Brian Abraham
20th Jul 2006, 12:21
Watching the MIG 29 vid brought to mind an item in the June Aeroplane by John Fricker.
There must have been great expectations of cataclysmic conflagrations in central China on March 17 - 18, if somewhat difficult to see, when according to the Hunan daily, "a team of Russian air force pilots was due to fly Su-27's and Su-30's through the famed Tianmen Cave in Hunan province". This is claimed by the newspaper to be "highest water eroded cave in the world", and local officials were hoping to reap huge profits from tourists through the March spectacle, for which 20,000 tickets were on sale for up to 6,800 yuan ($840!) each. Organisers were said to have already paid 52 million yuan to stage this unique event, including 2.7 million yuan for insurance!
My dictionary says a cave is "a hollow in a cliff or hill, or underground". Except apparently in China, where it can be a rock archway or tunnel some 920ft long and 426ft high, but only 92 to 188ft wide. The Su-27 spans just over 48ft. This was evidently judged a reasonable risk by the cashstrapped Russian air force, although eventually cancelled. However, it illustrates the lengths to which that organisation will apparently go, when it has to resort to circus stunts, as well as selling fighter joyrides to the public.
I wonder if there are any fast jet types out there, with jet to take up where the Ruskies left off. Should be able to make a killing - TV rights etc, etc. Thought you could try a reversal half way through on one run and come out the way you went in. The MIG looked like it may be able to hack it.
Call me and we'll talk percentages.
There must have been great expectations of cataclysmic conflagrations in central China on March 17 - 18, if somewhat difficult to see, when according to the Hunan daily, "a team of Russian air force pilots was due to fly Su-27's and Su-30's through the famed Tianmen Cave in Hunan province". This is claimed by the newspaper to be "highest water eroded cave in the world", and local officials were hoping to reap huge profits from tourists through the March spectacle, for which 20,000 tickets were on sale for up to 6,800 yuan ($840!) each. Organisers were said to have already paid 52 million yuan to stage this unique event, including 2.7 million yuan for insurance!
My dictionary says a cave is "a hollow in a cliff or hill, or underground". Except apparently in China, where it can be a rock archway or tunnel some 920ft long and 426ft high, but only 92 to 188ft wide. The Su-27 spans just over 48ft. This was evidently judged a reasonable risk by the cashstrapped Russian air force, although eventually cancelled. However, it illustrates the lengths to which that organisation will apparently go, when it has to resort to circus stunts, as well as selling fighter joyrides to the public.
I wonder if there are any fast jet types out there, with jet to take up where the Ruskies left off. Should be able to make a killing - TV rights etc, etc. Thought you could try a reversal half way through on one run and come out the way you went in. The MIG looked like it may be able to hack it.
Call me and we'll talk percentages.