Government Tupolev TU-154 aircraft takes final flight

After 5200 flight hours over 30 years, the last state-owned TU-154 is taking its final flight on Wednesday, before being taken out of service. After being available for visitors to view over the weekend, the aircraft, nicknamed Otakar, will fly from Bratislava to Košice today to reside in the Air Force Museum. The aircraft, bearing the registration OM-BYO, is the older of two state-owned Tupolevs largely used for diplomatic missions, with both aircraft regularly being seen parked on the tarmac at Bratislava's M.R. Štefánik airport. Notable passengers onboard have been Slovak presidents, the king of Norway, Pope John Paul II. Built in 1989 and fitted with a kitchen, shower, and luxurious seating, the aircraft's most frequented destination was Brussels. The Tupolev TU-154 was designed in the Soviet Union in the 1960s. With its high cruising speed of 900 kilometres per hour (560 mph) the Tu-154 is one of the fastest civilian aircraft in use and has a range of 5,280 kilometres (3,280 miles).