The Sukhois By Hubie Tolson IAC 18900 I've owned a Sukhoi SU-26MX for approximately six years, flying it a total of around 500 hours. Prior to the Sukhoi, I owned several Pitts models, Decathlons, and Citabrias. I've been involved. in aerobatics for 23 years. The Sukhois, all somewhat different, are incredible airplanes. Structurally, you have to hit the ground to break anything. They are absolutely bulletproof from nose to tail. There are no weak links in my experience. The M-14 is the best engine I've ever flown behind. Mine shows little or no sign of age at 500 hours of continuous full-power operation, with loads of gyroscopics. Inspections are routine on engine and airframe each year--no surprises. The aircraft is very comfortable, traveling or pulling G's. The four-hour fuel range is quite nice also -- they are surprisingly fast cross-country planes. Cosmetically, some are better than others. The earlier ones were certainly not finished like an Extra -- not even close. However, most experienced owners seem to develop a different cosmetic mentality than owners of the "prettier" planes. It's sort of a brute force tool to use for flogging and winning and not a plane for the constant polisher. I used to wipe and rub---so do most new owners. Now I just clean the windshield when I can't see clearly anymore. Getting parts is simply not an issue. For years, I collected Sukhoi parts, thinking that I'd be left high and dry just before a big contest. Wrong. Never used them. One fuel pump, two tac generators, brake pads, fires and plugs. That's it for parts used in six years. Experienced mechanics are also not a problem. I once blew the canopy off in a moment of stupidity. It skipped 200 feet across a paved ramp. It was undamaged. I have heard of another pilot who accidentally blew the canopy off in flight and it was found undamaged as well. Flight characteristics are unsurprising, and there is no dark side. The airplane will fly out of a fully developed flat spin (upright or inverted) with simply full power and opposite rudder. The nose never falls. The aircraft is very capable-the edge of the aircraft's limits never seems near. With all the previous aircraft I've owned, the aircraft limitations came very quickly, and very soon, I wanted more horsepower, more roll rate, more anything. In 500 or more hours in the 26, I've never had the concern, nor the desire, for anything else (At least until I flew a 400 hp SU-31 last week!). It's not that you need any more, not even close. It's just that more is now available. With the M-14, a geared, supercharged 360 lip engine -- turning high engine rpm's and low prop rpm's -- the gyroscopics are wonderful. They are less predictable than some other monoplanes, and for that reason, I don't do tumbles at marginal altitudes. However, the aircraft looks quite large in flight, and presents very well at surprisingly high altitudes. Snaps are the best -- in and out. A bit of coaching from those, like Sergei Boriak, who know the plane inside and out, will lead to snaps that absolutely explode. I believe that these are the best snapping airplanes in existence. Also, such coaching reduces the time required to learn to fly the aircraft well by more than 50% -- possibly much more. It is simply a must in my opinion. Aileron setup must be addressed to meet the needs of each owner. These aircraft come from the factory set up for who knows what! I believe this issue has caused many lost sales for the Russians in the past. Spade and aileron adjustment can be made to meet anyone's needs, and the potential purchaser should fly more than one to see the differences in the roll tendencies, stick feel, resistance, centering, etc. Matt Morrissey shares this opinion, I believe, and is very attuned to making the plane fit the user's needs. The 26 and the 31 are similar, but the differences are clear. In the 31, the cockpit is wider, access to the innards is somewhat better, and weight and balance (and therefore snap characteristic and technique) is changed. The PF 400+ hp engine is obviously more powerful. One should expect constant "short before, long after" judges comments, because the vertical is almost ridiculously long. The Russians have begun to address the dribbling tendency of the Sukhois. Oil flow valves and visual prop position markers prohibit the potential of oil pooling in the lower cylinders and on the hanger floor. These are great additions. However, the Sukhoi is simply a messier airplane than the Lycoming powered planes. If that turns you off, you shouldn't own one. Once again, it's a matter of polishing or flying in my opinion. The Russians leave them outside year around and don't seem to worry about the nicks, scratches and dribbles, and they appear to be flying pretty well. Many have converted to B&C alternators, American plugs, etc. It's a user's choice issue, and really doesn't change the capability of the plane much in my opinion. The Russian two-blade props are as smooth as the MT's in my experience. The two-blade gives a slightly higher top speed than the MT, but falls short in low speed thrust. I started with a two-blade and progressed to the MT a year later. The two-blade is fine while you're learning because the plane is so far ahead of you anyway, until you gain some experience. The 29 is a most capable two-place airplane. It has clearly heavier control feel than the single place models, but is capable of winning at any level as there is little overall weight difference. The rear cockpit of the 29 is larger than the cockpit of the 26, and about the same as the 31. Adding a large baggage compartment to the turtledeck of any model is very simple. One advantage of the Sukhoi for the more serious competitor is the worldwide availability of the aircraft. An experienced 26 driver can quickly acclimate to another 26, a 29 or a 31. Most owners are happy to share their planes with other owners. This could make the European Nationals, and other events very affordable to the competitor who desires to fly outside the US. Reprinted Courtesy of author Hubie Tolson

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SUKHOI 101

By Gerry Molidor IAC 14825
Ever since the Sukhoi aerobatic aircraft made its appearance at Oshkosh in 1990 and a week later at the IAC Championships in Fond du Lac, I've had a fantasy of owning one of these beastly machines.
I have never known an airplane that emits the sensation or illusion of energy more than a Sukhoi, especially with a Russian Team pilot at the controls.
There is something about the sound, size, movement combination of this airplane that makes its presence different, much different. The fact that it comes from Russia adds to the overall mystic perception.
I had my first opportunity to fly an SU-26 down at Pompano Air Center in 1994. After one flight, I concluded it to be the most exciting airplane I had ever flown. It had a personality that was very foreign, not in a bad way, but in a very beastly way for sure.
I remember Brian Becker telling me, "When you get ready to do acro, push the throttle and prop controls full forward, maximum, and notice the personality of this thing change." He wasn't kidding! The sound and feeling of the airplane gave the impression of a pissed off grizzly bear, except very tamable and nimble with a correct movement of the controls.
Almost four years to the day, I had my second flight in the SU-26M and this time it was my own airplane. I bought it from the Aero Club of Russia with the help of Richard Goode of England. It was used by the Russian National Team from 1990 to 1991 and then put back into storage awaiting to be assigned to one of the country's aero clubs for general use. It never left storage and I was able to purchase the airplane with only 91.5 hours and 222 cycles on the airframe.
Of the 60 26's produced, this was one of the lowest time 26's left. The Russians performed the Lifetime Extension Inspection, replaced all the time-limited items, like hoses, gaskets, brakes and fires.
We had them hang a brand new M-14P engine on the front and traded the Russian two-blade propeller in on a new MYV-9, three-blade prop. The diameter of the white MTV-9 prop is a little over 8.5 feet and it looks awesomely huge.
After traveling via truck from Moscow to St. Petersburg, by ship from St. Petersburg to Bremerhaven, West Germany, then a U.S. bound ship from Bremerhaven to Baltimore, and finally by truck to Winchester, Virginia, my airplane was unpacked out of the 46-foot shipping container by August last year.
Assembly, annual, and certification took until the middle of October. As soon as I could, I ferried the airplane to St. Louis where it underwent a complete restoration, with the most unbelievable Bud Light paint scheme featuring the new Bud Light container graphics.
The paint job was done by JetCorp located at the Spirit of St. Louis airport. The JetCorp man behind the airbrush, Jay MacCardle, is known for painting the 4-wheel drive monster truck Big Foot. JetCorp also did the radio installation and Allied Signal supplied the avionics.
Needless to say, this airplane is without a doubt one of the prettiest 26M's in the world and thank you Anheuser-Busch, especially my good friend Carl Henke, Director of Flight Operations, for your help in making this project happen!
The refurbishment was completed by Easter Weekend and it was off to Florida on Easter Sunday for training with Sergei Boriak. Ironically, Sergei flew this airplane several times while he was a member of the Russian National Team as with several other very famous Russian pilots.
I was immediately in absolute awe and with respect with the power of the flight controls on this airplane. There is very little centering feeling to the stick and the pitch forces on the stick are almost as light with 10 G's as they are with 1 G, not in an adverse way, but in a way different to what I'm used to.
The rudder is extremely light and smooth as well. Like most unlimited aerobatic airplanes, it requires constant guidance, which becomes natural very quickly. I liken it to attaching the rudder cables to your brain.
Sergei told me, "Gerry, this airplane is designed to need a pilot!" My only regret is that I didn't get into this kind of airplane sooner, because I would have fewer bad habits to unlearn. The handling of the airplane for takeoff and landing is without a doubt the easiest of all tailwheel airplanes I've ever flown.
Directional wise, I think a person with no tail wheel time at all could handle this airplane with no problem. Even in strong cross winds, the locking tail wheel keeps the airplane tracking unbelievably straight with very little effort.
The Sukhoi has a favorable amount of tow out designed into the main gear, which helps dampen out unwanted, sudden turning tendencies. This, coupled with the locking tail wheel and the long moment arm to the tail, makes for a very well behaving machine on the ground.
The SU-26M is a neutrally designed airplane. It is balanced properly and doesn't need pitch trim and that's why it doesn't have a trim control in the airplane. No matter how fast or how slow you go, the stick feeling is the same.
The ailerons are refreshingly sensitive and coming from the Pitts S-2B, I had to unlearn the over center and back technique of getting a crisp stops to rolls.
Unlike the biplane, which has the weight of the I-strut adding to the wing's inertia, the Sukhoi has relatively no wing inertia. The rate at which you take aileron input out predicates the abruptness of the stop of roll.
However, if you over-shoot, you'll bobble the stop. I was a "Mr. Bobbles" for a while, but things are settling down for me now as I learn to relax and be more precise with the stick. G wise, I have never flown an airplane that is easier to pull high amounts of G force without the symptoms typically associated with high G.
Assuming a normal energy state, nine to ten G's seems to be a routinely efficient number for going vertical. With the reclined seating position this feels the same as 6 G's in the Pitts.
I am having a bit of a transition with not so much the reclining tilt of the seat, but the way the harness holds you in this airplane. Your torso does NOT move -- only your legs, arms, and neck. It's a very secure feeling, but you have to learn not to fight it.
My first several flights would leave me absolutely worn out, not because I was flying hard, but because I was fighting the straps. I've always used a certain amount of body english in the past when flying and this is not possible with this seating arrangement. Again, the key words here for me are, relax and fly the plane. It works!
A very noticeable characteristic of the Sukhoi is the speed range it was designed to work in. As you know, speed is not an asset when trying to remain in 1,000 meter cube. It is, however, for vertical performance in most airplanes.
The Sukhoi was designed not to be overly fast, but to have great vertical performance even from medium range speeds. But as amazing to me is the ability of the airplane to remain on the down line without exceeding limits. It will accelerate right up to a medium speed quickly, but then additional acceleration comes at a slower rate. This design characteristic results in a very "in control feeling" allowing you ample time for figure placement without rushing.
Going up is the same. The time in line rather than the vertical penetration is what they seemed to have been trying to achieve in the design and quite successfully, I might add.
Spin characteristics are very docile, however the auto rotation characteristics can be influenced greatly by the very powerful controls much more so than other airplanes I've flown up until now. This is true with both the ailerons and the elevator. Even though the ailerons are at least double the power of what I'm used to, it's the power of the elevator to pull or push the airplane very deeply into stall that's impressive.
I have been spending a lot of time exploring the effect of different control inputs during auto rotation to learn the sights, sounds, and feelings of this airplane. It is truly an amazing combination of engineering! The airplane reacts immediately to the correct inputs or the Gene Beggs Emergency Recovery Technique also seems to work well for what I've tried so far.
The airplane also gives you a little bit of feedback through the control stick, which at first I found peculiar. Sergei tells me in time I will learn how to read this feedback, enabling me to more passionately fly the airplane. I understand what he's trying to tell me, but after two months of training, I have only been able to expect it.
Phil Knight once told me that the pilot who masters the flick (snap roll) better than anyone else will be the dominate competition field. When looking at the U.S. Unlimited Team, every member seems to possess the proverbial trait of "Magic Feet."
I am still working hard to find consistency in flicks and it's not the airplane's fault. It's the culmination of years of bad habits and my past success at masking them. The transformation of incorrect to correct technique is taking some time, but this airplane rewards you handsomely when you get it anywhere close to the correct inputs.
When the inputs are optimized, flicks are absolutely explosive! There is agreement amongst my aviation buddies that there are very few airplanes out there that arouse a certain sense of exhilaration and excitement. The Sukhoi is definitely one of those airplanes and I'm beginning to love it more with every flight. It truly is a magnificent airplane that has only one limit and that is the pilot.
With this airplane, you have an infinite amount of exploration and depth to mature as an aerobatic pilot. It is an industrial grade unlimited aerobatic airplane designed to take the beating of this kind of flying and it seems to eager to do it. The airplane just doesn't appear to wear at all.
It's also very comfortable to me to have former Advanced Team member and buddy Matt Morrissey, sitting on the biggest inventory of Sukhoi parts outside of Moscow just down the road in Kansas City. Getting parts is easier than ever. I just wish everybody could fly this airplane one time to share the experience.

Gerry Molidor is a former U.S. Advanced Champion who is this year moving to the Unlimited category.

Reprinted Courtesy of authorGerry Volidor