The Ferraris of the sky

[Sojourner]

They are constructed of titanium, carbon composite, and kevlar. The linkages are forged magnesium. The undercarriage is titanium. The engines are nine cyclinder radials in ratings from 360 HP to 525 HP. No expense was spared in the design and construction of the Sukhoi sport planes. No other sport plane has a faster roll rate (400 degrees/sec).

Sukhois rule!

Su-31 -

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Will Curtis' 1,650#, 525 HP Su-26 -

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Jurgis Kairys, member of the Sukhoi design team from the beginning, and several times aerobatics world champion, in a recent competition -

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[Sojourner]

Will Curtis flying 170 MPH inverted in his Su-26 in a world record ribbon cutting attempt -
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[Sojourner]

Jurgis Kairys flying his Su-26 inverted under the bridge in front of a crowd of 100,000 -



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[Sojourner]

More Sukhoi aerobatics, first segment is Women's World Champion Svetlana Kapanina, second segment is Jurgis Kairys -



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[The patriot]

I saw a YF-22 use his thrust vectoring pretty effectively a few years back, but this is a whole other playing field.

 

[Sojourner]

Sukhois are very limited in production numbers - only 60 Su-26s were ever built.

Since not everyone can get their hands on a Sukhoi, the next best choice is a German made Extra 300.

This video features Svetlana Kapanina, Jurgis Kairys, and current World Grand Prix champion, the ever wacky Peter Besenyei in his red Extra 300S, all putting on demonstrations in Japan -

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[BNH4221]

I think I am dizzy.



Steve

 

[Sojourner]

More Svetlana Kapanina, this time in a Sukhoi Su-29 -



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[Sojourner]

I think I am dizzy.



Steve

If you watch many videos of Jurgis Kairys, you will note that he always manages to quit his spin at the precise moment he needs to. I don't know how he does it.

 

[AMink]

More Svetlana Kapanina, this time in a Sukhoi Su-29 -

It looks like she's on a Sunday drive to the store! Not nearly as violent in the cockpit as I thought it would be. It's neat to watch what direction her ponytail is going.

 

[Sojourner]

It looks like she's on a Sunday drive to the store! Not nearly as violent in the cockpit as I thought it would be. It's neat to watch what direction her ponytail is going.

The harness in those Sukhoi sport planes hold the pilot's torso extremely immobile, however one's arms, legs, and head can still flail around.

Svetlana K. grew up doing gymnastics, which is probably why she makes aerobatics look so easy.

 

[Sojourner]

Now for the fast movers -

The brute (Sukhoi Su-30MKI with 2D TVC), note double back-flips, 120 degree angle of attack, and deft landing -

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... and the ballet dancer (MiG-35 prototype aka MiG-29OVT with fully articulating 3D thrust vector control), note double back-flips and 150 degrees plus angle of attack (yes, it can fly tail first) -

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[NPloysa]

Another to wet your appetites!



www.turbinetoucan.com







1. 65 pounds of thrust per pound of weight!

 

[Sojourner]

Another to wet your appetites!

www.turbinetoucan.com



1. 65 pounds of thrust per pound of weight!

That is certainly a way cool looking sport plane.

But beauty is only skin deep in some cases -

Turbo Toucan performance:

G loading Ultimate : +9/-7. 5
Roll Rate : 350 degrees/sec.

Sukhoi Su-29/Su-31 performance:

G loading (anytime the pilot can handle it) : +12/-10
Roll Rate : 400 degrees/sec.

And while a turbine has gobs of power, it has extremely poor throttle response, i. e. slow to spool up and slow to spool down, which does not necessarily lend itself to aerobatics.

Jurgis Kairys built a one-off sport plane called the Juka with the same 400HP 9-cyclinder radial found in the Sukhois, but he won't tell anyone what the thrust to weight ratio is -

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[NPloysa]

I agree Sojourner. It is a beauty but can't beat a Sukhoi for true aerobatics. Plus a turbine engine can't take a high angle of attack for too long or it will stall out.