MAI and Tupolev design engineers have begun developing changes to transition the Tu-214 from a three-person crew to a two-person crew. Specialists plan to work on modernizing the control system and onboard equipment, which will allow the flight engineer to be excluded from the crew.
Currently, three specialists work in the Tu-214 cockpit: the aircraft commander, the co-pilot, and the flight engineer. To eliminate the latter, it is not enough to change the crew composition in documents — it is necessary to adapt the onboard equipment complex and the aircraft control system, redistributing some functions between automation and pilots.
At the first stage, MAI and Tupolev specialists identified the equipment that will need to be optimized or replaced. At the same time, the developers intend to limit costs not only for the work itself but also for subsequent certification. According to MAI, the project is being carried out on a tight schedule: by the end of October, program participants must prepare a preliminary estimate, work schedule, and cooperation roadmap.
The designers face an important task from a commercial attractiveness perspective — to make such changes to the aircraft's control system as to reduce the crew's workload and reduce the number of people in the cockpit from three to two, excluding the flight engineer.
For airlines, crew reduction can mean lower operating costs, but the ultimate effect will depend on the cost of modernization, pilot training requirements, and certification results.
The work is related to the serial production of the Tu-214 at the S. P. Gorbunov Kazan Aviation Plant, a branch of Tupolev. To prepare the updated equipment complex, the creation of a special integration stand is also being considered, where the joint operation of systems can be checked before ground and flight tests.
MAI Rector Mikhail Pogosyan stated that the next stage will be the approval of the roadmap, cooperation scheme, and the composition of the team that will be engaged in the design and integration of equipment. According to him, the university and the industrial partner are already interested in joint work.
The Tu-214 is a twin-engine medium-haul passenger aircraft designed for a flight range of up to 4500 km. The program is expected to conclude at the end of October with a final assessment: MAI and Tupolev will evaluate the proposed organizational and technical solutions, as well as their impact on the project's economics. The transition to a two-person crew itself will require further development, testing, and certification.