I have flown one - for one circuit...
Quick impressions:
Not that noisy from the left seat - certainly not as noisy as the air noise on a 727
A bit pitch/speed unstable on the approach - lots of little pwr adjustments required in stable air
Bloody awful 1000's/100's/10's RPM gauges in center - needles spinning frantically
Hideous blue paint
Large black square box thingy on yoke (rotation pitch limiter? Can't remember it was more than a decade ago and the briefing was quick) obscuring primary flight instruments
Excellent landing gear
Ciggie-smoke stained interior (this was the USSR, after all)
Really, really nice crew.
