You're right, the 727 and Tu-154 are exactly the same. Especially since one is American and the other is Русскии. ::)

The Tu-154 has its own nuances that would make it a very different plane, I'm sure. The jump from an English cockpit to one in Кириллица, for starters. There is a big enough difference in purpose between the two anyway. One was designed for operation from a glass-smooth runway. The other can handle rough Arctic tundra.

You claimed to want diversity in aircraft type, and then go on to list a number of North American tube liners, which either have been done before or are being done right now.

I say, bring on the Russian metal. Anything at all, be it a Ту-154, Ил-62, Ил-76, Ан-124/225, Ил-86/96 etc. Спасибо. ;)