Sport Aviation in the Russian Federation

[Head in the clouds]

I've been following the progress of sport aviation in the former USSR. As we all know the Russians have had an aviation history that is just as remarkable as in the West, and we're still finding out about some of the things they got up to in the Cold War years.

 

It's not surprising then, that their sport and amateur-built scene is now exploding since they suddenly have new freedoms undreamed of before.

 

The Foxbat is built in Kiev, Ukraine (a remarkable design completed in just a couple of months by a former Sukhoi design engineer if my information was correct) and I really admire the Elitar Sigma 4 amphibian from Samara in Samara Oblast on the Volga.

 

Here is a

 

in the Republic of Bashkortostan.

[Head in the clouds]

More good stuff from this (north hemisphere) summer of sport fly-ins and airshows in the former Eastern Bloc. I love the biplanes, amphibs and low revving radials and inlines -

 

 

 

[Zibi]

The Foxbat is built in Kiev, Ukraine (a remarkable design completed in just a couple of months by a former Sukhoi design engineer if my information was correct)

It was designed by Yuri Yakovlev and he's friends at Antonov Design Bureau.

 

During 1978 seventeen-year-old Yuri Yakovlev won a scholarship to study aeronautics at the Aerospace Institute in Kuybyshev (now Samara).

...

 

In 1985 whilst still a student Yuri was invited to work at the Antonov Design Bureau. He accepted and after graduating from Kuybyshev in 1986 began his employment in the Antonov project department in Kiev where he remained until 1995. During that time he was involved in the design of the AN-70 cargo plane and its variants, and the AN-38 light passenger plane.

http://www.foxbataircraft.com/aeroprakt-company.php

I couldn't find any information if Yuri is any way related to Alexander Sergeyevich Yakovlev, the founder for Yakovlev Design Bureau famous for their Yak aircraft.

 

 

[Head in the clouds]

It was designed by Yuri Yakovlev and he's friends at Antonov Design Bureau.http://www.foxbataircraft.com/aeroprakt-company.php

 

I couldn't find any information if Yuri is any way related to Alexander Sergeyevich Yakovlev, the founder for Yakovlev Design Bureau famous for their Yak aircraft.

 

That's great information thanks Zibi, my memory had obviously slipped a bit there.

 

I must say I have been very impressed with the Foxbat since the first day I flew one, and it's even more remarkable considering how quickly the design was brought together.

 

I travelled to Minsk and Kiev recently and asked to visit the factory but unfortunately I wasn't able to convince them that my intentions were purely out of interest and admiration. I think they felt I might be wanting to look at some of their production secrets