General Questions Thread:

http://theaviationist.com/2014/10/29/russian-air-activity-worrying-nato/

Hello. Someone knows something more?

Why wouldn't they increase flights in the area... NATO has moved lots of forces into the area too... why wouldn't the Russians want to monitor them?

Is there any plans for RuAF in future to be procured a strategic airlift aircraft of 70-80ton class? Like An-22

AFAIK Ilyusion is planning a new transport aircraft in the 80 ton payload class that will likely be based on the new wide bodied airliners they are developing with China. AFAIK they plan to have it ready by 2025 or so, so it wont be ready any time soon. Its primary competition on the international market would be the C-17 so I think they should try to make it sooner but obviously they have other plans.

Yes, that is the one...

George1 wrote:

GarryB wrote:Yes, that is the one...

so it will be analogous to C-17 ?

No, it would be in the An-22/An-124 class.

It should be realized that a practical max payload of 80 tonnes translates to something like a 120 tonne of impractical payload capability, and after factoring the Russian obligatory understatements in such situations, the capability translates to at least 120 tonne practical max payload and 180 tonne impractical payload capability.

It would be a class above the C-17 and probably 1/10th its price... C-17s carry about 70 tons max and seem to cost half a billion dollars each... this new plane should sell like hotcakes when it is ready...

Not sure, but I have always liked that aircraft...

BTW if a picture has a credit it should be included.



Not suggesting you removed it of course, but credit should be given where possible to the original photographer... especially a good one like Vitaly.

What are those sensors on the leading wing edge?

I have a question regarding russian meaning of Colors when they paint numbers on aircrafts.
I've seen same aircrafts painted with sometimes different numbers like number Yellow 14 being sometimes seen with Blue 214 but both the same registration RF number.

So what do the Blue,White,Yellow and Red Colors mean on aircraft?

Sorry, don't know what those sensors are... though likely linked with data collection at high altitudes.

The colour of the numbers is interesting... I remember the PVO aircraft during the cold war tended to have dark green paint on their dielectric panels and nose radomes and often had blue numbers.

Can anyone else help?

GarryB wrote:Can anyone else help?

Computer translate from old magazine:
According to "Statute" board numbers were authorised to be painted in red, blue or yellow colour with a black edging. Colour of number showed an airplane belonging to an aviaregiment and ­ was determined by the order of the commander of a division.

Another question to the board numbers of aircrafts. I've seen several Hinds with same board number different modifications like Mi-24 Yellow 32 (June 2013 picture taken)

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Russia---Air/Mil-Mi-24P/2303965/L/&sid=87ed9d74c95944fab7fe874633376eee

Then i noticed on the promo video another Mi-24 but this time RED 32 and a different version a Mi-24PN not just P.



This is highly unlike to be the same Hind as the Mi-24P Yellow 32, because the promotion video is from the same year and even the same month ( June 2013) and that several equipment is missing like MAWS and OPS-24N obviously.

Does russia operate several aircrafts with the same boardnumber in different colors and mods?

I also noticed that one and the same Aircraft had two different RF registration numbers, is that normal or can be just changed when needed?

Hi all, does anyone know if Russia's Antonov orders for AN-140, AN-148, and the upgrading of AN-124 have been effected by the Ukraine crisis? Also i very much doubt the joint Russian and Ukrainian AN-70 project will continue, does anyone have any news on this?

Also i see that Russia has re-invested in the il-112 and the il-214(joint venture with India) maybe this has been spurned on by the Ukraine crisis???

the Il-112 and Il-114 will largely replace the lighter Antonov transports in Russian service... that is the An-26 and An-32 and also likely the An-140 which was a gift to the Ukrainians to keep them producing aircraft.

the MTA with India will replace the An-12, while the Il-476 will likely get a few extra orders to replace the An-70.

the An-124 are made in Russia so Antonov will lose out there, but Ilyusion is working on a new transport design using a wide bodied new airliner being developed with China for the heavier aircraft role to likely replace the An-22 and the An-124.

GarryB wrote:the Il-112 and Il-114 will largely replace the lighter Antonov transports in Russian service... that is the An-26 and An-32 and also likely the An-140 which was a gift to the Ukrainians to keep them producing aircraft.

the MTA with India will replace the An-12, while the Il-476 will likely get a few extra orders to replace the An-70.

the An-124 are made in Russia so Antonov will lose out there, but Ilyusion is working on a new transport design using a wide bodied new airliner being developed with China for the heavier aircraft role to likely replace the An-22 and the An-124.

thanks garry interesting stuff. @)

What were the final 2014 production/delivery numbers for Su35, Su30SM, Ka52, Mi28, ect ? What about Yars systems mobile and silo ?

Whats best : a plane whit one big engine but more complex or a two engine aircraft? The two engine aircraft having the problem that has two set of swiches for engines but a lower thermal signature. And the bigger the single engine bigger the flame less materials that can be use.

victor1985 wrote:Whats best : a plane whit one big engine but more complex or a two engine aircraft? The two engine aircraft having the problem that has two set of swiches for engines but a lower thermal signature. And the bigger the single engine bigger the flame less materials that can be use.

In regards to multi-role air superiority fighters, I would say multi-engine aircraft are generally preferred throught the world (the U.S. Airforce could be an exception). Both types of aircraft - in particular 4th generation aircraft - are equally complex. I've never known dual engine control to be taxing for a pilot to manage..

As for heat signatures, I would say that's more of a concern for bombers with stealth capability - not a platform such as the Flanker.

Two engines mean better survivability. In case one engine is off or damaged, the plane could be returned with the second engine to the base and than repaired. In single engine plane damaged or off engine mean lost plane. This is the reason RuAF made a decision, that all their planes will be twin engine and they retire all single engine planes, although some were quite new in that time (MiG-23 and MiG-27).