Subj : Re: Kerosene Engines
To   : David Williams
From : Ward Dossche
Date : Wed Nov 01 2000 09:34 am

David,
 
> -> NASA for example used fairly recently the TU-144 Supersonic jetliner
> -> as a testbed because it was the best platform available to perform
> -> some tests related to commercial supersonic flight.
 
> Really?! I didn't think there were any TU-144s still flying.
 
There are several TU-144s stored under good conditions outside Moscow at the 
airfield where Tupolev builds and tests its planes (not Sheremetjevo).
 
None were airworthy anymore. In the meantime Nasa, Boeing and McDonnel-Douglas 
(before its aquisition by Boeing) needed a testbed for high-speed and 
high-altitude flying to test further developments towards supersonic speed as 
well as flying outside the atmosphere.
 
There were no military aircraft large enough to carry the test- and measuring 
equipment so the only 2 options available were a Concorde or a TU-144.
 
Concordes were way too expensive and Russia/Tupolev offered a TU-144 at a less 
expensive price. So one was made airworthy again but to achieve that anotherone 
was canibalised for parts.
 
The tests were concluded successfully and as a result Tupolev again had 1 
airworthy TU-144. There's no practical implementation for it, so this plane is 
now for sale. The plance which was canibalised is for sale also ... would be a 
nice object in someones garden.
 
> It was
> developed back in the 1960s as a rival to the Concorde, which it
> resembles very closely. However, there was a disastrous crash at an air
> show in Paris which effectively killed the plane's future. It was flown
> within the USSR for a while - mainly as a cargo carrier, I believe - and
> then faded out of public view.
 
There were at least 3 crashes. One during testing, one at the Le Bourget 
airshow and one on a scheduled flight between Moscow and Alma Ata. At Le 
Bourget the whole design-team, including mr. Tupolev, were killed. After the 
Alma Ata crash commercial passengers flights were scrapped for good ... very 
remarkable since only 79 flights were carried-out. The planes were then used 
for carrying mail but at that cost per kilometer/mile these flights were also 
quickly terminated.
 
Several of the planes have been donated to museums as well, but given proper 
interventions some could become airworthy again and used commercially just like 
Concorde.
 
> In what way would NASA find the TU-144 better than the Concorde, which,
> despite the recent crash, also in Paris, caused by a disintegrating tire
> (Firestone, perhaps?!), has proved itself in 30 years of commercial
> service?
 
Russian design must not be underestimated. The TU-144 is a good design but they 
have been extremely unlucky with the plane. The Le Bouget crash e.g. was caused 
by overstressing the plane by the pilot in order to avoid a midair. At Alma Ata 
extreme weather conditions intervened.
 
The ultimate choice was about availability of planes and price.
 
 \x/ard

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