Is it just me, or do Migs crash alot at air shows?

Note to self: Dont attend any air shows with flying Migs..


Yes another Mig crash

Good video of this too.

It it pilot error? Poor maintinance? Trying to operate beyond its capabilites? Design? Who knows...

[edit on 28-3-2006 by skippytjc]

Originally posted by skippytjc
Note to self: Dont attend any air shows with flying Migs..


Yes another Mig crash

Good video of this too.

That was a Sukhoi. And it was a couple of years ago in Ukraine.

[edit on 28-3-2006 by planeman]

Originally posted by planeman
[That was a Sukhoi. And it was a couple of years ago in Ukraine.

[edit on 28-3-2006 by planeman]

Correction: Sukhoi

Whilst a couple of the Russian jet crashes have been videoed and widely watched, there are lots more crashes at airshows. most have been attributed to pilot error. Here's a Thunderbird's display team F-16: www.guzer.com...

There was also an F117.... and a B-52. The list goes on.

The Russians have had thier share of airshow crashes. But, if you have ever seen a Russian demo team, they simply are awesum. They put on a show that is unreal. Part of thier accident rate is due to the reckless abandon with which they throw thier planes around the sky.

One of the Mig crashes in Paris I believe was due to an ingested bird, but I could be wrong.

Originally posted by skippytjcIs it just me, or do Migs crash alot at air shows?

Yeah, its just you.

Just do a google for air show crashes and you'll see its pretty widely spread out.

I have to agree with Fred on this one, earlier last year I went to an air show and an American pilot was performing with a Mig-17. After comparing video I have seen of Russian maneuvers I can say that they are defiantly more extreme then those I have seen done at US air shows.

[edit on 28-3-2006 by WestPoint23]

Oh yeah, that's an Su-27 alright.

Shattered OUT...

Well Russian planes do have a fame of troubles and bad maintenance. Also the pilots that fly those plane are nuts, they just want to show the planes so much that they often violate basic safety rules in order to impress and make mistakes or pull the aircraft beyond its limits.

Originally posted by carcharodon
Well Russian planes do have a fame of troubles and bad maintenance. Also the pilots that fly those plane are nuts, they just want to show the planes so much that they often violate basic safety rules in order to impress and make mistakes or pull the aircraft beyond its limits.

Note the Flankerjet was turning in towards the crowd, a manuver prohibited at US airshows. Also note that the Thunderbird was a good distance off when it crashed, and not turning in. (I'm wondering if that was an airshow or a practice day. despite what the website said it was)

Originally posted by Travellar
[Note the Flankerjet was turning in towards the crowd, a manuver prohibited at US airshows. Also note that the Thunderbird was a good distance off when it crashed, and not turning in. (I'm wondering if that was an airshow or a practice day. despite what the website said it was)

Exactly. In US airshows, the aircraft always do manuvers parallel to the crowd. The energy is always angled away. (With a few exceptions, the Blue Angels like to sneak up with one a/c from behind while the crowd is watching to the front and buzz them). In Europe, esp. Eastern, it can be very different. I think that has changed in alot of Western Europe.

I remember when British Airshows used to have Tornados doing simulated airfield attacks at tree top hieght, buzzing the crowd from all angles at once. That's all stopped now and air displays have to be parallel to the crowdline and a certain distance away. good for safety I guess.

Re the Flanker crash in the original post. That was the infamous 2003 crash in Ukraine, seventy+ people killed. it was widely attributed in part to pilot error, and also negligence on the part of the organisers and aircrew for doing low level display over the crowd. Not sure what the "official" verdict was but I think some people even faced criminal charges. I imagine that the practice of buzzing the crowd is becoming ever less common, even in Eastern Europe after that.

What the Fulcrum and Flanker crashes have shown, rather graphically, is the remarkably good ejection systems fitted to these jets.

[edit on 29-3-2006 by planeman]

overflying the crowd is a bit of a different matter than turning towards them. you can make your turn at a considerable distance, then fly straight and level over the crowd with no problems. If you crash during the turn, you crash away from the crowd. if you crash doing straight and level flight, you shouldn't be performing at airshows.

It might have to do with all of the laws that there are in the US about what you can and cannot do at airshows. The majority of these laws were enacted after a crash in Germany that killed or injured hundreds of spectators.

Now speaking of reckless abandon, I heard the Russian Knights were supposed to be flying through a hole in Tianamen mountain this year, anyone know the details on that one?