Greatness

[SLRdude]

Still my favorite aircraft.
The most maneuvrable fighter in the world.

Click Here

Originally Posted by comatox

Still my favorite aircraft.
The most maneuvrable fighter in the world.

Click Here

Yup, pretty high on my list too!

One issue with this video is that unless you are familiar with the maneuvers, it's pretty hard to tell what's going on. Near the start it looks like he's doing a tail slide, but without something in the frame for reference (i.e. the ground) it's hard to say. Even when he does the cobra it's hard to see what's happening.

Try this one - he has the smoke on and it gives you a better understanding of how radical some of these moves are.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/69832/...n_demo_flight/


BTW - my name is Al, and I'm an air show junkie.........

Regarding the cobra, I've seen this done with a MIG-29 a few times, but it's more dramatic in this or an SU-27 since it can be done in those from level flight.

[SLRdude]

Originally Posted by Avalon

Yup, pretty high on my list too!

One issue with this video is that unless you are familiar with the maneuvers, it's pretty hard to tell what's going on. Near the start it looks like he's doing a tail slide, but without something in the frame for reference (i.e. the ground) it's hard to say. Even when he does the cobra it's hard to see what's happening.

Try this one - he has the smoke on and it gives you a better understanding of how radical some of these moves are.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/69832/...n_demo_flight/


BTW - my name is Al, and I'm an air show junkie.........

Regarding the cobra, I've seen this done with a MIG-29 a few times, but it's more dramatic in this or an SU-27 since it can be done in those from level flight.

Yup... great video. I already have that one (and a buch of other SU movies that have been saved on my hard drive for a few years now). I am too lazy to load up some of the clips I already have.

As far as the cobra or snake bite maneuver... the SU-27 was the first aircraft to do that, and the MiG 29 is the only other aircraft in the world that can do that. (other than the SU-27 and SU 37 Super Flanker).

They had a program a while back on an HD channel about the SU27/37. It showed all the maneuvers and all kinds of other stuff.
It mentioned that when that aircraft was shown for the first time, NATO had to create a new "category" for it.
They also showed an interview with a pilot that reported a Mayday and said that he has been hit and requested emergency landing. He flew the plane for about 15 minutes back to the base, and then they showed a clip recorded by cameras on the ground. The SU had the whole left wing missing!!! and it was still capable of flight! And it landed safely.

Insane.

Try this for tons of movies

flightlevel350

Impressive stuff. I've read that Canadian and Russian pilots tend to be the best in the world because of the type of flight training they get, and because they have the world's two largest (basically un-inhabited) air spaces in which to practice.

I'm also a huge air show/aviation fan. It's just too bad the Snowbirds fly such slow, low-tech jets as their demonstration plane. There was a rumour about two years ago that they'd switch them to prop-driven craft. Thankfully, that was abandoned.

Originally Posted by Atomic

Impressive stuff. I've read that Canadian and Russian pilots tend to be the best in the world because of the type of flight training they get, and because they have the world's two largest (basically un-inhabited) air spaces in which to practice.

I'm also a huge air show/aviation fan. It's just too bad the Snowbirds fly such slow, low-tech jets as their demonstration plane. There was a rumour about two years ago that they'd switch them to prop-driven craft. Thankfully, that was abandoned.

You know, I've seen a lot of teams (Blue Angels, Thunderbirds, one team from Italy, and I think one from Germany) and I have to say that the snowbirds are one of the best. The aircraft is not nearly as impressive as most other teams out there, but they are highly skilled at what they do.

I have seen them literally 40 times (minimum) and can tell you that they are still a good show even after all those times.

I was part of the organization for a rather large airshow here (The London International Air Show) until the budget cutbacks in the military pretty much killed the show. The focus was on military aircraft, and although they would have aerobatic acts here and there, it was mainly about air superiority. At it's peak we would have 150 aircraft on display, and it was different than many other shows I've been to - here the static displays were second to none. Many aircraft were open for people to go through (C5's, Antonov's, C130's, etc.) and aside from a few "special" aircraft (U2, F117, B1, etc.) the only thing that separated the spectators from the planes was a rope.

I was part of the security for that show for 15 years.....provided me with many opportunities to see and do things most people never get the chance to.

Lucky bugger, sounds like fun. You'd love the national aviation museum up here in Ottawa, then.