Finally, the A400M is the fastest turbo-prop aircraft currently in production, using 21st century technology. Maybe someone noticed the fuel prices recently. The A400M may be used as technological basis for a future 80-120 people regional airliner.

They’ll probably look at prop-fans (eventually) (again).

Rising fuel prices are prob one of the reasons the Bombardier Dash 8 has been doing so well (recent problems aside).

IIRC the main problems with the 400M are:

– engine (has not reached the required hp figures yet)

– software (can’t remember the details, probably flight control system), I think it was a result of late finalisation of desired handling qualities and of flight profiles.

There are a couple of other minor things, but these were the main 2 mentioned to me (IIRC 😮 )…

All are superior WVR, but ECM, the APG-63 radar and AIM-120C capability, Programmed Signal Processing (PSP), and now AESA radar, give the F-15C a lethal first shot. Rafale is very good, but like the Typhoon, I’m not sure if it really beat the F-22A into service by much.

When did the eagles get AESA sets?

Even then, was the early 63 (v)1s much better than the Bars in the MKI (as of 2002?)

So you’re telling me that you need an advanced degree to understand that if you exceed the airframe’s design limitations re. hours something bad might happen?

No – you don’t need a genius to tell you if you exceed the limits bad things happen.

But you do need the knowledge to calculate the design limitations, and how various flight maneuvers impact on the airframe aging (actually, the aging of various parts of the frame).

For other people’s benefit: I have quoted sustained turn rate of F-4F, while the values of the MiG-23ML show instantaneous.

You’ve shown an averaged turn rate for the MiG-23 ML… not the max instantaneous turn rate (which is specific to one airspeed/altitude – not a range).

Nope. BVR face shots are allowed.

If thats the case then the whole setup isn’t really realistic.

For both pilots to start the fight off in their preferred positions is mutually exclusive (they’ll want to sneak up on the other guy’s 6)

F-4 vs Mirage, head to head, 1v1, pilots of equal ability, which jet will be the most likely to be shot down?

So its a post-merge dogfight?

Your statement however is unprecise as always. You first forgot to mention the speed/altitude/weight of the F-4, secondly the version and finally the configuration.

And what of alternate configurations of the -23?

Specifically wing sweep…

Let me show you like experts do it:
From page 251 of the -23ML manual you’ll see that with wing sweep 72° it turns 180° in ~19 seconds at 5000m, starting at 900km/h indicated airspeed and being at 500km/h when the half-turn is finished. Hence, it has bleeded about 70% of its kinetic energy. The instantaneous turn rate is 180°/18sec = 10 deg/sec. This is with maximum thrust.

You have not measured instantaneous turn rate there…

That is an averaged turn rate over a variation of air speeds – which is by definition not instantaneous.

I don’t have the graphs, but at 900 km/hr entry speed its almost certain that the turn is structure or control limited at the beginning.

If your going to claim to be an expert – at least make sure your post is right 😉