PAK FA Ends MAKS Hot & Low

This sucks. MAKS 2011 ended on a real downer for the PAK FA programme. The video above shows what happened during the take-off roll of the second T-50 prototype — a starboard engine flameout after two sharp spikes of flame. The take-off was immediately aborted by pilot Sergei Bordan. Sukhoi has apparently put it down to a malfunction in the fuel supply system and the FADEC. Not a pretty way to end your first public show. Damn.

23 thoughts on “PAK FA Ends MAKS Hot & Low”

  1. I don't know why Indians are getting so worked up about this Russian aircraft. If anyone in India thinks this to be an Indian airplane then they are up for a rude awakening. F35 is as Turkish or Australian as T50 is Indian.

  2. Considering these are prototypes still under testing it is not surprising to have some rough edges to smoothen out yet. Thank God it was an aborted take off and not a crash which would have been a lot more embarrassing.

  3. Thats why they call it Prototype. Heck, I am happy that its just an fixable problem much better than an problem after take off or flying. This is but an minor hiccup.

  4. These issue can happen during pro type development. F35 had some issues. Hoever, F35 is much more formidable and capable fifth generation fighter aircraft.

    It is still not too late. Invite LM to submit a bid. Induct F35.

  5. This is just an minor hiccup most likely caused by foreign object in engine. Thats why these are called 'Prototypes' after-all.

  6. In September 2007, while engaged in separation tests of the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb, an F-22 Raptor suffered a brief dual-engine flameout while performing a negative-g, 360 degree roll with eight SDBs loaded in the weapons bay.

    well that was an F22.(reference wikipedia)
    A T50 prototype doing it is not that bad after all

  7. its still in development stage.it looks awesome but the engines are still of 4th generation so in that area more work has to be done.first impression is outstanding.

  8. Why would anybody think T-50 is particularly Indian when Indian Mod couldn`t bother to decide to participate until some time after program was launched, and when 1st prototypes were on the verge of flying? Obviously, there are plans for more Indian participation in the 2-seater version, which besides structural alterations will be the `MKI version` with more modifications to any system that IAF wants. People are excited because this is a top-notch stealth fighter on-par with F-22, doesn`t matter who makes it… This baby will have the best performance in the sky, bar none.

  9. i told you that the engine is problem , it is smokes and thus cannot ever be compared to the F 119 engine. The radar is also very important and thus just devising a stealthy shape is nothing.

  10. This is just a prototype.

    Look at F 22 (Raptor) history of accidents:

    In April 1992, the first YF-22 crashed while landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California. The test pilot Tom Morgenfeld escaped without injury. The cause of the crash was found to be a flight control software error that failed to prevent a pilot-induced oscillation.[217]
    The first crash of a production F-22 occurred during takeoff at Nellis Air Force Base on 20 December 2004, in which the pilot ejected safely before impact.[218][219] The crash investigation revealed that a brief interruption in power during an engine shutdown prior to flight caused a malfunction in the flight-control system;[220] consequently the aircraft design was corrected to avoid the problem. All F-22s were grounded after the crash, operations resumed following a review.[221]
    On 25 March 2009, an F-22 crashed 35 miles (56 km) northeast of Edwards Air Force Base during a test flight,[222] resulting in the death of Lockheed test pilot David P. Cooley.[190][223] An Air Force Materiel Command investigation found that Cooley momentarily lost consciousness during a high-G maneuver then ejected after finding himself too low to recover. Cooley was killed by blunt-force trauma during ejection because of the F-22's speed and the windblast. The investigation found no problems with the design or airworthiness of the F-22.[224]
    On 16 November 2010, an F-22 flown by Captain Jeffrey Haney, based at Elmendorf, Alaska, lost contact with ATC around 19:40 Alaska time.[225] The crashed aircraft was located, the pilot did not survive.[226] A fault with the aircraft's oxygen systems was suspected in the crash; the F-22 fleet was restricted to flying below 25,000 feet and then grounded completely while the cause was investigated.[227] As a result, test pilots in Lockheed and Pentagon's Defence Contract Management Agency (DCMA) were report to be unable to perform test flights of newly built F-22s, delaying delivery of the latest F-22 Raptors.[228]

  11. Please read Austrlia Airpower Analysis on F-35 and who think its a better plane. Pak Fa will kick some serious Ass when it is deployed in IAF.

  12. @anon 10:09 Tell that to defense editor of Hong Kong who themselve are saying that Chinese J-20 is no match for F-22 or T-50. Chinese J-20 lacks in stealth, engine and radar the three most crucial components.

  13. Saturn (the engine maker of T-50) has completed report on incident.


    Saturn head further insisted that the T50-2 starboard engine "is intact". Speaking to Russian media two days after the incident, NPO Saturn general director Ilya Fedorov acknowledged that the starboard Item 117 "suffered surge".
    According to Fedorov, this happened due to a malfunctioning multi-parameter sensor, at some point of time it began feeding "erroneous data" to the airplane's control system. He thanked Sukhoi test-pilot Sergei Bogdan for prompt reaction to the engine failure. "It was a test for the new machine. During flight trials on any brand-new aircraft – and this airplane is undergoing flight trials – malfunctions such as this one are not only possible, but even mandatory". Fedorov stated that flight trials are meant for finding and eliminating any would-be malfunctions "so that these do not happen after the new type becomes operational".
    Fedorov further insisted that "the motor did not fail – in fact, it was put by erroneous control input into a wrong mode that caused surge… this is not an engine failure, but the wrong data input caused by a malfunctioning sensor feeding data to the flight control system". Saturn head further insisted that the T50-2 starboard engine "is intact". "After what had happened, the motor was checked with dedicated equipment, the malfunctioning sensor was replaced by a good one. Today, there is no issue with this engine".

    In short it was just an software error causing an feeding surge in engine. Engine is perfectly fine and error has been ironed out.

  14. Malfunctioning multi-parameter sensor, at some point of time it began feeding "erroneous data" to the airplane's control system, obviously at the behest of some envious competitor like J-20 or F-22/35. Lol…

  15. It is important to have fifth generation engine and fifth generation radar with sensor fusion and exhaust mixed with with cold air so that there is no heat trace behind the plane. Just designing fifth generation airframe does no good if the plane leaves a black smoke stream behind and prone to burnout.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


Scroll to Top