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(Moscow) All eyes are on the skies on day two of Russia's top aviation show. Aerobatics teams are giving some light relief for the aviation industry's big-hitters, who are clinching multi-million dollar deals at MAKS 2009.
Roaring jets and helicopters have been dominating the skies near Moscow on the second day of Russia's top aviation show. But as well as marveling at the machines, it was also a time for airlines to write some big checks for their fleets.
The United Arab Emirates has reportedly purchased around two dozen Russian helicopters. This follows yesterday’s announcement that Russia’s Defense Ministry has purchased various aircraft, including more than 40 Sukhoi-35 fighter jets, which are among the most sophisticated and modern fighter jets and are being produced in Russia.
As deals were made on the ground, action was filling the skies over the Zhukovsky airfield. Various performances of all kinds of aircraft have been staged so far.
The spectacular show done by one of the oldest aerobatic teams, “Patrouille de France,” concluded the day and was dedicated to a Russian pilot killed in training ahead of the MAKS air show 2009.
Pride of Russia’s aviation
The Yak-130 is not a mere upgrade of previous Soviet-era models, it’s completely different. This is the only Russian aircraft to be made from scratch since the collapse of the USSR nearly twenty years ago.
The Yak-130's design allows it to fly at a 45 degree angle of attack with a maximum speed of more than a thousand kilometers per hour.
Vasily Sevastyanov started his flying career over two decades ago. Since then he has taken the controls of just about every Russian-made plane. He says this new jet is a breakthrough.
As a student pilot, Vasily said he could only dream of a trainer like this.
“First of all, the pilot can easily control the situation as all flight information is presented on three multifunctional displays in each cabin and at the head-up display in the front cockpit. Second, it's a very smart plane insured against almost every human error. Whatever you do, the jet will never allow you to go too far and threaten your life or the plane's safety,” the pilot explains.
The Yak-130 can take care of the majority of the entire pilot-training program. That significantly reduces the time and cost of mastering flying skills. But trainees spend a lot of time in a simulator before they are allowed near a real one. That allows the pilots to train without risking their lives or jeopardizing the 15 million dollar aircraft.
The Yak-130 jet is the only training jet capable of simulating all the fourth and fifth generation fighters – as it's the first Russian jet with all-digital avionics. The pilot just selects a model he needs from the onboard system. The Yak-130 could easily be used as a combat jet with a maximum armament payload of three tons.
The jet employs a wide range of Russian and Western-made bombs and missiles to attack targets on the ground and low-speed targets in the air.
The President of the Irkut corporation, the Yak-130's manufacturer, says the mixture of a trainer and combat jet in one makes the plane highly marketable.
“The global market for this jet is 2,500 planes. The Russian market is estimated at 250-300 jets for our pilot schools. We have already 150 requests. 62 planes are assigned to the Russian Defense Ministry. We've already signed 16 contracts with Algeria,” Demchenko said.
The Yak-130 is currently undergoing state test flights. As soon as they are over in a few months, the brand new Russian jet will take to the skies on its first flight as the country's official Air Force combat trainer.
Meanwhile the Sukhoi company is using the air show to land more contracts for its Sukhoi 100 superjet. The head of the corporation, Mikhail Pogosyan, hopes clients will receive first delivery of the jets by the end of the year.
The company also has ambitious plans to control 20 per cent of the world market by 2015.
"The Sukhoi 100 is going to be a great success for Russian industry", says Chris Buckley, the Executive Vice President of Sales, Airbus Europe, CIS and Latin America.
“The Sukhoi 100 superjet is a little bit smaller than the Airbus range of products right now. So it’s going to be complementary rather than a competitor. But everything we’ve seen so far suggests the Superjet’s going to be a great aircraft,” Buckley said.
Deep modernization of Russian helicopters
“In two years we’ll get a completely new machine,” said Shibitov.
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