Privately Owned SU-27 - First Flight in US!

**Bomber_12th** · December 11th, 2009, 17:37

Pretty amazing that the group operating this and another soon-to-be licensed SU-27 have taken all of the lengthy and laborious steps of successfully importing and flying these jets on the civil register. Note how quickly the thing gets in the air!

I typically couldn't care less about modern jet fighters, but this is just too cool...

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=.../0/d4lE6HcBPxw

***OBIO*** · December 11th, 2009, 17:56

Totally cool! I do have a question though....I am not fully knowledgeable about how pilot certifications go...but I know that you have to have certifications for various types of aircraft, such as inline, radial, single, twin. Where the heck does on go to get certification to fly an advanced super-sonic jet fighter? I don't think you can get check rides in SU-27s at your local air strip.

OBIO

**GT182** · December 11th, 2009, 18:08

Thanks for that link John. That was sweet!

OBIO, they have to be checked out in Russia or where it was bought. I don't think the previous owners were checked out in it, so I'm guessing the check-ride was in Russia, or the Russians came to where these guys bought it and gave them the check-ride there.

**Bomber_12th** · December 11th, 2009, 19:02

By the way, here is the company's site:

http://www.prideaircraft.com/flanker.htm

Note that the aircraft are available to buyers with deep enough pockets!

Currently there isn't really information available on who the pilots are - but supposedly such information will be made available in due time. According to a brief blurb however, they are as qualified in the type as one could possibly be. As such, I have a feeling they are from Russian background, but I really haven't a clue.

**Tylerb59** · December 11th, 2009, 19:49

Insane. Unfair.

**Piglet** · December 11th, 2009, 23:31

Back in the '80's who would have ever thought one day a SU-27 would have an U.S. civil register (n-number)!?!
P.S. Always loved the two-seat SU's

**safn1949** · December 13th, 2009, 11:49

Anyone have any idea of the sale price? And just for giggles,the cost per hour to fly and maintain such an aircraft.

**stansdds** · December 13th, 2009, 15:08

Originally Posted by Piglet

Back in the '80's who would have ever thought one day a SU-27 would have an U.S. civil register (n-number)!?!
P.S. Always loved the two-seat SU's

Back in 1955 who would have ever thought one day an F-86 would have a U.S. civil registration?

Back in 1945 who would have ever thought one day a P-51 would have a U.S. civil registration?

It's the dawn of a new age of warbirds.

**Allen** · December 13th, 2009, 15:50

Originally Posted by stansdds

Back in 1945 who would have ever thought one day a P-51 would have a U.S. civil registration?

Any one that knew of one or more of the fallowing.

P-59,P-80,He-162 and Me-262.

**GT182** · December 13th, 2009, 15:59

Same goes for the B-17s, B-29, B-24s, P-61, P-38s, F-4Us, F-4s, T-6s, Hurricanes, Spitfires, Fw-190s. Mig 21s, Mig-23s, L-29s and 39s, and all the rest now with civiliain registrations.

**Trans_23** · December 13th, 2009, 17:54

Originally Posted by safn1949

Anyone have any idea of the sale price? And just for giggles,the cost per hour to fly and maintain such an aircraft.

I don't know how much they bought them for but I read they are still for sale. $ 4,950,000
I read that in the comments section of one of their videos so take it for what it is worth.

**Bomber_12th** · December 13th, 2009, 17:57

Originally Posted by safn1949

Anyone have any idea of the sale price? And just for giggles,the cost per hour to fly and maintain such an aircraft.

I assume it is one of those figures that you can only learn of if you are serious about purchasing one. Like they say about Mustangs and the like - if you have to ask how much it will cost, it is too much.

This is definitely a completely different generation of 'warbird' compared to post WWII. Any civilian pilot, that had the cash, could go out and buy a Mustang in the '50s for about $1,000-$2,000 based on flight time, some even cheaper, and fly it home without any special training or ground school - more/less just handy advice. Then think about the logistics now of operating an SU-27 - not only the cost of buying one, but paying for fuel, for guys to maintain it, the cost of training or the cost of hiring pilots, etc.

Similar to this, there has already been a civilian-owned Harrier jet, operating in the U.S. for the past couple of years - along with museums that are now operating TA-4's, T-2's, and an F-4.

**Piglet** · December 13th, 2009, 20:25

Back in 1945 who would have ever thought one day a P-51 would have a U.S. civil registration?

Not too far out, with a war just ending, and tons of surplus planes...
BUT, having a Me-109 in 1943 on the civil register, a plane from an active enemy.
Back in the '80's we were at "war" with USSR, and thinking to have one their fighter jets on civvie street was way out there.
P.S. Never heard of any P-59's, or He 162's on any civil register.

**Bomber_12th** · December 13th, 2009, 20:39

Not quite there yet, but the Planes of Fame museum happens to be fast approaching the first post-restoration flights of their P-59, which will make it the only flying example.

**Allen** · December 13th, 2009, 23:11

Originally Posted by Piglet

Not too far out, with a war just ending, and tons of surplus planes...
BUT, having a Me-109 in 1943 on the civil register, a plane from an active enemy.
Back in the '80's we were at "war" with USSR, and thinking to have one their fighter jets on civvie street was way out there.
P.S. Never heard of any P-59's, or He 162's on any civil register.

What I was saying. Any one that knew of jet fighters, knew just about every piston engine fighter was going to be surplus or at lest a large number of them would be soon.

**Smashing Time** · December 14th, 2009, 05:23

I'm saving up to buy the Raptor.....

tigisfat · December 14th, 2009, 06:37

Originally Posted by OBIO

Totally cool! I do have a question though....I am not fully knowledgeable about how pilot certifications go...but I know that you have to have certifications for various types of aircraft, such as inline, radial, single, twin. Where the heck does on go to get certification to fly an advanced super-sonic jet fighter? I don't think you can get check rides in SU-27s at your local air strip.

OBIO

OBIO,

Inline and radial are not certifications. There are multi and and single engine ratings, however. Anything that's not powered by a turbine and weighs less than 12,500lbs is covered by a category such as single engine land (SEL). If you recieved your pilot's license in a C172 here in the states, then you are legal to fly any single engined piston aircraft with less than 200hp that weighs less than 12,500 lbs. The standard assortment of trainers found everywhere is what you'll fly.

When it comes to turbine aircraft and/or aircraft that weigh over 12,500lbs, a type rating is required. To be more specific, each individual aircraft in that category requires it's own rating. This SU-27 requires it's own type certificate. If they imported a foreign SU-27 pilot with credentials valid in the US, then thye are just fine. If they found jet pilot with similar experience, such as US multi engined fighter, and successfully completed FAA paperwork granting him a provisional/experimental type rating, then would work to.