as a qualitative analysis yes it is very easy to know what a LEVCON does, but as a quantitative analysis a picture is not enough.
A picture or a video will give you understanding if you know a few facts, if you know highly swept wings shed strong vortices, you will understand LEVCONs very well and very quickly as a leading edge flap married to a LEX; it is easy, specially if you know winglets basics or canard basics, it is not something a fan like me should not know.
However quantitative analysis is different, for that you need numbers, simulations and wind tunnel results, data you won`t get easily from Russia, and even NASA.
The only thing i will say is Sukhoi must have seen advantages to LEVCONs thet did not see on LEX (su-27), lex canard combo (su-33, Su-30SM, Su-34 etc etc) and canard (su-47/S-37) the details are difficult to see, because you can not know the quantitative advantages or disadvantages from watching pictures, you can only guess.
Thus if we argue advantages and disadvantages you will basically will guess plus you will annoy people, and in this forum comparing aircraft is not allowed, thus is better to have a more moderate view
so i prefer to think PAKFA is like my lovely girlfriend Sveta
are not both aerodynamically beautiful?
by
, on Flickr
I would NOT presume to argue with BD, Jeff Head, Jura, Navy RECO, or Forbin about Naval matters, or Master Scratch on most anything. As a pilot, its obvious to me that you have an incomplete understanding of aerodynamics, you have never flown an aircraft of any type, you have never maintained best glide speed, you have never maintained a proper approach speed, you have never increased the angle of attack in a power on stall through the stall, and felt the often violent and sudden "break"??? and NO you don't need to be a math whiz to do any of that, you need to understand aerodynamics, you NEED to develop the "seat of your pants".
ALL WINGS, create lift in the very same way, certain designs stall very gently in more of a "mush", other wing designs break very suddenly and completely as the air flowing across the upper surface of the wing "departs" or "detaches". I have flown both types, our old 172 would hang on and hang on and on, but when she departed, she would often roll to the left or right in a power on stall, normally to the left. end off topic
I understand lift, I understand drag, I understand thrust, I understand load, and load factors, because that has been my passion. You would presume to tell me that I need to read Russian propaganda in order to understand the aerodynamics of PAK-FA, that B787 is pure Bravo Sierra, in the process you show yourself to be "insolent/disrespectful, I often choose to ignore this. I love the PAK-FA, I have never said a bad word about LEVCONS, yet you put words in my mouth that I have never spoken.
PAK-FA is a program that has VERY significant teething issues, structural cracking/failure, a very significant fire that destroyed the fifth flying prototype, and it has not returned to flight yet, in spite of "pirating" the fuselage of the sixth prototype. (Just as I told you they would!)
In the future I would encourage you to show due respect to your elders, senior posters. I spend a great deal of time and thought crafting each post, my integrity is on display with every post I make, if I am wrong, I correct my post, often pointing out my own mistakes in the interest of absolute accuracy, always including a very heartfelt apology.
I am sure your girlfriend is lovely and aerodynamic, and I will take your word on that. No ONE on the SDF has spoken more highly of the very elegant PAK-FA than the Air Force Brat, I have declared her the most attractive of all the would be and real world fifth gens, the LEVCONs are a stroke of genious, though likely adding complexity to the construction process and FCS??? I just don't get where you feel the need to criticize the astute and possibly brilliant observations I often make, and I'm being humble??? could you maybe lighten up and be a brother?
and many, many thanks for the lovely pictures, really, thank you, bro bax
I did not see a picture of Sveta, try to post it again, then we shall see if she bears any resemblance to the lovely PAK-FA?