Tupolev Tu-334

Narrow-Body Passenger Airliner Prototype

Russia | 1999

"Just two prototypes were built for the now-abandoned Tupolev Tu-334 narrow-body passenger airliner program - a first-flight was had during 1999."

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Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 05/15/2018 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

At one point in recent history, the Tu-334 stood as a new entry in the narrow-body jet airliner market for the storied Tupolev concern. Work began in the 1990s though the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 hindered development considerably. After the Russian aero-industry was nationalized in 2009, work on the Tu-334 was stopped and the project officially ended shortly thereafter. Two prototypes were built for the program that cost roughly over 4! billion USD.

The Tu-334 had its origins in the Tu-204 narrow-body of 1995 of which 82 were ultimately made. The Tu-334 was shorter and thicker in fuselage design and incorporated more efficiency measures - both in fuel and aerodynamics. The general arrangement was highly conventional with a two-person flight deck, centralized passenger section and low-mounted, swept-back wing mainplanes. The tail unit was of a T-style and the engines held outboard of the aft fuselage. The undercarriage was of a tricycle arrangement.

A stripped-down prototype was unveiled in 1995 and a first-flight was not had until February 8th, 1999. Certification followed in December of 2003 and orders from seven carriers, both foreign and local, were locked in and there proved the potential for nearly 300 units going forward. Iran also worked to secure local, licensed production of the type. The Tu-334 performed at the MAKS airshow in Moscow in 2007.

Of course all this came to naught with the cancellation of the long-gestating program in 2009. Russian industry instead moved to develop other similar competitors such as the Sukhoi SuperJet 100 (detailed elsewhere on this site).

The Tu-334 was planned in several variants beginning with the standard Tu-334-100 which would have seated 72 passengers in a two-class configuration or 100 in a single-class configuration. This aircraft was slated to carry 2 x Progress D-436T1 turbofan engines outputting 16,500 lb of thrust each and cruise at speeds of 510 miles per hour and range out to 1,700 nautical miles. Overall length was 102.6 feet and wingspan was 97.7 feet with a height of 30.8 feet. Empty weight was 63,825lb against an MTOW of 105,600lb.

The Tu-334-100C was to serve as a combination passenger-cargo hauler and the Tu-334-120 was to be developed with 2 x Rolls-Royce BR715-55 turbofan engines. The Tu-334-100D was to receive a fuselage lengthening (up to 21 inches) as well as wider-spanning wings while being powered by 2 x Progress D-436T2 turbofan engines. The Tu-334-120D, based in the Tu-334-100D, would have switched to the BR715-55 engines from Rolls-Royce. The Tu-336 was a more experimental platform in that it was to be fueled by liquid natural gas and the Tu-354 (formerly the Tu-334-200) was to become another stretched option (150 inches) and feature seating for some 126 passengers. Engine options ranged between the aforementioned Progress and Rolls-Royce types.

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Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Tupolev Tu-334 Narrow-Body Passenger Airliner Prototype.

2 x Progress D-436T1 turbofan engines developing 16,500lb of thrust each.
Propulsion

528 mph
850 kph | 459 kts
Max Speed

1,957 miles
3,150 km | 1,701 nm
Operational Range

Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the Tupolev Tu-334 Narrow-Body Passenger Airliner Prototype.

2
(MANNED)
Crew

102.5 ft
31.25 m
O/A Length

97.4 ft
(29.70 m)
O/A Width

30.8 ft
(9.40 m)
O/A Height

63,934 lb
(29,000 kg)
Empty Weight

105,601 lb
(47,900 kg)
MTOW

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Tupolev Tu-334 family line.

Tu-334 - Base Series Designation; two prototypes completed and flown.

Tu-334-100 - Standard single- or two-class arrangement.

Tu-334-100C - Passenger-cargo combination model

Tu-334-120 - Fitted with 2 x RR BR715-55 turbofan engines.

Tu-334-100D - Stretched fuselage model; longer-range performance.

Tu-334-120D - Fitted with 2 x RR BR715-55 turbofan engines.

Tu-336 - Proposed model utilizing natural gas fuel.

Tu-354 (Tu-334-200) - Proposed lengthened model with seating for up to 126 passengers.

Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Tupolev Tu-334. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 2 Units
Contractor(s): Tupolev OKB / United Aircraft Corporation - Russia; Iran Aviation Organization (IAIO) - Iran

[ Iran (cancelled); Russia (cancelled) ]

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Going Further...
The Tupolev Tu-334 Narrow-Body Passenger Airliner Prototype appears in the following collections:

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