willedoo

On the subject of aerobatic teams, the Russian fleet of Su-27's was grounded after the fatal crash of one of the Russian Knights, on June 9th.. Su-27 Flanker of the Russian Knights aerobatic team crashes in Russia. Pilot killed.

Even though the doco has a bit of age on it, it seems to still be the case these days. Big difference since the times of that documentary would be glass cockpits, far more sophisticated weaponry and targeting ability etc.. There's been a couple of different Sukhois with the Su-35 designation. I've got an idea the new one in Syria recently is not the same one in the documentary. Watching the Victory Day parade earlier this month, it was interesting to see the new Su-34's blowing a fair bit of black smoke with a bit of throttle on. It's always been a problem with their engines. I guess if everything will go to over the horizon contact (wishful thinking), black smoke wouldn't be an issue. Cheers, Willie.

The Sukhoi Superjet has it's first European customer. Irish airline CityJet is to lease fifteen SSJ100 Superjets. Europe gets its first modern Russian-made airliners

Seems a bit odd, dated eight days ago. No previous mention in any press, not a peep from the U.S. Government or Pentagon. Just this showing up on Stratfor's website. The Russians are saying the imagery is months old and all the gear was Syrian. Did ISIS Destroy Russian Choppers at Key Syrian Base?

I haven't read any export date for the Su-35, but it's got a slight jump on the PAK FA, being already operational (in small numbers, and only recently), but maybe no sooner for export. Their debut in Syria would have been a joint roadtest and a show-off to potential customers. I remember reading where they estimated the value of future sales gained by the Syria showcasing to be ten times the cost of the involvement there. Sales in the context of all their new gear used there - Su-35, Su-34, S-400's and various new missile variants.

You're getting your aircraft mixed up. The PAK FA is the T-50. It hasn't as yet received an Su designation. The Su-35 is a different beast, a 4++ gen fighter based on the original Su-27/30 design. The T50/Pak FA is the 5th. gen. stealth fighter.

RAF Upwood

Is that what we used to call sacking someone? Cheers, Willie.

Phil, it's a possibility that new Russian stealth thingummy might also have a camera jamming pod attached. First the Aegis, now Sf's camera. Secret software to delete all aeroplane images. What next?

Just a bit of information for the non-Queenslanders. There is a party called the LNP. It's a Queensland party, the Liberal National Party, and is the result of the merger of the Queensland branch of the Liberal Party and the Queensland branch of the National Party. They are no longer a coalition in Queensland, but a stand alone party. The Federal counterparts didn't follow suit and amalgamate. They remain in a coalition of two separate parties in order to muster the numbers to govern. Federally there is no such entity as the LNP. It is the Liberal/National coalition. It's a bit confusing for Queenslanders when you all talk about the LNP, as the LNP is the Queensland opposition party, nothing to do with the Feds. In Federal Parliment, some LNP members sit with the Liberals, and some with the Nationals.

On the subject of space, Russia's new Vostochny Cosmodrome is set for it's first launch onApril 27th.. https://www.rt.com/news/340698-cosmodrome-vostochny-first-rocket/

Orthodox priest, Fedor Konyukhov is on his way back to Australia in a few weeks to launch his nonstop solo balloon flight around the world attempt. The last time he was here was when he popped up at Mooloolaba in a rowboat. https://www.rt.com/news/340432-konyukhov-world-balloon-flight/

Sorry eightyknots, I'm a bit slow. Took me a while to get it.

Phil, did you mean Tit or Twit?

That's a classic, Old Koreelah. It brightened up my day (especially being a dog owner).

First I've seen of it. Now I can see why people interviewed on the wirless said it was a bit busy. One said it looked like monopoly money. I guess these days it has about the same buying power; you can't even buy a pie with one.

That's what I need Marty, some inflatable rooms. As quick as I can build them, they're filled up with junk.

To mark the April 12th. 55th. anniversary of the first manned space flight, news agency RT has interviewed Igor Komarov, the head of Russia's space agency, Roscosmos. He talks about plans in the pipeline for the next 55 years of space involvement. https://www.rt.com/politics/official-word/339147-roscosmos-head-interview-projects/

I think they abandoned it for a couple of reasons, the main one being lack of funds, as it was dropped not long after the Soviet Union went broke and dissolved. Also, it was originally designed as a military concept, with potential as a space weapons system to deliver nukes, so they most likely decided there were better ways to do that. There was more to it than just showing the Americans they could build a shuttle as well.

I don't think you can really embarrass a Russian over their space legacy: First artificial sattellite. First dog in space (it beat the Chimp) First man in space. First woman in space (returned to Earth with more space time than the entire compliment of U.S. Astronauts combined). First space walk. First space station. First spacecraft to leave Earth orbit. First unmanned Lunar (hard) landing. First Lunar soft landing. First multi-crew space mission. First spacecraft to land on Venus. First spacecraft to enter Lunar orbit. First in-orbit crew transfer. First successful automated lunar sample retrieval mission. First space station to enable dual dockings - just to name a few without going into their ALSE achievements. Present day - the only way to the ISS is to hitch a ride with them and NASA can't launch a rocket witout Russian first stage booster rockets. It's hard to embarrass a Russian at the best of times, but good luck to you if you can make them blush over their aerospace achievements. Cheers, Willie.

The hills remind me of Alice Springs, but nothing in the foreground does. Cheers, Willie.

Some F-35 related photos: Martin-Baker test sled for the MK.16 US16E seat. F-35 Gen.3 helmet.

https://www.rt.com/news/336821-fatigue-cause-flydubai-pilot/

The interesting thing in the future will be the development of the 6th. Gen. fighters and how what they learned from the F-35 programme will impact their future way of doing things. As they say in the article, a one size fits all programme is unlikely to be repeated. At the moment, it's the first time that the U.S. has had only one design in development. Russia and China both have a light fighter as well as a heavy air superiority fighter design on the go, as the U.S. used to have, so it would be reasonable to guess that the U.S. will revert to that combination with new 6th. generation programmes.