Tu-330 still being pushed by Tupolev despite no obvious customers

Published: 2/11/2000

According to Valentin Bliznyuk of APNK Tupolev, the Tu-330, a 35,000kg payload twin turbofan freight transport, has been included in the Civil Aircraft Development Plan through to 2015 and government financing of the programme will restart in 2000. Tupolev will also seek undisclosed additional financing from other sources, in order to complete the estimated $400m programme, which is said to have 75% commonality with the Tu-204. The Civil Aircraft Development committee is chaired by Colonel General Anatoly Sitanov, head of procurement at the Russian Ministry of Defence, it was reported to have presented the draft plan to the government in the spring of last year, but since MAKS"99 last year little has been heard of its plans. The recent history of the Tu-330 programme has been fairly chequered. First introduced as a concept, in 1993, as a replacement for the Russian Military Transport Aviation"s aging fleet of An-12s and scheduled to be in service with the Russian VTA by 1998, it failed to make its scheduled first flight in 1997. It subsequently suffered from the severe slowdown in the VTA"s plan to bring into service three types of new cargo transport aircraft for the 21st century. The PS-90 powered aircraft then gained support from the Chinese government for its continued development, although it was reported that, in May 1999, it had withdrawn its support of the programme, because of concerns over the aircraft"s “ reserve of toughness". Tupolev sources contended that China was prepared to consider the aircraft with another power plant, but were more interested in a four-engined aircraft. To date, there have been frequent reports of the design bureau transferring the plans of the aircraft to one of the proposed producing plants at Kazan (KAPO), the earliest reports being in 1997; the most recent in the last few weeks. The aircraft still only exists as a mock-up at Tupolev"s Moscow offices, according to latest reports, and this particular revival may have more to do with the current political interest in the aerospace industry generated by increased military spending. As to its inclusion on the Civil Aviation Aircraft Development Plan, if it has occurred, it suggests that the government may not be living up to its own rhetoric of supporting a few viable programmes, rather than spreading its resources too thinly. It also suggests that the military options may have completely dried up and that Tupolev is seeking a new means of reviving the programme. Associated articles: www.concise.org 15th March 1999; 26th May 1999

Article ID: 1409