Airman Bails Out

Airman Bails Out

Yesterday, 23 December 2001, over the Moscow River flood plain during the test flight of a fighter - by all appearances it was an Su-30MKI, export variant, which the Sukhoy firm is developing for India - there was a bail out by the test pilot.

Being left without control, the airplane headed in the direction of Bronnitsy. Eyewitnesses to the event confirm that before the airman abandoned the airplane, there was an explosion, a flash and a great puff of smoke in the vicinity of the cockpit.

As they explained to ZhukInform at the Flight Test Institute, the ejection of the airman is not connected with an emergency situation. It was a planned test of the airman`s emergency rescue system. Before the ejection of the seat there is always an explosion of the charge located beneath the ejection seat and a puff of smoke.

Source: 24.12.01, ZhukCity.RU

Translated by Roy Cochrun /http://www.toad.net/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/royfc/today/acft_news.html/

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