The
TupolevTupolev is a Russian aerospace and defence company, headquartered in Moscow. Officially known as Public Stock Company Tupolev, it is the successor of the famed Tupolev OKB or Tupolev Design Bureau headed by the renowned Soviet aerospace engineer A.N. Tupolev...
Tu-134 (
NATOThe North Atlantic Treaty Organization ); ), also called "the Atlantic Alliance", is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on April 4, 1949...
codename: 'Crusty') is a
SovietThe Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. The name is a translation of the , tr. Soyuz Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik, abbreviated СССР, SSSR. The common short name is Soviet Union, from , Sovetskiy Soyuz...
twin-engined
airlinerAn airliner is a large fixed-wing aircraft for transporting passengers and cargo. Such planes are owned by airlines....
, similar to the American Douglas DC-9. One of the most widely used aircraft in the former
Warsaw PactThe Warsaw Pact is the informal name for the mutual defense Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance subscribed by eight Communist states in Eastern Europe, that was established at the USSR’s initiative and realised on 14 May 1955, in Warsaw, Poland...
countries, its number in active service is decreasing because of noise restrictions. The model has seen long-term service with some 42 countries, with some European airlines having made very intense use of the 134 (as many as 12 takeoffs and landings per plane daily). In addition to regular passenger service, it has also been used in various airforce, army and navy support roles; for pilot and navigator training; and for aviation research and test projects. In recent years, a number of planes have been converted for use as VIP transportation. A total of 852 Tu-134s were built (of all versions, including research/test bed examples) with Aeroflot as the largest user: by 1995, the Tu-134 had carried 360 million passengers for that airline.
Design and development
Following the introduction of engines mounted on pylons on the rear fuselage by the French
Sud Aviation CaravelleThe Sud Aviation SE 210 Caravelle was the first short/medium-range jet airliner, produced by the French Sud Aviation firm starting in 1955 . The Caravelle would go on to be one of the more successful European first generation jetliners, selling throughout Europe and even penetrating the United...
, airliner manufacturers around the world rushed to adopt the new layout. Its advantages included clean wing airflow without disruption by nacelles or pylons and decreased cabin noise. At the same time, placing heavy engines that far back created challenges with the location of the center of gravity in relation to the center of lift, which was at the wings. To make room for the engines, the tailplanes had to be relocated to the tail fin, which had to be stronger and therefore heavier, further compounding the tail-heavy arrangement.
During a 1960 visit to France, Soviet leader
Nikita KhrushchevNikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev led the Soviet Union during the Cold War. He served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, or Premier, from 1958 to 1964...
was so impressed by the quiet cabin of the Caravelle, that on 1 August 1960 the
TupolevTupolev is a Russian aerospace and defence company, headquartered in Moscow. Officially known as Public Stock Company Tupolev, it is the successor of the famed Tupolev OKB or Tupolev Design Bureau headed by the renowned Soviet aerospace engineer A.N. Tupolev...
OKB received an official directive to create the
Tu-124AThe Tupolev Tu-124 was a Soviet short range twinjet airliner of 56 passenger capacity. It was the world's first turbofan-powered airliner.-Design and development:...
with a similar engine arrangement. In 1961, the Soviet state airline,
AeroflotOJSC "AeroflotRussian Airlines" , commonly known as Aeroflot , is the largest airline in Russia, based on passengers carried per year. Aeroflot, headquartered in Moscow, is one of the oldest airlines in the world, tracing its history back to 1923...
, updated its requirement specifications to include greater payload and passenger capacity.
The first Tu-124A prototype, SSSR-45075, first flew on 29 July 1963. Then, on 22 October 1963, the British
BAC One-ElevenThe British Aircraft Corporation One-Eleven, also known as the BAC 1-11, the BAC-111 or the BAC-1-11, was a British short-range jet airliner of the 1960s and 1970s...
, which had a similar layout, crashed with the loss of all crew. The aircraft had stalled shortly after takeoff and entered
pitch-upIn aerodynamics, pitch-up is a severe form of stall in an aircraft.The phenomenon of pitch-up is directly related to inherent properties of all swept wings. The wingtips of a swept wing aircraft operate at a higher local lift coefficient than inboard sections of the wing so the wingtips are more...
: The high-mounted tailplane became trapped in the turbulent wake produced by the wings (see deep stall), which prevented recovery from the stall. Tupolev took notice and the tailplane on Tu-124A was enlarged by 30% for greater control authority. Since Aeroflot's requirements dictated a larger aircraft than initially planned, the
SolovievSoloviev was a Soviet design bureau for aircraft engines, led by Pavel Aleksandrovich Soloviev. It first became notable for the D-15 engine that powered the Myasishchev M-50 in 1957. Other notable designs included the D-25 turboshaft and D-20 and D-30 turbofans.Following the collapse of the Soviet...
design bureau developed the more powerful D-30 low-bypass
turbofanA turbofan is a type of aircraft gas turbine engine that provides propulsion using a combination of a ducted fan and a jet exhaust nozzle. Part of the airstream from the ducted fan passes through the core, providing oxygen to burn fuel to create power. However, the rest of the air flow bypasses...
engines. On 20 November 1963, the new airliner was officially designated
Tu-134.
Design curiosities of the Tu-134 included a sharp wing sweepback of 35 degrees, compared to 25-28 degrees in its counterparts. The engines on early production Tu-134s lacked thrust reversers, which made the aircraft one of the few airliners to use a brake parachute for landing. The majority of onboard electronics operated on
direct currentDirect current is the undirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also be through...
. The lineage of early Soviet airliners could be traced directly to the
Tupolev Tu-16The Tupolev Tu-16 was a twin-engine jet bomber used by the Soviet Union. It has flown for more than 50 years and remains in service with the Chinese air force.-Development:...
strategic bomber, and the Tu-134 carried over the glass nose for the navigator and the landing gear fitted with low-pressure tires to permit operation from unpaved airfields.
In 1968, Tupolev began work on an improved Tu-134 variant. The fuselage received a 2.1 m (6 ft 10 in) plug for greater passenger capacity and an
auxiliary power unitAn auxiliary power unit is a device on a vehicle whose purpose is to provide energy for functions other than propulsion. Different types of APU are found on aircraft, as well as on some large ground vehicles.-Functions of APU:...
in the tail. The upgraded D-30 engines now featured thrust reversers, replacing the cumbersome parachute. The first Tu-134A, converted from a production Tu-134, flew on 22 April 1969. The first airline flight was on 9 November 1970.
Operational history
In September 1967, the Tu-134 made its first scheduled flight from
MoscowMoscow is the capital and the largest city of Russia. It is also the largest metropolitan area in Europe, and ranks among the largest urban areas in the world. Moscow is a major political, economic, cultural, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the world, a...
to
AdlerSochi International Airport is an airport located in Adler District of the resort city of Sochi situated at the Black Sea coast in Krasnodar Krai, Russia....
. The Tu-134 was the first Soviet airliner to receive international certification from the
International Civil Aviation OrganizationThe International Civil Aviation Organization , a major agency of the United Nations, codifies the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth...
, which permitted it to be used on international routes.
The type is still in widespread use in
RussiaRussia , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia . It is a semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and other former Soviet countries, but high fuel and maintenance costs limit the number used today. 69 Tu-134 have been destroyed in accidents and wars, 35 of these were non-fatal incidents, and in one of the remaining 34 fatal incidents none inside the plane died. The Tu-134 has also found a new life as a
business jetBusiness jet, private jet or, colloquially, bizjet is a term describing a jet aircraft, usually of smaller size, designed for transporting groups of business people or wealthy individuals. Business jets may be adapted for other roles, such as the evacuation of casualties or express parcel...
with many having an expensive business interior. With the introduction of new ICAO noise regulations, Tu-134s have been effectively banned from much of European airspace due to loud D-30 engines dating back to the 1960s.
The largest fleet of Tu-134 still exists in Russia (146 of about 230 planes of this model). In March 2007 the Russian Minister of transportation
Igor LevitinIgor Levitin is the current Russian Transport Minister. He was appointed to the position on March 9 2004.Between 1973 and 1980 Levitin served in the Soviet armed forces in Odessa and then with the Armies Southern Division...
claimed that Tu-134s (as well as Tu-154s) are old and obsolete and should be replaced by
Sukhoi Superjet 100The Sukhoi Superjet 100 is a modern, fly-by-wire regional jet in the 75- to 95-seat category. The Superjet 100 will be produced by Russian aerospace firm Sukhoi's civil division, of which Finmeccanica of Italy owns 51%. The jet is being developed in collaboration with Finmeccanica subsidiary Alenia...
or its foreign analogues within five years.
Variants
Tu-134
- The glass nosed version. The first series could seat up to 64 passengers, and this was later increased to 72 passengers. The original designation was Tu-124A.
Tu-134A
- Second series, with upgraded engines, improved avionics, seating up to 84 passengers. All A variants have been built with the distinct glass nose and chin radar dome, but some were modified to the B standard with the radar moved to the nose radome.
Tu-134A-2
- The glass nose was replaced.
Tu-134A-3
- Second series, powered by two uprated Soloviev D-30 turbofan engines.
Tu-134A-5
- Most recent version.
Tu-134B
- Second series, 80 seats, radar moved to the nose radome, eliminating the glazed nose. Some B models have long-range fuel tanks fitted under the fuselage; these are visible as a sizeable bulge.
Tu-134BV
- Space shuttle work model.
Tu-134LK
- Cosmonaut training version.
Tu-134UBL
- Bomber aircrew training version.
Tu-134UBK
- Naval version of Tu-134UBL. Only one was ever built.
Tu-134BSh
- Navigation training version, fitted with a Tu-22M
The Tupolev Tu-22 was a Soviet supersonic bomber and reconnaissance aircraft.-Development:The Tu-22 was originally intended as a supersonic replacement for the Tupolev Tu-16 bomber. The design, designated Samolët 105 by Tupolev, was drawn in 1954, and the first flight of the prototype took place...
radar in the nose.
Tu-134SKh
- Crop survey version.
Operators
Civil operators
As of 5 June 2009 a total of 242 Tupolev Tu-134 aircraft (all variants) remain in
airlineAn airline provides air transport services for passengers or freight, generally with a recognized operating certificate or license. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit.Airlines vary...
service. Major operators include:
Aeroflot-NordCJSC "Aeroflot-Nord" is an airline based in Arkhangelsk, Russia. It operates mainly scheduled domestic and regional services. Its main base is Talagi Airport, Arkhangelsk.- History :...
(13),
BelaviaBelavia Belarusian Airlines is the national airline company of Belarus, headquartered in Minsk. It is the flag carrier and state owned. Belavia serves a network of routes between European cities and the Commonwealth of Independent States . Its main base is in Minsk International...
(1), Moskovia Airlines (6), Kogalymavia (6),
RossiyaFederal State Unitary Enterprise «State Transport Company «Rossia» , operating as Rossiya — Russian Airlines and also known in the Russian market as ГТК «Россия» , is a secondary national airline based in Saint Petersburg, Russia, resulting from the 2006 merger of the Moscow-based company of...
(4), S-Air (6),
Samara AirlinesSamara Airlines was an airline based in Samara, Russia. It operated scheduled and charter flights from Samara to destinations in Russia and other countries and charter flights to Austria, Turkey, Cyprus, Israel, Spain and United Arab Emirates...
(6), Sirius-Aero (6), UTair Aviation (32) and
Yamal AirlinesYamal Airlines is an airline based in Salekhard, Russia. It operates regional passenger services and was established in 1997.-Services:As of May 2007 Yamal Airlines operates flights to the following:Domestic scheduled destinations:*Anapa...
(10).
Past and present operators:
Adjarian Airlines,
AeroflotOJSC "AeroflotRussian Airlines" , commonly known as Aeroflot , is the largest airline in Russia, based on passengers carried per year. Aeroflot, headquartered in Moscow, is one of the oldest airlines in the world, tracing its history back to 1923...
, Aeroflot-Don,
Aeroflot-NordCJSC "Aeroflot-Nord" is an airline based in Arkhangelsk, Russia. It operates mainly scheduled domestic and regional services. Its main base is Talagi Airport, Arkhangelsk.- History :...
, Aeroflot-Plus,
Aero RentAero Rent is an airline based in Moscow, Russia. It operates VIP Charter flights out of Vnukovo International Airport.-History:The airline was registered by the Moscow Chamber of Commerce on the 9th of March, 1995. -Fleet:...
,
Air ArmeniaAir Armenia is an airline based in Yerevan, Armenia. It operates VIP passenger and freight services to destinations in the CIS and Europe. Its main base is Zvartnots International Airport, Yerevan.- Destinations :...
,
AirestAirest is an Estonian-owned airline that started in January 2002, operating regular cargo and charter passenger flights on a Tallinn-Helsinki route, since 1995 for UPS as the only UPS link to Estonia.- Fleet :...
,
Air KharkovAir Kharkov is an airline based in Kirovohrad, Ukraine. It operates passenger and cargo flights throughout Ukraine and the CIS. It was established in 1992 and merged with Kharkov State Air Company.-Fleet:...
,
Air KoryoAir Koryo Korean Airways is the state-owned national flag carrier airline of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, headquartered in Sunan-guyŏk, Pyongyang. It operates international services and charter flights to points in Asia and Africa...
,
Air LithuaniaAir Lithuania was a regional airline based in Kaunas in Lithuania. It operated scheduled and charter flights and also provided cargo services and aircraft rental...
,
Air MoldovaAir Moldova is an airline based in Chişinău, Moldova. It is the national airline of Moldova and operates scheduled services to destinations in Europe...
,
Air UkraineAir Ukraine was an airline based in Kiev, Ukraine. It operated scheduled domestic and international services and was the former Ukrainian flag carrier.- History :...
, Alania,
Albanian AirlinesAlbanian Airlines MAK Sh. p.k. is an airline based in Tirana, Albania. It operates scheduled international services. Its main base is Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza.- History :...
, Alrosa-Avia,
ArmaviaArmavia is an airline based in Yerevan, Armenia. It operates international passenger services from Yerevan to destinations in Europe and the Middle East. Its main base is Zvartnots International Airport, Yerevan.-History:...
,
Armenian AirlinesArmenian Airlines was the state-owned national airline of Armenia.- History :Armenian Airlines was established shortly after independence in 1991 from Aeroflot's Armenia directorate, and was the sole carrier in Armenia until 2002, when private companies Armenian International Airways and Armavia...
, Astrakan Airlines, Astral,
Atlant-Soyuz AirlinesJSC Atlant-Soyuz Airlines is an airline based in Moscow, Russia. It operates domestic and international passenger and cargo flights. The airlines main passenger base is located at Moscow's Vnukovo International Airport, with a second hub at Yemelyanovo Airport, Krasnoyarsk.- History :Atlant-Soyuz...
, Atyrau Airways,
AurelaAurela is a charter airline based in Vilnius, Lithuania. It operates charter services for several tour operators in the Baltic states. Its main base is Vilnius International Airport.- History :...
,
Avcom- Fleet :As of June 2009 the Aerolimousine fleet includes:*3 Yakovlev Yak-40*1 Hawker-125-700...
,
AviaenergoJSC Aviaenergo is a charter airline with headquarters in Moscow, Russia. It was established on 31 December 1992 and operates charter flights within Europe, the CIS and other countries. It is wholly owned by RAO UES of Russia, although UES, as part of its restructuring effort, has placed Avianergo...
, Aviaprima, Arkhangelsk Airlines,
Azerbaijan AirlinesAzerbaijan Airlines is the national airline of Azerbaijan based in Baku. It is the state-owned airline operating scheduled passenger and cargo services from Baku to the CIS, Europe, China and the Middle East, as well as domestic services...
,
AviogenexAviogenex is a charter airline based in Belgrade, Serbia. It operates regular and ad hoc charter flights, as well as ad-hoc charters and aircraft wet-lease services. Its main base is Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport.- History :...
,
BAL Bashkirian AirlinesBAL Bashkirian Airlines was an airline based in Ufa, Russia. It operated regional and trunk routes from Ufa and has added charter services to Europe, Asia and North Africa. It has filed for bankruptcy and has suspended operations in April 2007...
,
Belair-Places:*Belair, Luxembourg*Belair, South AustraliaUnited States*Belair, Clay County, Florida*Belair, Leon County, Florida*Belair, Georgia*Belair, Louisiana*Belair Mansion, Bowie, Maryland**Belair Stud Farm, home to two Triple Crown winners...
,
BelaviaBelavia Belarusian Airlines is the national airline company of Belarus, headquartered in Minsk. It is the flag carrier and state owned. Belavia serves a network of routes between European cities and the Commonwealth of Independent States . Its main base is in Minsk International...
,
Benin Golf AirBenin Golf Air is an airline based in Cotonou, Benin. It was established and started operations in 2002 and operates regional flights in West Africa...
, Black Sea Airlines, Cheboksary, Chelyabinsk Air Enterprise, Chernomorskie Airlines,
CSACzech Airlines j.s.c. , trading as Czech Airlines , is the Czech national airline company based at Ruzyně Airport, Prague. It operates scheduled services to 69 destinations in 41 countries, including most major European cities and to transit points in the Middle East, North America, North Africa...
,
Dagestan AirlinesOJSC "Dagestan Airlines" is an airline based in Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia. It is the only airline in Dagestan. It operates scheduled domestic services and international services to Istanbul, as well as charter services within Russia and the other CIS countries...
,
EgyptAirEgyptAir is the flag carrier airline of the Arab Republic of Egypt and a member of Star Alliance. The airline is based at Cairo International Airport, its main hub, operating scheduled passenger and freight services to more than 70 destinations in the Middle East, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the...
,
EnkorEnkor is an airline based in Moscow, Russia. It operates scheduled international passenger services and provides technical aircraft maintenance. Its main bases are Domodedovo International Airport, Moscow, Ulan Ude Airport and Chelyabinsk Airport ....
,
Estonian AirAS Estonian Air is Estonia’s national carrier, owned by the Estonian state, SAS Group and investment bank AS Cresco. The airline is based in Tallinn, Estonia...
,
Euro-Asia AirEuro-Asia Air is an airline based in Atyrau, Kazakhstan. It operates passenger services to Russia and within the Asian republics. Its main base is Atyrau Airport.-History:...
,
FlyLalFlyLAL was the national airline of Lithuania, based in Vilnius. It operated domestic and international scheduled services. Its main base was Vilnius International Airport ....
,
GazpromaviaGazpromavia is an airline based in Moscow, Russia. It operates passenger and cargo charters, mainly in support of the oil and gas industry. It also operates regular domestic flights from Moscow and international charter passenger and cargo services.-History:The airline was established in March...
,
Georgian National AirlinesSky Georgia is an airline that has its base at Tbilisi International Airport, Georgia..- History :...
,
GomelaviaGomelavia is an airline based in Gomel, Belarus. It was established in 1996 and operates domestic scheduled services and regional charters, as well as aerial work using fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters...
, Grizodubovoy, Moskovia Airlines, GST Aero, Harka Air,
InterflugInterflug was the state airline of East Germany from 1963 until 1991, when it ceased operations following German reunification. Originally, the East German national airline was called Deutsche Lufthansa , but this met opposition from West Germany, with a court case in Bern awarding the Lufthansa...
,
Iraqi AirwaysIraqi Airways Company, operating as Iraqi Airways , is the national carrier of Iraq, headquartered on the grounds of Baghdad International Airport in Baghdad. One of the oldest airlines in the Middle East, Iraqi Airways operates domestic and regional service...
, Izshavia,
KD AviaKD Avia, sometimes called Kaliningrad Avia, was an airline based in Kaliningrad, Russia. It operated scheduled services within Russia, CIS and Europe. Its main base was Khrabrovo Airport, Kaliningrad.- History :...
,
KaratKarat was an airline based in Moscow, Russia. It operates scheduled services from Moscow and charter flights from Kazan, as well as VIP and business aviation services. Its main base is Vnukovo International Airport, Moscow, with a hub at Kazan International Airport.- History :The airline was...
,
Kazair WestKazair West is an airline based in Atyrau, Kazakhstan. It operates corporate aviation charter services within Kazakhstan, as well as aviation project management and domestic and international medical evacuation. Its main base is Atyrau Airport.- Code Data :...
, Kirov Air,
KavminvodyaviaKavminvodyavia is an airline based in Mineralnye Vody in the Caucasus, Russia. It operates scheduled services to over 20 destinations in the northern Caucasus region and abroad, as well as charter services...
, Kolkov Air, Komi Avia, Kyrgyzstan,
Kyrgyzstan AirlinesKyrgyzstan Airlines is the national airline of Kyrgyzstan, based in Bishkek. It operates scheduled international and domestic services, as well as charter flights...
, LatCharter,
LOT Polish AirlinesPolskie Linie Lotnicze LOT S.A., trading as LOT Polish Airlines or LOT , is the flag carrier of Poland, based in Warsaw. The name Polskie Linie Lotnicze means "Polish Airlines" in Polish, while lot means "flight"...
,
Malév Hungarian AirlinesMalév Hungarian Airlines, , is the flag carrier airline of Hungary and is based at Budapest Ferihegy International Airport. It is the principal Hungarian airline and flies to 50 cities in 34 countries worldwide. Malév has been a member of the Oneworld alliance since April 2007...
,
Marsland Aviation-Destinations:As of May 2007, Marsland Aviations operates scheduled passenger flights to the following destinations:*Kenya**Nairobi *Sudan**Al-Fashir **Al-Ubayyid...
, Moscow Airways, NAPO, Orbi Georgian,
Orenburg AirlinesOrenburg Airlines is an airline based in Orenburg, Russia. It operates domestic passenger services and inclusive tour charters, as well as aerial work and special flights. Its main base is Orenburg Tsentralny Airport, with hubs at Domodedovo and Orsk ....
, Orient Avia,
Perm AirlinesPerm Airlines is an airline based in Perm, Russia. It operates domestic and international scheduled and charter services within Russia and the CIS. Its main base is Bolshoye Savino Airport, Perm.- History :...
, Polet Airlines, Progress,
Pulkovo Aviation EnterprisePulkovo Aviation Enterprise was an airline based in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It operated the Pulkovo Airport and was 100% state owned. It was the third largest airline in Russia. On 29 October 2006 it completed a merger with government owned Russia State Transport Company to form a new company...
,
RossiyaFederal State Unitary Enterprise «State Transport Company «Rossia» , operating as Rossiya — Russian Airlines and also known in the Russian market as ГТК «Россия» , is a secondary national airline based in Saint Petersburg, Russia, resulting from the 2006 merger of the Moscow-based company of...
,
RuslineRusLine is an airline based in Moscow, Russia. Its main base is Sheremetyevo International Airport.-Fleet:The RusLine fleet consists of the following aircraft :*1 Bombardier CRJ100ER*2 Tupolev Tu-134*1 Yakovlev Yak-40...
, Samal Air,
Samara AirlinesSamara Airlines was an airline based in Samara, Russia. It operated scheduled and charter flights from Samara to destinations in Russia and other countries and charter flights to Austria, Turkey, Cyprus, Israel, Spain and United Arab Emirates...
,
SibaviatransSibaviatrans was an airline based in Krasnoyarsk, Russia. It operated scheduled and charter passenger and cargo flights from various locations around Russia. It also provided helicopter services. It was a member of AiRUnion alliance....
,
Syrian Arab AirlinesSyrian Air , previously known as Syrian Arab Airlines , is the flag carrier airline of Syria, based in Damascus. It operates scheduled international services to over 40 destinations in Asia, Europe and North Africa, as well as domestic services...
, Tajik Air,
Tatarstan AirlinesTatarstan Airlines is an airline based in Kazan, Tatarstan, Russia. It was founded in 1993, and is the regional airline of the Republic of Tatarstan, part of the Russian Federation.-Destinations:...
,
UM AirlinesUM Airlines is an airline based in Kiev, Ukraine. It operates domestic services and services to the CIS countries and the Middle East.-Banned Status:...
, UTair Aviation, UTAGE,
Vietnam AirlinesVietnam Airlines Corporation , operating as Vietnam Airlines , is the national flag carrier of Vietnam, and was established as a state enterprise in April 1989. It has its headquarters in the Long Bien district of Hanoi....
, Volga Aviaexpress, Voronezh Avia,
Yamal AirlinesYamal Airlines is an airline based in Salekhard, Russia. It operates regional passenger services and was established in 1997.-Services:As of May 2007 Yamal Airlines operates flights to the following:Domestic scheduled destinations:*Anapa...
, Yukos Avia.
Military operators
:
Azerbaijan Air ForceThe Azerbaijan Air Force is the air force of the military of Azerbaijan.The roots of the current organization go back to the June 26, 1918, when Azerbaijan Democratic Republic bought their first military aircraft.State of war and useful landscape, as well as deployment of former Soviet air bases...
:
People's Air and Air Defence Force of AngolaThe National Air Force is the air branch of the Armed Forces of Angola.The FAN was established, after the independence of Angola from Portugal, on January 21st 1976 as the People's Air and Air Defence Force of Angola and initially...
Belarus: Belarus Air Force
:
Czech Air ForceThe Czech Air Force, ICAO code CEF, is the air force branch of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic. The Air Force, with the Ground Forces, comprises the main combat power of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic...
. Retired.
: Czechoslovakian Air Force. Passed on successor states.
Bulgaria:
Bulgarian Air ForceThe Bulgarian Air Force is a branch of the Bulgarian Army, the other two being the Bulgarian Navy and Bulgarian land forces. Its mission is to guard and protect the sovereignty of Bulgarian airspace, to provide aerial support and to assist the Land Forces in case of war. The Bulgarian Air Force is...
. Retired.
:
Georgian Air ForceThe Georgian Air Force is the air arm of the Georgian Armed Forces. Currently, it has 1,813 military and civilian personnel, up to 22 fixed wing aircraft and 11 helicopters of different type and 380 air defense missiles of the "surface-to-air' class. The Air Force was founded in 1991 in the wake...
: East German Air Force
:
Hungarian Air ForceThe Hungarian Air Force is the air force branch of the Hungarian Army.-1918 - Pre-World War II:Following the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy in 1918, a small air arm was established operating surviving aircraft from Hungarian factories and training schools...
: Moldovan Air Force
:
North Korean Air ForceThe Korean People's Air Force, , is the name of the unified aviation forces of North Korea. The KPAF is the second-largest branch of the Korean People's Army with an estimated 110,000 personnel. It possesses between 1,600 and 1,700 aircraft of different types, mostly of Soviet and Chinese origin....
:
Polish Air ForcePolish Air Force is the air force branch of the Polish Armed Forces. Until 1 July 2004 it was officially known as Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej...
- Russian Air Force
The Russian Air Force is the air force of Russia. It is the second or third largest Air Force in the world, depending on whether aircraft or personnel numbers are compared with the People's Liberation Army Air Force. It is currently under the command of Colonel General Aleksandr Zelin...
- Russian Naval Aviation
The Russian Naval Aviation , is the air arm of the Russian Navy...
- Soviet Air Force
The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union...
- Soviet Naval Aviation
Soviet Naval Aviation was a part of the Soviet Navy....
. Passed on successor states.
:
Syrian Air ForceThe Syrian Air Force is the Aviation branch of the Syrian armed forces.-Markings:The roundel used by the Syrian Air Force has the same basic design as that used by the Egyptian Air Force. It consists of three concentric circles, with a red outer, white middle and black inner...
:
Ukrainian Air ForceThe Ukrainian Air Force is a part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Ukrainian Air Force Command and headquarters are located in the city of Vinnytsia....
Accidents and incidents
- 16 March 1978, a Balkan Bulgarian Airlines Tupolev Tu-134
The 1978 Balkan Bulgarian Tupolev Tu-134 crash occurred on 16 March 1978 when a Balkan Bulgarian Airlines Tupolev Tu-134 airliner on an international flight from Sofia, Bulgaria to Warsaw Airport, Poland....
crashed on climb out from Sofia AirportSofia Airport , also known as Vrazhdebna after the village located to the north, is the main airport in Sofia, Bulgaria...
near the village of Gabare, Bulgaria. All 73 on board died.
- 11 August 1979, two Aeroflot
OJSC "AeroflotRussian Airlines" , commonly known as Aeroflot , is the largest airline in Russia, based on passengers carried per year. Aeroflot, headquartered in Moscow, is one of the oldest airlines in the world, tracing its history back to 1923...
Tupolev Tu-134 collision near Dneprodzerzhinsk. All 178 people on both planes were killed.
- 10 January 1984, a Balkan Bulgarian Airlines Tupolev Tu-134
The 1984 Balkan Bulgarian Tupolev Tu-134 crash occurred on 10 January 1984 when a Balkan Bulgarian Airlines Tupolev Tu-134 airliner crashed on an international flight from Berlin to Sofia, Bulgaria. While on approach to Sofia airport in heavy snow the crew failed to make visual contact with the...
crashed on approach to Sofia AirportSofia Airport , also known as Vrazhdebna after the village located to the north, is the main airport in Sofia, Bulgaria...
. All 50 people on board died.
- 1 February 1985, airline: Aeroflot / Minsk, Belarus. Tupolev TU-134A, fatalities 58 out of 80 on board.
- 2 July 1986, airline: Aeroflot / Syktyvar, Russia. Tupolev TU-134A, fatalities 54 out of 94 on board.
- 19 October 1986. airline: Mozambican Presidential Jet, South Africa. Tupolev TU-134A, fatalities 34 out of 44 on board.
- 20 October 1986. airline: Aeroflot / Kuybyshev, Russia. Tupolev TU-134A, fatalities 70 out of 94 on board.
- 12 December 1986. airline: Aeroflot / Berlin, E. Germany. Tupolev TU-134A, fatalities 70 out of 82 on board.
- 27 February 1988. airline: Aeroflot / Surgut, Russia. Tupolev TU-134A, fatalities 20 out of 51 on board.
- 9 September 1988. airline: Vietnam Airlines (HKVN) / Bangkok, Thailand. Tupolev TU-134A, fatalities 76 out of 90 on board.
- 13 January 1990. airline: Aeroflot / Pervouralsk, Russia. Tupolev TU-134A, fatalities 27 out of 71 on board.
- 27 August 1992. airline: Aeroflot / Ivanovo, Russia. Tupolev TU-134A, fatalities 84 out of 84 on board.
- 21 September 1993. airline: Transair Georgia / Sukhumi, Georgia. Tupolev TU-134A, fatalities 27 out of 27 on board.
- 5 December 1995. airline: Azerbaijan Airlines / Nakhichevan, Azerbaijan. Tupolev TU-134B, fatalities 44 out of 82 on board.
- 3 September 1997. airline: Vietnam Airlines / Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Tupolev TU-134, fatalities 65 out of 66 on board.
- 24 August 2004. airline: Volga-Aviaexpress / Buchalki, Russia. Tupolev TU-134A-3, fatalities 43 out of 43 on board.
- 17 March 2007. airline: UTair / Samara Kurumoch Airport, Russia. Tupolev TU-134A, fatalities 6 out of 57 on board.
Source: aircraft accident database
Specifications (Tu-134A)
See also
External links