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By: - 27th April 2009 at 03:45 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I'm glad the pilot is OK.
In many cases, a crash on takeoff will point back to improper maintenance by the ground crew.
By: - 27th April 2009 at 03:55 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I believe that there was a speed test on the engines that caused a fire which damaged the controls. Apparently when it went for its flight test, the damaged controls caused the crash.
That's what the rumor says, anyway.
I can only hope Sukhoi will release some info on it soon. This supposedly happened either yesterday or two days ago...
By: - 27th April 2009 at 06:55 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
originally maiden flight was scheduled for Friday, then postponed till Monday
flight attempt on Sunday took place because of unnamed hi-ranked comission arriving, according to some reports
earlier it was also reported that Su-35 tapped into heating duct at the end of runway
later, official news reported that Su-35-3 catched fire while low-speed taxi tests at Dzemgi airfield, 16.55 local time (9.55 Moscow time) on Sunday, according to KNAAPO press-attache Vitaly Tyul'kin. after a/c brakes fault, it rolled out off the runway, got left engine fire. pilot Eugeny Frolov has succesfully ejected. aircraft was entirely destroyed. :(
By: - 27th April 2009 at 08:34 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Is it the Su-35-3 or 4? Anyway this will throw back the programme.
By: - 27th April 2009 at 08:34 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
That's extremely unfortunate, though it is greatly heartening to know that the pilot's safe. So it didn't get airborne and was the result of an engine fire, and not a crash of the aircraft in flight? If so, it sounds like there will be some heated words with NPO Saturn.
@MM11; Reports indicate that it was Su-35 '04', the third flying Su-35, but the fourth airframe, with the third airframe being intended for static ground testing.
According to RIA Novosti:
Russian Su-35 fighter jet prototype destroyed during testingKHABAROVSK, April 27 (RIA Novosti) - A prototype of the advanced Su-35 Flanker multi-role fighter plane burst into flames during take-off procedures at a testing ground in Russia's Far East, a spokesman for the Komsomolsk-on-Amur aircraft plant said on Monday.
"The accident occurred at 09.55 Moscow time [05.55 GMT] on Sunday at the Dzemgi airfield during the Su-35 prototype's take-off," Vitaly Tyulkin said, adding that the pilot ejected safely.
"We will announce the details of the accident later in the day," he said.
Sources earlier said the accident could have been caused by a faulty fuel pump.
The aircraft was one of the three prototypes to test the new fighter, which has been billed as "4++ generation using fifth-generation technology."
The Sukhoi aircraft maker said in March that successful flight tests involving two prototypes had confirmed the earlier-announced timeframe for deliveries of the aircraft to Russian and foreign customers in 2011.
The company had planned to add a third prototype to the testing program in the second half of 2009, and to boost the current number of test flights to 150-160.
Su-35 fighter, powered by two 117S engines with thrust vectoring, combines high maneuverability and the capability to effectively engage several air targets simultaneously using both guided and unguided missiles and weapon systems.
The aircraft also features the new Irbis-E radar with a phased antenna array, which allows the pilot to detect and track up to 30 air targets, while simultaneously engaging up to eight targets.
It is equipped with a 30-mm cannon with 150 rounds, and can carry up to eight metric tons of combat payload on 12 external mounts.
Sukhoi plans to export at least 160 Su-35 fighters to several countries including India, Malaysia and Algeria.
By: - 27th April 2009 at 09:23 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I'm glad that Yevgeni Frolov got out OK - I met him at Gelendzhik some years ago - where he autographed my programme.
Very nice bloke.
The Su-35-04 is the one previously reported as going to be 'significantly different' .......
"It differs significantly from the two previous articles: many design changes have been introduced and unique capabilities for control of parameters have been included."
I hope it wasn't any of the 'differences' that caused the problem.....
Ken
By: - 27th April 2009 at 09:43 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Beginning of the Commission to investigate the causes of the accident SU-35
The Commission began an investigation into the causes of the accident airplane Su-35 during tests in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, said on Monday adviser to the director of Public Relations of Komsomolsk-on-Amur aviation production enterprise Vitaly Tyulkin.
"The accident occurred at 16.55 (9.55 Moscow time) on Sunday at the airport" Dzemgi when rulezhke not scamper speed experienced product Su-35 ", - said Tyulkin.According to him, the pilot was not injured, the victims and the devastation there, RIA Novosti.
How to write newspaper opinion, the aircraft collided with a barrier at the end of run, so completely destroyed and burned. . In the last-minute pilot escaped - he was ejected.
By: - 27th April 2009 at 11:19 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Primary throttle blocked, right engine shut down failure after high speed rolling tests. Frolov tried to brake, brakes duly burned out, plane veered out of airstrip centerline, Frolov ejected.
By: - 27th April 2009 at 11:30 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
The Su-35-04 is the one previously reported as going to be 'significantly different' .......
Some reports suggest it had "upgraded 117C engines", if bigwigs arrived to view it- I think it was the 'heavily modified' version, production representative version.
If it's engine/FADEC or FCS related- it's probably going to impact the PAK-FA programme as these are the initial systems for the 5G test programme.
I've met Frolov too, very nice & modest guy, reports are he has burns and "other" injuries- hope he makes a quick & full recovery.
Definitely not good.
By: - 27th April 2009 at 12:40 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Su-35 "04" Images
"It differs significantly from the two previous articles: many design changes have been introduced and unique capabilities for control of parameters have been included."
Best of care and recovery for Yevgeni Frolov!
Any images of the Su-35 "04"?
By: - 27th April 2009 at 13:25 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Some reports suggest it had "upgraded 117C engines", if bigwigs arrived to view it- I think it was the 'heavily modified' version, production representative version.While the static display of 901 and MAKS 2007 had nozzles deflected, I never saw any of this in any of the photographs taken during flight; is it possible that the 'upgraded' 117S they were trialling on 04 was the first one with TVC tied into the FCS? If so, as you say, bad news indeed, it couldn't have been the direct source of the crash.
If it's engine/FADEC or FCS related- it's probably going to impact the PAK-FA programme as these are the initial systems for the 5G test programme.
Any images of the Su-35 "04"?No, this would have been 04's maiden flight and as such no imagery of it was ever released.
By: - 27th April 2009 at 18:36 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20090427/121320589.html
KHABAROVSK, April 27 (RIA Novosti) - A prototype of the advanced Su-35 Flanker multi-role fighter plane burst into flames during take-off procedures at a testing ground in Russia's Far East, a spokesman for the Komsomolsk-on-Amur aircraft plant said on Monday."The accident occurred at 09.55 Moscow time [05.55 GMT] on Sunday at the Dzemgi airfield during the Su-35 prototype's take-off," Vitaly Tyulkin said, adding that the pilot ejected safely.
"We will announce the details of the accident later in the day," he said.
Sources earlier said the accident could have been caused by a faulty fuel pump.
The aircraft was one of the three prototypes to test the new fighter, which has been billed as "4++ generation using fifth-generation technology."
The Sukhoi aircraft maker said in March that successful flight tests involving two prototypes had confirmed the earlier-announced timeframe for deliveries of the aircraft to Russian and foreign customers in 2011.
The company had planned to add a third prototype to the testing program in the second half of 2009, and to boost the current number of test flights to 150-160.
Su-35 fighter, powered by two 117S engines with thrust vectoring, combines high maneuverability and the capability to effectively engage several air targets simultaneously using both guided and unguided missiles and weapon systems.
The aircraft also features the new Irbis-E radar with a phased antenna array, which allows the pilot to detect and track up to 30 air targets, while simultaneously engaging up to eight targets.
It is equipped with a 30-mm cannon with 150 rounds, and can carry up to eight metric tons of combat payload on 12 external mounts.
Sukhoi plans to export at least 160 Su-35 fighters to several countries including India, Malaysia and Algeria.
By: - 27th April 2009 at 19:00 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Sukhoi plans to export at least 160 Su-35 fighters to several countries including India, Malaysia and Algeria.
I would love 100 or so SU 35s as additional purchases apart from the MRCA :). That would give nice squadron strength. 300+ Flankers + 200 + MRCA
By: - 27th April 2009 at 19:10 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
"It happened during the take-off......"
now, it all makes sense. :eek:
Anyway, best wishes to Zhenya!
By: - 27th April 2009 at 19:21 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
While the static display of 901 and MAKS 2007 had nozzles deflected, I never saw any of this in any of the photographs taken during flight; is it possible that the 'upgraded' 117S they were trialling on 04 was the first one with TVC tied into the FCS?
No. '902' had fully functioning TVC:
Official Sukhoi website offers some more crash details:).
(Summary)
The aircraft left the runway during high-speed taxi trials.....
E.Frolov ejected and was uninjured....a specialised commission will investigate the cause.... the schedule of the Su-35 flight test programme remains unchanged (i.e. will be conferred on the 2 remaining flying examples
Nevertheless, expect a production standard example to be built (again).
By: - 27th April 2009 at 22:43 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Russia’s Military Aerospace Industry Suffers Another Crash
A prototype of the Sukhoi Su-35 Super Flanker exploded during take-off at the Komsomolosk-na-Amure Aviation Production Association’s (KNAAPO) Dzemgi flight test aerodrome on 26 April. Spokesmen for KNAAPO told Russia’s Novosti news service that the fighter caught on fire and burst into flames during this test of the aircraft’s take-off regime at 0955 hours Moscow time (1755 hours in Komsomolsk).
In the cockpit was Yevgeniy Frolov, one Sukhoi’s most experienced pilots who has been with the Su-27 program since its inception in the 1980s. He managed to eject safely before the aircraft exploded. “The aircraft was engulfed in flames while it was still on the ground,” said a Su-35 programme spokesman. “Frolov did not even have time to get the aircraft in the air.”
Su-35 programme representatives told THE WEEKLY STANDARD that the crash was the fault of one of the NPO Saturn 117S engine’s PMC units and not a failure of a fuel pump, as had been previously reported. “One of the engine’s control systems failed and the engine was working at only 93 per cent power,” said the representative.
This crash comes at a bad time for Russia’s military aircraft industry, which has had strong export sales for almost two decades but has seen those orders fall off as of late. Also, the poor performance of Russian air forces in the August 2008 incursion into two separatist provinces of the neighboring nation (and former Soviet Republic) of Georgia has raised questions about the current state of Russian defense aerospace technology vis-à-vis Western weapon systems.
Su-35 program managers state that the loss of this aircraft and its equipment are “regrettable,” but that “this is small compared to the cost represented by the recent loss of a [Lockheed Martin] F-22, which costs almost US $400 million.” One of the many costly on-board systems lost in this explosion was only the second flying, operationa model of the NIIP Irbis-E radar set, the most advanced to date for any Sukhoi fighter aircraft
The Super Flanker had been a contender in the Força Aérea Brasileira (Brazilian Air Force or FAB) fighter competition here in Brazil, but was dropped in favor of contenders from Europe -- the French Dassault Rafale and Sweden’s Saab JAS-39 Gripen -- and the U.S. Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. Sukhoi had projected as many at 160 Su-35 sales as possible follow-on orders to existing Su-27 and Su-30MK fighter model customers like India and China, but these and other smaller-scale customers have yet to commit to the program.
Russia’s defense industry has been hit by rising labour costs that make the price tags for weapon systems as high as their Western counterparts, eroding one of their chief advantages. Other Russian defense firms have been hard hit by the international financial crisis and the lack of credit available from Russian financial institutions, which in turn cuts off the delivery of components and other critical materials from suppliers. This has had Rosoboronexport, the Russia arms export agency, stating that some export orders may not be filled on time this year.
The plan for this Su-35 prototype was for it to be put through its initial paces at KNAAPO and then flown in a demonstration flight in time for the traditional Communist (but still celebrated in the New Russia) May Day holidays this coming weekend. How much of damper this will be on the holiday plans of Russia’s defense industry officialdom -- and how much of set back this loss is for the Su-35 program -- remains to be seen.
Posted by Reuben F. Johnson on April 27, 2009 03:25 PM
source:www.weeklystandard.com
By: - 27th April 2009 at 23:05 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Russia’s Military Aerospace Industry Suffers Another Crash
Posted by Reuben F. Johnson on April 27, 2009 03:25 PM
Oh God, another Reuben Johnson report (tm). Take any paragraph, you'll find a mistake...
1. As I've said previously, and it is officially confirmed now, the accident didn't happen on take off, but on high speed run trials.
2. The Su didn't "explode", no matter what the fetish fantasies of Johnson are, it veered off the runway and hit an obstacle/ruptured its tanks and burned.
3. The Su was one of the contenders in Brazil, and was not "retired" to please France, the US, China or India, but because Brazil wanted to change the specs of the bid. Sukhoi is currently presenting a second bid. Imho they will fail, but it doesn't say anything about the programme.
4. All the part about the engine is either plain wrong or misinformed. The glitch was not that the engine was working "only" at 93% (strange way to put it actually, even for Reuben), but that the power was that high! Again, it was not a take-off trial. As I've told, FADEC and engine controls failed, right engine went to FMP, Frolov tried everything to stop the beast going astray, burnt its brakes in the process, ejected, the aircraft burnt out to more or less 50%.
5. Sukhoi was indeed planning to present it to some high officials, but it was not connected with "Communist May Day holidays" (wtf? - May the 1st is a holiday in quite a few very capitalist countries, and for a good reason) or (rather) the V-Day parade.
6. The aircraft was fully covered by insurance, btw, so Sukhoi won't lose any money actually. It's a setback, sure, but imho it won't affect the programme terribly. The next proto is already almost complete.
Epic fail, once again.
By: - 27th April 2009 at 23:26 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
This just shows what is the type of propaganda that western readers are subject to. It also shows how little the writer know about the reasons behind "Communist May Day holidays". And after reading few articles, the site for me is weekly standard for rubbish.
By: - 28th April 2009 at 00:18 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
well weeklystandard is a republican leaning magazine, although the overall message is viable despite being wrong on technicalities.
anyways where''s them crash pics!
By: - 28th April 2009 at 00:36 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
That's the Weekly Standard for you. Light on facts, heavy on rhetoric.
Posts: 202
By: CayceG - 27th April 2009 at 03:29
I'm sure this has made its rounds already but it seems as if the 4th prototype for the Su-35 has crashed at Dzemgi AFB at Komsomolsk-na-Amure.
From what I read, Yevgeni Frolov was the test pilot but he ejected and is fine.
More info as it comes in.