i think its the canopy
google translator turns up sunglasses
if someone here knows russian they can tell us what it really means
“The PAK FA is not just a fifth-generation aircraft, but the embodiment of fundamentally new ideas”13 Nov 2015
Igor Nasenkov, First Deputy CEO of KRET, discussed the unique developments for the newest Russian fighter
PAK FA, the fifth-generation Russian fighter, is a “100-percent digital” aircraft thanks to its “smart skin,” according to Igor Nasenkov, First Deputy CEO of KRET, speaking in an interview with RIA Novosti. KRET experts are currently taking an active role in developing and testing avionics for the new aircraft.
“True to its name, the PAK FA is not just a fifth-generation aircraft, but the embodiment of fundamentally new ideas. It is a 100-percent digital aircraft that not only provides information to the pilot on request, but also provides complete informational support for the pilot, thanks to the aircraft’s ‘smart skin,’” said Igor Nasenkov during Dubai Airshow-2015.
He further explained that the "smart skin" covers many versatile systems on the surface of the aircraft that enable the integrated use of all aircraft resources.
As he noted, the PAK FA’s radar systems can “function as a means for passive intelligence, as well as active radar detection and specialized electronic warfare.” The PAK FA radar works on several levels. It scans not only the forward-facing hemisphere, but also has the capabilities to conduct 360-degree scans, so that the pilot has complete information about his radar environment without having to maneuver to the left, right, or rear to see what else is going on him. This information is automatically projected onto the pilot’s helmet and the interactive window in the cabin.
“We can say that, in the PAK FA, everything works in conjunction with the aircraft’s digital control system to provide maximum comfort and a maximum degree of control for the pilots,” said Igor Nasenkov.
As previously reported, the radar for the PAK FA is 99% ready for serial production. Specialists are currently carrying out a series of tests on the radar. "Many different pieces of equipment are involved in the tests, not only to check the radar, but the entire avionics system. If the tests find something that requires modification or adjustment, that will, of course, be done, but according to our estimates, the radar is 99% ready for serial production,” said Andrey Sukhanov, Deputy Chief Designer of Tikhomirov Scientific Research Institute of Instrument Design, during MAKS-2015 in late August.
Fighter T-50 Insights
November 17, 2015
Test pilot Sergei Bogdan tells about the Russian fighter of the 5th generation
The decoration and the culmination of the MAKS-2015, held with the support of VTB, has resumed flights of the first Russian fighter 5 th generation - the T-50. We asked to speak on this plane Hero of Russia, a distinguished test pilot Sergei Bogdan Leonidovich - the man who first raised the T-50 into the air.
According to Sergei Bogdan, the Su-47 was a good flying laboratory systems for aircraft 5th-generation © RIA Novosti - Test pilot Vladimir Sergeyevich Ilyushin, first took to the skies of the Su-27, very vividly described the plane. He said: "You see, I always smile. This smile never left my face since I first picked up in the sky fighter 4th generation. " What is felt flying fighter of the 5th generation?
- When I first had the opportunity to fly the Su-27, I was impressed and it was the first time felt that the aircraft and may actually be a continuation of the pilot. But it's a generation 4+, 4 ++ Finally - 5th generation. Su-35 belongs to a generation 4 ++, and it is close to the control system of the T-50, and it turned out that in recent years I have a huge amount of test flights carried out precisely on the Su-35 and T-50. For about a year I did not fly the Su-27, and then took it to fly. Already taking off, I felt, what it is heavy and quite unnatural, as if I flew in a bomber, not a fighter. And in my head even flashed the thought: "And I do it I can sit?" I'm not exaggerating, in fact, has an idea: "Take off, I took off and sit down I'm on it I can?" Himself calmed in flight " I test pilot - sit down, probably. " Naturally, then he made himself at home, and that feeling has passed, but the progress of the 5th generation as compared to the 4th serious enough even from the point of view of the control system. To describe in simple terms, that with all my deepest respect for the Su-27, I can say that in comparison with the Su-35 and T-50 - it's like a truck and a car. With all again emphasize my deep respect for the Su-27, which is just as different from the aircraft of the 3rd generation, such as the Su-17 and Su-24, as a passenger car on the cargo.
- Can now T-50 in the sky to do something like that, what can not the Su-27, even with a thrust vector control?
- In principle, the Su-30 with thrust vector control also already very far advanced management system, and the Su-35 handling characteristics and maneuverability even more improved. Introduced new service mode. For example, if an ordinary fighter pilot releases the control stick, the airplane, as well as uncontrollable car starts to move somewhere, roll, roll. A Su-35 and T-50 control system detects the pen in the position in which the pilot dumped her. Furthermore, if for a few seconds takes control action on the part of the pilot, the aircraft smoothly removes roll, pitch, and proceeds to the horizontal flight.
This is the most elementary, which is already implemented in the Su-30 and Su-35. At T-50 engines are more powerful, and in the future will be even more powerful. He became more specific control surfaces, which can create more chances, so the high angles of attack, on the modes and super maneuverability in situations where it is necessary to actively maneuver, the aircraft behaves optimally, more comfortable, stable and manageable. In general, T-50 from the viewpoint of controllability - this is something qualitatively new. But the main thing that distinguishes aircraft 5th-generation, for which it was created and that will largely determine its shape - is low visibility. If one aircraft you see on the radar for 300 km, the other aircraft of the same size and the same weight - only 100, and it is a very significant advantage in battle.
- Stealth technology does not harm the flying qualities of the T-50?
- Unobtrusive - this is a very important factor for combat aircraft, and, of course, its maintenance is very expensive in terms of aerodynamics. The form of the T-50 is very specific, and it is determined not only by the requirements of aerodynamics, but also, for example, the need for the deployment of weapons in internal bays. However, the T-50 received a new quality -Low visibility, and went to a new level of flight performance. The creators of the aircraft managed to solve this problem, and this is confirmed by tests.
- Many have all sorts of arguments about comparing the F-22 Raptor and T-50. Correct to such comparisons?
- At the first meeting with Vladimir Putin, I heard from him interesting words about the "Raptor" and T-50. He said that we tend to create their weapons in response to emerging threats. It is difficult to disagree. Historically, that in the creation of weapons systems we go half a step behind. On the one hand, it is a loss in terms of the other -Advantage because knowing folding realities, we realize our projects something new. Our fighter 5 th generation is created after the US, and, of course, it implemented the solution, which should provide an advantage over existing rival.
The same situation was with the Su-27, which was created after the F-15. It's no secret that our planes Su-27, which comes in India, Malaysia, other countries, constantly "fighting" for the exercises with the aircraft of the NATO countries. For the statistics, which are regularly communicated to us, the worst case - when our planes are losing 30% of dogfighting. But usually our technique wins 90% of battles won or "dry", that is, has an overwhelming superiority over rivals 4th generation.
- Can we say with certainty what the T-50 is the main rival?
- With regard to the comparison of the aircraft 5th-generation, then I say, I looked like piloting "Raptor" at Farnborough, and I can say that our Su-30 demonstrated a much more advanced program 10 years ago. So much for the regime of super-maneuverability. But, of course, there are many other aspects, which for obvious reasons, I can not stop there: in the whole plane is integrated into the weapons system, which has a structure of information exchange - is the question a slightly different level, since the F-22 is already in service, and T-50 just tested. But if we talk about their opposition in a dogfight alone, I do not see in the future any problems for us. Of course, we still have much to do, we say, at the beginning of the transformation of the T-50 in dangerous weapon, but in general it is clear what and how to do it.
- At MAX, we watched the stunning acrobatics of T-50 in your performance. How long do you have to train, to work out a demo? Or for you is simple - sat down and flew.
- I always kind of skeptical attitude to some delightful reviews about their aerobatics. We - the test pilots and aerobatics - it is not our specificity. This is an elective for us, to whom we are attracted to a certain frequency. The T-50 aerobatics I have not actively engaged since last max. In general, more than two weeks to prepare to allocate it is impossible, in the best case it's two dozen training flights, but before, when our aircraft flew for the first Air Show, the training program included a fifty flights. But these flying quite expensive, and most importantly - they divert cars from the promotion of the test program, because the planes are on other bases where there are landfills, and here they are taken to another location to engage the demo task. Although, of course, it is also important, and here too there is a test component: some things work enough resource, but the main goal - to show the possibilities of technology, and the T-50 does allow the program to show very impressive, but I appreciate your aerobatics very restrained.Imagine an athlete, gymnast say you did not perform the year, let's fly Tkachev, we'll summarize the projectile to two weeks before the competition, and will make this element. Perhaps the performance of the athlete will not be ideal. I know that I have something to improve, and I would imagine for aerobatics set 4-minus, and words of admiration about the possibility remarkable aircraft, which is invested in labor and talent of so many people.
- January 29, 2010 you raise the T-50 in the first flight. On the day everything went smoothly, there is a problem in one of the drives, the plane "shaking" and you even talked to him, calmed him. Do you really believe that you can hear a plane or is it a form of psychological training before the flight?
- It's from the same series of questions such as "what a person goes to the temple?". There is something there at the level of mentality. It is perhaps wrong, but the flight crews - quite superstitious people. And I, too, some pay attention to detail. It should be for something to treat with disdain, they say, it's just a piece of iron, and this piece of iron immediately show its character. And there it is on level ground and it is unclear why. Therefore, with a share of superstition it refers to the plane, and some little things in preparation for the flight.
In general, if we talk about the attitude of a test pilot for the plane, the goal of our work - is to get the maximum number of comments. Therefore, we never do not belong to the plane with reverence: what it is wonderful, I love it and so on. We have to treat the aircraft as children. Child can not praise, or anything worthwhile out of it will not grow. Therefore, we have the plane take very critical: each flight looking for him first of all shortcomings, rather than dignity.
- How did the pilot test are preparing for the first flight on the new machine?
- The laws are written in blood in the air. With the rise of the new aircraft and Incidents. Therefore, at the time, Alexander Gavrilovic Zudilov, head of flight test base of the Sukhoi Design Bureau, proposed the creation of a document ordering aircrew training to the first lift. This document was, so to speak, for internal use, but it was approved quite high - in the Office of the flight service. It exhaustively painted as a pilot to carry out the first ascent of the prototype, how to carry out the rise of the second prototype of this series is to raise production aircraft of a new modification, which Exercises carried out as work on the stands, how many hours to study theoretical disciplines, which tests to take, etc. .d.
When the pilot is going to raise a new car, he opened the paper - and everything is very clearly written. The theory depends on the complexity of the machine: the first ascent of the prototype, for example, is a program of 100 hours of study theoretical disciplines. Gazovki painted aircraft, working out at the stands: what it should be benches, public departments. Pilot all this studying, asking questions, working with engineers, goes to the KB, all the finds, and in the end becomes quite understandable.
- And T-50 is also raised exactly this document, or there was some specifics?
- Specificity lift T-50 was the fact that there was a task to raise the machine is not in Zhukovsky, and Komsomolsk-on-Amur. There's usually a military airfield and a strip length of only 2,500 meters. And in Zhukovsky streak is the longest in Europe. Its total length - 5.5 km. In case of cancellation and termination of the take-off is very helpful.
When lifting the aircraft is the most difficult time - a high-speed run. It is necessary to accelerate to a certain speed - 250 km / h, to raise the nose, go for a run with a raised nose at a certain angle and then lower it. For example, first jogging on the Su-35, which I performed in Zhukovsky, not gone as expected. I accelerate to a much smaller one, which was to start lifting, traction I was still at the maximum, and then at a fixed handle the aircraft's nose lifted and flew. I throttled cravings, handle entirely paid by myself and successfully put the car, good streak was the longest. It turned out that the control system has a feature: at a certain speed the transition from the regime of "land" to "flight". That's what you need to raise the nose while jogging to all sensors rebuilt. And it turned out that due to the abnormal setting of a sensor control system moved in airplane mode is still on the ground, and the aircraft "thought" that he needed to reject the stabilizer, because it turned out to be the wrong parameters. Here for such cases and important band size.
There is always a risk of a failure, an error in the assembly, structural defect. So in the case of the T-50 had to work on the stand as jogging as stop off, how to fit into a certain size strip. To find out, on the stand have been worked out about 240 modes under different conditions: the rejection of this refusal, such thrust, thrust another, and only after it became quite clear that everything is solved completely safe, we went to the first lif
- You have experienced the Su-47 "Berkut" with forward-swept wing. Tell us about this unique aircraft. This wing is really an advantage?
- The distinctive feature of "Berkut" was really swept wing. Even at the dawn of aviation, it was concluded that swept wing has one excellent feature: it does not happen stall, ie aircraft with forward-swept wing retains stability and controllability at all angles of attack and almost gets into a tailspin. But this wing there is one problem: the strength. Under the influence of the incident flow on the wing such phenomenon occurs divergence twisting which could lead to structural failure. The necessary rigidity of the wing has been achieved only by using composite materials, which have been implemented in the project of the Su-47.
But this plane has been realized, and many other know-how. He was already much closer to the 5th generation. It, for example, have an internal compartment for weapons and radio-absorbing coatings. It was an interesting control system - stick side and not much grip. But it so happened that just at this time was a breakthrough in engine - set engine thrust vector control, and to obtain stability and control at high angles of attack, not necessarily proved to use such expensive and complex wing with their problems. It turned out that the thrust vector control perfectly solved this problem.
Furthermore, if the wing swept allowed to remain stable under normal flight speeds, the speed of the aircraft at near-zero still lose control, because in the absence of the incoming flow is nothing to create a control point. A thrust vector control works in all conditions, and it so happened that he was pushed to the side-swept wing.
- It turns out that the creation of the Su-47 proved to be useless?
This plane brought huge benefits: firstly, allowed to investigate the problem of stability and controllability of the aircraft with forward-swept wing, and the second - was a good flying laboratory systems for aircraft of the 5th generation. Results were obtained from the behavior of the aircraft doors open compartments of armament, studied how they behave in these compartments missiles as distributed flow at high speeds. This aircraft had folding wings and place for placing the hook, so it can be put on the ship, but the problem is that, due to limited resources it was created in a single copy, while also usually created copy for strength tests. Therefore, it was necessary to continue testing after a certain number of flights each time removing his structural elements, keels, and take to the laboratory for research. Because of this test for several months stopped. It was a very expensive process, so when the plane completed its task, by his subsequent trials have decided to refuse.
Every good driver I've ever met 'talks' to their aircraft. Call it superstitious but I don't trust folks who treat their ride as nothing more than a tin can. There is actually a special bond between man and machine. You have to trust that she brings you home safe.