After graduating from the Moscow Aviation Technological Institute in 1948, Alexander Sergeevich has been working at the renowned OKB A.N. Tupolev for more than 70 years. He took an active part in the creation of aircraft: Tu-16, Tu-95, Tu-134, Tu-155, unmanned aerial vehicles.
Alexander Sergeevich happened to work with the brilliant aircraft designer Andrei Nikolaevich Tupolev and his famous students, such as: D.S. Markov, S.M. Eger, A.A. Tupolev, L.L. Selyakov and others.
The talent of the designer and organisational abilities of A.S. Shengardt were fully revealed when he was appointed Chief Designer of the Tu-154 aircraft in 1975, having worked in this position for 36 years. The legendary aircraft became the most massive medium-range jet aircraft of the USSR civil aviation.
Regular flights on the Tu-154 opened on February 9, 1972 with the flight Moscow (Vnukovo) - Mineralnye Vody. This was the beginning of an era in the development of air transportation in the country. The Tu-154 aircraft was produced at the aircraft factory in Kuibyshev (Samara) for more than 40 years in 1970-2013, in total 1,026 aircraft of about 10 modifications were manufactured.
Constantly in operation in the 1980s. there were 400-450 Tu-154 aircraft, which performed almost half the volume of passenger air transportation in the USSR. The aircraft was based at almost 40 airports, almost throughout the USSR. Outstanding at that time, the characteristics of the aircraft (speed up to 950 km/h, passenger capacity - 150-180 people, all-weather, etc.) made it extremely popular and defined it as the main “air horse”.
An important creative feature of Alexander Sergeyevich is the constant search and improvement of the operation methods of his aircraft. This applies not only to the Tu-154, but also to the Tu-134, whose chief designer Alexander Sergeyevich was also a long time.
Under the guidance of A.S. Shengardt in the early 1980s. Tu-154M aircraft with more efficient P.A. engines are being created Soloviev, improved aerodynamics, modern avionics, reinforced design, increased flight range. At that time, it became the most economical among domestic jet passenger aircraft. More than 380 Tu-154M aircraft were built, which, without exaggeration, have become beloved by civilian aviators.
Of great importance for the economy of the industry was the work under the guidance of A.S. Shengardt on a substantial justified increase in the assigned and overhaul resources, calendar terms of operation of the Tu-154, Tu-134 aircraft.
In 1990, during the difficult period for Russian civil aviation when moving to work in market conditions, under the direction of A.S. Shengardt developed and put into operation the technology of maintenance-free technical maintenance of Tu-154 aircraft in specialised centres for maintenance and repair, which significantly increased the economic efficiency of the operation of these aircraft.
A.S. Shengardt, as the Chief Designer, did a lot of work to create the world's first aircraft on alternative (cryogenic) fuel - the Tu-155 (based on the Tu-154).
As the patriarch of the domestic aircraft industry, Alexander Sergeyevich in Russian civil aviation enjoys unshakable authority as a talented creator of wonderful aircraft, and an owner of in-depth knowledge of aviation. He is respected not only for the highest professionalism, but also sincerely loved for his sociability, attention to the requests of the operators, wisdom and prudence, responsibility and decency.
On behalf of civil aviation workers and its veterans, please accept the most sincere and heartfelt congratulations on your 95th birthday! We express our highest gratitude to you for your great contribution to the development of domestic aviation! We wish you good health, prosperity, many, many years of life!
