Tu-154 is a mid-range civil jet aircraft. The first test flight was performed in 1968, and the aircraft has been operated for commercial flights since 1972 till now. In all there have been produced more than 900 aircraft of different modifications. It was the first aircraft created by Tupolev Design Bureau entirely for civil needs, neither modified it for military use.
For a long time aircraft prevailed in USSR civilian aviation. It brought civilian aviation of that time to a modern level. Speed, power, comfort, beautiful shape and impressive look helped TU-154B to find favour with passengers. With that stringency of piloting and requirement to strictly control flight parameters demanded significant improvements in pilots education. Unfortunately, pilot's mistakes and failures caused accidents and crashes - 63 aircrafts were lost.
In our days aircraft is heavily used and even still produced. Latest craft of M modification was assembled in 2006. It is supposed to produce 5 more crafts till 2011. But low fuel efficiency probably will compel to discontinue these plans as well as plans to use TU-154B at all. As it was announced recently, usage of the B modification will be stopped in 2010...
The plane did not leave virtual aviation constructors cold. There are several models of Tu-154 for MSFS simulator, but the best in visual, dynamic and systems modeling is the freeware one called PT Tu-154-B2 by Project Tupolev team. Careful elaboration of details, complex and realistic systems, piloting and navigation complex which allows to use model as a teaching aid for students made PT Tu-154-B2 honored by simmers of Russia and other countries.
FlightGear flight simulator already has Tu-154 model. It seems like PT team has had a hand in making this model because Denis Okan is mentioned among it's authors. Sadly, the model is not finished and seems to be abandoned since 2006. Mistakes in dynamics ans lack of essential panels make it impossible to get any reasonable impression about the aircraft.
After discussion with PT team in 2007 the process of porting original Project Tupolev Tu-154-B2 model to FlightGear was started. Authors gave visual model (sources), textures and sounds as well as permissions to modify and redistribute it (in according with freeware license, see end user terms at http://fs-proteam.com/products.html?op=one&pw_patt=catalog&id=18 ).
Sadly, systems and dynamics well developed by PT team cannot be used with FlightGear - the platforms differ too much. That is why porting PT model to FG required recreating almost everything from scratch. There is none original files in PT model for FG except for visual model, textures (including instruments) and sounds.
Model of Tu-154B for FlightGear has been released in may 2009, after about two years of development. Model has feature:
Visual model with animated surfaces, gear, lights, liveries support
Full-featured virtual cockpit with authentic avionics, radio equippment and navigation system
Flight Dynamic model, based on real flight data
Custom autopilot, modelled by JSBSim, with autothrottle system
Fuel system, three hydraulic systems, electric system
Original engines start procedure, APU, external electric power
VOR/NDB/COMM radio support
Original Russian navigation computer NVU, with correction navigation data by RSBN system - "Russian VOR"
Realistic engine model, with reverser
Original engine sounds, crew voices, rings, alarms and over cockpit sounds
Light model for multiplayer mode, with support liveries selection via MP
Flight manual in Englih and Russian; for external info, added manuals by MSFS model
Model has done by rule "make it realistic as we can". It not equipped magic red "Autostart" button; you should read documentation carefully instead.
You can download it from here. Please, read installation instruction from README file.
Warning for CVS (devel) users. You should replace FDM file, due JSBSim change too much from release 1.9.1 - see README for details.
After installation, copy AI model to FlightGear AI folder. It allow use light AI model for multiplayer mode.
We hope, Tu-154B become a favorite aircraft for FlightGear users, who wants "make it realistic".
Yurik V. Nikiforoff aka Yurik_NSK and all Russian FlightGear community