Wide body airliners

I see that some comrades suffer from gigantomania in the field of aircraft construction - the Superjet is small for them, and even the MS-21-300 for 200-odd passengers is not enough for them. Particularly gifted (apparently, having taken a sip of the healing Kyiv air from the Maidan) even mriyut about the conversion of the Khokhlyatsky An-124 Ruslan into passenger wide-bodied vehicles. At the same time, they themselves, which is typical, prefer a private car to buses.

What can I tell you… It is already clear that the creation of the Il-86 wide-body aircraft in the USSR was a strategic mistake, and even smacks of sabotage. Seriously. While on domestic airlines frankly obsolete rubbish flew, and fine-tuning the Tu-154, which was not bad according to the idea, went with a terrible creak, and on long-haul flights of the USSR it presented a frankly crooked and backward Il-62 - all of a sudden on February 22, 1970, the Design Bureau of S. V. Ilyushin received a technical assignment for the development of a wide-body passenger aircraft with 350 seats.

Some people think that in the USSR they decided to create a “Soviet Boeing-747” - but this is not so, on February 22, 1970, not a single 747th went on the line, and no one believed in its success - and Boeing itself did not believe, laying a straw in the form of the ability to convert built vehicles into trucks (which is why the 747th pilot cabin is made in the "hump" above the fuselage, and the nose end is immediately designed for the ability to raise the nose and extend the cargo ramp - which is completely unnecessary on a passenger car).

In fact, in the USSR they monkeyed with McDonnell Douglas DC-10 - which by that time had been flying for two years:

It should be noted that the DC-10 has such a creepy appearance because it was originally designed with twin engines. The third motor on the tail was added later due to the fact that the then American rules forbade flights over the Atlantic Ocean of 1-2 propelled aircraft.

Number of passengers: up to 380 people
Engines: Pratt and Whitney JT9D-20 49,000 lb (22.25 t)
or Pratt and Whitney JT9D-59A 53,000 lb (24.1 t);
Maximum takeoff weight: 259 450 kg
Maximum flight range: 11,685 km

In general, it is easy to see that the IL-86 is similar to the DC-10 in terms of fuselage, wing and tail configuration. However, the USSR did not have engines with a thrust of 22 tons - they had to fence what was, but there were extremely voracious NK-86s (a deep modernization of the NK-8 engine of the Il-62 and Tu-154B aircraft) with a thrust of only 13 tons. They were delivered by 4 pieces - and even then the total thrust was 52 tons against 66 or 72 tons for the DC-10. Accordingly, the Il-86 had to take less fuel (max. take-off weight 215 tons - 44 tons less than the DC-10), the aircraft had a long takeoff run, and so on.

But the most important thing is that the practical range of the IL-86 was only 3800 km - which practically excluded flights across the ocean on it. For the sake of showing off, the USSR still drove the Il-86 even to Cuba - however, the plane was flying almost empty (carrying delegations), and landing on the last drops of kerosene, but who cared?

As a result, at the end of the 1970s, the USSR was already planning to purchase a Boeing 747 for use by Aeroflot on a few intercontinental routes, primarily such as New York - Moscow. Which, in fact, should have been done from the very beginning, and not vyzhivatsya. Or fly across the ocean in narrow-body aircraft - in the end it happened when the Boeing 777 triumphantly entered the line.

Instead of wasting resources on the wide-body Ilyushin Design Bureau, meaningless for the USSR, it would be worthwhile to focus on creating a narrow-body long-haul aircraft to replace the Il-62. There was a project for a 250-seat version of the Il-62-250 aircraft with a fuselage lengthened by 6.8 meters - all that remained was to remove the bastard tail motors under the wings and replace them with the more economical D-30KP that appeared at the same time with a take-off thrust of 12 tons (these motors, by the way, they were installed on the IL-62M, as well as on the IL-76). The installation of these motors on the wing (as well as the wing itself) could be largely unified with the IL-76. Yes, damn it - on the IL-86, the engines were put on the wing, didn’t you sweat? It should have turned out something like this:

In the end, this car also lost the competition to the twin-engine Boeing 777 - but in the USSR there were no and could not be engines that would make it possible to make an analogue of the 777, but a long-range narrow-body four-engine was quite possible to build.

At the same time, it was necessary to speed up the fine-tuning of the Tu-154M, and then immediately begin to make an aircraft of the exact same class to replace it, based on the same fuselage - but with two PS-90 engines with an underwing installation and with a new, more advanced wing. Actually, in the end, such an aircraft was created - this is the Tu-204 - but time was lost.

Time was lost, because the sabotage on the Il-86 and its development of the Il-96 continued, and in the Tupolev Design Bureau they were doing crap, inventing a bastard three-engine aircraft according to the DC-10 scheme, but with a narrow fuselage.

And only now Russia has returned to design civil aircraft, which are really needed and can be built in a competitive way. Moreover, civilian design bureaus degraded so much that the first aircraft had to be designed by military aircraft builders (Sukhoi Design Bureau, a twin-engine regional SSJ-100 for 100 passengers) - and for the second (MS-21, a twin-engine narrow-body aircraft for 176 or 211 passengers), the not-quite-civilian Yakovlev Design Bureau was also involved and the Irkut Corporation. The Ilyushin Design Bureau turned out to be so impotent that it left the MS-21 project.

Before grabbing wide-bodied and long-range aircraft, domestic lines should be saturated with competitive, economical domestic aircraft. And only after success in this direction, you can move on to the next step. And I will say right away that in the next 30 years it makes no sense to build a competitor for Russia's Boeing-777. There is no need to try to cover all market segments, especially such slippery ones as flights overseas - where competitors can always strangle you by tweaking the requirements of local aviation regulations to suit their aircraft.

In connection with the appearance of a professional aviator in the family, the question arose of learning to recognize the "iron birds", as they say, "by the outline of the face" (more precisely, the fuselage). Since someone will have to wear the uniform of the flagship of the national civil aviation, then we will learn to identify his fleet.

In general, aircraft are military, cargo and passenger. In Aeroflot - only passenger. There are no helicopters either.
Passenger aircraft are wide- and narrow-body, regional, business aviation and small. Aeroflot has only representatives of the first two types. (Of course, they are divided into short, medium and long haul, but in Lately these boundaries are erased and a large B777 can fly Moscow - St. Petersburg, and a small B737 will fly 6 hours from Moscow to Delhi).
In general, a wide-body aircraft is large. Outwardly, this can be immediately understood. It's just huge.

Two Boeings: 777 and 737.

He has 2 passages in the cabin between the passenger seats. Those. some of the loser passengers sit in the middle of the cabin without access to the windows for the entire flight. In addition, these planes have a bunch of all sorts of nice "nishtyaks", such as showers, crew sleeping quarters, in-flight Wi-Fi ... But we'll talk about them when their time comes.

In the meantime, it's time to study Aeroflot's narrow-body fleet (where there is only one passage through the cabin), which uses aircraft from three manufacturers in its fleet: american boeing, European (Germany, France, England and other Spain) AIRBUS (we immediately remember how to spell correctly!)) and the product of the domestic Sukhoi SuperJet screwdriver assembly.

Let's start with the last one - it is the simplest.

Sukhoi SSJ-100-95, aka SuperJet-100, aka RRJ-95.
He is the smallest. So small that there was not enough space on it to make emergency exit hatches. And also - it is the most modern (as its creators think) - look at the large glazing of the pilot's cabin and its streamlined shapes.
And also - he has (the only) Russian registration - like this RA-89029.

Further it will be more difficult. Boeing and Airbus. Many girls confuse them. But, I haven't explained it yet.
In Aeroflot, among the narrow-body aircraft, there is only the Boeing 737 model, modification -800. This is the most popular now 737th.

How do I recognize the 737th Boeing (any modification, by the way) - by three simple details:
1. Toe forkil - a broken leading edge of the "tail" of the aircraft. The tail itself is pentagonal in shape.
Here is a better illustration of the difference between a Boeing tail (above) and an Airbus tail (below):

2. Boeing is more "short-legged" compared to the Airbus - this is especially noticeable in the nose landing gear. At the Airbus, it is visually longer and beveled at an angle to the Earth's surface.
3. The shape of the cockpit is Boeing "sharp-faced", and the Airbus is "blunt". (No offense if cho...))

You can also remember the shape of the windows in the cockpit and the shape of the "tail" under the tail of the aircraft - but I still could not learn for myself how it was from anyone there. We don’t even look at the wingtip and the number of emergency hatches in this case - this is not an indicator.
And now let's get acquainted with the Aeroflot Airbus-320 family. It is more extensive and it is more interesting to understand it.

"Head of the family" - Aibus-320.

If you see small vertical triangles at the ends of the wings, it's definitely an Airbus. But, in the photo above, instead of triangles, more modern sharklets are attached, very similar to Boeing winglets. So here you have to be careful.
Here it is with sharklets

Having determined by the shape of the nose (or wingtip) that we have a "European" in front of us, we quickly look at the emergency hatches above the wing of the aircraft. If there are two hatches and they are located side by side, this is an Airbus 320. (See two pictures above).

If there is only one hatch, this is a shortened version, called Airbus-319 in the world. Aeroflot doesn't have them anymore.

If there are 2 emergency exits and they are separated "before" and "after" the wing, we see Airbus-321.

There are no longer just hatches, but full-sized doors, for jumping out with shouts of "Mom!"

(In nature (but not in the AFL) there is also the Airbus-318, but it is so rare that we will not consider it here).

That's all. Everything turned out to be simple: The shape of the leading edge of the tail, the shape of the nose, the height of the "legs", the number of "doors" on the body of the aircraft. The main thing is not to confuse where what.

P.S. For pictures and collages thanks to the numerous resources of the Internet.

The Airbus A350 is a wide-body long-haul passenger aircraft developed by Airbus in 2013.

Salon overview and layout of the best places

The passenger cabin of the Airbus A350 aircraft typically accommodates 314 people in a three-class layout (first, business and economy class) or 366 in a two-class layout (business and economy class). The A350 variant with a two-class layout is more common among global airlines, so we will dwell on it in detail.

Business class is located in the forward part of the passenger cabin of the Airbus A350. Typically, business class seats are occupied by rows with numbers from 1 to 12 (as shown in the diagram of the passenger cabin of the aircraft). There are 2 fairly wide aisles, and the seats are arranged according to the “1-2-1” pattern. The business class has soft and comfortable seats, mostly slightly angled, which provides more legroom and the ability to unfold the seats in a way that is convenient for passengers. good rest During the flight. In some models of aircraft, the seats can be folded out 180 degrees, which allows you to turn them into comfortable beds. Business class passengers are offered a gourmet menu with a wide selection of dishes and drinks. Also, the seats are equipped with multimedia entertainment systems, which allows you to brighten up the time in flight.

Of course, business class seats are the most best places in an Airbus A350. However, for some places there are certain inconveniences. First of all, this applies to seats located in rows 1 and 12 (according to the diagram). They are located close to the toilets and utility rooms of the liner, which can be a serious problem for those passengers who want to relax in flight. The constant walking of passengers and attendants past these places, the sounds of doors opening and closing can seriously interfere relaxing holiday and, in the end, even spoil the whole impression of the flight. It is also worth adding to this that the light near the toilet facilities, as a rule, does not turn off at night, so when booking tickets for business class seats, you should definitely take these features into account.

Following the business class is the economy class cabin. Its places are located in rows with numbers from 13 to 41 (according to the scheme). The economy class cabin has two aisles, which are somewhat narrower than the aisles in business class, and in places arranged in a 3-3-3 pattern. Economy class chairs are soft, comfortable, equipped with comfortable armrests and are able to lean back at a certain angle. The distance between the seats corresponds international standards and is usually about 80 centimeters.

The best seats in the economy class cabin for the Airbus A350 are located in the 13th row. Their convenience and advantage is explained by the fact that they are located directly near the partition that separates the business class cabin from the economy class. This means that there is more legroom, and no one in front will recline the back of the chair, thereby limiting this space. Also, the obvious advantage of these places is that, as a rule, the delivery of food begins from them, and, therefore, passengers here have the widest choice of dishes and drinks. However, these places have their own specifics. So, there are special devices for babies, so passengers with children will most likely fly in these places. This fact means that the seats of the thirteenth row are not recommended for people who want to relax quietly during the flight or for people who cannot stand the fuss or the cry of a child.

Also, one of the best in the economy class will be the seats located in the 14th row and marked with the letters C and G (according to the diagram). There are no seats in front of them, no one will recline their seat back, and, again, these seats are located near the entrance to the economy class, so the choice of food and drinks will be provided. Seats of the 26th row, which are located in the second section of the economy class cabin, are also very convenient, which means that there is plenty of legroom here.

Not the best in the economy class of the Airbus A350 aircraft are the seats that are in rows 25, 40 and 41. Close proximity to the toilets and utility rooms can cause frequent queues near these seats, hustle and bustle, and even at night. Passengers who occupy seats in the 40th row adjacent to the aisles are doubly unhappy: with constant movement, passengers strive to inadvertently hook or hurt them. Seats in row 41 can safely be called the worst in the entire aircraft for the same reason. On top of that, there may be an unpleasant smell from the toilet, the sound of flushing water, as well as stuffiness. It should also be noted that seats in row 41 are categorically not recommended for people with a weak vestibular apparatus - the view through the windows is very seriously limited here, since the row only occupies a place in the middle, between two aisles.

History of creation

The competition between Airbus and Boeing has long become a byword and is known today, perhaps, to all aviation lovers. Historically, Airbus aircraft are designed to compete with Boeing aircraft and vice versa.

The history of the creation of the Airbus A350 began in 2005, when Boeing announced the development of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner ("Dream Liner"), which was supposed to be a serious competitor Airbus aircraft due to more economical operation. The airlines operating the aircraft of the Airbus group took this statement as a challenge and made every effort to reach an agreement with Airbus Industry about the creation of a new wide-body passenger liner, which would be even more economical in operation, to create competition for the not yet mass-produced Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Initially, the Airbus A350 aircraft was conceived as a replacement for the Airbus A330 and Airbus A340 aircraft. It should be noted that in fact the first models of the new aircraft were based on the A330, but with an improved design and greater comfort. However, potential customers did not need a new modification of the A330, so the Airbus concern was forced to finance the creation of an almost new model of the Airbus, called the A350. At the same time, the design of the new liner was based on composite materials, new methods of manufacturing the fuselage, as well as more modern on-board electronics. Also, representatives of the Airbus concern announced that the new aircraft will be more economical than the new Boeing 787, which will create serious competition for it.

In 2006, the processing of the Airbus A350 began. The new model, designated Airbus A350XWB (Extra-Wide Body - extra-wide fuselage), has a larger passenger capacity, while maintaining a high flight range. The first flight of the car took place in June 2013, and already in 2018 it began commercial exploitation. The first flight was made by the aircraft of the airline Qatar Airways.

As of autumn 2013, 764 Airbus A350 orders were made. For the period from 2014 to 2018, this order was completed by 5% - 37 aircraft were delivered to customers.

Airbus A350 modifications

To date, there are 3 main modifications of the Airbus A350.

• Airbus A350-800 is the first aircraft model capable of carrying from 270 passengers with a three-class passenger cabin layout up to 375 (with a single-class one). The introduction of the Airbus into operation was planned in 2014, but in September of the same year the project was officially closed. The reason for its closure was the refusal of the Airbus concern from the development and production of the A350-800 in favor of the Airbus A320neo.
• The Airbus A350-900 is a modification of the Airbus, the commercial operation of which began in 2014. It is capable of carrying from 314 (with a three-class layout) to 440 people (with a single-class layout of the passenger compartment). The aircraft is highly economical, which makes it the main competitor for the Boeing 777. Currently, work is underway to develop a cargo modification of the aircraft, called the A350-900F and an extended-range variant, the A350-900R. Also based on the version was created Airbus modification A350-941, which has increased passenger capacity and flight range.
• The Airbus A350-1000 is a modification of the aircraft with the largest passenger capacity among the A350 family. Thus, the airbus is able to accommodate on board from 366 (with a three-class layout) to 440 passengers (with a single-class layout of the passenger compartment). In addition, among the visible features of the liner will be an increased wing area compared to previous modifications of the liner. This model was presented to the general public at an exhibition in France in the summer of 2018.

Brief overview and characteristics of the aircraft

Aerodynamically, the Airbus A350 is a low-wing aircraft with a single tail. Wing - swept (swept 31.9 degrees). Due to the fact that the fuselage of the aircraft is 52 percent composite materials, its weight is definitely lower than that of liners of the same class. Also, composite materials provide additional structural strength to the A350, which makes it a more reliable and safe liner. In turn, the smaller mass of the aircraft makes its operation much more economical.

Due to the fact that the wing of the aircraft also mainly consists of composites, as well as due to its special sweep, the aircraft is able to reach a good maximum speed, and completely without harm to the entire structure. Thus, Airbus conducted a large number of tests and experiments, with a total duration of about 4,000 hours, which proved that such a configuration of the wing and body is optimal.

The power plant of the liner is represented by two Trent engines, the power of which depends on the model of the aircraft. In addition, Airbus announced the development of Airbus A350 models specially designed for airlines in the Middle East. In accordance with the local climate (hot and dry), the engines of these models, dubbed "Hot and High" ("hot and high mountains"), will be able to provide high traction in conditions of lack of air and strong heat. Considering big interest to the aircraft from Emirates Airlines and Qatar Airways - such a project has a great future.

The A350 is also equipped with a Hamilton Sundstrand emergency aviation turbine, which in critical situations is able to provide electricity to the on-board electronics systems of the liner.

Technical characteristics of the Airbus A350 aircraft:

Conclusion

The Airbus A350 is a new aircraft of the Airbus concern, which was originally conceived as a replacement for the A330 and A340 aircraft, as well as as a competitor to Boeing's aircraft of the same class. Nevertheless, already at the present time one can judge the great prospects for this aircraft in the Middle East and Asian markets. A large number of existing and developed modifications allows us to confidently conclude that the machine has great potential for improvement.

If you have any questions - leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them.

How often have you thought about what kind of plane is flying over you or on which one you are going on a trip? Is it Boeing or Airbus? Is it A330 or B777?

Here is a simple instruction for identifying the type and model of aircraft for those who are interested in aviation. Let's try to make this guide as clear as possible.

How to identify an aircraft?

The first and easiest way is to look at the name of the aircraft, which is often written on the fuselage. On most aircraft it can be found and read and is not hard to do if you are close enough to the aircraft.
For practical reasons, we will focus only on two aviation giants - Airbus (Airbus) and Boeing (Boeing) and will not consider other manufacturers such as: Lockheed, McDonnell Douglas, Antonov, Ilyushin, Bombardier, Embraer, Sukhoi.
We will also consider aircraft that this moment actively fly around the world, so old models will not be described here.

Brief information

Boeing (Boeing) is an American company and the world's largest aircraft manufacturer in terms of profits, orders and deliveries of finished aircraft. Airbus is a European manufacturer, a division of EADS, and the creator of almost half of the world's jet aircraft.

Boeing aircraft numbering starts with the number 7, such as 737, 747, 757, 767, 777 and the newest 787 Dreamliner.
Airbus aircraft numbering starts with the number 3, for example A300, A310, A318, A319, A320, A321, A330, A340, A380.

Airbus or Boeing. A-team vs. b-team

Airbus nose - convex, rounded

The new part of the Boeing - built up

Check the nose of the plane, Boeing's is more pointed, Airbus's is rounded.

Look at the cockpit windows. The windows on an Airbus plane have a straight bottom line, and on most Boeings this border is V-shaped. Also, the outer window of an Airbus looks like its corner has been cut off.

Airbus A330 APU area (tail) - rounded

Boeing B777 APU area (tail) - "cut down"

Take a look at the tail of the aircraft, namely the APU (APU - Auxiliary power point). Both Airbus and Boeing have a circular tail section, with one exception - the Boeing has a "sawn off" shape at the end.

All Airbus wide-body aircraft, except for the A380, have a straight upper fuselage shape, up to the APU. On Boeings, the tail section is tapered, while on Airbuses, the top line remains straight, while the bottom curves strongly upwards.

Narrow-body or Wide-body aircraft

Narrow-body aircraft are aircraft that have only one aisle between the seats and are usually smaller and shorter in size.

Airbus: A318, A319, A320 and A321
Boeing: B737 and B757

Wide-body aircraft are aircraft with two aisles between the seats, they are usually larger and longer in size.

Airbus: A300, A310, A330, A340, A380 and A350.
Boeing: B747, B757, B767, B777, B787 Dreamliner and B747-8 Intercontinental

2 engines or 4 engines

Only A340, A380 and B747 series aircraft have 4 engines, other aircraft have 2 engines each.

Large aircraft A340, A380 and B747:

If an aircraft has 4 engines and 2 full rows of windows, then it is an Airbus A380

If the plane has 4 engines and one and a half rows of windows, then this is a Boeing B747

One row of seats, long fuselage and 4 engines - Airbus A340

B777 or A330

Boeing B777 has 3 pairs of wheels on each chassis. The B777 has 14 wheels in total, in a 6 6 2 configuration.

The Boeing B777 does not have winglets.

The Airbus A330 aircraft has two pairs of wheels on each landing gear

Wheels: Boeing has 3 pairs of wheels, Airbus has 2 pairs of wheels on each chassis.
Tail section (APU): Boeing has a sawn-off tail section, Airbus has a tapered tail section.
Wings: Boeing does not have wingtips, Airbus has wings that curl at the ends.

A320 or B737 series

In terms of capacity, here's how Airbus planes compare to Boeing planes
A318 vs. B737-600
A319 vs. B737-700
A320 vs. B737-800
A321 vs. B737-900

Left B737-700, right A320. Pay attention to the difference in the shape of the aircraft.

Compare the A320 at the top and the B737 at the bottom. The fuselage of the 320 is rounded at the nose and pointed at the tail. The fuselage of the 737 is pointed at the nose and rounded at the tail.

Can you guess where is A320 and where is B737?

In each case, the Boeing version of the aircraft is lighter and can accommodate more people. The Airbus aircraft is located higher from the ground, compared to the Boeing. The A320 series aircraft have fly-by-wire technology, which means that the computer plays an important role during the flight, unlike the Boeing 737, where the pilot is given a central role. The A320 is longer than the B737 but has a smaller wingspan.

Look at the vertical stabilizer in the tail section to distinguish the 737 from the A320. If the angle of the tail fin is very sharp where it attaches to the fuselage, then it's a B737.

If the aircraft is larger, has round engines and a longer fuselage, then this is the A320. If the engines are flattened at the bottom, then this is a B737.

More about Boeing.

More about Boeing B737.
The Boeing B737 comes in 9 versions -100, -200, -300, -400, -500, -600, -700, -800, and -900ER. Versions -300, -400 and -500 fall into the classic category, and the last 4 versions are new generation Boeings. The -300s series is the shortest and -900ER the longest.

B737-100 Classic

B737-200 classic

B737-300 classic

B737-400 classic

B737-500 classic

B737-600 new generation

B737-700 new generation

B737-800 new generation

B737-900 new generation

The Boeing-100s series no longer flies.
If the front of the engine is slightly flattened, then this is a classic series, and if the shape is almost rounded, then this is a new generation.
If you look at the APU and see two holes, then this is a new generation, if there is one hole, then this is the classic version.
Also, all classic versions have additional small windows above the main ones in the cockpit (eyebrow windows).
If the plane seems long and it's classic, then it's the 400 series, if it's long and it's a new generation, then it's the 800 series. If the plane is very long and has 3 doors on each side, then it is a 900 series.

More about B747
Boeing B747 is available in 5 versions - 100, -SP, -200, -300, and -400. All versions are 70.6 meters long, except for the B747SP which is 15 meters shorter. There are several variations, but we will only consider the "big five".

The Boeing B747-100 and -200 have 10 windows on each side of the upper deck, some early versions of the -100 series that are no longer in production had 3 windows on each side of the upper deck.

B747-200 has 10 windows on each side of the upper deck.

The B747-300 has a longer upper deck than the -200 and -100 series. Also, the -300 series has a door on the upper deck.

Only the Boeing B747-400 version has curved wings at the end.

The B747-SP version has a shorter fuselage, but this is offset by a longer nose.

More about Boeing B757s
B757s are produced in two series -200 and -300.

The -200 series comes with 3 doors on each side and small emergency exit windows.

Series - 300 has 4 doors and 2 emergency exit windows on each side.

More about Boeing B767s

Boeing B767 is produced in three series - 200, -300 and -400 with corresponding versions for long-range flights. The -200 series is the shortest, the -400 series is the longest respectively.

B767-200

B767-300

B767-400

What is the key difference between Boeing B757 and B767?

The wingspan of the Boeing 767 is 48 meters, which is 10 meters more than the 757. The position of the front wheel relative to the cabin is more forward in the Boeing 767 than in the 757.
Also, the main wheel system is much closer to the rear of the aircraft on the Boeing 767.

More about the Boeing B777s

The easiest way to identify a Boeing B777 is to look at its tail section, looking for a razor-shaped tail cone. Also pay attention to the main landing gear, if you see 6 wheels on each landing gear, then this is a 777. There are 4 passenger versions of the Boeing 777: B777-200, B777-200 ER (Extended Range), B777-200LR (Longer Range), B777- 300 and B777-300ER (Extended Range). These versions differ in fuselage length and flight range. The -300s series is longer than -200s by 10 meters.

Fuselage length:
B777-200 - 63.7m
B777-200ER - 63.7m
The B777-200LR - 63.7m - is the longest range commercial aircraft. Boeing called this aircraft Worldliner, noting that it can connect almost any two airports in the world.

B777-300 - 73.9m
B777-300ER - 73.9m

More about Airbus aircraft

Airbus A300s

A300 B2

A300 B4

A300-600

The basic fuselage design of the A330 is borrowed from the A300. How can you tell two planes apart if they are parked next to each other? The A330 has upturned wingtips and is longer than the A300. The Airbus A330 may or may not have wingtips. Also, the A330 has a larger wingspan.

A310

The Airbus A310 is a smaller version of the A300. It is produced in two different versions -200 and -300. It has a shorter fuselage and a smaller tail than the A300. Also, the A310 only has two doors on each side, unlike the A300 which has 3 doors on each side.

More about Airbus A320s

The A320 series of aircraft includes the A318-100, A319-100, A320-200 and A321-200.
If we compare the length of the fuselage, then the A318 is the shortest, and the A321 is the longest.

A318-100 – 31.44m

A319-100 - 33.84m

A320-200 - 37.57m

A321-200 - 44.51m

The A320 usually has two emergency exit windows on the wings of the aircraft, while the A318 and A319 only have one emergency exit window. The A321 aircraft has 4 doors on each side.

More about Airbus A330s series aircraft

Airbus A330 is delivered in 2 passenger versions A330-200 and A330-300. The -300 series is longer than -200. Aircraft version -300 can carry more passengers, but it has less range.

Fuselage length
A330-200 - 58.8m

A330-300 - 63.6m

More about Airbus A340s series aircraft

If the plane has 4 engines and a one-story cabin, then you can bet that this is an A340. Airbus A340 is produced in 4 versions A340-200, A340-300, A340-500 and A340-600.

The length of the fuselage can help distinguish the versions from each other. The A340-600 is the second largest aircraft in the world after the Boeing B747-8 Intercontinental (currently under development). Both the -500 and -600 series are available in High Gross Weight versions with extended range, fuel tank and weight.

Fuselage length
A340-200 - 59.39m

A340-300 – 63.60m

A340-500 – 67.90m

A340-600 – 75.30m

The world's first wide-body aircraft T-117

In 1945, in the 4th special department of the NKVD under the leadership of R.L. Bartini completed preliminary design passenger aircraft T-107 with two ASh-82FN engines. It was a mid-wing aircraft with a two-tier pressurized fuselage and a three-fin plumage, designed to carry up to 40 passengers and 2,710 kg of cargo over a distance of up to 1,200 km. In the version for 20 passengers (in the luxury cabin) and 800 kg of cargo, the aircraft could cover a distance of up to 8400 km. Estimated maximum speed T-107 - 470 km / h. On the upper deck of the car were rooms for passengers, and below - the cargo compartment. However, the matter did not come to construction, because by that time the Air Force and the Civil Air Fleet had opted for the Il-12.

Following this, Bartini proposed a project for the T-108 light transport aircraft - a two-beam high-wing aircraft with a cargo cabin and fixed landing gear, equipped with two diesel 340-horsepower engines. But he remained on paper.

Often, trying to find an explanation, novice researchers ask the question: why do projects transport aircraft Bartini started with the letter "T". And then they answer - transport. It would seem that everything is logical, in fact, the letter "T" meant "prison", which Robert Ludwigovich seems to have gotten used to over the years of his life. And he is not alone in his choice of designation. Suffice it to recall that N.N. Polikarpov, while in prison, designated the I-5 fighter as BT-11 - "inner prison".

Much more realistic was the T-117 project, which the designer conceived in 1944, foreseeing the imminent end of the war. By that time, in Taganrog, on the territory that was once occupied by plant No. 31 named after. Georgy Dimitrov, who was evacuated to Tbilisi during the Great Patriotic War, organized a new aircraft factory No. 86. In 1946, the G.M. Design Bureau returned to Taganrog. Beriev, and in the same year one of the divisions of the prison design office led by Bartini. For this, the enterprises, far from the main workshops, in the former hangar, were equipped with a room for a design bureau, headed by Robert Ludwigovich.

We managed to learn about what happened on the territory of the Special Technical Bureau of the Ministry of Internal Affairs from fragmentary archival documents and stories of people close to Bartini.

By that time, Bartini, with the exception of the developers of the TRD-7 turbojet engine in a similar “sharaga”, located in the city of Rybinsk on the territory of plant No. 36, was one of the last leading employees of the Special Technical Bureau of the NKVD (since 1946 - the Ministry of Internal Affairs - MIA).

According to one of the eyewitnesses, a barrack with a watchtower was built next to the hangar, where 126 specialists from among the political prisoners were accommodated. At the same time, according to the story of Sergei Nikolaevich Yemelyanov, 64 prisoners arrived at the plant in freight cars with Robert Ludwigovich. Among them were the head of the fuselage brigade D.A. Losik, who was once the chief engineer of the plant, head of the group technical descriptions P.D. Duz, a well-known aviation historian. His book "Aeronautics and Aviation in Russia until 1907" without indication of the author, but under the editorship of Popov, went out of print in 1956. Authorship to Peter Dmitrievich was returned only 40 years later.

The well-known polar pilot V.M. Makhotkin, after whom an island in the Kara Sea in the Nordenskiöld archipelago was named, fighter pilot M.G. Martyshchenko (April 13, 1943 in dogfight mistakenly shot down the La-5 pilot I. Tvorogov, for which he was arrested and convicted), who committed two aerial rams in the Baltic, "sat" as a design engineer in the brigade of the propeller group, where A.S. was the head. Nazarov.

Yu.M. Rumer - head of the team of theoretical studies and vibrations, K.S. Szilard - head of the team of aerodynamic and thermal calculations, P.S. Kochetkov - head of the strength brigade, V.I. Lerchendorf - head of the wing and plumage brigade.

All the prisoners were “housed” in the preserved building of the electrical workshop, and the OKB workplaces were organized in tank workshop No. 10.

The OKB was headed by MGB lieutenant colonel Yamalutdinov, his deputy was MGB major Bezrodnov. Work began on November 10, 1946. The working day lasted from 8 am to 5 pm, although in fact it lasted much longer. What was there to do in a stuffy and cramped little building, where everything was packed with bunk beds? Better at work, faster to make a plane, perhaps they will let you go faster. After all, they have been separated from their families for many years. The post-war and so difficult life was doubly difficult for Bartini and his employees. They were starving. In 1947, P.A. died of exhaustion. Walter. One of the greatest physicists of the USSR Yu.B. Rumer was escorted to the city prison on April 26, 1948, and he never returned to the factory.

Soon, 156 people were already working in the NKVD Design Bureau No. 86 at the expense of accepted civilians. 50 engineers, mechanics and craftsmen came from among prisoners of war and internees under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR, and the Ministry aviation industry allowed the director of the plant to introduce a lump-sum pay for especially urgent work on the T-117 aircraft. The electricity limit was increased for both the plant and the construction and installation department No. 24, which restored the destroyed and built new factory buildings.

Takeoff transport aircraft T-117 (drawing)

At the same time, by decision of the Board of the MAP, over 200 skilled workers and 30 designers were transferred to the plant from other serial aircraft plants in the country, including from Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Irkutsk, Tbilisi and Omsk. To strengthen the technical management, N.I. was appointed chief engineer. Polonsky.

The well-known poetess N.V. also worked in the Bartini Design Bureau. Obraztsova. In her poem "Chief Designer", she, in particular, noted:

“... a huge hall. There used to be a hangar here.

Then - rows of long tables,

The chief designer passed quietly.

Word coast. He spoke a little.

Thoughts lurked in the narrowed eyes.

The hard way reached Taganrog.

Start? Adriatic. Fiume…

The squint of those calm, blue eyes,

Pupils bottomless depth.

This is how Bartini was remembered,

So dear to us ... "

As work progressed on the T-117, many were unescorted. Bartini - in 1947, and Karl Szilard - in March 1948. Bartini was given an apartment in the factory building No. 32 (now Svoboda Street No. 12), where he could now sometimes visit, but he was forbidden to travel further than Taganrog.

The construction of the T-117 aircraft, in fact, in these years returned the plant from the category of repair to aircraft construction.

"In my life,- said Sergey Nikolaevich Emelyanov, - I met Bartini twice. The first time was in the cold winter of 1948. In our yard (and we lived at that time in the house number 12 on Svoboda Street) a lot of snow fell, and we boys rejoiced from the bottom of our hearts at the snowfall and played snowballs merrily, despite the frost. Somehow imperceptibly, an unfamiliar stocky man with thick luxurious hair joined our game. He had a huge scarf tied around his neck in a way not our way, and a large black coat was simply thrown over his shoulders, and therefore he looked like a big black bird. He, like us, diligently rowed snow with his big palms, made snowballs and threw them at us. We were taken aback, and then joined in this game. For several minutes we thrashed each other with soft fluffy snowballs. The game suddenly stopped. An unfamiliar man approached us, raising the hat of Vovka Stepanov, who had been knocked down by a snowball. He shook off the snow and put it on Vovka's head. We stopped and silently waited for what would happen next. And he pulled out three large beautiful sweets from his pocket and handed them to each of us. I turned and silently walked to a large black car, near which stood two identically dressed men, who were attentively following our game. Everyone got into the car and drove away. We only looked after, and then began to consider candy wrappers (wrappers). All of them were different. In the evening at home, I told my family about it. strange person. Mom didn’t say anything, but my aunt said: “This is our neighbor, he lives in an apartment nearby.” “Why have I never seen him?” - "And he works a lot and for a long time at the factory." And the conversation was hushed up, and nothing more was said about him to me. Only many years later I learned that our neighbor was the same Bartini.

It's been 27 years. It was February 1975. The weather was gloomy, blizzard, frosty. I was in a factory dispensary. It was evening. Sitting in the ward was sickening, the neighbors went home. And I went to the red corner, where there was a TV, deciding to watch the Vremya program before going to bed. A television set was on in a large dim room, several rows of easy chairs stood in front of it, but there were no people. I walked closer and sat down. And only now I saw a man in the next chair. Big head with luxurious, already gray hair and a jacket thrown over his shoulders surprised me. I mumbled softly, "Good evening." In response, he also heard an indistinct greeting. For about fifteen minutes we both listened to the news, and then the neighbor got up and went to the exit. I looked around and recognized him as Bartini. Arriving in Taganrog on the business of his "brainchild" VVA-14, he lived in a factory dispensary. These are two meetings with almost verbal communication.

Aircraft T-117 in flight (drawing)

Bartini believed that a purely passenger aircraft would not be able to solve the problems of air travel in the near future. We need a multi-purpose, that is, a cargo-passenger aircraft, primarily for delivering bulky cargo to remote areas of the country. Of the many projects of military and civilian vehicles proposed by Robert Ludwigovich within the walls of this "enterprise", the most significant was the T-117 transport aircraft, distinguished by its bold design and original technical solutions. First of all, it concerns the fuselage. Unlike the classic round or square cross-section, the T-117 fuselage was formed by three conjugated circles. For pressurized compartments (this is how the T-117 fuselage was conceived), this promised a certain weight gain. And for transport option the cargo compartment of the aircraft was not going to be sealed, it was supposed to be done only in the passenger Aviabus by installing walls along the fuselage, which formed an unpressurized corridor. According to the designer, this technical solution made it possible to provide passengers with the necessary level of comfort with a lighter airframe.

The military transport version of the aircraft was considered the main one. The cargo compartment with a length of 12.75 meters (power floor), a height of 2.75 meters and a width of 4.5 meters (volume over 100 m 3) was intended for the transportation of self-propelled artillery, BA-64 armored vehicles, ZIS-5, GAZ-67B vehicles , GAZ-AA and M-1, M-72 motorcycles, 120 mm mortars, artillery pieces of caliber from 57 to 122 mm, as well as other cargo, including various small weapons and ammunition. All options for loading the aircraft were carried out through the rear hatch 3.2 meters wide and 2.6 meters high, which was closed with two doors. One of them served as a ladder for self-propelled vehicles.

The crew of the aircraft - five people: two pilots, a navigator, a flight engineer and a flight radio operator.

Before the advent of the T-117 project, the airborne troops could not even dream of such equipment. In the landing version, he could carry up to 80 fully equipped fighters. For comparison: the Tu-75 military transport aircraft with four of the same engines, built on the basis of the American Boeing B-29 Flying Fortress, had much more modest capabilities.

One of the options for loading the T-117 aircraft

The machine was calculated for the produced and promising radio communications and flight and navigation equipment. On the wing, they planned thermal, and on propellers (4F-1 or AV-16IM with a diameter of 4.8 and 5.055 meters, respectively) - liquid anti-icing devices that contributed to the all-weather use of the aircraft.

It was allowed to tow the heaviest domestic cargo glider Il-32, intended for transporting ASU-76 self-propelled artillery mounts or 122-mm guns with a tractor, ammunition and combat crew. At the same time, the flight speed of the air coupler was in the range of 200–250 km/h, and the range was 1500 km. It is very important to note that the Il-32 airframe was designed to be towed by four-engine aircraft Tu-4, Tu-75 and the first version of the Il-18 with piston engines. The twin-engine Il-12 aircraft with less powerful ASh-82FN engines was not suitable for this purpose, and the T-117 was just right.

In the Aviabus version, with normal flight weight, it was allowed to transport up to 50 passengers, located in comfortable chairs with tables, and 500 kg of cargo over a distance of 1600 km / h with a cruising speed of 365 km / h, taking into account the headwind and hourly air navigation fuel supply. Moreover, the level of comfort was higher than that of other domestic aircraft of a similar purpose.

The designers also provided for a cabin version of the aircraft, designed to transport especially important, or, as they say now, VIPs - twelve and double cabins. The huge volume of the cargo compartment, in the case of installing more powerful engines, made it possible to increase the passenger capacity of the car by almost one and a half times.

In June 1947, a commission chaired by G.F. Baydukova, a former test pilot and participant in three flights on the ANT-25 aircraft, examined the model of the aircraft in the cargo version and issued a positive conclusion. It seemed that everything was going well, but a year later, due to a reduction in budgetary funding for the Ministry of Aviation Industry, by the June decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, OKB-86, headed by Bartini, was liquidated and the construction of the experimental T-117 was stopped. According to official version, the reason for this was the ASh-73 engines (their warranty life at that time did not exceed 25 hours, and the time between failures at the beginning of operation was several hours), which were installed on the Tu-4 strategic bomber. But I do not believe this, because there were engines for the Tu-70, Tu-75 and Il-18. Most likely, the matter is in the personal ambitions of officials of the Ministry of Aviation Industry.

The management of the Taganrog Aviation Plant No. 86 did not agree with this decision and sent a letter to the government, which, in particular, stated:

“... state layout commission<…>considers that structurally in the T-117 aircraft the issues that ensure its multi-purpose use in comparison with the existing twin-engine aircraft Il-12, Li-2, S-47, and in terms of carrying capacity put it in a number of four-engine machines ...

Experimental studies at TsAGI confirmed its high aerodynamic characteristics. T-117 in the military version can be used to transport bulky cargo, vehicles and other objects with a total carrying capacity of 8 tons ...

The aircraft is equipped with locks for towing heavy gliders.

Using more deeply the design of the T-117 airframe, the possibility of using it as a non-powered airframe has been established.<…>with very high quality(aerodynamic. - Note. ed.) with the transportation of the same goods ... "

Accommodation of "passengers" in the cargo compartment of the T-117 aircraft

Unfinished T-117 glider

Despite the seemingly finally decided fate of the T-117 aircraft, the management of the 86th plant and Bartini still had a glimmer of hope for saving the project. Someone suggested replacing the motors with ASh-82FN, in the absence of which the country did not experience difficulties. They developed significantly less power, but they were considered finished, and there were no problems with obtaining them. Ministry of Aviation Industry this offer not immediately rejected, and as a result, a draft of the next government decree on the T-117 appeared, which, in particular, said:

“In order to ensure the possibility of transferring large-sized military equipment during airborne operations, the Council of Ministers of the USSR decides:

1. Oblige MAP comrade. Khrunichev M.V., chief designer(what kind of comrade is he if he is in prison. - Note. ed.) Bartini R.L. and director of the plant number 86 comrade. Fedorenko P.M. finish in production and transfer for state testing of the T-117 airborne transport aircraft with two ASh-82FN engines with the following flight data:

Maximum speed at an altitude of 2000 m - 415 km / h

Landing speed - 118 km / h

Height - 8000 m

Takeoff run - 535 m

The deadline for submitting the first copy for state tests is February 1949.

On the second copy of the T-117 aircraft, install the ASh-73 engines, the upper gun mount ( electrified. - Note. auth.) of two 20 mm guns (SEB-3A) and a stern mount with one 12.7 mm machine gun (LU-68). The aircraft must be presented for state testing with the following flight data:

Maximum speed at an altitude of 2000 m - 428 km / h

Landing speed - 122 km / h

Height - 7100 m

Technical range - 2200 km

maximum - 8000

Takeoff run - 550 m

The deadline for submitting the second copy of the aircraft for state testing is April 1949.

2. Provide for the possibility of installing more powerful engines on the T-117 aircraft(piston. - Note. ed.) ASh-2 or VK-2 type(promising turboprop. - Note. ed.).

3. Allow MAC<…>to carry out the tasks provided for by this Decree, to keep the experimental design bureau at the plant No. 86 (OKB-86) of the Chief Designer Comrade Bartini ...

5. To speed up work on the production of the T-117 aircraft at plant No. 86, the Minister of the Interior, comrade. Kruglov to organize a technical assistance group at plant No. 86 from among the imprisoned specialists of the 4th special department of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Fuselage frame, rear view

But it seems that the appearance of the draft resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR was only a formal reply to smooth relations between the Ministry of Aviation Industry and Plant No. 86 and Bartini, since the issue had long been closed and the leadership of the department was not going to return to it. The foregoing is an indirect confirmation that the reason for the termination of the construction of the T-117 is connected only with the personality of Bartini, and not with the ASh-73 engines.

Stand for ground testing of the power plant with the ASh-73 engine of the T-117 aircraft

For the transportation of military cargo and SOME types of weapons, the Il-12 passenger aircraft was adapted, having made a large cargo door on its left side.

The last project of the prison design bureau, proposed in 1947, was the heavy military transport two-beam and two-keel aircraft T-200, according to a scheme close to the T-117, a high-wing aircraft with a large fuselage, the contours of which were formed by a wing profile. The Novocherkassk Polytechnic Institute even built a test bench to test the proposed technical solutions.

Drawing of a transport aircraft T-200 with a mixed power plant

The rear part of the fuselage, formed by the wing profile, opened up and down, between the two tail booms, and opened a passage five meters wide and three meters high for loading bulky cargo and equipment.

A combined power plant was supposed, which included two piston star-shaped four-row engines (apparently, ASh-2) with a power of 2800 hp each. and a pair of turbojet RD-45Fs with a thrust of 2270 kgf, located in gondolas common with piston engines. At the junction of the fuselage with the wing, its chord reached 5.5 meters, and for a non-separated flow around the bearing surface, the T-210 version provided for the control of the boundary layer.

In 1952, Bartini was developing the T-203 flying boat, and even more grandiose was the project of the T-217 twin-keel aircraft with four turboprop engines and a strutted high wing of the “reverse gull” type. But they all remained on paper.

There is a lot of talk that Bartini's developments were widely used by O.K. Antonov. Moreover, it is argued that the An-8 cargo aircraft is a development of the ideas of Robert Ludwigovich. As an engineer, I think that there is more fiction here, the only exception was the design of the cargo floor, although the use of individual Bartini ideas cannot be ruled out. The An-8 more closely resembles the concept of the American C-130 Hercules aircraft of the Lockheed company, but here it should be recalled that the idea of ​​a fuselage with a large cargo hatch in its tail section was implemented in the aircraft industry back in the years of World War II.

Basic data of projects of transport and passenger aircraft R.L. Bartini

Note. 1. At full payload. 2. At an altitude of 5000 m. 3. At an altitude of 2300 m. 4. With a full payload of 8 tons.

After being released from prison until 1952, Bartini worked in Taganrog at the Marine Aircraft Design Bureau, headed by G.M. Beriev. But Robert Ludwigovich was engaged not only in the design of seaplanes. After the war, there were those who wanted to realize the dream of a round-the-world flight. In the 1950s, one of the first Heroes of the Soviet Union, a participant in the rescue of the Chelyuskinites, Nikolai Petrovich Kamanin, who at that time headed the Voluntary Society for Assistance to the Army, Aviation and Navy (DOSAAF), suggested R.L. Bartini to develop an aircraft capable of flying along the route Moscow - North Pole - South Pole with a length of 40,000 km. However, this idea did not receive support in the government, and it was quickly forgotten. Make the dream come true Soviet pilots, "step over" two poles, happened only in 1991 on the giant An-124 Ruslan aircraft, though with intermediate landings.

I believe that Bartini's projects voiced by the author are only part of his vast legacy. I would like to hope that many of his ideas will eventually become public, and only then will we be able to fully appreciate the greatness of this man.