TYPE: Regional jet airliner.

PROGRAMME: Announced at 1995 Paris Air Show; proposed manufacture by KAPO at Kazan, Tatarstan, from 2003. Specification revised 1996 and further refined in 1997 when governments of Russia and Tatarstan agreed on 20 August to 50:50 sharing of development costs, to which latter had contributed some US$70 million by late 2002. Tatarstan placed symbolic first order for a presidential transport (since superseded by Tu-214 VSSN, which see). Mockup completed by late 1997; technical documentation issued 2000. Both versions entered for 2002-03 national RRJ competition staged by Rosaviacosmos and eventually won by Sukhoi. Tupolev and KAPO plan to continue development provided non-federal funding can be found; however, reported in March 2003 that Tu-324 had by then been allocated some US$38 million in state funding. Further investment of US$70 million by Tatarstan government reported in July 2003, coupled with statement that prototype manufacture was about to begin. Five prototypes planned; certification targeted for 2005. Is first Russian aircraft programme designed entirely with use of computers.

CURRENT VERSIONS: Tu-324A: (Administrativny: executive) VIP transport, carrying up to 10 passengers.
Tu-324R: Regional airliner: 52 seats in single-class configuration: 10 + 34 or 36 in two-class.
Tu-414: Long-term project for stretching to 70-seat airliner, possibly with Ivchenko Progress D-436T1 or Rolls-Royce Deutschland BR710-48 turbofans.

CUSTOMERS: Estimated market for 400 to 450, including 150 Tu-324A.

COSTS: Estimated total programme cost US$330 million; Tu-324A US$10 million, export versions US$15 million to US$20 million (2001).

DESIGN FEATURES: Wings scaled down from Tu-204; illustrations show the aircraft with and without winglets.

LANDING GEAR: Messier-Dowty main contractor.

POWER PLANT: Two General Electric CF34-3B1 turbofans, each 41.0 kN (9,220 lb st), in pods on sides of rear fuselage. Alternatives under consideration include Progress AI-22 and Soyuz TRDD R-126-300.

AVIONICS: Honeywell main supplier.