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| Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
| Footage of the first successful belly landing of a Su-34 has emerged |
| 2025-03-23 |
| Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. Don't we foam the runway in cases like this? The only landing like this I've ever seen was a B-52 at Cam Ranh in '68 or '69.. [Regnum] For the first time, the Su-34 crew was able to successfully land the Russian fighter-bomber "on its belly." Footage of the landing on March 22 is published by Telegram channels. According to the Aviahub channel, this is the first time a fighter jet has landed without releasing its nose gear. “The plane ended up being completely intact, glory to Russian steelworkers!” the publication says. The war correspondents' channel "Russian Spring" also added that due to a malfunction, the landing gear could not be released, and the pilots decided to land the Su-34 like this. It is noted that the crew shot off the cockpit canopy on the navigator's side while still in the air in order to leave the plane, despite the stand blocking the exit. As reported by the Regnum news agency, on January 13, the Su-34 used the Kinzhal hypersonic air-to-air missile system for the first time in combat conditions during the SVO. The operation under the command of Honored Test Pilot of the Russian Federation, Hero of Russia Colonel Maxim Stefanov was successful. In December last year, the United Aircraft Corporation transferred new batches of Su-57 fighters and Su-34 frontline bombers to the Russian Defense Ministry. Rostec CEO Sergei Chemezov noted that the state corporation's aircraft manufacturing enterprises are rhythmically supplying the Russian Armed Forces with aircraft equipment. Related from regnum.ru Jet crashes during South African air show [Regnum] A jet plane crashed during the West Coast Air Show in South Africa. This was reported on March 22 by CapeTownETC. The plane crash occurred at Saldanha airfield. During a demonstration, the pilot of the Impala Mark I made several turns in the air, after which the aircraft lost control and crashed to the ground. It is noted that the pilot did not have time to eject and died. Spectators were not injured. As reported by the Regnum news agency, in August 2024, a Fouga Magister collectible plane crashed during an air show in the south of France. The aircraft, used by the French Air Force from 1964 to 1980, crashed into the sea off the coast of Lavandou in the Var department. The pilot was unable to leave the plane because it was not equipped with an ejection seat. In June, two planes from the Yakstars aerial acrobatics team collided at an air show in Portugal, killing one person and injuring another. |
| Posted by:badanov |
| #3 A good landing is one you can walk away from. A great landing is one where you can use the plane again afterwards. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2025-03-23 10:52 |
| #2 Su-27 belly landing, 1997 (YT, landing c. 8 minutes in) Vaguely recall being able to successfully land (and maybe trap on Kuznetsov?) inverted in some version of Flanker sim. People doing tye powerline slalom in 4k now, I guess, and waving at little green men. |
| Posted by: Pancho Poodle8452 2025-03-23 09:20 |
| #1 Uhh, bellying in is not considered "success". Neither is ejecting. You're supposed to bring the aircraft back is the same condition as when it left. |
| Posted by: ed in texas 2025-03-23 08:40 |