RuAviation

On 30 November 1974, the modernised supersonic passenger aircraft Tu-144D made its maiden flight. The machine was lifted into the sky by the crew of the Voronezh Aviation Plant, which was headed by the experienced test pilot Alexander Voblikov.

The original Tu-144 with NK-144 engines had already demonstrated its ability to exceed the speed of sound, but its range was limited. At cruising supersonic mode, he could not overcome even 3000 km, while the requirements for the aircraft provided for the carriage of 80-100 passengers at a distance of 4000-4500 km. One of the main reasons was the increased fuel consumption, which was 2.23 kg/kgf*hour, instead of the declared 1.35-1.45 kg/kgf*hour.

In order to solve this problem, it was decided to install on the aeroplane a no-foreshortening engine RD-36-51, developed in OKB-36. This engine promised to reduce fuel consumption to 1.26 kg/kgf*hour and increase thrust from 20,000 to 21,000 kgf. The first Tu-144D was converted from the production Tu-144, and many changes were made in subsequent models.

In June 1976, the Tu-144D made a technical flight to a distance of 6200 km, but the payload was only 5 tonnes. The RD-36-51 engines had a short life of 50 hours and often failed, and deliveries of new engines were not always made in time. Despite this, the aircraft received a certificate of airworthiness and was put into production, he performed 50 test flights Moscow – Khabarovsk, but did not carry passengers.

Subsequently, work on improving the Tu-144 continued and planned to create a version of the Tu-144DA with a more powerful engine, increased wing area and a large fuel reserve. This would allow to carry 130-160 passengers at a distance of 7000-7500 km. However, work on the Tu-144 programme was discontinued.

Some Tu-144D were used as flying laboratories in the development of supersonic passenger aircraft of the next generation. For example, on the basis of one of them was created flying laboratory Tu-144LL to study various aspects of aeroacoustics, aeroelasticity, stability and controllability, as well as to collect data on the thermal state of the power plant at high speeds and the influence of the earth’s surface on takeoff and landing modes. This work was carried out under an intergovernmental agreement in the interests of Boeing Corporation and NASA.