Tupolev to land Tu-204SM contracts

Tupolev, now a subsidiary of Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation, is showing its improved Tu-204SM narrowbody airliner at MAKS 2011 static display. This is the second prototype (s/n 64151) that performed a successful 52-minute maiden flight from Ulyanovsk Vostochny airport only in early August. The aircraft has now joined the first prototype (s/n 64150) in the flight-testing program. Certification trials will be held in 2011-12, with first deliveries scheduled for 2012. The Tu-204SM will remain in production until the future Irkut MS-21 airliner enters service in 2016.

An upgraded version of the Tu-204/Tu-214 family, the Tu-204SM features improved overall performance and will be powered by Aviadvigatel PS-90A2 engines.

Russian air carrier Red Wings has long been considered the main customer for the Tu-204SM. Another Russian airline, Atlant-Soyuz (subsequently rebranded to Moskva Airlines), was also looking to order such aircraft until going bust late last year. There were plans to supply five of the type to the Iranian carrier Iran Air Tour, but the contract fell through after Pratt & Whitney, which holds partial rights to the PS-90A2, said it could not supply engines to Tehran because of US sanctions. Iran has been considering Russia’s proposal to replace the original powerplant by the earlier PS-90A version. This solution, however, would reduce the aircraft’s performance. In all, the Ulyanovsk-based Aviastar-SP aviation plant expects to build 44 Tu-204SM airframes.