USA and Russia target August first flight for Tu-144LL

SENIOR US AND RUSSIAN Government officials are pushing for an August flight date for the Tupolev Tu-144LL, and looking to use the research programme as a model for future US-Russian collaboration. A joint statement on the Tu-144LL project was issued following a meeting between Al Gore, the US vice-president, and his Russian counterpart, Victor Chernomyrdin, in July. The Tu-144LL will be used as part of a NASA high-speed-research programme. Boeing, General Electric, McDonnell Douglas, Pratt & Whitney, Rockwell and Tupolev are also participating on the project. 1

Source: Flight International