The Tu-454, a new wide-body long-haul aircraft project announced in Kazan, does not seem like science fiction. Russia has experience working on such airliners and high-thrust engines, explained aviation expert Oleg Panteleev.
However, the industry will need to master the production of units from thermoplastic materials – work in this direction is already underway. Another task is the creation of large fuselage sections, essentially, an all-composite airframe.
Panteleev recalled that a composite wing has already been developed for the MC-21-310. The promising PD-35 can be considered a higher-thrust power plant.
However, these two achievements are not enough to create a fully competitive wide-body long-haul aircraft. But these technologies allow for a significant breakthrough compared to the Il-96 aircraft, which were designed and whose production began back in the USSR.
Aviation expert Roman Gusarov explained to "Pervy Tekhnichesky" that "Tupolev's" competencies might not be enough to implement the long-haul aircraft. The main candidate is the "Ilyushin" bureau, but the decision is made by the United Aircraft Corporation.