114, which was used for NASA tests, is stored at the airfield in Zhukovsky.

TU-144D No. 77115 is also kept at the airfield in Zhukovsky. In 2007, both airliners were re-painted and exhibited for public visits at the MAKS-2007 air show.

Nos 77114 and 77115 will most likely be installed as monuments or exhibited at the airfield in Zhukovsky. In 2004-2005, some deals were made with them to sell them for scrap, but protests from the aviation community led to their preservation. The danger of selling them for scrap has not been completely eliminated. The questions of whose ownership they will be transferred to have not been finally resolved.

The photo shows the signature of the first cosmonaut to land on the moon, Neil Armstrong, pilot-cosmonaut Georgy Timofeevich Beregovoy, and all the dead crew members. Supersonic aircraft No. 77102 crashed during a demonstration flight at the Le Bourget air show. All 6 crew members (honored test pilot Hero of the Soviet Union M.V. Kozlov, test pilot V.M. Molchanov, navigator G.N. Bazhenov, deputy chief designer, engineer Major General V.N. Benderov, leading engineer B.A. Pervukhin and flight engineer A.I.Dralin) died.

From left to right. Six crew members on board supersonic aircraft # 77102: Honored Test Pilot Hero of the Soviet Union MV Kozlov, Test Pilot VM Molchanov, Navigator GN Bazhenov, Deputy Chief Designer, Engineer Major General VN Benderov, leading engineer B.A. Pervukhin and flight engineer A.I.Dralin (who, unfortunately, did not specify how they stand in order). Further, pilot-cosmonaut, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Major General Georgy Timofeevich Beregovoy, behind him on the left is Vladimir Alexandrovich Lavrov, then the first American cosmonaut who landed on the moon Neil Armstrong, then (standing behind the Nile) - Stepan Gavrilovich Korneev (head of the UVS from the Department of External Relations Presidium of the Academy of Sciences), in the center Tupolev Andrey Nikolaevich - Soviet aircraft designer, academician of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, colonel-general, three times Hero of Socialist Labor, Hero of Labor of the RSFSR, then Alexander Alexandrovich Arkhangelsky, chief designer of the plant, Soviet aircraft designer, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Honored Scientist and equipment of the RSFSR, Hero of Socialist Labor. Far right Tupolev Alexey Andreevich (son of A.N. Tupolev) - Russian aircraft designer, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences since 1984, Hero of Socialist Labor. The picture was taken in 1970. Photo captions by G.T. Beregovoy and Neil Armstrong.

Concorde

Concorde crash.

The liner is currently out of service due to the disaster on July 25, 2000. On April 10, 2003, British Airways and Air France announced their decision to cease commercial operations of their Concord fleet. The last flights took place on October 24. The last flight of the Concorde took place on November 26, 2003, G-BOAF (the last liner built) took off from Heathrow, flew over the Bay of Biscay, passed over Bristol, and landed at Filton Airport.

Why the supersonic plane is no longer in operation

Tupolev's supersonic aircraft is often called the "lost generation." Intercontinental flights were recognized as uneconomical: per hour of flight, a supersonic plane burned eight times more fuel than a regular passenger plane. For the same reason, long-distance flights to Khabarovsk and Vladivostok did not justify themselves. It is inexpedient to use the supersonic Tu as a transport liner due to its low carrying capacity. True, passenger transportation on it nevertheless became a prestigious and profitable business for Aeroflot, although tickets were considered very expensive at that time. Even after the official closure of the project, in August 1984, the head of the Zhukovskaya flight test base Klimov, the head of the design department Pukhov and the deputy chief designer Popov, with the support of supersonic flight enthusiasts, restored and put into operation two liners, and in 1985 obtained permission to fly for setting world records. The crews of Aganov and Veremey set more than 18 world records in the class of supersonic aircraft - in terms of speed, rate of climb and range with a load.

On March 16, 1996, a series of Tu-144LL research flights began in Zhukovsky, which marked the beginning of the development of the second generation of supersonic passenger airliners.

95-99 years. The supersonic aircraft with tail number 77114 was used by the American NASA as a flying laboratory. Received the name Tu-144LL. The main purpose is research and testing of American developments to create their own modern supersonic aircraft for passenger transportation.