MTM-71
| MTM-71 | |
|---|---|
| |
| Role | Narrow-body jet airliner |
| National origin | Republic of Syara |
| Design group | Sky Titans |
| First flight | 14 April 1971 |
| Introduction | 20 June 1973 |
| Status | In limited service |
| Primary user | Syaran Airways (historical) |
| Produced | 1973-1983 |
| Number built | 143 |
The MTM-71 is a Syaran medium-to-long range, wide-body trijet airliner originally manufactured by the aviation corporation Sky Titans. It was Syara's first wide-body airliner to enter commercial operations, and was the second wide body trijet to enter commercial service after the Ersilia E-703 Stargazer. With a seating capacity of up to 400 passengers and with a range of over 7,000 kilometers, it was the premier passenger airliner of the Republic of Syara in its final decades.
The Republic of Syara had lagged behind other nations in jet liner development due to the Broken Years, and while Syaran aviation had made gains in the 1960s it was still a far cry from competing with the giants of Tyran's aviation industry. Unable to match the likes of Cacerta's Ranier Aircraft and the Tennaiitte Cheppali International, Syaran aviation industry leaders began shifting focus to produce a high quality widebody aircraft that could at least take hold of Syara's own commercial jet liner market. Sky Titans, based out of Cuprasi, took hold with its design labelled the MTM-71, which quickly won out over alternative designs and in exchange received government funding to help design and production.
The MTM-71 boasted a number of advanced features for its day on top of already established sound aviataion design principles such as an accessible S-Duct center engine, a 'flying tail' horizontal stabilizer, an active aileron control system, three-spool turbofans, and an auto-pilot function that could take-off and land the aircraft all on its own. Advanced avionics, redundant breaking systems, four hydraulic systems, and direct lift control gave the aircraft a high degree of safety. The MTM-71 first flew on 14 April, 1971 and entered service on 20 June, 1973. The first order placed on the MTM-71 was by Syaran Airways for 25 aircraft, which began flying commercial passenger routes in October the same year.
Initial reception to the MTM-71 was highly positive. Passengers praised the aircraft for its wide space, comfortable seating, and quiet flying. Pilots enjoyed the aircraft's high degree of safety and ease of flying. But ground crews and maintenance personnel were less enthusiastic; the high level of redundancy and safety measures meant that the MTM-71 took nearly twice as long to service as other wide-body aircraft, increasing operating costs for airlines. These costs largely cancelled out the advantages of the MTM-71s' greater fuel efficiency, which made the aircraft a difficult sell outside Syara. Despite favorable feedback and consistent purchases within Syara, the MTM-71 struggled to break into the international market in the face of stiff competition from other aviation corporations across Tyran.
The MTM-71 nevertheless enjoyed a positive image in Syara, where it quickly became the unofficial mascot of Syaran aviation. It's usage quickly became the point of national pride, and the MTM-71 was featured frequently in the media and in advertising. Sky Titans had intended to roll out additional models and service upgrades, but the outbreak of the Refusal War in 1983 put an end to production, which had capped out at 143. Sky Titans did not re-emerge after the war's end and was absorbed by the newly established Commonality Aviation in 1990. Remaining MTM-71s were pressed back into service, but by the 90s the aircraft was beginning to show its age. A series of crashes tarnished the aircraft's reputation for safety, although most were due to pilot error, it was clear the MTM-71s days were numbered. Syaran airlines began phasing the MTM-71 out of service by the 2000s, and Syaran Airways, who had become the poster child for the aircraft, flew the MTM-71 for the last time on 14 April, 2006, specifically to commemorate its 35-year anniversary. A handful of MTM-71s remain in various utility services, but none are currently flown by any commercial airliner.
Although it never quite achieved the heights it was hoped to, the MTM-71 remains a symbol of Syaran aviation and is considered to be one of the Icons of the Republic.