Tupolev Tu-204

The Tupolev Tu-204 is a Russian twin-engine narrow-body commercial jetliner developed to replace the ageing Tupolev Tu-154 in Soviet and post-Soviet aviation. Designed during the late Soviet era, it features a supercritical wing, fly-by-wire flight controls, and a two-crew glass cockpit, placing it broadly in the same category as the Boeing 757 and Airbus A321. The aircraft entered service in the mid-1990s and has been produced in several variants, including the Tu-204-100, Tu-204-300 (shortened fuselage), and the Tu-214, a strengthened higher-gross-weight derivative built by KAPO in Kazan. Some variants were fitted with Rolls-Royce RB211 engines to appeal to international customers, though these saw limited commercial success outside Russia. Production has been limited and slow, with only a small number of airframes delivered over several decades. Operators have been predominantly Russian carriers and government/special mission users. The type has struggled commercially due to high operating costs, reliability concerns, and the dominance of Western jets in the global market.