Aeroflot Insists On Two-Crew Tupolev Tu-214

The quick return of the Soviet design Tuploev Tu-214 narrowbody passenger airliner to commercial operations in Russia is under challenge as its largest customer—Aeroflot Group—suddenly demanded the aircraft with two-crew cockpit.

The Tu-214 made its first flight in 1996 and is the last produced derivative of the Tu-204 baseline model, which made its first flight in 1989. Like other Soviet commercial aircraft, it was designed to be piloted by a three-men crew. Aeroflot CEO Sergey Alexandrovsky explained in an interview to RBC Daily at the end of December that the airline might face difficulties in training crews for the type due to the lack of specialists and facilities.

The last Tu-204s were withdrawn from commercial passenger service in Russia in 2018. Since that time, about two dozen Tu-204/214 aircraft have operated in the country, primarily for cargo, corporate and special purpose services.

Aeroflot signed an agreement in 2022 for 40 Tu-214s along with a preliminary order for 210 more modern Irkut MC-21 narrowbodies. Both types can carry up to 210 passengers, but the Tu-214 has longer range—6,500 km (3,500 nm) against the MC-21’s 6,000 km—due to its larger fuel tanks and heavier takeoff weight.

Alexandrovsky explained that the Tu-214 was seen as a reliably intermediary solution until the MC-21 shakes off its teething problems. “Having [this type] in our fleet will let us smoothly mature the MC-21 operations,” he said.

The Aeroflot CEO explained that even if the airline agrees to the Tupolev aircraft in the original configuration it would definitely insist on transitioning to the two-crew variant. But this may be a problem for the type’s manufacturer—United Aircraft Corporation (UAC).

UAC keeps the only assembly line for Tu-214 in Kazan where it used to roll out one or two aircraft annually for the government customers for the last decade. When Western sanctions banned the delivery of foreign-made jets to Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine, the Russian government ordered its aircraft manufacturers to ramp up production rates. It was considered that in contrast with other types manufactured by UAC—the MC-21 and the Sukhoi Superjet—Tupolev did not need to go through a redesign to substitute foreign-made components.

According to the government plans, UAC is now expected to assemble 70 Tu-214s through 2030 while annual output should grow to 10 aircraft as of 2025.

Russia’s minister of industry and trade Denis Manturov promised on Jan. 11 that Aeroflot would receive the first 11 Tu-214 in 2023-2025, along with 18 MC-21s and 34 Superjets. All aircraft are expected to be leased through Avia Capital Service—a subsidiary of UAC’s parent Rostec industrial conglomerate—with financial aid from Russia’s National Wealth Fund.

UAC CEO Yury Slyusar confirmed in an interview to state television at the end of December that the first Tu-214 would be delivered to commercial customers in the baseline variant. He mentioned that besides the agreement with Aeroflot, the manufacturer had a firm contract for four aircraft with UVT Aero, a small Kazan-based airline. 

According to Slyusar, the effort to develop the two-crew variant will go along with the production ramp-up. But the source close to the Russian manufacturer explained to Aviation Week that UAC was rather ready to discuss the possibility of such improvements at the moment. 

The only previous modification with two pilots was the Tu-204SM, which was certified in 2013 but never went into production. This version featured improved Russian-made avionics, more reliable PS-90A2 turbofans designed with the participation of U.S. engine-maker Pratt & Whitney and a new auxiliary power unit. However, the source explained that it was also quite a difficult technical task to adapt the cockpit improvements from the SM to the baseline Tu-214.