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I'd like to start a new thread dedicated to Russian new 5th generation air-superiority fighter that has just been rolled out for the first time for runway taxi tests. Russian news agencies have confirmed that just now, since the rumor from KNAAPO emplyees have appeared few hours ago.

http://lenta.ru/news/2009/12/24/pakfa/

No photos are available yet, but it is a matter of days before they appear. It would be nice to have a nice FRIENDLY thread going by then.

Since the news agencies are not much help when it comes to details, here is the translation of the taxi test description from KNAAPO employee and highly credible member of Sukhoi.ru forum

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Pre-taxi preparation was 30 min. Engines were started and the plane taxied to the runway. Zig-zag patterns, 360 turn, another zig-zag pattern another 360. Stop. A little gas, taxi, breaks check. 360 in a different direction. 180 and taxi back to start. After the test the plane was towed away.

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Edited by Zmey Smirnoff
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Great news Zmey......

We are relying on you to keep us informed - keep your ear to the ground and your browser pointing to those Russian websites.....

It would be great if the first flight is before midnight on the 31st - to keep with the 'flies in 2009' forecast.

Happy Christmas.

Ken

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According to the same source in KNAAPO the first flight will not be before February. But at this point, I believe its not as important. PAK FA exists. It has engines. Its ready. Let the KNAAPO employees have happy New Year and vacation, and then return to work. Now the safety is paramount.

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Aha, was looking in the big PAK-FA discussion thread. Shame it is in February. If it is indeed in February or later, and if they maintain to keep the secrecy around it so far, that means no pics until march or so. Maybe a birthday gift for me. :D

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Google Earth ?

Why not? There's a hidden Flight Simulator in it (Ctrl+Alt+A (Mac users: Cmd+Opt+A). I used Google Translator to read Zed's linked page and I'm thinking of adding PAK-FA to my Google Alerts. No doubt there's a Google Wave about this somewhere too and I wouldn't be surprised if our first view of PAK-FA comes via Google Street View or a rendering using Google Sketch Up.

And if Google and NORAD can track Santa tonight, they'll be able to track PAK-FA's test flights for us as well.

Great Googly Moogly!

Edited by Trigger
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Oh, I have no doubt there's pics. They're just not out for consumption by most mortals yet. But there's definitely pics.

Yes i know that. The source in links said that pictures were taken by those that had special permission. But "they have no interest to upload them on internett", as in his words. :D

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The Paralay illustration shows a neat design, but I'm curious about its provenance. Assuming they're all based upon the same description or single drawing, how accurate was that original reference? I just hope I don't have to wait 'til March or later for the answer.

Edited by MiG31
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Very interesting!

A very long time in coming. Keep in mind..the design that we will be seeing soon(ish) will more than likely change a bit or even fairly significantly before we see fully fleshed pre-production/production variants. Look at how this..

yf-22-01_300.jpg

Turned into this:

c12-27428-3.jpg

And THIS:

KENS14.jpg

Turned into THIS:

su-27_1.jpg

My guess is we wont be seeing the "real" PAK FA for another 3-4 years at minimum.

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Exactly. Far cry from a production aircraft.

Hopefully some pics are released for general consumption regardless.

It's been mentioned for a while now that much system-specific stuff wouldn't be ready in time for the initial prototype (if I remember reading correctly, very few of the essential systems flying on the prototype will make it through to the production version). Still, for all those working on it, I'm sure this is a major milestone.

-Jeremy

+1 anxiously awaiting pics

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It's been mentioned for a while now that much system-specific stuff wouldn't be ready in time for the initial prototype (if I remember reading correctly, very few of the essential systems flying on the prototype will make it through to the production version). Still, for all those working on it, I'm sure this is a major milestone.

Sure; the more I read about the PAK-FA's pending first flight, the more it reminds me of the first flights of the X-32/X-35 (Which makes the 2015 fielding deadline somewhat... ambitious).

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