US-owned Su-27

[bagasticks]

PR Smith: I know you were joking. I just wanted to clarify the "type vs. experimental warbird" rating.

LOA: no, not any more. LOA's (and LOOA's) went away about 4 years ago. Now, you get training from a designated instructor (like me, if it's a T-38 or F-5). That instructor will sign you off when complete, and "recommend" you to an examiner that's designated for the type aircraft you want to check out in. You fly your checkride with that examiner, and you get your rating. It shows up on the back of your pilot certificate under section "XIII LIMITATIONS" as and "Authorized Experimental Aircraft". This is required for any Surplus Military Turbine Powered Aircraft (SMTPA), or any prop aircraft over 600 (?) horsepower.

I don't have the exact details at my fingertips, but I believe you need 1000 hours and a commercial instrument certificate as a prerequisite.

how does the checkout go if it's a single seater? Do most of the examiners/trainers have airframe access or would one checkout in a generic airframe like an L39 or something. . ?

 

[Huggyu2]

Not exactly sure of all the nuances, but here's an example: you want to checkout in an F-86. You go fly with the examiner in a T-33, where he evaluates your flying ability in that. Then he authorizes you to do an exam in the F-86, where you fly around the pattern, and do landings while he watches. If it goes ok, he signs you off. And obviously there's some sort of ground eval too.

 

[ualdriver]

I wonder what the hourly rate is for a SU-27. What, $7,500 per hour or so?

 

[LR25]

One of our Captains was part of a group restoring a MiG-19. I think they were going to fly it in the "experimental" category. One FAA stipulation was that they had to de-activate the ejection seat, perhaps due to problems with keeping it maintained.

I was with a group that operated an F-86, it had an operational seat, but not at first, it wasnt till later the seat worked.

 

[FNG24]

I wonder what the hourly rate is for a SU-27. What, $7,500 per hour or so?

Actually 30.5K an hour in a Flanker B. Those motors are shot at 900 hours.

 

[ualdriver]

Actually 30.5K an hour in a Flanker B. Those motors are shot at 900 hours.

Holy ****! I was way off. I thought I saw a Discovery Channel show that said that it costs the Navy about $10,000 an hour to operate a F-18, so I figured a SU27 would be cheaper since it isn't exposed to salt and doesn't get the crap pounded out of it during carrier ops. I guess that contract training is going to be a bit "spendy."

 

[FNG24]

Thats 30k and some change based on 900 hours. It literally doesn't cost 30k for an hour flight, but over a 900 hour maintenance cycle that thing is a money pit.

 

[Scrapdog]

how does the checkout go if it's a single seater? Do most of the examiners/trainers have airframe access or would one checkout in a generic airframe like an L39 or something. . ?

1. You hire current or former fighter pilots with high performance backgrounds (a lot of fighters fly pretty similiarly - 300 knots on initial, 180 final turn, 160 on final, etc...) and are trained to pull 8 to 9 'ish G's.

2. You develop a comprehensive training syllabus based on US military training and whatever airframe you're spinning guys up on - and get it approved by the FAA.

3. You check out a "checkairman" or lead instructor by sending him through a program with current or prior SU-27 trained instructors.

4. The newly minted lead instructor chases his follow on guys through the training syllabus in a all the maneuvers and pattern work in another single seat SU-27.

 

[JungleJett]

There is a reason governments operate fighters....