A MODIFIED Tupolev Tu-144LL was rolled out at Zhukovsky Flight Test Centre on 17 March, marking the beginning of a six-month joint Russian-US flight-test programme in support of NASA's high-speed-research programme.
The project is aimed at developing technology for a next-generation US high-speed civil transport. The US industry team is led by Boeing with McDonnell Douglas, Rockwell, Pratt & Whitney and General Electric, participating.
The Tu-144 had been in store for more than ten years. New Kuznetsov NK-321 turbofans have been installed and ground tests and 32 test flights will be performed.
Experiments will include surface/structure-equilibrium temperature verification, engine airflow and heat, structure/cabin noise, handling-quality assessments, coefficients of friction and pressure - boundary-layer measurement in flight, engine operation behind close-coupled structures and engine-face reflection properties on the ground.
Source: Flight International
