"Careless" Flying! -Part 1-

[Sean_TK]

As expected from me sooner or later, some Tupolev Tu-154M (NATO: "Careless") shots, after not flying it for a few weeks. (College finals sure take up time!)

Route (A short one!): Krasnodar(Pashkovsky) --direct to-- Rostov
Plane: Tupolev Tu-154M
Livery: Globus (obviously...)
If anyone wants to know where you can get the plane, livery, and/or scenery, just let me know.







Part 2 coming up in a few minutes!!  :)

[todayshorse]

Nice pics. And whats the unit in the middle of the panel, looks like you kinda look into it like a periscope?

[MCAntonio aka AN21]

Nice pics. And whats the unit in the middle of the panel, looks like you kinda look into it like a periscope?

I think its a radar, and its built like that so when its sunny the sun wont reflect on it and you wont be able to look at it. I think.. :-?

Nice pics!

[Sean_TK]

Yep, its a weather radar!!

And it actually works too! I believe that it is the only non-dummy freeware weather radar out there right now! It also has modes for detecting terrain features as well...and a few other things that I need to get familiar with.

As for your question that you posted in the other set of screenshots,
according to my book Tupolev Tu-154: The USSR's Medium-Range Jet Airliner, by Dmitriy Komissarov, the assembly of the actual prototype of the plane began in early 1968 (meaning that concept ideas where occuring in early '60's), and the maiden flight of the Tupolev Tu-154 took place on October 3rd, 1968. The plane then evolved into many different versions/upgrades, such as the generic Tu-154, Tu-154A, Tu-154K VIP, Tu-154B, Tu-154B-1, Tu-154B-2 (Available from Project Tupolev), Tu-154B Salon (VIP), Tu-154S (freighter), Tu-154M (as seen in screenshots also from PT), and a few others too!

According to wiki, the 727 first flew in 1963, and the Trident I believe first flew in the late 1950's.
Keep in mind though that these aircraft encorporated the best types of designs for the jobs that they were designed to do, and although you may believe they look like copies of eachother, each plane still has major differences, and to be honest, the closest similarity that I can see is that they all have three-engines and are for medium range jobs.
Try sticking the flightsim models of the Trident, 727, and Tu-154 right next to eachother and see how they look together! It's quite interesting.  ;)

Also, in regard to the flightsim model: the Tu-154M shown here, and the Tu-154B-2 are both available from a freeware development group called Project Tupolev. Although it is freeware, many consider these two aircraft to be of high-quality payware quality, in part because literally every system in the plane is modeled!!!
The factory that manages the construction, and maintenance of the real things in Russia even uses Project Tupolev's aircraft for their simulation purposes.  :o
Both aircraft are available here, free of charge, but you can donate if you wish: http://fs-proteam.com/
Support forums: http://www.protu-154.com/forum/
The also have an early beta IL-62, but the quality is not to the level of the Tu-154's yet.
Also, if you do take the plunge in trying to learn these aircraft, I'll be glad to help you learn! (We need more Tupolev simmers!!)  :)

Glad you enjoyed the shots,
-SeanTK

[todayshorse]

Cool, interesting reply! It seems this aircraft resembles its contemparies rather less than some russian aircraft, although i did think the wings were very similar to the 727's in there shape more than anything.

Agreed though the intake for the middle engine is like nothing ive seen before!

Might take a look at this 'project tupolev' - thanks for the info

[pepper_airborne]

The wings indeed feel a bit 727 like, although they seems to fit the plane better!

[Ivan]

Next time activate the crew for interior shots...
The periscope looking thing is the hood for the Groza radar

And it actually works too! I believe that it is the only non-dummy freeware weather radar out there right now! It also has modes for detecting terrain features as well...and a few other things that I need to get familiar with.

Features:
[*]Weather radar (1st position), clouds are green
[*]Inverted image weather radar (2nd position), clouds are black
[*]Ground radar (3rd position), larger rivers are black, ground is green, no altitude info
[*]Nav align mode (4th position). You need that for some recalibration stuff, is somewhere in the manual but that can also be done with the VOR / RSBN kit

And you forgot to mention the GPS unit

[haroldkip]

You never cease to amaze us with your knowlegde of Russian aviation Ivan!

And Sean, the first shot is amazing! This is indeed the kid a quality you'd expect from a payware aircraft! Even the horizon looks like it is modelled in 3D

Keep 'em coming!

[homebrewer]

That horn-like thing in the middle of the panel is a speaker to hear propaganda from the old Soviet Communist Party. Globus just never took it out. It's now used as a handy place for the flightdeck boys to put their cigarettes on those long flights...