29 December 2010 saw the maiden flight of an advanced Russian airliner, a prototype of the heavily upgraded Tupolev Tu-204SM medium-haul airliner, from the airfield of the Aviastar-SP close corporation in Ulyanovsk. The first 52-min. flight of the aircraft with c/n 64150 was conducted by pilot Victor Minashkin and co-pilot Denis Vyazankin with lead test engineers Vladimir Salatov and Vladimir Filimoshkin also onboard. All of the systems operated normally and reliably on the first flight.

The construction of the first Tu-204SM prototype by Aviastar kicked off in 2009. In July last year, the Perm Engine Company shipped the first set of two production-standard PS-90A2 turbofan engines that were later mounted on the Tu-204SM c/n 64150. The second prototype of the upgraded airliner (c/n 64151) is under way in Ulyanovsk, with the third example (c/n 64152) undergoing its final assembly.

The Tu-204SM upgrade differs considerably from the production Tu-204-100 earlier built by Aviastar. Firstly, it will be powered by the 16,000-kgf PS-90A2 engines developed in Perm with the assistance of US company Pratt&Whitney. New engine got IAC Aviation Registry type certificate in December 2009. Unlike the production PS-90A, the modified turbofan is equipped with an advanced high-pressure turbine, new FADEC and features several other considerable improvements, which enables it to meet present-day international airworthiness and environment protection requirements. At the same time, a considerable reduction in its life-cycle cost and an increase in its reliability have been achieved. The Tu-204SM also uses the advanced Aerosila TA18-200 auxiliary power unit (APU).

To reduce the empty weight, a number of improvements in design, advanced materials and lighter and more up-to-date avionics systems are being introduced. In particular, provision has been made for using elevators, rudders and wing high-lift devices made out of carbon-filled plastic composites, a lightweight landing gear from Aviaagregat (Samara) and a more sophisticated digital control air conditioning system.

The flying crew has been reduced from three to two by cutting the flight engineer, which became feasible owing to a substantial upgrade of the avionics. The aircraft is fitted with the advanced KSEIS-204E integrated display and warning system and VSUPT-85-204 fight management and thrust control computer system, with all control consoles on the flightdeck redesigned. The new avionics has allowed implementation of new automatic control modes, particularly, Category IIIA automatic landing approach (the Tu-204-100’s avionics ensured the Category II automatic landing approach capability only), director takeoff, etc. Advanced miniyokes have been installed on the flightdeck.

Aircraft weight reduction is also facilitated by upgrade of the power supply system and lighting equipment, with glow lamps in taxi lights and landing lamps are replaced with light-emitting diodes and xenon lamps.

Owing to the modifications, the empty weight is to drop from 60 t to 58 t, while the maximum takeoff and landing weights is to increase from 103 t to 105 t and from 88 t to 89.5 t, respectively. The Tu-204SM’s assigned life is to up to from 60,000 hours, 30,000 landings and 25 operating years (those of the current Tu-204-100 stand at 45,000 hours, 25,000 landings and 20 operating years, respectively).

The Tu-204SM’s certification trials are slated for completion in late 2011, after which delivery of production planes will be able to commence. In December last year, an agreement was reached, which stipulated that in case of settling a price of production airliners with the manufacturer and system suppliers and in case of provision of relevant governmental loans, the launch order for 44 Tu-204SMs will be placed by the Ilyushin Finance Co. leasing company planning to lease the airliners to Russian charter carrier Red Wings during 2011–2016.