On November, 10 the aviation world celebrates the 136th anniversary of Andrei Nikolayevich Tupolev’s birth. He went from calculation engineer to chief aircraft designer. He led the development of the Tu-2, Tu-16, Tu-95 and its modifications, the country’s first jet passenger airliner, the Tu-104, the long-range Tu-114, the Tu-134 and the Tu-154 airplanes.
Since the early 60s, Andrei Tupolev has led the entire cycle of work to create the world’s first supersonic passenger plane, the Tu-144; combat systems, including the Tu-22M, Tu-95MS, Tu-142, Tu-142M and Tu-160; as well as unmanned reconnaissance aircraft: Tu-141, Tu-143 and Tu-243.
Andrei Nikolaevich led the design and construction of more than 100 types of aircraft, 70 of which were built in series. His aircraft set 78 world records and performed about 30 outstanding flights. Andrey Tupolev, Academician of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, three times Hero of Socialist Labor, Hero of Labor of the RSFSR, Laureate of Lenin and five State Prizes of the USSR, founder of the national all-metal aircraft construction, brought up a whole plethora of prominent designers and scientists.
The history of Vnukovo International Airport is inextricably linked with the legendary aircraft designer. Tu-104, Tu-114, Tu-124, Tu-134, Tu-154, Tu-204 and Tu-204-300 made their first passenger flights from here. The first jet passenger plane, the Tu-104, designed by Tupolev, stands as a monument at the entrance to the airport. It is one of the symbols of the airport.
Vnukovo International Airport was named after the legendary aircraft designer in accordance with Presidential Decree No. 246 of 31 May 2019. The decree states that the names of individuals who have made significant contributions to their country will be assigned to airports. A bust of Andrei Tupolev, the chief aircraft designer of Soviet aviation, was installed inside the airport.
Vnukovo International Airport is one of the largest air transportation hubs in Russia, handling about 200 thousand flights of Russian and foreign carriers every year. The airport's route network covers the entire territory of Russia, as well as countries around the world. In 2019, Vnukovo International Airport broke a historical record and served more than 24 million passengers. The airport complex with a total area of about 300 thousand square meters has a capacity of up to 35 million passengers per year. Vnukovo International Airport, as the only one among the airports in Russia, has received the gratitude of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin for work achievements and high results in professional activities. In addition, Vnukovo Airport has been recognized as the best airport in the highest category "International Airport" of the national award "Air Gates of Russia" (part of the National Aviation Infrastructure Show, NAIS) for three years in a row.
