The Russian Tupolev Tu-150 airline model which includes the one that crashed in the Black Sea with 92 people on board is that it is a mid-sized commercial jet first flown in 1972 which makes it one of the oldest commercial planes in the world. It has been a large part of the fleet of Aeroflot, the Russian national airline
The specs of the plane, according to Airline Inform
| Dimensions | ||
| Length (m) | 47.9 | 48.0 |
| Wingspan (m) | 37.55 | 37.55 |
| Height (m) | 11.4 | 11.4 |
| Wing area (m2) | 201.45 | 202.0 |
| Weight | ||
| Maximum take-off weight (kg) | 98 000 | 102 000 |
| Maximum landing weight (kg) | 92 000 | 80 000 |
| Operating empty weight (kg) | 50 700 | 53 000 |
| Maximum payload (kg) | 18 000 | 18 000 |
| Max stock of fuel (kg) | 39 750 | |
| Performance | ||
| Range with max payload (km) | 2 780 | 3 900 |
| Cruise speed (km/h) | 850 | 850 |
| Maximum speed (km/h) | 950 | 935 |
| Maximum operating altitude (m) | 12 100 | 12 100 |
| Take-off field length (m) | 2 300 | 2 300 |
| Landing field length (m) | 1 000 | 1 000 |
| Engines | NK-8-2, 3 x 23150 lb |
D-30KU, 3 x 23370 lb |
The BBC described the model’s use in detail:
The Tupolev-154 has for more than a quarter of a century been the backbone of Russia and the Soviet Union’s air transport system.
It has carried half the number of all passengers flown by Aeroflot and its successors in that time, with that number peaking at 137 million per year in 1990.
About 1,000 have been built, and many remain in service in Russia.
The aircraft entered service in 1972 and was “modernised” in 1986, with new engines and equipment to improve its fuel consumption and flight operations.
The plane’s safety record is similar to one of Boeing’s (NYSE: BA) most popular planes. According to Airline Reporter:
Contrary to popular belief, the Tu-154 was not an unsafe aircraft. According to the the Aviation Safety Network, the Soviet built aircraft has been involved in 110 serious incidents, 68 of which resulted in a hull loss, 30 of which saw no deaths. Several incidents were the direct result of terrorism or military action, poor weather and runway conditions, as well as pilot error and poor maintenance. Comparatively, the Boeing 737 has been involved in 159 hull-loss accidents, though over 7,000 737s have been produced.
Top Gaining Stocks
Top Losing Stocks