Tupolev Tu-154

The Tupolev Tu-154 is a Soviet-designed, three-engine jet airliner produced from 1968 to 2013. It became a mainstay of Soviet and later regional passenger and cargo aviation.

Trijet: An aircraft powered by three jet engines. The Tu-154 is a trijet, with two engines mounted beside its rear fuselage and one in the tail.
Aeroflot: Russia’s state-controlled airline, founded in the Soviet era and once the world’s largest airline by route network. Aeroflot needed a replacement for older short- and medium-haul aircraft, driving the Tu-154 requirement.
Soviet civil aviation: The system of civilian air transport operated in the Soviet Union, principally through Aeroflot. The Tu-154 became a central aircraft in the system’s domestic and international operations.
Soviet Union: A socialist state that existed across Eurasia from 1922 until its dissolution in 1991. The Tu-154 was built to connect the Soviet Union’s vast territory and became emblematic of its civil aviation.
Swept wing: An aircraft wing angled backward from its root to reduce drag at high subsonic speeds. The Tu-154’s swept wing supports efficient cruise at the speeds expected of a jetliner.
Tupolev: A Russian aircraft design bureau founded by aviation engineer Andrei Tupolev. The bureau designed the Tu-154 as part of its long line of transport aircraft.
Russian Air Force: The aerial warfare service of the Russian Federation’s armed forces. Military operators have used Tu-154 aircraft for transport and government-support missions.
Aircraft noise: Sound generated by aircraft engines and aerodynamic flow, especially during takeoff and landing. Early Tu-154 versions faced restrictions in some markets because their engines did not meet newer noise standards.
Aviation turbofan: A jet engine that accelerates both bypass air and combustion exhaust to produce thrust. The Tu-154’s successive variants used turbofan engines with differing thrust and fuel efficiency.
Tupolev Tu-104: A Soviet twin-engine jet airliner introduced in 1956 and derived from the Tu-16 bomber. The Tu-154 followed earlier Soviet jetliners such as the Tu-104 with greater capacity and a new layout.

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Andrei TupolevBroader topic: This widely used airliner carried forward the design tradition Tupolev established.