Lords of the sky. MiG-31BM at the airport of Kansk (Far)
One evening, about a month ago, I was sitting there, looking through fresh photos on russianplanes.net and slowly envied how easily people could take pictures at various kinds of army airfields. And the idea was born that we also have something to see: in the suburbs of Kansk, which is an Air Force airfield in 250 km east of Krasnoyarsk, where new MiG-31BM are based.
I must say that I am in Kansk for official needs several times a year, the airfield is clearly visible from the road, it is located just at the entrance to the city. In fact, the tails of MiGs behind the embankments, the ellipsoids of radio altimeters and the barbed fence are the first things that the guests of Kansk see. services of the Central Military District.
Then there was a short correspondence, a few phone calls, an official request by registered mail, and .... somehow I forgot about all this. Days followed each other, there was no answer.
And here last Thursday, late in the evening (yes, almost at night) a telephone call: “Kirill Vladimirovich, hello, you are concerned about Yekaterinburg, Headquarters of the Central Military District. It is possible to shoot tomorrow afternoon at the Kansk airfield ... "
An explosion immediately occurred in the brain, but since it was at least unwise to refuse, I, of course, agreed. Immediately the alarm raised Serega gisman and Lesch alexei_astr, collected a photo backpack, resolved the workers / family affairs, and attempted to sleep. I really didn’t manage to sleep properly, supersonic fighters flew in my mind every now and then, twisted dead loops with barrels, burned the atmosphere in the afterburner and in every way interfered with peaceful sleep.
The next day we moved to Kansk. The shooting started at 16: 00 and was coordinated before midnight, so we had a great opportunity to see the work of the airfield not only during the day, but also at night. And here we are, the bastion of the checkpoint of the unit, though not immediately, but fell, the barrier triumphantly rose, revealing to us the mysterious world of a military airfield.
Flights on this day, by the way, were carried out not for anything, but as part of large-scale exercises on the interaction of the air forces and the air defense of the Central Military District. More in the story Vesti here, their film crew worked with us.
Flight work began, having reached the apron (the word “apron” in everyday life in general, by the way?), We managed just in time for the departure of the first side
Start occurs in the afterburner mode, as evidenced by the flame escaping from the nozzles of both engines.
In the afterburner, additional kerosene is burned in the afterburner, located behind the turbine, in front of the nozzle. Engine thrust increases significantly, as does the fuel consumption. It is clear that this mode is used briefly, for takeoff, climb, maneuver in battle.
The plane takes off not so much with noise or roar - rather with a crash, from which, it seems, everything turns inside. Lech now remembered, one technician told him: "Next to the strip when you stand on take-off - the heart and liver in places change" :)))) That's about the way it is.
Seryoga does not lose self-control at the sight of a supersonic all-weather interceptor fighter and blows a series of masterpieces :)
01-red meanwhile launched
The 37-red is connected to the generator and is also waiting for a start. Engines are started according to the electric starter principle, while familiar to civil aviation auxiliary power plant (APU) is not here. To start, an electric generator is needed.
Takeoffs are made at intervals of several minutes. Slightly less than half an hour - and parking will become empty.
I was very pleased that the flights that we were lucky to observe here at the airfield are not “indicative”, for Kansk these are ordinary working days. 4 fly day to week, extreme departures already in the night. Pilots and navigators sharpen their skills, patrol the area, interact with air defense forces, act as conditional targets, repel attacks of a conditional enemy, participate in large-scale exercises of interaction between subunits and branches of service, just like today.
The weather is not that completely pumped up, but the gray sky and the nasty fine autumn rain made their adjustments, primarily in the shooting parameters
Control point engineering and aviation service, technicians, in a simple way. Here, as far as I can imagine, the crews on duty are waiting for the crew.
Already a little contused spotters in the fields
Unfortunately, the moment itself did not catch, but here you can see how the technician reaches out to the wing tip.
There is such a sign among technicians, to slam the board at the ending before departure, so that the flight went smoothly.
Each group of technicians, by the way, is assigned its own board, which of course they know like the back of their hand. This is very correct.
All right, it's time to fly
Many of the aircraft - registered. This one, for example, bears the name of the fighter pilot, Hero of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Ivanovich Sementsov
Quite a serious scarecrow, of which in abundance along the runway. The usual thing on the airfields, and not only in the military.
Despite all sorts of poetic comparisons, airplanes and birds are far from friends
Off-site parking alert. A pair of fighters filled and armed, the aircraft are ready at any moment to rise in the air on alert. The pilots, respectively, take over on duty every day.
At the preliminary. The UPC machine is visible - starting command point
The ignition of the afterburner is marked by the language of the flame and the characteristic yellow-brown exhaust
Up to a strip about 10-12 meters. Sound pressure here is on the verge of a pain threshold.
I tried to get closer, but after the first take-off I left this venture, because the pain in the ears just interferes with normal shooting.
As you move away, the plane disappears in a dense haze from its own engines.
Departures are completed, in the air 5 aircraft perform their training tasks.
Move to the parking lot, here someone stayed
18 is red. He, too, will fly, but a bit later. In the meantime, it is being prepared for departure.
It's time for us to get to know this beautiful car closer.
I am a technically not indifferent person, therefore here is a little such an educational program for you.
So, Mig-31BM, nice to meet you.
Twin supersonic all-weather long-range interceptor fighter.
The range is up to 3000 kilometers
Practical ceiling - 20 kilometers 600 meters
Armament: gun GSH-6-23 (6 shafts, caliber 23mm), as well as air-to-air missiles on six external pylons. The aircraft can also be armed with anti-radar, anti-ship missiles, adjustable bombs.
Two D-30F6 engines develop total afterburner thrust a little more than 30 tons
The BM is an extreme modification of the MiG-31: here we have a completely new radar system, an armament control system, an aiming complex. The cockpit and navigator cabins have been significantly reworked: the problem of the lack of visual contact between the cabs has been solved, in particular, when the pilot does not know what the navigator is doing, cameras and multi-function LCD displays are installed.
The aircraft can accompany up to 24 air targets simultaneously.
It is planned to upgrade 60 units MiG-31 to MiG-31БМ.
What you don't measure in numbers is beauty. And the MiG is really very beautiful!
Technicians roll on the trolley laid brake parachute. Later we will see him in action, and not one
Work is in full swing. From the top, between the keels, an open hook is visible with the parachute capsule laid.
Tractor based on KrAZ-260
The mass of the fueled aircraft is about 40 tons, it’s just that you can’t move this colossus off.
It is doubly surprising that about the same, for example, the boing 737 weighs, given its dimensions ... feel the difference, what is called
The tractor pulled up for a reason, the plane will be driven to the gas station
Technicians cling drove to the front of the chassis. Aircraft towing technology is not much different from civil aircraft
The lantern is covered, this is the order
Stops removed, everything is ready for towing
View of the parapet. Fast planes eat a lot what can you do
While we were climbing the parking lot, 19-red swept over the runway, removed the chassis, gave gas and left the circle. Crew, probably, fulfills landing approach
Before the landings, it was about half an hour; therefore, we estimated the approximate place where the runway touched and went along the main taxiing to the point.
01 red opens the series.
The speed of the sides to the fourth turn is 530-550 km / h, on the 300-330 km / h equation, which, of course, is decently higher than any passenger aircraft.
Alignment, touch, disclosure of brake parachutes ... two or three seconds - and the MiG is already far away, heading for the butt.
We are accustomed to the relatively "unhurried" landings of passenger aircraft, and at first such speeds are surprising. You need to shoot really fast.
Visible moment of drag parachutes
Yikes!
The deployed RSP station is a radar landing system.
From here, the movement of the boards in the area of the airfield to 4 kilometers in height is controlled, if I'm not mistaken. With the help of the same station, control of starts is carried out, as well as aircraft are maintained before landing.
ARP-11 (like 11, no confidence) - automatic radio direction finder
The interval between landings from 1-5 minutes, work in full swing
Gone to second
The moment of the start of the parachute-brake system: the brake parachute container is open, the parachute is pushed out by a spring
Parachutes are elongated. Another second and ...
Clap! The oncoming flow filled the domes, slowing the plane down. Despite the apparent disproportion of the heavy machinery and relatively small pieces of matter, the parachute-braking system is quite effective and reduces the mileage by 30-40 percent. Technically, landing is possible without the release of parachutes, but hence increased wear of brakes, pneumatics, the need to more strictly monitor the landing parameters, increased mileage.
Therefore, pilots prefer not to feel sorry for pickers and handlers, and parachutes are released.
The hangar is primarily carried out warranty repair of aircraft. As I said already, MiGs were upgraded to a modified BM, and entered the airfield in December 2012.
Warranty period - 5 years.
Parachutes are apparently wearing out. The flow of hot air from the nozzles, huge loads on the lines, contact with the runway at the release - doing their job.
Parachute resource - several dozen disclosures.
By the way, what happens to parachutes after they have played their role on the landing? So dragging the plane over the concrete?
And it was not there
In the area of the turn-over taxiing, a group of pickers from the conscripted soldiers is on duty.
The parachute comes unfastened as soon as the plane reaches the place of their deployment (well, so that the guys do not run all over the lane)
The board taxied on the 2 taxiway, the men pick up the system, quickly put it into special covers and load it into the trailer of GAZika
Six in the parking lot, the seventh taxi. All in all, 7 boards went up in the air.
Several parking lots are not equipped with generators, so APA (aerodrome launching units) work here.
A very interesting design of the main landing gear and carts - one pneumatic inside, one outside.
On the left pneumatics in the area of the axis is a rectangular device with six bolts - yuz sensor. From it tubes go to the braking apparatus. Well, something like ABS on the car.
A red plate - a reminder indicates that fuses are installed in the cockpit on the controls and on the ejection rails.
The fuselage is replete with signatures informers, what is where, and what not to do.
A navigator or instructor pilot sometimes needs to see what is happening ahead. From the cab, there is practically no forward view. Then such a periscope rises.
Generator connected
Airborne refueling bar
Well, how on this occasion do not climb into the cabin? We look!
From what I know myself: in the central panel on the left, traditionally in a white frame are the main navigation flight instruments. To the right - the altimeter and the clock. The big black block on top - ILS - the indicator on the windshield, the same one, so familiar to many by various simulators; under it is a light signaling unit. Under the right hand - the management of electricity, power modules, radio, autopilot.
Compass "bull's eye" - the attribute of the dashboard of any domestic aircraft, perhaps
And this is our curator, deputy commander for educational work, and just a wonderful person - Valery. In many ways, thanks to him, we had a great shooting day. Valery answered our stupid and sometimes questions and with condescension he treated the impetuous desire to climb everywhere.
Thanks you!
There are two more flights ahead.
Sounds the team to meet the crews, and parking again come to life
The preflight briefing is completed, maps in the tablets, assignments are received, somewhere far away (although there is a “far” for such aircraft), “conditional enemy” airplanes start from the Shagol airfield.
On the flight!
And again, the rapid expansion, half an hour - and the parking lot was empty.
Technicians are waiting ...
Sunset
Conditions for shooting deteriorated, it was getting dark.
It was decided to wait for the sides from the departure, to see the landings, although it was pointless to shoot them in the dark. But I really did not want to leave :)
Meanwhile, it is still dark ...
And darkened
And now the night
At night, the strip on the landings is highlighted by four movable searchlights mounted in a row at the end
Lech dances with a tripod in the light of the steering lights MiG%)
And lastly. The cabin of any aircraft is very beautiful in the dark, with the backlight.
I always wanted to see with my own eyes what the cabin of a combat aircraft looks like at night.
Here you are.
Bloody, but surprisingly cozy red lights.
When we were going to return, the planes were launched again, the flight was being prepared.
And moving already from Kansk, we heard somewhere high the roar of two fighters, one after the other.
Fly!
Here is such a report.
Well, I can confidently say that the minimum program is complete! Time to go home.
I would very much like to tell more about the work of the technical staff, the life of the airfield, look into the control room, sit quietly at the pre-flight briefing .. but within one day this is hardly feasible. I hope in the foreseeable future we will manage to correct this omission and tell more fully about the working life of the Kansk airfield, and, most importantly, about the people thanks to whom it lives.
I express my great appreciation:
The press service of the central military district - for assistance in organizing and conducting photography,
Valeriy, Deputy Commander for Educational Work, for all-round assistance,
Spotter Sergey gisman and Alexei alexei_astr - for a great company.
Pilots, navigators and the technical structure of the airfield - for a clear sky!
Thank you.
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