avia-su.ru
The twin-engine fighter produced by the Sukhoi Design Bureau was adopted by the USSR Air Force in 1985, although it made its first flight back in May 1977.
This aircraft can reach a maximum supersonic speed of Mach 2.35 (2500 km / h), which is more than twice the speed of sound.
The Su-27 has earned a reputation as one of the most efficient units of its time, and some models are still used in the armies of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.
www.f-16.net
A tactical attack aircraft developed in the 1960s by General Dynamics. Designed for two crew members, the first aircraft entered service with the United States Air Force in 1967, and was used for strategic bombing, reconnaissance and electronic warfare. The F-111 was able to reach Mach 2.5 (2655 km / h), or 2.5 times the speed of sound.
letsgoflying.wordpress.com
The twin-engined tactical fighter was developed by McDonnell Douglas in 1967. The all-weather aircraft is designed to capture and maintain air superiority over enemy forces during air combat. The F-15 Eagle first flew in July 1972 and entered service with the United States Air Force in 1976.
The F-15 is capable of flying at speeds in excess of Mach 2.5 (2655 km / h) and is considered one of the most successful aircraft ever built. The F-15 Eagle is expected to be in service with the US Air Force until 2025. The fighter is currently being exported to a number of foreign countries, including Japan, Israel and Saudi Arabia.
airforce.ru
A large, twin-engine supersonic aircraft manufactured by the Mikoyan Design Bureau is designed to intercept foreign aircraft at high speeds. The aircraft made its maiden flight in September 1975, and entered service with the Air Force in 1982.
The MiG-31 reaches a speed of Mach 2.83 (3000 km / h) and was capable of flying at supersonic speeds even at low altitudes. The MiG-31 is still in service with the Air Forces of Russia and Kazakhstan.
XB-70 newspaceandaircraft.com
The six-engine XB-70 Valkyrie aircraft was developed by North American Aviation in the late 1950s. The aircraft was built as a prototype for a strategic bomber with nuclear bombs.
The XB-70 Valkyrie reached its design speed on October 14, 1965, when it reached Mach 3.02 (3219 km / h), at 21,300 m above Edwards Air Force Base in California.
Two XB-70s were built and used on test flights from 1964 to 1969. One prototype crashed in 1966 after a mid-air collision, and another XB-70 is on display at the US Air Force National Museum in Dayton, Ohio.
Bell x-2 starbuster
X-2 wikipedia.org
The rocket-powered aircraft was a joint development of Bell Aircraft Corporation, the US Air Force and the National Aeronautics Advisory Committee (NASA's predecessor) in 1945. The aircraft was built to study the aerodynamic properties during supersonic flight in the range of Mach 2 and 3.
The X-2, nicknamed Starbuster, made its maiden flight in November 1955. The following year, in September 1956, Captain Milburn at the helm was able to reach a speed of Mach 3.2 (3370 km / h) at an altitude of 19,800 m.
Shortly after reaching this maximum speed, the aircraft became uncontrollable and crashed. This tragic incident put an end to the X-2 program.
airforce.ru
The Mikoyan-Gurevich aircraft was designed to intercept enemy aircraft at supersonic speeds and collect reconnaissance data. The MiG-25 is one of the fastest military aircraft ever put into service. The MiG-25 made its first flight in 1964 and was first used by the Soviet Air Force in 1970.
The MiG-25 has an incredible top speed of Mach 3.2 (3524 km / h). The aircraft is still in service with the Russian Air Force and is also used in several other countries, including the Algerian Air Force and the Syrian Air Force.
wikipedia.org
Aircraft prototype developed by Lockheed Corporation in the late 50s and early 60s. The aircraft was built to intercept enemy aircraft at Mach 3.
Testing of the YF-12 took place at Area 51, a top-secret US Air Force training ground that ufologists have attributed to alien connections. The YF-12 made its first flight in 1963 and developed a maximum speed of Mach 3.2 (3330 km / h) at an altitude of 24,400 m.The US Air Force eventually canceled the program, but YF-12 still made a number of research flights for the Air Force and NASA. The plane finally stopped flying in 1978.
The development of a second-generation supersonic passenger aircraft, abbreviated as SPS-2, is entering its final phase. The first flight of the Tu-244 is expected by 2025. The new Russian commercial airliner will be structurally different from the Soviet Tu-144 in terms of characteristics, flight range, comfort, spaciousness, size, engine power, and avionics. Its supersonic speed of Mach 2 will remain the same as that of the predecessor Tu-144LL "Moscow", it is still the best indicator in the world in heavy civil aircraft construction. At an altitude of 20 km, the routes are free.
A limitation for aircraft designers and developers may be the length of the 1st class runway, at least 3 km is required. Such concrete strips are not found in all airports in the world and in the country. There can be no illusions about the fact that the best aircraft will not be in demand by Western countries, which are more interested in selling their European Airbus and American Boeing, flying at a speed of 700 - 900 km / h, 2.5-3 times slower. You will have to rely only on the needs of Russia and the BRICS, as well as on wealthy customers who are able to afford such aircraft.
Project objectives
The first Tu-244 model is expected to see the proven NK-32 engines, the same as those of the Tu-160M2 strategic bomber upgraded on 11/16/2017. The very first development of the SPS-2 began too early, in 1973, thanks to the achievements of Soviet military designers in the 1950s, 50 years ahead of their time. At that time, there were still no such high-quality composite materials to use them in large quantities, and the power plants had insufficient traction. In the 1960s, there were engines with a 20-ton thrust, in the 1970s with a 25-ton thrust, and now 32-ton engines are used.
Aircraft designers have 2 main tasks:
Flight range - 9,200 km.
Reduced fuel consumption for this class of equipment.
The first and second tasks can be solved by the example of the Tu-160 and Tu-22M3, using a variable sweep of the wing, making the aircraft multi-mode. You can analyze the closed projects T-4 and T-4MS Chernyakov, study the development of Myasishchev on modifications of the M-50, ingenious and fantastic then, more suitable today. The Tupolev Design Bureau has everything for this, it contains materials from all the leading design bureaus of the USSR involved in heavy strategic aviation, on the basis of which the world's best military "long-range" Tu-22M3M and Tu-160M2 were created.
The advantages of jet aircraft
The advantage of a jet is speed. This guarantees a comfortable flight and shortens the distance in time. Spending three times less hours in a chair is a good health of passengers, for example, on the Vladivostok-Kaliningrad flight. Business time is saved. Using the services of the Tu-244 airliner, you can spend 1 day more on vacation, and, upon arrival, immediately go to work without fatigue. It is also important to receive moral satisfaction from our citizens from the prestige of the Tu-244, to feel pride in Russia. The release of civilian jet aircraft from the military-industrial complex of the Russian Federation is more significant than the self-sufficiency of the country's defense enterprises, it is a commercial focus, jobs, a guarantee of stability and the accumulation of profits in harsh market conditions.
Disadvantages of Bullet Passenger Airliners
In the Tupolev Design Bureau in the 1960s, they noticed that the creation of a civil supersonic passenger airliner on military principles would not work due to the requirements for comfort and safety. We began to study the experience of the USA, France and England in this regard, which was considered the best, then, according to the plan of the chief designer Alexei Andreevich Tupolev, went into operation. The disadvantages of the first Tu-144 and "Concorde" include high fuel consumption, loudness of the engine, sound booms, and the amount of harmful emissions into the atmosphere.
The main disadvantage of the Tu-244 is the commercial, military and political institutions of the West, because their Concordes flew off in 2003, and there are no new ones in the plans, because our aircraft construction paths diverge. The explanation for this: firstly, NATO does not need strategic supersonic aviation, because at the heart of their power is an aircraft-carrying oceanic fleet, and nuclear bombs and missiles are enough to deliver by aircraft with a range of 1.5 km (fighters) from military bases scattered around the world, which is why military projects of this class in the west are not very in demand. Also, the rather high cost of the flight sharply narrows the potential market segment for these aircraft, so there can be no question of mass production. However, the simultaneous order for military and passenger transport is exactly what can give a serious boost to supersonic passenger aviation.
What will be the Tu-244 in terms of flight performance
The design was delayed, the Tu-144 in the 1968 configuration reached its first design characteristics by the mid-1970s. Work on its improvement since 1992 - the beginning of the Tu-244 project, 25 years have passed since then, to finish what has been started it will take another 10 they did not lead to anything good, as in all similar cases in the former USSR. Only the collection of scientific data from the Tu-144LL for the NASA military space program and the slowdown of our enterprises in development.
Today there are many options for Tu-244 projects. Nobody can say exactly what the plane will be like. Unofficial sources spread ambiguous information. The characteristics described below are conditional, based on current capabilities. Characteristics: length 88.7 m; a wingspan of 54.77 m, an area of \u200b\u200b1,200 square meters, and an aspect ratio of 2.5 m; wing sweep along the edge - at the center section 75 degrees, - at the console 35 degrees; fuselage width 3.9 m, height 4.1 m, luggage compartment of 32 square meters; takeoff weight 350 t, including fuel 178 t; engines NK-32 - 4 units; cruising speed 2.05 M; range of 10 thousand km; Max. height 20 km.
Airframe Tu-244
Imagine a trapezoidal wing and a complex deformation of its middle trapezoid. Aileron control in balance, roll and pitch. The toes deflect mechanically at the leading edge. The wing structure is divided into parts, front, middle and console. The middle and cantilever parts with multi-spar and multi-thread power circuits, there are no front ribs. The vertical tail is the same as in the wing structure and the two-piece steering rudder.
Fuselage with pressurized cabin, nose and tail compartments - the dimension will be selected on order based on the number of passenger seats. For 250 and 320 passengers, the fuselage diameter from 3.9 to 4.1 m is suitable. The salon will be divided into classes 1, 2 and 3. In terms of comfort, the Tu-244 will be at the level of the latest modification of the Tu-204. The aircraft is equipped with a cargo compartment. Four pilots, their seats with catapults (in Russian), shoot upwards. On board everything is re-automated and subordinated to the central program control.
Tu-244 may lose a deflectable nose, similar to Tu-144LL, due to the development of the latest optoelectronic equipment and the possibility of deflecting the vectors of controlled thrust in modern domestic power plants. In places of maximum load, titanium alloy VT-64 can be used in the area of \u200b\u200bthe wheel. The nose strut can remain the same, as if there will be 3 new main supports for the concrete strip, designed for high loads. Navigation and flight equipment will correspond to the meteorological minimum according to the international classification IIIA ICAO.
"Turn on supersonic!"
Supersonic Passenger Aircraft - What Do We Know About Them? At least the fact that they were created relatively long ago. But, for various reasons, they were not operated for as long, and not as often as they could. Even today, they exist only as design models.
Why is that? What is the peculiarity and "secret" of supersonic sound? Who created this technology? And also - what will be the future of supersonic aircraft in the world, and of course - in Russia? We will try to answer all these questions.
"Farewell Flight"
So, fifteen years have passed since the last three functioning supersonic passenger aircraft made their last flights, after which they were decommissioned. It was back in 2003. Then, on October 24, they all together "said goodbye to heaven." Last time they flew at low altitude, over the capital of Great Britain.
Then we landed at London Heathrow Airport. These were Concorde aircraft belonging to British Airways. And with such a "farewell flight" they completed a very short history of passenger traffic, at speeds exceeding sound ...
So one could think a few years ago. But now it is already possible to say with certainty. This is the finale of only the first stage of this story. And probably - all its bright pages are still ahead.
Today - preparation, tomorrow - flight
Today, many companies and aircraft designers are thinking about the prospects for supersonic passenger aviation. Some are making plans to revive it. Others are already preparing for this with might and main.
After all, if it could exist and function effectively a few decades ago, then today - with seriously advanced technologies, it is quite possible not only to revive it, but also to solve a number of problems that forced the leading airlines to abandon such technologies.
And the prospects are too tempting. The possibility of a flight, for example, from London to Tokyo, in five hours seems very interesting. Cross the distance from Sydney to Los Angeles in six hours? And get from Paris to New York in three and a half? With passenger aircraft, which can fly at a higher speed than sound can be heard, this is not at all difficult.
But, of course, before the triumphant "return" of such into the airspace - scientists, engineers, designers, and many others - still have a lot of work to do. It is necessary not only to restore what once was by proposing a new model. Not at all.
The goal is to solve many problems associated with supersonic passenger aviation. Creation of aircraft that will not only demonstrate the capabilities and power of the countries that built them. But they will also be really effective. So much as to occupy a niche worthy of them in aviation.
The history of "supersonic". Part 1. What happened in the beginning ...
How did it all begin? In fact - from a simple passenger aircraft. And such is more than a century "old". Its design began in the 1910s, in Europe. When craftsmen from the most developed countries of the world created the first aircraft, the main purpose of which was to transport passengers over various distances. That is, a flight with many people on board.
The first among them is the French Bleriot XXIV Limousine. It was owned by the aircraft manufacturer Bleriot Aeronautique. However, it was used mainly for the amusement of those who paid for pleasure "walks" - flights, on it. Two years after its creation, an analogue appears in Russia.
It was the C-21 "Grand". It was designed on the basis of the "Russian Knight" created by Igor Sikorsky, a heavy bomber. And the construction of this passenger aircraft was carried out by employees of the Baltic Carriage Works.
Well, after that progress could no longer be stopped. Aviation developed rapidly. And passenger, in particular. First, there were flights between specific cities. Then the planes were able to cover distances between states. Finally, aircraft began to cross the oceans and fly from one continent to another.
Developing technology and more and more innovations allowed aviation to travel very quickly. Much more likely than trains or ships. And there were practically no obstacles for her. There was no need to change from one vehicle to another, not only, for example when traveling on any particular distant "end of the world."
Even when it is necessary to cross land and water at once. The planes were not stopped by anything. And this is natural, because they fly over everything - continents, oceans, countries ...
But time passed quickly, the world was changing. Of course, the aviation industry also developed. Aircraft over the next few decades, up to the 1950s, have changed so much, when compared with those that flew back in the early 1920s and 1930s, that they have already become something completely different, special.
And now, in the middle of the twentieth century, the development of the jet engine went very fast, even in comparison with the previous twenty or thirty years, rates.
A small informational digression. Or - some physics
Advanced developments have allowed aircraft to "accelerate" to speeds greater than that with which sound travels. Of course, first of all, it was applied in military aviation. After all, we are talking, after all, about the twentieth century. Which, sadly to realize it, was a century of conflicts, two world wars, the "cold" struggle between the USSR and the USA ...
And almost every new technology created by the leading states of the world was primarily considered from the point of view of how it can be used in defense or attack.
So, airplanes could now fly at an unprecedented speed. Faster than sound. And what is its specificity?
First of all, it is obvious that this is a speed that exceeds that with which the sound is carried. But, remembering the basic laws of physics, we can say that in different conditions, it may differ. And “exceeds” is a very loose concept.
And therefore - there is a special standard. Supersonic speed is called one that exceeds the sound speed by up to five times, taking into account the fact that depending on temperature and other environmental factors, it can change.
For example - if we take the normal atmospheric pressure, at sea level, then the speed of sound will be equal to the impressive figure - 1191 km / h. That is, 331 meters are covered in a second.
But, which is especially important in the design of supersonic aircraft, as the altitude rises, the temperature decreases. This means that the speed with which the sound propagates is very significant.
So let's say, if you rise to a height of 20 thousand meters, then here it will already be 295 meters per second. But there is one more important point.
At 25 thousand meters above sea level, the temperature starts to rise, since it is no longer the lower layer of the atmosphere. And so it goes on. Rather, higher. Let's say it gets even hotter at 50,000 meters. Consequently, the speed of sound there - increases even more.
I wonder how much? Rising 30 kilometers above sea level, you find yourself in a "zone" where sound travels at a speed of 318 meters per second. And at 50,000 meters, respectively - 330 m / s.
About Mach number
By the way, it is interesting that to simplify the understanding of the features of flight and work in such conditions, the Mach number is used in aviation. A general description of such can be reduced to the following conclusions. It expresses the speed of sound, which takes place in a given conditions, at a specific height, at a given temperature and air density.
For example, the flight speed, which is equal to two Mach numbers, at an altitude of ten kilometers above the ground, under normal conditions, will be equal to 2,157 km / h. And at sea level - 2,383 km / h.
The history of "supersonic". Part 2. Overcoming barriers
By the way, for the first time, a pilot from the United States, Chuck Yeager, reached a speed of flight of more than Mach 1. This happened in 1947. Then he "accelerated" his plane, flying at an altitude of 12.2 thousand meters above the ground, to a speed of 1066 km / h. So the first supersonic flight took place on the ground.
Already in the 1950s, work began on the design and preparation for serial production of passenger aircraft capable of flying at a speed - faster than sound. They are led by scientists and aircraft designers from the most powerful countries in the world. And they succeed.
The same "Concorde", a model that was finally abandoned in 2003, was created in 1969. This is a joint British-French development. The symbolically chosen name - "Concorde", from French, is translated as "consent".
It was one of two existing types of supersonic passenger aircraft. Well, the creation of the second (or rather, chronologically - the first) is the merit of aircraft designers of the USSR. The Soviet counterpart of the Concorde is called the Tu-144. It was designed in the 1960s and made its first flight on December 31, 1968. A year before the British-French model.
No other types of supersonic passenger aircraft have been implemented to this day. Both the Concorde and the Tu-144 flew thanks to turbojet engines, which were specially redesigned in order to operate at supersonic speed for a long time.
The Soviet analogue of "Concorde" was operated for a much shorter period. Already in 1977 it was abandoned. The plane flew on average, at a speed of 2,300 kilometers per hour and could carry up to 140 passengers at a time. But at the same time, the price of a ticket for such a "supersonic" flight was two, two and a half, or even three times more than for an ordinary one.
Of course, these were not in great demand among Soviet citizens. And servicing the Tu-144 was not easy and expensive. Therefore, in the USSR they were abandoned so quickly.
The Concordes lasted longer, although the flights they flew were also expensive. And the demand was also not great. But still, despite this, they continued to be exploited, both in Britain and in France.
If we recalculate the cost of a ticket to the Concorde in the 1970s, at today's rate, then it will be about two tens of thousands of dollars. For a one way ticket. You can understand why the demand for them was somewhat less than for flights, using aircraft that do not reach supersonic speeds.
The Concorde could take on board from 92 to 120 passengers at a time. He flew at a speed of over 2 thousand km / h and covered the distance from Paris to New York in three and a half hours.
Several decades passed in this way. Until 2003.
One of the reasons for the refusal to operate this model was the plane crash that occurred in 2000. Then, on board the crashed Concorde there were 113 people. They all died.
Later, an international crisis began in the field of passenger air transportation. Its cause is the terrorist attacks that took place on September 11, 2001, in the United States.
Moreover, on top of that, the warranty period for Concordes by Airbus is coming to an end. All this together made the further operation of supersonic passenger aircraft extremely unprofitable. And in 2003 all Concordes were written off one by one, both in France and in Great Britain.
Hopes
After that, there were still hopes for the early "return" of supersonic passenger aircraft. Aircraft designers talked about the creation of special engines, which will save fuel, despite the flight speed. We talked about improving the quality and optimization of the main avionics systems on such aircraft.
But, in 2006 and 2008, new regulations of the International Civil Aviation Organization were issued. They determined the latest (they are valid, by the way, and at the moment) standards of permissible aircraft noise during flight.
And supersonic aircraft, as you know, did not have the right to fly over populated areas, which is why. After all, they produced strong noise pops (also for reasons of the physical characteristics of the flight) when they were moving at maximum speeds.
This was the reason that the "planning" for the "revival" of supersonic passenger aviation somewhat slowed down. However, in fact, after the introduction of this requirement, aircraft designers began to think about how to solve this problem. After all, it also had a place to be before, just the "ban" focused on it - the "problem of noise".
What about today?
But it has been ten years since the last "ban". And planning smoothly turned into design. To date, several companies and government organizations are engaged in the creation of supersonic passenger aircraft.
Which ones? Russian: Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (the same one named after Zhukovsky), Tupolev and Sukhoi companies. Russian aircraft designers have an invaluable advantage.
Experience of Soviet designers and creators of the Tu-144. However, it is better to talk about domestic developments in this area separately and in more detail, which we propose to do next.
But not only Russians are creating a new generation supersonic passenger aircraft. It is also the European concern Airbus and the French company Dassault. Among the firms of the United States of America that are working in this direction are Boeing and of course Lockheed Martin. In the land of the rising sun, the main organization that designs such an aircraft is the aerospace research agency.
And this list is by no means complete. It is important to clarify that the overwhelming majority of professional aircraft designers working in this area are divided into two groups. Regardless of the country of origin.
Some believe that it is impossible in any way to create a "quiet" supersonic passenger aircraft at the current level of technological development of mankind.
Therefore, the only way out is to design a “just fast” airliner. He, in turn, will go to supersonic speed in those places where it is allowed. And flying, for example, over populated areas, return to subsonic.
Such "jumps", according to this group of scientists and designers, will reduce the flight time to the minimum possible, and not violate the requirements for noise effects.
Others, on the contrary, are full of determination. They believe that the cause of the noise can be dealt with now. And they made a lot of effort to prove that a supersonic airliner that flies quietly is quite possible to build in the next few years.
And some more boring physics
So, when flying at a speed of more than Mach 1.2, the airframe of the aircraft forms shock waves. They are strongest in the tail and nose areas, as well as in some other parts of the aircraft, such as on the edges of the air intakes.
What is a shock wave? This is an area where the density, pressure and temperature of the air experience sharp jumps. They appear when moving at high speeds, faster than sound.
To people who stand on the ground, in spite of the distance, it seems that there is an explosion. Of course, we are talking about those who are in relative proximity - under the place where the plane is flying. That is why flights of supersonic aircraft over cities were prohibited.
Representatives of the "second camp" of scientists and designers, who believe in the possibility of leveling this noise, are fighting against such shock waves.
If you go into details, the reason for this is literally a "collision" with the air at a very high speed. At the wave front, the pressure is sharply and strongly increased. At the same time, immediately after it, a drop is observed, and then a transition to a normal pressure indicator (the same as it was before the "collision").
However, the classification of wave types has already been carried out and potentially optimal solutions have been found. It remains only to complete the work in this direction and make the necessary adjustments to the aircraft designs, or create those from scratch, taking into account these amendments.
In particular, NASA specialists came to the realization of the need for structural changes in order to reform the flight characteristics in general.
Namely - to change the specifics of shock waves, as far as possible at the current technological level. This is achieved by restructuring the wave, through specific design changes. As a result, the standard wave is considered as an N-type, and the one that arises during flight, taking into account the innovations proposed by specialists, as an S-type.
And with the latter, the “explosive” effect of pressure change is significantly reduced, and people who are below, for example, in a city, if an airplane flies over it, even when they hear such an effect, then only as “a distant bang of a car door”.
Form is also important
In addition, for example, Japanese aircraft designers, not so long ago, in mid-2015, created an unmanned airframe model D-SEND 2. Its shape is designed in a special way, allowing you to significantly reduce the intensity and number of shock waves that occur when the aircraft is flying at supersonic speed.
The effectiveness of the innovations proposed in this way by Japanese scientists was proved during the tests of D-SEND 2. They were held in Sweden in July 2015. The course of the event was quite interesting.
The glider, which was not equipped with engines, was raised to a height of 30.5 kilometers. With a balloon. Then he was thrown down. During the fall, he "accelerated" to a speed of 1.39 Mach. The length of the D-SEND 2 itself is 7.9 meters.
After the tests carried out, the Japanese aircraft designers were able to declare with confidence that the intensity of the shock waves, when flying their brainchild at a speed exceeding the speed of sound propagation, is two times less than that of the Concorde.
What are the features of D-SEND 2? First of all, its bow is not axisymmetric. The keel is shifted towards it, and at the same time, the horizontal tail unit is set as all-moving. It is also located at a negative angle to the longitudinal axis. And at the same time, the tail ends are located lower than the attachment point.
The wing, smoothly coupled with the fuselage, is made with a normal sweep, but stepped.
According to approximately the same scheme, now, as of November 2018, a passenger supersonic AS2 is being designed. The professionals from Lockheed Martin are working on it. The customer is NASA.
Also, the project of the Russian SDS / SPS is now at the stage of improving the form. It is planned that it will be created with an emphasis on reducing the intensity of shock waves.
Certification and ... one more certification
It is important to understand that some projects of supersonic passenger aircraft will be implemented already in the early 2020s. At the same time, the rules established by the International Civil Aviation Organization in 2006 and 2008 will still be in effect.
This means that if by that time there is no serious technological breakthrough, in the field of "quiet supersonic", then it is likely that aircraft will be created, which will switch to speeds higher than Mach one, only in areas where this is permitted.
And after that, when the necessary technologies do appear, in this scenario, many new tests will have to be carried out. In order to ensure that aircraft can obtain permission to fly over populated areas. But these are just speculations about the future, today it is very difficult to say anything for sure on this score.
Price question
Another problem mentioned earlier is the high cost. Of course, today, many engines have already been created, much more economical than those that were operated twenty or thirty years ago.
In particular, those are now being designed, which can ensure the movement of the aircraft at supersonic speed, but at the same time do not "eat" as much fuel as the Tu-144 or "Concorde".
How? First of all, this is the use of ceramic composite materials, which ensure a decrease in temperatures, and this is especially important in hot zones of power plants.
In addition, the introduction of another, third, air circuit - in addition to the external and internal. Leveling the rigid coupling of a turbine with a fan, inside an aircraft engine, etc.
Nevertheless, even thanks to all these innovations, it cannot be said that supersonic flight, in today's realities, is economical. Therefore, in order for it to become accessible and attractive to the broad masses of the population, it is extremely important to improve the engines.
Perhaps - the actual solution will be a complete redesign of the structure - experts say.
By the way, it will not be possible to reduce the cost by increasing the number of passengers per flight. Since the aircraft that are being designed today (meaning, of course, supersonic aircraft), are designed to transport a small number of people - from eight to forty-five.
New engine is a solution to the problem
Of the latest innovations in this area, it should be noted an innovative jet, turbofan power plant, created this year, 2018, by GE Aviation. In October it was introduced under the name Affinity.
This engine is planned to be installed on the aforementioned passenger model AS2. There are no significant technological "innovations" in this type of power plants. But at the same time, it combines the features of jet engines with a large and a small degree of bypass. Which makes the model very interesting for installation on a supersonic aircraft.
Among other things, the creators of the engine claim that when tested, it will prove its ergonomics. The fuel consumption of the power plant will be approximately equal to that which can be recorded for standard airliner engines currently in service.
That is, this is a claim that the power plant of a supersonic aircraft will consume approximately the same amount of fuel as that of a conventional airliner, which is not capable of accelerating to speeds above Mach one.
How this will turn out is still difficult to explain. Since the design features of the engine, its creators do not disclose at the moment.
What can they be - Russian supersonic airliners?
Of course, today there are many specific projects for supersonic passenger aircraft. However, not everyone is close to implementation. Let's look at the most promising ones.
So - Russian aircraft builders who inherited the experience of Soviet masters deserve special attention. As mentioned earlier, today, within the walls of TsAGI named after Zhukovsky, according to its employees, the creation of the concept of a new generation supersonic passenger aircraft has already been almost completed.
In the official description of the model, provided by the press service of the institute, it is mentioned that it is a "light, administrative" aircraft, "with a low level of sonic boom." The design is carried out by specialists, employees of this institution.
Also, in the message of the TsAGI press service it is mentioned that due to the special layout of the aircraft body and a special nozzle on which the noise suppression system is installed, this model will demonstrate the latest achievements in the technological development of the Russian aircraft industry.
By the way, it is important to mention that among the most promising projects of TsAGI, in addition to the one described, is a new configuration of passenger airliners, called the "flying wing". It implements several particularly relevant improvements. Specifically, it makes it possible to improve aerodynamics, reduce fuel consumption, etc. But for non-supersonic aircraft.
Among other things, this institute has repeatedly presented ready-made projects that have attracted the attention of air amateurs from all over the world. Let's say - one of the last - a model of a supersonic business jet capable of covering up to 7,000 kilometers without refueling and developing a speed of 1.8 thousand km / h. It was presented at the exhibition "Gidroaviasalon-2018".
"... the design goes all over the world!"
In addition to the named Russian models, the following models are also the most promising. American AS2 (capable of speeds up to Mach 1.5). Spanish S-512 (speed limit - Mach 1.6). And also Boom, currently under design in the USA, from Boom Technologies (well, it will be able to fly at a maximum speed of Mach 2.2).
There is also the X-59, which is being created by order of NASA, Lockheed Martin. But it will be a flying science laboratory, not a passenger plane. And so far no one planned to launch this into mass production.
Boom Technologies plans are interesting. The employees of this company declare that they will try to achieve the maximum reduction in the cost of the flight on the supersonic airliners created by the company. For example, they can roughly name the price for a flight from London to New York. That's about $ 5,000.
For comparison, this is how much a ticket for a flight from the capital of England to New York, on a regular or “subsonic” plane, in business class costs. That is, the price of a flight on an airliner capable of flying at a speed of more than Mach 1.2 will be approximately equal to the cost of an expensive plane ticket that could not make the same fast flight.
However, Boom Technologies made a bet that it would not be possible to create a "quiet" supersonic passenger liner in the near future. Therefore, their Boom will fly at the maximum speed, which it can develop, only over water spaces. And being over land - go to a smaller one.
Despite the fact that the length of the Boom will be 52 meters, it will be able to carry up to 45 passengers at a time. According to the plans of the company designing the aircraft, the first flight of this new product should occur in 2025.
What is known today about another promising project - AS2? It will be able to carry significantly fewer people - only eight to twelve people per flight. In this case, the length of the liner will be 51.8 meters.
Above water, it is planned, will be able to fly at a speed of 1.4-1.6 Mach, and over land - 1.2. By the way, in the latter case, due to its special shape, the aircraft, in principle, will not form shock waves. For the first time, this model should take off in the summer of 2023. In October of the same year, the plane will make its first flight across the Atlantic.
This event will be timed to coincide with a memorable date - the twentieth anniversary of the last time the Concordes flew over London.
Moreover, the Spanish S-512 will take to the sky for the first time no later than at the end of 2021. And deliveries of this model to customers will begin in 2023. The maximum speed of this aircraft is Mach 1.6. It can accommodate 22 passengers. The maximum flight range is 11.5 thousand km.
The client is the head!
As you can see, some companies are trying very hard to complete the design and start building aircraft as quickly as possible. Who are they willing to rush for? Let's try to explain.
So, during 2017, for example, the volume of air passenger traffic amounted to four billion people. Moreover, 650 million of them flew long distances, having spent on the way from 3.7 to thirteen hours. Further - 72 million out of 650, moreover, flew first, or business class.
It is these 72 million people, on average, that those companies that are engaged in the creation of supersonic passenger aircraft are counting on. The logic is simple - it is possible that many of them will not mind paying a little more for the ticket, provided that the flight will be approximately twice as fast.
But, even in spite of all the prospects, many experts reasonably believe that the active progress of supersonic aviation, created for the transport of passengers, may begin after 2025.
This opinion is confirmed by the fact that the aforementioned "flying" laboratory X-59 will first rise into the air only in 2021. Why?
Research and perspectives
The main purpose of her flights, which will take place over several years, will be the collection of information. The fact is that this aircraft must fly over various settlements at supersonic speed. Residents of these settlements have already expressed their consent to the testing.
And after the plane-laboratory will complete the next “experimental flight”, people living in those settlements over which it flew, should tell about those “impressions” that they received during the time when the airliner was above their heads. And especially clearly express how the noise was perceived. Did he affect their life, etc.
The data collected in this way will be transferred to the Federal Aviation Administration in the United States. And after their detailed analysis by specialists, it is possible that the ban on flights of supersonic airliners over populated land areas will be canceled. But in any case, this will not happen until 2025.
In the meantime, we can observe the creation of these innovative aircraft, which will soon mark the birth of a new era of supersonic passenger aviation with their flights!
When can a new supersonic passenger plane take off? Business jet based on the Tu-160 bomber: real? How to silently break the sound barrier?
Tu-160 is the largest and most powerful supersonic and variable-wing aircraft in the history of military aviation. Among the pilots he received the nickname "White Swan". Photo: AP
Do supersonic passenger cars have a prospect? - I asked not so long ago the outstanding Russian aircraft designer Genrikh Novozhilov.
Of course have. At least a supersonic business plane will definitely appear, - replied Genrikh Vasilievich. - I have talked with American businessmen more than once. They clearly stated: "If such an aircraft appeared, Mr. Novozhilov, then, no matter how expensive it is, it would be instantly bought from you." Speed, altitude and range are three factors that are always relevant.
Yes, relevant. Every businessman's dream is to fly across the ocean in the morning, conclude a big deal, and return home in the evening. Modern aircraft fly no faster than 900 km / h. A supersonic business jet will have a cruising speed of about 1900 km per hour. What are the prospects for the business world!
That is why neither Russia, nor America, nor Europe have ever abandoned attempts to create a new supersonic passenger car. But the history of those that have already flown - the Soviet Tu-144 and the Anglo-French Concorde - taught a lot.
This December it will be half a century since the Tu-144 made its first flight. A year later, the liner showed exactly what it was capable of: it broke the sound barrier. He picked up a speed of 2.5 thousand km / h at an altitude of 11 km. This event went down in history. There are still no analogues of passenger airplanes in the world that are able to repeat such a maneuver.
"One hundred and forty-four" has opened a fundamentally new page in the world aircraft construction. They say that at one of the meetings in the Central Committee of the CPSU, designer Andrei Tupolev reported to Khrushchev: the car turns out to be quite gluttonous. But he just waved his hand: your business is to wipe the capitalists' nose, and we have kerosene - at least fill up ...
Wipe your nose. Kerosene - flooded.
However, the European competitor, which took off later, also did not differ in efficiency. So, in 1978 nine Concordes brought their companies about $ 60 million in losses. And only government subsidies saved the day. Nevertheless, the "Anglo-French" flew until November 2003. But the Tu-144 was written off much earlier. Why?
First of all, Khrushchev's optimism was not justified: an energy crisis broke out in the world and the prices of kerosene rushed up. The supersonic first-born was immediately dubbed “a boa constrictor on the neck of Aeroflot.” Huge fuel consumption knocked out the design range of flights: Tu-144 did not reach either Khabarovsk or Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, only from Moscow to Alma-Ata.
And if only that. A 200-ton "iron" cruising over densely populated areas at supersonic speed literally blew up the entire space along the route. Complaints rained down: cows' milk yield dropped, chickens stopped rushing, acid rains crushed ... Where is the truth, where is the lie - today you cannot say for sure. But the fact remains: Concorde flew only over the ocean.
Finally, the most important thing is disasters. One - in June 1973 at the air show in Paris Le Bourget, as they say, in full view of the entire planet: the crew of test pilot Kozlov wanted to demonstrate the capabilities of the Soviet liner ... Another - in five years. Then a test flight was performed with engines of a new series: they just had to pull the aircraft to the required range.
"Concorde" also did not escape tragedy: the plane crashed in July 2000 while departing from Charles de Gaulle airport. Ironically, it collapsed almost where the Tu-144 used to be. 109 people on board and four on the ground were killed. Regular passenger traffic resumed only a year later. But a series of incidents followed, and they also put a fat point on this supersonic aircraft.
On December 31, 1968, the first flight of the Tu-144 took place, two months earlier than the Concorde. And on June 5, 1969, at an altitude of 11,000 meters, our plane was the first in the world to break beyond the sound barrier. A photo: Sergey Mikheev / RG
Today, at a new stage in the development of technology, scientists need to find a balance between conflicting factors: good aerodynamics of a new supersonic aircraft, low fuel consumption, as well as severe restrictions on noise and sonic boom.
How realistic is it to create a new passenger supersonic aircraft based on the Tu-160 bomber? From a purely engineering point of view - quite, experts say. And in history there are examples when military aircraft successfully "took off shoulder straps" and flew away "to civilian life": for example, the Tu-104 was created on the basis of the Tu-16 long-range bomber, and the Tu-114 - the Tu-95 bomber. In both cases, the fuselage had to be redone - changing the wing layout, expanding the diameter. In fact, these were new aircraft, and quite successful. By the way, an interesting detail: when the Tu-114 first flew to New York, there in the dumbfounded airport there was neither a ladder of a suitable height nor a tractor ...
At least similar work will be required for the conversion of the Tu-160. However, how cost effective will this solution be? Everything needs to be carefully evaluated.
How many planes do you need? Who will fly them and where? How commercially available will they be to passengers? How soon will the development costs be recouped? .. Tickets for the same Tu-144 cost 1.5 times more than usual, but even such a high cost did not cover the operating costs.
Meanwhile, according to experts, the first Russian supersonic executive jet (business jet) can be designed in seven to eight years if there is a reserve for the engine. This plane can accommodate up to 50 people. The total demand in the domestic market is projected at the level of 20-30 cars at a price of $ 100-120 million.
Serial supersonic passenger aircraft of the new generation may appear around 2030
Designers on both sides of the ocean are working on projects for supersonic business jets. Everyone is looking for new layout solutions. Someone offers an atypical tail, someone - a completely unusual wing, someone - a fuselage with a curved central axis ...
TsAGI specialists are developing a project SDS / SPS ("supersonic business aircraft / supersonic passenger aircraft"): according to the idea, it will be able to perform transatlantic flights over a distance of up to 8600 km at a cruising speed of at least 1900 km / h. Moreover, the salon will be transformed - from 80-seat to 20-seat VIP-class.
And last summer, at the air show in Zhukovsky, one of the most interesting was the model of a high-speed civilian aircraft, created by TsAGI scientists within the framework of the international project HEXAFLY-INT. This plane should fly at a speed of more than 7-8 thousand km / h, corresponding to Mach 7 or 8.
But for high-speed civil aircraft to become a reality, a huge range of tasks must be solved. They relate to materials, a hydrogen propulsion system, its integration with the airframe and obtaining high aerodynamic efficiency of the aircraft itself.
And what is already absolutely certain: the design features of the projected winged aircraft will be clearly non-standard.
Competently
Sergey Chernyshev, General Director of TsAGI, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences:
The sonic boom level (sharp pressure drop in the shock wave) from the Tu-144 was equal to 100-130 pascals. But modern research has shown that it can be increased to 15-20. Moreover, reduce the volume of the sonic boom to 65 decibels, which is equivalent to the noise of a big city. Until now, there are no official standards for the permissible sound boom level in the world. And most likely it will be determined not earlier than 2022.
We have already suggested the look of the future supersonic civil aircraft demonstrator. The sample should show the ability to reduce sonic boom in supersonic cruising and noise in the airport area. Several options are being considered: an aircraft for 12-16 passengers, also for 60-80. There is an option of a very small business jet - for 6-8 passengers. These are different weights. In one case, the car will weigh about 50 tons, and in the other - 100-120, etc. But we start with the first of the designated supersonic aircraft.
According to various estimates, today there is an unrealized demand on the market for fast flights of business people on airplanes with a passenger capacity of 12-16 people. And, of course, the car must fly at a distance of at least 7-8 thousand kilometers on transatlantic routes. The cruising speed will be Mach 1.8-2, which is about twice the speed of sound. This speed is a technological barrier to the use of conventional aluminum materials in the airframe design. Therefore, the dream of scientists is to make an airplane entirely from temperature composites. And there are good practices.
Clear requirements for the aircraft must be determined by the launch customer, and then at the stages of preliminary design and development work, some change in the initial appearance of the aircraft obtained at the preliminary design stage is possible. But the sound principles of sonic boom reduction will remain unchanged.
The short-term passenger operation of the supersonic Tu-144 was limited to flights from Moscow to Alma-Ata. A photo: Boris Korzin / TASS photo chronicle
I think it's 10-15 years before the flying prototype. In the near future, according to our plans, a flying demonstrator should appear, the appearance of which is being worked out. Its main task is to demonstrate the basic technologies for creating a supersonic aircraft with a low sonic boom level. This is a necessary stage of the work. A new generation serial supersonic aircraft may appear on the horizon in 2030.
Oleg Smirnov, Honored Pilot of the USSR, Chairman of the Civil Aviation Commission of the Public Council of Rostransnadzor:
To make a supersonic passenger aircraft on the basis of the Tu-160? For our engineers, it is completely real. Not a problem. Moreover, this car is very good, with remarkable aerodynamic qualities, a good wing and fuselage. However, today any passenger aircraft must first of all comply with international requirements for airworthiness and technical fitness. The discrepancy, when comparing a bomber and a passenger plane, is more than 50 percent. For example, when some people say that during alteration it is necessary to "inflate the fuselage", one must understand that the Tu-160 itself weighs more than 100 tons. "Inflate" is also adding weight. This means increasing fuel consumption, reducing speed and altitude, making the aircraft absolutely unattractive for any airline in terms of its operating costs.
To create a supersonic aircraft for business aviation, new avionics, new aircraft engines, new materials, new types of fuel are needed. On Tu-144, kerosene, as they say, flowed like a river. This is not possible today. And most importantly, there should be massive demand for such an aircraft. One or two cars ordered from millionaires will not solve the financial problem. Airlines will have to lease it and "work off" the cost. On whom? Naturally, on passengers. From an economic point of view, the project will fail.
Sergey Melnichenko, General Director of the ICAA "Flight Safety":
For almost 35 years that have passed since the start of the serial production of the Tu-160, technologies have gone ahead, and this will have to be taken into account when deeply modernizing the existing aircraft. Aircraft builders say it is much easier and cheaper to build a new aircraft according to a new concept than to rebuild an old one.
Another question: if the Tu-160 is rebuilt specifically for a business jet, will the Arab sheikhs be interested in it? However, there are several "buts". The aircraft will need to obtain an international certificate (and the European Union and the United States stand behind it), which is very problematic. In addition, new fuel efficient engines will be needed, which we do not have. Those that are available do not consume fuel, but drink.
If the plane is converted for the carriage of economy passengers (which is unlikely), then the question is - where to fly and whom to carry? Over the past year, we have just approached the figure of 100 million transported passengers. In the USSR, these figures were much higher. The number of airfields has decreased several times. Not everyone who would like to fly to the European part of the country from Kamchatka and Primorye can afford it. Tickets for "fuel-drinking aircraft" will be more expensive than for "Boeings" and "Airbases".
If the plane is planned to be rebuilt purely for the interests of the heads of large companies, then it will most likely be so. But then this question concerns only them, and not the Russian economy and people. Although in this case it is difficult to imagine that flights will only be carried out to Siberia or the Far East. Terrain noise problem. And if the updated plane is not allowed to enter Sardinia, then who needs it?
At a meeting with employees of the Kazan aircraft plant, Russian President Vladimir Putin again spoke about the possibility of creating a supersonic passenger aircraft in Russia based on the Tu-160 strategic bomber. Following the Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov announced the start of research on this topic. The proposal to develop a new supersonic passenger aircraft of domestic production is perceived by many skeptically, but the development of this kind itself will not become an unsolvable problem. At the same time, the appearance of such a machine is unlikely to be able to change the current position of the Russian aircraft industry. Izvestia figured out the situation.
Children of the golden age
The heyday of jet aviation in the 1950s and 1960s, when records were rewritten almost every year, and the constant growth of characteristics of new aircraft was perceived as a natural phenomenon, was the time of the first surge of interest in supersonic passenger aircraft. Corresponding developments were first started in Great Britain in 1954, a few years later French, Soviet, and then American aircraft manufacturers began their projects. The future seemed bright, and the forecasts were the most enthusiastic. Even Boeing, having launched the legendary B-747 on the line in 1969, believed that the days of this machine, although only created, were already numbered and the future of long-haul transportation belonged to supersonic aircraft. Today, as we know, the B-747 is still flying, moreover, it remains in serial production (albeit not on such a large scale as in the 1970s and 80s).
The reality turned out to be harsher. Only two projects reached implementation in flying machines: the combined Franco-British (in 1962 in Paris and London they agreed on a joint development) and the Soviet, while the USSR also negotiated with France on joint development, which were not crowned with success. The Soviet car - Tu-144 - flew first, taking off for the first time on December 31, 1968. The Concorde took off on March 2, 1969. The operation of the Tu-144 as a truck - for the transportation of urgent mail items - began at the end of December 1975, at the end of January 1976 the Concorde entered the line, but immediately as a passenger. Tu-144 was entrusted with the transportation of passengers a little later: from November 1977.
The fate of two aircraft of the same age, very similar in appearance, developed in different ways. The Tu-144 was removed from passenger lines just seven months after the start of work, in June 1978. The reason was the disaster of a prototype of the improved Tu-144D, but the reason was the unprofitability of the aircraft and the absence of a practical need for a passenger car with a flight speed of more than 2 thousand km / h. Subsequently, the Tu-144 was still used for various special transportation and experimental tasks, but it never returned on the line.
The Concorde was in operation for much longer, leaving the lines in November 2003, but the scale of its use turned out to be far from expected: only 9 aircraft were sold, and even then they were "home" for British Airways (five aircraft) and Air France (four). ... Both companies later expanded their fleet to seven aircraft each, receiving the remainder on extremely favorable terms.
There were several reasons. Firstly, the appearance at the turn of the 1960s-1970s of capacious and at the same time quite economical airliners, both medium- and long-haul, dramatically expanded the air transportation market, which had previously been considered the exclusive lot of wealthy people. The airline's earnings model shifted from shortening flight times to expanding the market by lowering ticket prices, allowing more and more segments of the population to reach air travel.
An additional blow to Concorde's sales plans was struck by the 1973 oil crisis, after which the economy of the new generation of airliners became their main competitive advantage. As a result, the Concorde remained a very narrowish car, which, due to the prohibitive cost of tickets, could be used by few. So, in 1979-1980, a flight from London to Washington and back would have cost $ 2350, that is, more than 8 thousand today's dollars, if we recalculate inflation for forty years. It was about double the price of a first class flight on conventional airliners. But even such prices could not make the car profitable: if British Airways, with its more intensive traffic in the United States, was still making a profit, then at Air France the Concordes were always teetering on the brink of loss.
The most enterprising at that time were the Americans: having started their project of a supersonic passenger car a little later than the Anglo-French and Soviet developers, they never took their plane into the air, stopping the development of the Boeing 2707 in 1971.
New Hope
The development of supersonic passenger aircraft was again discussed in the 1990s. The Tupolev Design Bureau has consistently presented the projects Tu-244 ("upgrade" Tu-144D), Tu-344 (supersonic business jet based on the Tu-22M3 bomber-bomber), Tu-444 (an improved business jet project). At the same time, the Sukhoi Design Bureau demonstrated its SSBJ project.
All these projects, however, have two factors in common. None of them went into any kind of detailed development, and all of them were offered by the Russian industry, which was going through an acute crisis in the 1990s in the absence of demand for the available serial machines.
The result was quite predictable: none of these projects took place. In the West, at that time, they no longer thought much about supersonic liners: the duopoly of Boeing and Airbus that developed in the 1990s, which rolled out a full line of aircraft for medium and long-haul flights, suited everyone without requiring investment in a fundamentally new project.
In addition, in the 2000s, the last important factor that made the Concordes really necessary disappeared: the development of videoconferencing technologies and communications in general sharply reduced the number of important business meetings that required the physical presence of interlocutors. Really urgent issues could now be discussed remotely without losing the quality of communication, for everything else the speed of ordinary airliners and business jets was enough.
At that time, the Russian aviation industry was solving a much more urgent problem of its own survival and solved it primarily through military supplies - both for its own Air Force (which resumed purchases in the second half of the 2000s) and for export. The production of commercial airliners is currently limited to the only, in fact, serial aircraft, the Sukhoi Superjet, although there is hope that the MS-21 undergoing tests will find demand, and even on a larger scale than the Superjet.
What task under these conditions can the construction of a new supersonic airliner in Russia solve?
Certainly, such an aircraft can be created, especially if we are talking about the development on the basis of the Tu-160 bomber, the serial production of which is now resuming.
However, with the development of the aircraft, the problems will only begin. The factors that made the Concorde unprofitable in their time have not disappeared. In addition, the key problem of the Russian civil aircraft industry is not so much the development of the aircraft itself as the quality of its sales and subsequent service. It is the progress in these technologies, which seems to be service and engineering developments that are secondary in comparison with the “noble metal”, that makes Airbus and Boeing so strong today. To create a truly developed network of sales, leasing, maintenance and repair is a task no less difficult than the development of an aircraft as such, and in conditions of an acute shortage of relevant experience from the domestic aviation leadership, it is possible that more.
Under these conditions, it is obvious that a hypothetical supersonic airliner based on the Tu-160 is not intended to conquer the world passenger transportation market. Its ceiling is an extremely expensive business jet. But there is still a practical sense in this project. If such an aircraft is created, and the state convinces the captains of the domestic business that they need it, then its serial production can make the construction of bombers for the armed forces, taking into account the increase in the serial number of units and systems, a little less ruinous for the budget.
Finally, civilian liners make excellent military special flights. But the supersonic reconnaissance aircraft and electronic warfare aircraft may already be needed by the Russian military - in addition to a clean bomber.
