Soviet Airplanes

[KickMcCann]

I have my pilot's license and work at a medium-sized airport. The other day someone flew in on a soviet-built trainer called a Yak-52. Anyway I had to refuel him and got into a conversation about the plane. Apparently, the leaders of the military were afraid that student pilots might try to defect when they were allowed to fly by themselves for the first time (solo). So they had all the airplane design companies build their aircraft with very small fuel tanks, giving the aircraft a range of about 300 miles. They also did all their primary training east of the Ural Mountains around Siberia; that would insure that they were too far away to reach a western border.
Just thought that was interesting.

[Menshevik]

That is quite interesting. How did this pilot get hold of a yak?

[KickMcCann]

It's actually very very easy. The Soviet Union and it's satellites had a policy of destroying their aircraft after 500 hours of flight time, this allowed production of aircraft continue, even though the airplanes are capable of running for 1000's of hours, maybe in the 10,000's of hours.
Well, when the USSR and warsaw pact collapsed, the airforces and aircraft manufacturers had all these aircraft schedueled for destruction. but without the economy, most of these people were broke and needed income. But now they had access to the world market, and in places like North America, Europe, and Austrialia, there are a lot of pilots and a high demand for cool aircraft. Once they figured it out, they started putting all the aircraft meant for destruction on the market, and they were cheap, and are still cheap.
For instance you can buy a Soviet-built MiG-15 jet fighter for about $30,000 US dollars. Getting it to your country, learning how to fly it, and keeping it maintained will of course be expensive, but it is do able.
Plus, there are companies emerging that will ship it to your country, fix it up and train you in it for a couple thousand dollars.

Here's an example:

MiG 21


http://www.aso.com/i.aso/AdView.jsp?aircraft_id=60731

or a L-39?


http://www.aso.com/i.aso/AdView.jsp?aircraft_id=64546

[Menshevik]

Sweet, Im getting me one of those.

[anarhosocijalist]

These are still quite powerfull aircrafts, so I think you ll have some trouble.

[KickMcCann]

anarhosocijalist:

actually, its pretty easy. But the paperwork for the government is kinda tricky. First the ATF has to inspect it to make sure you haven't strapped on some working guns and missles to the plane, you also have to sign a document in which you swear not to sell the fighter jet to another country or a militant organization. So no donating the plane to Iraq, Cuba, the KKK, or Al Queda. You also have to get a release that says you can fly a plane the goes Mach 2 in US airspace. They wouldn't like you to go up to 30,000 feet and do loops around airliners. And no going supersonic in US airspace without clearance from the government. They had to make that rule because pilots would buzz their neighborhoods going supersonic, and the other people didn't like having all their windows shattered by the sonic booms.
But as long as you have the money, you cna have a MiG.

[death b4 dishonour]

so... $30000 USD for a mig-15... but how much for the companies that you mentioned... and where are they located.?

[cajco]

do you know how could i get an old ussr-army uniform or any accessories of it?
btw. anarhosocijalist where are you from?

[timbaly]

I don't know all that much about planes but aren't Yak-52's old planes. If they scraped them after 500 hrs. how could a Yak still be in existence to buy in the 90s. Plus if it was wouldn't they be a lot of money since only a few were probaly in existence.

[Som]

$30,000? damn, thats great, sure you didn't mean to add an extra 0?

Also i'd think the fuel and maintenance costs would be incredibly high, with aging of the plane and the jet fuel and all.

Cool stuff, I really like that L-39