MIG 25 flights

[nutcase]

I'm looking at doing one of the MIG 25 trips to Russia- I've googled it and there are quite a few different operators offering the flights, just wondered whether anyone on here has done this before or knows anyone who has?

General 'avoid xyz' or 'soandso were excellent'- type advise needed!

Ta muchly.

[mybrainhurts]

Aren't we talking tens of $000s here?

You need a big sickbag, get one from Jeremy Clarkson...

Somebody said eat only bananas first....they taste the same coming up as going down.

[mybrainhurts]

I think you need to avoid Mad Dog Boris Python's Flying Circusssss.....

[Fort Jefferson]

www.redletterdays.co.uk/Experience/Ref/WWTOQ


£10.000

[mybrainhurts]

Thought they'd gone bust...

[loach]

nutcase said:

I'm looking at doing one of the MIG 25 trips to Russia- I've googled it and there are quite a few different operators offering the flights, just wondered whether anyone on here has done this before or knows anyone who has?

General 'avoid xyz' or 'soandso were excellent'- type advise needed!

Ta muchly.

PM Gulliver911. He's gone to Russia to fly L39s with an operation that also runs MiG 25s/23s/21s etc

[maxf]

Now this looks like something I need to do before I die: www.redletterdays.co.uk/Experience/Ref/WWTOP

Hopefully I have a good few years to save up

[vette_1978]

I've looked at this a few times as the idea of a MIG flight is something quite special...although I'd go for the Lightning at Thunder City in South Africa for about the same price.

[Road_Terrorist]

vette_1978 said:

I've looked at this a few times as the idea of a MIG flight is something quite special...although I'd go for the Lightning at Thunder City in South Africa for about the same price.

I'd shop around, with the MiG flights from what I can tell there are actually only one or maybe two places in Russia (based at Zhukovsky) offering flights, but many companies are reselling them (basically like glorified travel agents), so price and service can vary quite a bit from place to place, it's all a bit murky trying to find out who is the best/cheapest. Thundercity seems to do it all themselves, so at least you know what you are getting there. There are other places in the US which sometimes offer 'mig' flights as well, but these are often just L-39s or similar. Thundercity being more or less run by expat brits is also likely to be a 'safer' option in that you are not wading into the strangeness of Russian culture and shady dealings as well (OTOH that's part of the attraction for some )

From the accounts I've read the MiG-25/31 flights are nothing special in a kick in the pants adrenaline rush sort of way, they are big fat lazy aircraft, the Veyron of the aeronautical world, big, fast and heavy. You wont feel any savage acceleration that you might expect or even much sense of speed because it's so high, and the rear cockpit doesn't exactly have the best view in the world, but at 80Kft the view is still pretty amazing and for sheer bragging rights nothing short of space travel will get you as high or as fast.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeu-EP1XC-0

The MiG-29 is the one to go for if you are more after sheer fun, good view out, massive acceleration and it can really be thrown around the sky doing tailslides and all kinds of crazy stuff, you might be sick or passed out a lot though, but it's all part of the fun.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg7chWkEAak

The L-39 is the advanced jet trainer and not too bad a ride, but it's not really the same as saying you went in a jet fighter as opposed to a 'mere' trainer, it's like taking a Boxster compared to a GT3, both competant vehicles but really you know you'd rather shell out the extra to give the GT3 a good thrashing. Although quite a few people seem to do the L-39 first then do the MiG-29 or 25/31 later, often scheduling the L-39 aerobatics one day and fighter flight the next day. I guess if you can drop enough wedge for a MiG flight the L-39 cost isn't much extra to add in. With the the L-39 being a training aircraft they do let you get more hands on flying time though, if that's what you were after.
www.patricksaviation.com/videos/Guest/488/

As far as Thunder City goes:

The Lightning is most expensive and probably shortest flight, but it's rather like having a rocket stuck up your rear end, for sheer acceleration and rate of climb there is nothing much like it that you can buy a flight on. If the MiG-25 is the Veyron of the air this is the McLaren F1 .

The Buccaneer is subsonic but very fast at low level and from what I hear they do some very low level runs in this aircraft so it would feel very fast, if you want to experience some low flying, beating up the african countryside this is probably the one to go for.

The Hunter isn't all that fast compared to the others but is a joy to fly and throw around the sky, probably not massively different to the L-39 but a bit more kudos with it being an actual fighter and a classic to boot. I believe it's the cheapest of the Thunder city aircraft as well and you probably get more stick time with it being the most docile of the three to fly.

This is the closest I could find to a thundercity video, might want to mute the sound
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGI-7Wc6Nkg

theres a couple of small ones on their website as well
www.thundercity.com/

[FourWheelDrift]

Mig-25 to 80,000ft and Mach 2.4 experience - Photos here - www.simonward.com/cgi-bin/page.pl?adventures/flying/mig25,1,

[nutcase]

Cheers guys, I'd not checked whether anyone had replied to this- very useful info as always!

I knew it wasn't going to be a cheap trip but worth every penny I reckon. I was gutted never to have been on Concorde, but there's obviously still ways to travel supersonic...

[bleesh]

This is the company that ACTUALLY does the flights...

www.flymig.com/

And here are the prices - all in US dollars - so getting to be a bargain..

www.flymig.com/packages/

Still considering it myself for next year - Mig 29

Steve

[eharding]

bleesh said:

This is the company that ACTUALLY does the flights...

www.flymig.com/

And here are the prices - all in US dollars - so getting to be a bargain..

www.flymig.com/packages/

Still considering it myself for next year - Mig 29

Steve

Scrolling down, and seeing what they're billing for Yak-18T and Yak-52 time...at Russian avgas prices...the margin does appear to be quite cheeky - no idea about the fast jets though - margins are probably dictated by which General has to be bribed...

[sadoksevoli]

eharding said:

bleesh said:

This is the company that ACTUALLY does the flights...

www.flymig.com/

And here are the prices - all in US dollars - so getting to be a bargain..

www.flymig.com/packages/

Still considering it myself for next year - Mig 29

Steve

Scrolling down, and seeing what they're billing for Yak-18T and Yak-52 time...at Russian avgas prices...the margin does appear to be quite cheeky - no idea about the fast jets though - margins are probably dictated by which General has to be bribed...

And maybe employing sober, competent mechanics and buying spare parts from Irkutsk.

[Gulliver911]

loach said:

nutcase said:

I'm looking at doing one of the MIG 25 trips to Russia- I've googled it and there are quite a few different operators offering the flights, just wondered whether anyone on here has done this before or knows anyone who has?

General 'avoid xyz' or 'soandso were excellent'- type advise needed!

Ta muchly.

PM Gulliver911. He's gone to Russia to fly L39s with an operation that also runs MiG 25s/23s/21s etc

That's right, check my profile !!

[incredible]

sadoksevoli said:

eharding said:

bleesh said:

This is the company that ACTUALLY does the flights...

http://www.flymig.com/

And here are the prices - all in US dollars - so getting to be a bargain..

http://www.flymig.com/packages/

Still considering it myself for next year - Mig 29

Steve

Scrolling down, and seeing what they're billing for Yak-18T and Yak-52 time...at Russian avgas prices...the margin does appear to be quite cheeky - no idea about the fast jets though - margins are probably dictated by which General has to be bribed...

And maybe employing sober, competent mechanics and buying spare parts from Irkutsk.

Do not send money to FlyMiG. Their website says they've arranged over 40 flights at Zhukovsky Air Base in 2007, but the base stopped allowing civilian flights in 2005. For verification, you can check with the American Embassy in Russia. Also avoid Atlas Aerospace, a Russian company advertising flights. They list an office address that doesn't exist and have stolen money from many people. A Russian collection agency is hunting them down. The only non-Russian company currently authorized to provide flights is Incredible Adventures http://www.incredible-adventures.com
The flights take place at the Sokol Aircraft Building Plant in Nizhny Novgorod. The jets available are the MiG-29 and MiG-31. The company has been offering MiG flights in Russia since 1993 and will let you talk to references.

[becca_viola]

incredible said:

sadoksevoli said:

eharding said:

bleesh said:

This is the company that ACTUALLY does the flights...

http://www.flymig.com/

And here are the prices - all in US dollars - so getting to be a bargain..

http://www.flymig.com/packages/

Still considering it myself for next year - Mig 29

Steve

Scrolling down, and seeing what they're billing for Yak-18T and Yak-52 time...at Russian avgas prices...the margin does appear to be quite cheeky - no idea about the fast jets though - margins are probably dictated by which General has to be bribed...

And maybe employing sober, competent mechanics and buying spare parts from Irkutsk.

Do not send money to FlyMiG. Their website says they've arranged over 40 flights at Zhukovsky Air Base in 2007, but the base stopped allowing civilian flights in 2005. For verification, you can check with the American Embassy in Russia. Also avoid Atlas Aerospace, a Russian company advertising flights. They list an office address that doesn't exist and have stolen money from many people. A Russian collection agency is hunting them down. The only non-Russian company currently authorized to provide flights is Incredible Adventures http://www.incredible-adventures.com
The flights take place at the Sokol Aircraft Building Plant in Nizhny Novgorod. The jets available are the MiG-29 and MiG-31. The company has been offering MiG flights in Russia since 1993 and will let you talk to references.

Gosh, what a coincidence of a first post...

[eyebeebe]

becca_viola said:

incredible said:

sadoksevoli said:

eharding said:

bleesh said:

This is the company that ACTUALLY does the flights...

http://www.flymig.com/

And here are the prices - all in US dollars - so getting to be a bargain..

http://www.flymig.com/packages/

Still considering it myself for next year - Mig 29

Steve

Scrolling down, and seeing what they're billing for Yak-18T and Yak-52 time...at Russian avgas prices...the margin does appear to be quite cheeky - no idea about the fast jets though - margins are probably dictated by which General has to be bribed...

And maybe employing sober, competent mechanics and buying spare parts from Irkutsk.

Do not send money to FlyMiG. Their website says they've arranged over 40 flights at Zhukovsky Air Base in 2007, but the base stopped allowing civilian flights in 2005. For verification, you can check with the American Embassy in Russia. Also avoid Atlas Aerospace, a Russian company advertising flights. They list an office address that doesn't exist and have stolen money from many people. A Russian collection agency is hunting them down. The only non-Russian company currently authorized to provide flights is Incredible Adventures http://www.incredible-adventures.com
The flights take place at the Sokol Aircraft Building Plant in Nizhny Novgorod. The jets available are the MiG-29 and MiG-31. The company has been offering MiG flights in Russia since 1993 and will let you talk to references.

Gosh, what a coincidence of a first post...

Indeed! I'm waiting for a new poster called '-Adventures' to post in the next hour or so backing up what Mr. Incredible says

[Simpo Two]

Considering the funding of our own armed forces, perhaps the RAF will consider doing civilian trips to help pay for spares, food etc...?


Here's a sobering prediction for the future: EVERYTHING will be privatised (the Govt having no money to run anything, having spent it all on beaurocracy, and being incompetent anyway). All Govt will do is raise tax and spy on the population in order to fine them

Edited by Simpo Two on Wednesday 6th June 20:37

[Gulliver911]

incredible said:

sadoksevoli said:

eharding said:

bleesh said:

This is the company that ACTUALLY does the flights...

http://www.flymig.com/

And here are the prices - all in US dollars - so getting to be a bargain..

http://www.flymig.com/packages/

Still considering it myself for next year - Mig 29

Steve

Scrolling down, and seeing what they're billing for Yak-18T and Yak-52 time...at Russian avgas prices...the margin does appear to be quite cheeky - no idea about the fast jets though - margins are probably dictated by which General has to be bribed...

And maybe employing sober, competent mechanics and buying spare parts from Irkutsk.

Do not send money to FlyMiG. Their website says they've arranged over 40 flights at Zhukovsky Air Base in 2007, but the base stopped allowing civilian flights in 2005. For verification, you can check with the American Embassy in Russia. Also avoid Atlas Aerospace, a Russian company advertising flights. They list an office address that doesn't exist and have stolen money from many people. A Russian collection agency is hunting them down. The only non-Russian company currently authorized to provide flights is Incredible Adventures http://www.incredible-adventures.com
The flights take place at the Sokol Aircraft Building Plant in Nizhny Novgorod. The jets available are the MiG-29 and MiG-31. The company has been offering MiG flights in Russia since 1993 and will let you talk to references.

I have been a customer of Atlas Aerospace in 2006 at Vizmya airbase, and have been relatively satisfied, I was dealing with George Nikirov, the Head of the program.

Would you care to specify what you are refering to when saying they have stolen money from many people ??