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weight and performance calculations for the Tupolew Tu-154M
***** PRELIMINARY FILE ****
Aviaenergo Tupolew Tu-154M RA-85809 c/n 94A-985 at Schiphol airport in 1997.
Tupolew Tu-154M
role : jet airliner
importance : ****
first flight : 1982 operational : June 1983
country : Russia
NATO reporting name : CARELESS
design :
production : Tu-154M : 325 aircraft at Kuibyshev (the city is now called Samara), aviation plant.18 . (location : 53°12’53”N 50°18’09”E )
general information :
With the arrival of the Soloviev D-30K engine, Tupolev started developing a new version equipped with these engines. Furthermore, a new APU was installed and a new INS. The engines were given a new type of jet reverser (with clamshell doors). The power of the D-30K engine was reduced from 117.7 KN as in the Il-62M and Il-76 to 104.0 KN for the lighter Tu-154M. As a result, the service life of the engines increased considerably. The fuel consumption of the Tu-154M was 5500 kg per hour compared to 6500 kg/hour for the Tu-154B and the Tu-154M also produced less noise.
By the end of 1995, the 298 Tu-154Ms delivered had flown 2,308,000 hours. Service life of the Tu-154M in the former Soviet Union was reduced due to the number of passengers witch dropped dramatically in the 90’s . In 1990, for example, the Aeroflot still carried 90 million passengers, but by 1996 this had fallen to 27.5 million. A large number of Tu-154s where therefore decommissioned, but about 435 remained in use. Even in 1997 the aircraft was still in production.
By the end of 1996, a total of about 42 Tu-154s had been lost or written off. The Tu-154M can carry 180 passengers at 75cm pitch. With an other layout, this comes to 167 passengers at 81cm pitch. The Tu-154M has 2 extra doors at the tail engines, which makes it different from previous versions. Minimum starting length : 2200m
primary users : Aeroflot, Balkan(8), Syrianair(3), China(45), Guyana Airlines(1), Cubana(4), CSA(7), Slovenskie Aerolinie(4), LOT(14), Ariana(2), Interflug(2), Aeronica(1),Alyemda(1), Caira Charter & Cargo(2), VIA(4). CAAC, Iran Airtours, Uzbekistan Airways, Pulkovo
Accommodation:
flight crew : 3 cabin crew : 5
flight crew consist of pilot, co-pilot and flight engineer
passengers : seating for 158 in two class : 8 first class and 150 economy- class seats
( 31 -in pitch) exit limit : 180 passengers
engine : 3 Soloviev D-30KU-154-II ( Aviadvigatel ) turbofan engines of 103.6 [KN] (23289.8 [lbf])
Chord at wing Root measured : 9.15 [m] chord at tip : 2.59 [m]
dimensions :
wingspan : 37.55 [m], length : 47.9 [m], height : 11.4 [m]
wing area : 201.45 [m^2] fuselage exterior width : 3.8 [m]
weights :
operating empty weight : 53000 [kg] max. structural payload : 18000 [kg]
Zero Fuel weight (ZFW) : 71000 [kg] max. landing weight (MLW) : 78000 [kg]
max.take-off weight : 104000 [kg] weight fuel : 39750 [kg] (49687 [liter])
Belavia Tu-154M EW-85748
performance :
Max. operating Mach number (Mmo) : 0.88 [Mach] (950 [km/hr]) at 9450 [m]
normal cruise speed : 923 [km/hr] (Mach 0.86 ) at 10000 [m] (30 [%] power)
economic cruise speed : 900 [km/hr] (Mach 0.84 ) at 10000 [m]
service ceiling : 11000 [m]
range with max fuel : 5600 [km] (ATA domestic fuel reserves - 820.0 [km] alternate)
description :
low-wing cantilever monoplane with retractable landing gear with nose wheel
Wings : all-metal three-spar fail-safe wing structure
with triple slotted flaps with full-span slotted LE flaps (slats) ,with spoilers ,with
spoilers. airfoil : Tupolev. sweep angle 3/4 chord: 35.0 [°]
engines attached to the tail, landing gear attached to the wings, fuel tanks in the wings
Fuselage : Pressurized conventional all-metal semi-monocoque fail safe structure of
circular section
calculation : *1* (dimensions)
measured wing chord : 9.15 [m] at root
mean wing chord : 5.36 [m]
calculated average wing chord tapered wing with rounded tips: 5.41 [m]
wing aspect ratio : 7.00 []
seize (span*length*height) : 20505 [m^3]
calculation : *2* (fuel consumption)
oil consumption : 9.3 [kg/hr]
fuel consumption (econ. cruise speed) : 5572.4 [kg/hr] (6965.5 [litre/hr])
at 26 [%] power
distance flown for 1 kg fuel : 0.16 [km/kg] at 10000 [m] height, sfc : 69.0 [kg/KN/h]
total fuel capacity : 49687 [litre] (39750 [kg])
calculation : *3* (weight)
weight engine(s) dry : 6600.0 [kg] = 21.24 [kg/KN]
weight 95 litre oil tank : 8.11 [kg]
oil tank filled with 2.0 litre oil : 1.8 [kg]
oil in engine 3.8 litre oil : 3.4 [kg]
fuel in engine 17.0 litre fuel : 12.43 [kg]
weight fuel lines 76.9 [kg]
weight engine cowling 808.1 [kg]
weight thrust reversers 466.2 [kg]
total weight propulsion system : 7977 [kg](7.7 [%])
***************************************************************
Accommodation cabin facilities:
Inside Belavia Tu-154M EW-85748
typical 2-class cabin layout for 158 passengers : economy : pitch : 78.7 [cm] =
31.0 [-in] ( 3+3 ) seating in 27.0 rows
weight seats : 830.0 [kg]
high density seating passengers : 177 [pax] at 6 -abreast seating in 29.5 rows,
pitch 75 [cm] 29.5 [-in]
pax density, normal seating : 0.59 [m2/pax], high density seating : 0.53 [m2/pax]
weight 4 lavatories : 53.4 [kg]
weight 2 galleys : 128.5 [kg]
weight overhead stowage for hand luggage : 55.3 [kg]
weight 3 wardrobe closets : 31.6 [kg]
weight 56 windows : 50.4 [kg]
Belavia Tu-154M EW-85748 just before the last flight within Europe, May 2015
weight 4 1.83x0.80 [m] entrance/exit doors : 254.3 [kg]
weight 2 (135x120 cm) freight doors (belly) : 128.2 [kg]
total belly baggage/cargo hold volume : 35.81 [m3]
passenger compartment volume : 111 [m3]
passenger cabin max.width : 3.58 [m] cabin length : 27.24 [m] cabin height : 2.02 [m]
floor area : 93.7 [m2]
weight cabin facilities : 1531.7 [kg]
safety facilities:
weight 6 over wing emergency exits (90x48 cm): 181.8 [kg]
weight 8 hand fire extinguisher : 24 [kg]
weight cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR): 20.0 [kg]
weight oxygen masks & oxygen generators : 102.7 [kg]
weight emergency flare installation : 10 [kg]
Emergency equipment list for Belavia Tu-154M EW-85748 c/n 92A-924
With cabin layout for 166 passengers.
weight 4 emergency evacuation slides : 136.5 [kg]
weight safety equipment & facilities : 570 [kg]
fuselage construction:
fuselage aluminium frame : 13553 [kg]
floor loading (payload/m2): 192 [kg/m2]
weight rear pressure bulkhead : 220.6 [kg]
fuselage covering ( 335.4 [m2] duraluminium 3.68 [mm]) : 3244.9 [kg]
weight floor beams : 580.5 [kg]
weight cabin furbishing : 761.7 [kg]
weight cabin floor : 1422.3 [kg]
fuselage (sound proof) isolation : 242.2 [kg]
weight empty 194 [litre] potable water tank : 17.1 [kg]
weight empty waste tank : 15.8 [kg]
weight engine mounts : 155 [kg]
weight fuselage structure : 20213.2 [kg]
Cockpit of Belavia Tu-154M EW-85748
Avionics:
weight HF and UHF radio : 7.0 [kg]
weight dual cloud-collision radar : 25.0 [kg]
weight VOR/ILS,RMI,Doppler,radio altimeter : 12.0 [kg]
weight automatic flight control System / auto-pilot : 23.0 [kg]
weight artificial horizons, compass, alti-meters : 7 [kg]
weight engine monitoring gauges & control switches : 9 [kg]
weight avionics : 83.0 [kg]
Systems:
Air-conditioning and pressurization system maintains sea level conditions up
to 7100 [m] and gives equivalent of 2100 [m] at 12500 [m].
pressure differential : 0.62 [bars] (kg/cm2)
pressurized fuselage volume : 430 [m3]
weight air-conditioning and pressurization system : 230 [kg]
weight APU / engine starter: 51.8 [kg]
weight lighting : 52.1 [kg]
weight engine-driven 40kVA electricity generators : 39.5 [kg]
weight controls : 19.5 [kg]
weight systems : 393.4 [kg]
total weight fuselage : 22791 [kg](21.9 [%])
***************************************************************
total weight aluminium ribs (990 ribs) : 3709 [kg]
weight 7 fuel tanks empty for total 49687 [litre] fuel : 2782 [kg]
weight wing covering (painted aluminium 2.78 [mm]) : 3021 [kg]
total weight aluminium spars (multi-cellular wing structure) : 3147 [kg]
weight wings : 9877 [kg]
weight wing/square meter : 49.03 [kg]
weight thermal leading-edge anti-icing : 41.3 [kg]
weight ailerons (4.0 [m2]) : 99.3 [kg]
weight fin (19.6 [m2]) : 965.9 [kg]
weight rudder (7.9 [m2]) : 187.2 [kg]
weight tailplane (stabilizer) (52.4 [m2]): 1803.2 [kg]
weight elevators (17.5 [m2]): 233.0 [kg]
weight flight control hydraulic servo actuators: 64.4 [kg]
weight triple slotted flaps (31.7 [m2]) : 665.9 [kg]
Slotted leading edge flaps deployed
weight leading edge slats (18.5 [m2]) : 252.7 [kg]
weight spoilers (6.9 [m2]) : 88.0 [kg]
total weight wing surfaces & bracing : 17061 [kg] (16.4 [%])
*******************************************************************
tire pressure main wheels : 7.86 [Bar] (nitrogen), ply rating : 20 PR
tire speed limit : 364 [km/hr]
total tire footprint : 0.36 [m2]
downforce : 2851.2 [KN/m2] ACN2 : 24 [ ]
Aircraft Classification Number, MTOW on rigid runway and medium subgrade
strength (B) : 28 [ ]
Can also operate from unpaved runways subgrade B
wheel pressure : 7626.7 [kg]
Russian Air Force Tu-154M RF-85655 Open Skies , in 2020 the Russian air force still used the Tu-154M.
weight 12 main wheels (930 [mm] by 305 [mm]) : 618.4 [kg]
weight 2 nose wheels : 51.5 [kg]
weight multi-disc wheel-brakes : 71.0 [kg]
weight flywheel detector type anti-skid units : 12.6 [kg]
weight oleo-pneumatic shock absorbers : 94.7 [kg]
weight wheel hydraulic operated retraction system : 776.0 [kg]
weight undercarriage struts (six-wheel bogies) with axle 2217.1 [kg]
total weight landing gear : 3841.3 [kg] (3.7 [%]
*******************************************************************
********************************************************************
calculated empty weight : 51670 [kg](49.7 [%])
weight oil for 7.3 hours flying : 79.8 [kg]
weight lifejackets : 71.1 [kg]
weight 3 life rafts : 98.8 [kg]
weight catering : 214.1 [kg]
weight water : 171.3 [kg]
weight crew : 648 [kg]
weight crew lugage,nav.chards,flight doc.,miscell.items : 47 [kg]
operational weight empty : 53000 [kg] (51.0 [%])
********************************************************************
weight 158 passengers : 12166 [kg]
weight luggage : 2528 [kg]
weight cargo : 3306 [kg] (cargo+luggage/m3 belly : 145 [kg/m3])
zero fuel weight (ZFW): 71000 [kg](68.3 [%])
weight fuel for landing (1.3 hours flying) : 7000 [kg]
max. landing weight (MLW): 78000 [kg](75.0 [%])
max. fuel weight : 92750 [kg] (89.2 [%])
payload with max fuel : 121 passengers+luggage 11250 [kg]
published maximum take-off weight : 104000 [kg] (100.0 [%])
Nose of the Vnukovo airlines Tu-154M RA-85619 c/n 86A-738 named after the stewardess Yulia Fomia , who was stabbed to death by Chechen hijackers who had taken over the airplane on a flight from Istanbul to Moskva on 15 March 2001. The airplane was flown to Medina, (MED) Saudi Arabia. Other reports tell that she was killed by a gunshot , probably from Saudi special forces who stormed the aircraft, while the hijackers used the flight attendant as a human shield. (location +-100m 24°33’09”N 39°42’37”E )
calculation : * 4 * (engine power)
power loading (Take-off) : 335 [kg/KN]
power loading (Take-off) 1 PUF: 502 [kg/KN]
max. total take-off power : 310.8 [KN]
calculation : *5* (loads)
manoeuvre load : 8.1 [g] at 1000 [m]
limit load : 3.0 [g] ultimate load : 4.5 [g] load factor : 1.0 [g]
design flight time : 2.71 [hours]
design cycles : 27308 sorties, design hours : 74023 [hours]
max. wing loading (MTOW & flaps retracted) : 516 [kg/m2]
wing stress (2 g) during operation : 181 [N/kg] at 2g emergency manoeuvre
calculation : *6* (angles of attack)
angle of attack zero lift : -1.57 ["]
max. angle of attack (stalling angle, clean) : 14.00 ["]
max. angle of attack (full flaps) : 18.20 ["]
angle of attack at max. speed : 1.91 ["]
calculation : *7* (lift & drag ratios
lift coefficient at angle of attack 0° : 0.13 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. speed : 0.29 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. angle of attack : 1.29 [ ]
max. lift coefficient full flaps : 2.27 [ ]
Uzbekistan Tu-154M UK-85711
drag coefficient at max. speed : 0.0300 [ ]
drag coefficient at econ. cruise speed : 0.0311 [ ]
induced drag coefficient at econ. cruise speed : 0.0061 [ ]
drag coefficient (zero lift) : 0.0250 [ ]
lift/drag ratio at max. speed : 9.60 [ ]
calculation : *8* (speeds
take-off safety speed (V2) : 246 [km/u]
take-off (initial climb) speed (Vto) : 296 [km/u]
stalling speed clean at sea-level (OW loaded : 98428 [kg]): 281 [km/u]
max. rate of climb speed : 553 [km/hr] at sea-level
max. endurance speed (Vbe): 530 [km/u] min. fuel/hr : 4430 [kg/hr] at height : 7010 [m]
max. range speed (Vbr): 853 [km/u] min. fuel consumption : 6.0 [kg/km] at cruise
height : 10363 [m]
cruising speed : 923 [km/hr] at 10000 [m] (power:27 [%])
max. operational speed (Mmo) : 950.00 [km/hr] (Mach 0.88 ) at 9450 [m]
(power:29.2 [%])
airflow at cruise speed per engine : 175.9 [kg/s]
speed of thrust jet : 1491 [km/hr]
initial descent speed 10000 - 7315 [m]: Mach 0.75
descent speed 7315 - 3048 [m]: 537 [km/u]
approach speed 3048 - 500 [m] (clean): 463 [km/u]
stalling speed clean at 500 [m] height at Max.Landing Weight : 78000 [kg]): 256 [km/u]
final approach speed at sea-level with full flaps (normal landing weight) (Vapp): 219
[km/u]
ICAO Aircraft Approach Category (APC) : B
landing speed at sea-level (normal landing weight(Vtd): 77807 [kg]): 194 [km/hr]
stalling speed at sea-level with full flaps (max. landing weight): 168 [km/u]
rate of climb at sea-level ROC (loaded) : 1164 [m/min]
rate of climb at 1000 [m] with 1 engine out (PUF / MTOW) : 1011 [m/min]
rate of descent: 457 [m/min]
CAAC Tupolew Tu-154M reg. B-2606 c/n 86A728
calculation : *9* (regarding various performances)
low wheel pressure, can also take off from unpaved runways
take-off distance at sea-level concrete runway : 1355 [m]
take-off distance at sea-level gravel/packed earth field : 1763 [m]
take-off distance at sea-level over 15 [m] height : 1474 [m]
balanced runway length at MTOW and at SL (FAR) : 2478 [m]
landing run (MLW) : 756 [m]
landing run (C.A.R.) from 15 [m] at SL, dry runway : 1191 [m]
landing run (C.A.R.) from 15 [m] at SL, wet runway : 1491 [m]
lift/drag ratio : 12.85 [ ]
climb to 5000 [m] with max payload : 3.97 [min]
climb to 10000 [m] with max payload : 12.23 [min]
descent time from 10000 [m] to 250 [m] : 24.33 [min]
ceiling limited by max. pressure differential 16175 [m]
theoretical ceiling fully loaded (mtow- 60 min.fuel: 98428 [kg] ) : 16800 [m]
calculation *10* (action radius & endurance)
range with max. payload: 5245 [km] with 18000.0 [kg] max. useful load (83.0 [%] fuel)*
range with high density pax: 5508 [km] with 177 passengers (86.9 [%] fuel)*
range with typical two-class pax: 5817 [km] with 158 passengers (91.3 [%] fuel)*
range with max.fuel : 6420 [km] with 8 crew and 121 passengers and 100.0 [%] fuel*
ferry range : 6774 [km] with 3 crew and zero payload (100.0 [%] fuel)*
max range theoretically with additional fuel tanks total 64738.1 [litre] fuel : 8598 [km] *
* calculated ranges without fuel reserves
Tupolew Tu-154M 11+02 in service with the Luftwaffe. In 1995 it was modified for “open skies” missions and fitted with Zeiss still and video cameras. Sadly it was lost in a mid-air collision with a C-141 Starlifter over Africa on 13 September 1997.
Available Seat Kilometres (ASK) : 921510 [paskm]
useful load with range 1000km : 18000 [kg]
useful load with range 1000km : 177 passengers
production (theor.max load): 16614 [tonkm/hour]
production (useful load): 16614 [tonkm/hour]
production (passengers): 146545 [paskm/hour]
oil and fuel consumption per tonkm : 0.336 [kg]
calculation *11* (operating cost)
fuel cost per hour (6965 [litre]):4179 [eur] (21 [pax-km/litre fuel])
fuel cost per seat 1000km flight (159 [pax] 2-class seating): 28.52 [eur/1000PK]
oil cost per hour: 39 [eur]
Kish Air Tupolev Tu-154M EP-LBS
crew cost per hour : 1050.000 [eur]
list price 2023 : 116 [mln USD]
average flying hours in 1 year : 1300 [hours]
economic hours : 39000 [hours] is 47 [%] less then design hours
financing interest per flying hour : 2089 [EUR]
write off per flying hour : 2571 [EUR]
time between engine failure : 642 [hr]
can continue fly on 2 engines, low risk for emergency landing for PUF
Tupolev Tu-154M OK-TCC c/n 88A-789 at Schiphol airport, Amsterdam, December 1988
riskfactor : 1.10 [ ]
average flight hours till crash : 0.79 [mln hr] (609 service years)
safe flight hours till fatality : 7937 [hr]
reservation pax liability/flying hour : 16.23 [SDR*] (20 [eur]
insurance cost per hour : 178 [eur]
engine maintenance cost per hour : 780 [eur]
maintenance cost per hour (excluding engines): 3283 [eur]
direct operating cost per hour: 14189 [eur]
DOC per seat 1000km flight (159 [pax] 2-class seating): 96.83 [eur/1000PK]
DOC per seat 1000km flight (high density seating): 86.77 [eur/1000PK]
DOC per kg cargo for a 1000km flight : 0.85 [eur/kg] (= DOC/tonkm)
accidents with fatalities > see the accident file
Tupolev Tu-154M Vladivostok air, RA-85676
Literature :
Air international juni’97 page 359
Verkeersvliegtuigen page 75
CAAC Tupolevs: 154s in China Pt2 - YESTERDAY'S AIRLINES (yesterdaysairlines.com)
Tupolev Tu-154 commercial aircraft. Pictures, specifications, reviews. (airlines-inform.com)
The End of the Tupolev Tu-154 in Continental Europe : AirlineReporter
Tu-154M to Minsk (oldjets.net)
https://contentzone.eurocontrol.int/aircraftperformance/default.aspx?
DISCLAIMER Above calculations are based on published data, they must be
regarded as indication not as facts.
Calculated performance and weight may not correspond with actual weights
and performances and are assumptions for which no responsibility can be taken.
Calculations are as accurate as possible, they can be fine-tuned when more data
is available, you are welcome to give suggestions and additional information
so we can improve our program. For copyright on drawings/photographs/
content please mail to below mail address
(c) B van der Zalm 22 October 2022 contact : info.aircraftinvestigation@gmail.com python 3.7.4
notes :
*SDR = special drawing rights info : https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/air_travel/airline_liability.html
SDR value : https://www.imf.org/external/np/fin/data/rms_mth.aspx?reportType=CVSDR