Tupolev Tu-134
The Tupolev Tu-134 was a Soviet short-to-medium-haul jet airliner recognisable for its rear-mounted engines, T-tail, and a distinctive glazed nose that originally housed a navigator's station on early military-derived variants. It served as a mainstay of Aeroflot's domestic network for decades, connecting smaller Soviet cities that couldn't support larger jets. Its relatively noisy, older-generation engines and lack of modern noise suppression eventually saw it banned from many Western European airports. A small number remain in use today, mostly for VIP, government, or specialist military transport roles in former Soviet states.
Did you know?
Its rear-engine layout borrowed a French idea: Tupolev copied the general configuration pioneered by the Sud Aviation Caravelle.
Specifications
| Length | 37.1 m (122 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 29 m (95 ft) |
| Height | 9 m (30 ft) |
| Maximum passengers | 96 |
| Persons on board | 72-84 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 47 t |
| Range | 1,150 NM (2,130 km) |
| Maximum speed | 462 kt (856 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 39,000 ft (11,887 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 35,000 ft (10,668 m) |
| Rate of climb | 2,000 ft/min (10.2 m/s) |
| Take-off distance | 2,180 m (7,152 ft) |
| Landing distance | 2,050 m (6,726 ft) |
| Fuel capacity | 18,000 l |
| Engines | 2x Soloviev D-30 |
| Units built | 854 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
In CatchFlights the Tupolev Tu-134 starts as a Legendary catch. The tier is an editorial judgement of how special a sighting of this type is. The more often you catch it, the closer it moves to Common for you. The first catch of a legendary type pays a bonus of its own.
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