A Redditor is Building a TU-154M in MSFS

Reddit user u/Ablomis has shared some screenshots on the r/flightsim subreddit showing their work on a Tupolev TU-154M for Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Ablomis previously posted in r/MicrosoftFlightSimulator looking to gauge the interest in a potential Tupolev aircraft for the simulator 5 months ago, and has not posted about the project since – until today.

The screenshots only show an exterior model of the plane in the sim hangar, although in the comments section of his post, Ablomis says he is aiming for a “study level” recreation of the Soviet-era narrow-bodied aircraft.

Ablomis went on to say in other comments that he has “20 books on this airplane” and that they are well versed in coding, “so systems [definitely] won’t be an issue”. They suggested that the biggest obstacle to development will be textures, saying “Texturing is what I’m more worried about as this is not my strongest area. But will figure it out”.

The Tupolev TU-154M is a Russian-built trijet airliner that was in service from 1972 to 2019. It was operated by various airlines primarily in Russia, but also in other countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa.

The TU-154M was a workhorse of the Soviet and Russian aviation industry, serving as the backbone of the Aeroflot fleet and other airlines for several decades. It was known for its reliability and durability, as well as its ability to operate from short runways in harsh weather conditions.

However, the aircraft was also involved in several high-profile accidents, including the 2010 crash of a Polish Air Force TU-154M that killed all 96 people on board, including the Polish President Lech Kaczyński.

Today, the 154M is remembered as a symbol of Soviet and Russian aviation, and its distinctive shape and sound are still fondly remembered. However, its retirement has been largely welcomed due to its outdated technology and safety record.

At the time of writing, u/Ablomis has not confirmed if they intend to release the Tupolev as a freeware or a payware. FSElite will bring you more updates when we get them.