Speaking of MMI, I do not know why the tactical display focussed to infinity (in the same way as the HUD or HMD) has not been carried over to earlier designs from the US/Russia/China. IMO it’s the most ground-breaking feature in the cockpit even though it rarely gets mentioned – even by the fanboys.

An interesting bit is that it is possible to see the planet Venus naked eye during daylight. You never see it accidentally because 1) the contrast is not great vs. the light blue sky and 2) when you look at the blue cloudless sky, the brain does not “know” at which distance the eye should focus. I have tried to do the exercise and eventually managed to see it after a while, thanks to a planetarium software telling me in which direction I should look.

Back to aviation, is seems to me quite important to keep the same focussing distance when you switch between your displays and the friend/foe/terrain that you are staring at through the canopy. This sounds even more critical when you look for a small black dot in the sky (even if you can have a glance to the HUD to refocus your eye). Added to that, it certainly helps reduce the risk of eyestrain, leading to more refreshed pilots once in the battlefield.

It would be interesting to get feedback from the pilots to find out whether it is a real feature or a gadget, though. The side displays are however not focussed to infinity, which may be seen as a shortcoming.

Sure, and ultracruise is the reason why the space shuttle has 3 SSMEs.

Even amongst WWII fighters many planes look way better, with the FW190D & Ta152 series, every P40 bar the F model, the P51A, the Corsair, the La5FN/7 & Yak 3/9, or for english planes the mosquito, the tempest, the seafury…

I dig the Yak-3! Very handsome at la Ferté-Alais last year even though the Sea Fury stole the show.
[EDIT] The P-38 was quite nice, too.

i just seen a very interesting video , it seem that while it impossible to make fighter invisible in infrared , reduce ir signature could have great effect in detection range
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlWQsW4ZZfQ
especially from 1:07 to the end 😮 you guy can see the different between a helicopter and a Rafale with some paint reduce IR signature :eek::eek:

This video is rather typical of the random busslhit you can find on Youtube (or any blog/forum/whatever). I remember trying to destroy the argument the author tried to make, and got my comment deleted within a day without any further explanation or rebuttal.

This video does not prove anything as:

This is the kind of BS that puts the average fanboy to shame.

[EDIT] Sintra, you got me!

No, if the RCAF choose the EF, that would not amount to a declaration of war, probably would amount to the closure of the USA Embassy and the imposition of economic sanctions, on the other if they went for the “French Fries” Rafale, the 101 would be landing in Otawa 15 minutes after the news got out…

I´ll get me coat 😀

On a more serious note I do think that the Typhoon and above all Rafale supporters would be wise not to foster too much hope in a Canadian sale.

Here are the reasons coming to my mind (feel free to add more to the list):

Perhaps this week the programme will finally be put online at
http://ajbs.fr ,
more specifically
http://www.ajbs.eu/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=2&Itemid=8&lang=fr ,
but the un-official list below is rather representative of the final line-up:

Many thanks for the details Stratotanker!

Too bad there will be just one Spit.

Six FW-44 sound impressive though! 😮

A view from a possible (socialist) member of what could be the next French government:

Rafale: Le Drian requests a “careful examination” of ToT terms

LCP – February 1, 2012 at 11:05

Jean-Yves Le Drian, defense official with Francois Hollande, welcomed the prospect of signing a contract with India Rafale, but stressed that technology transfer made “should be the subject of careful consideration “.

“This announcement, if it materializes in the coming months, would be great news for France and our industrial Defense, players Rafale: Thales, Safran and Dassault course,” he wrote in a statement received Wednesday.

Mr Le Drian however calls “to prudently” and shun “any precipitate triumphalism”, pending the conclusion of negotiations with India.

“In this regard, the important technology transfers guaranteed by the French state in question must be carefully considered,” the socialist president of the Regional Council of Brittany.

Moreover, he says, “this competition was reduced in final duel to a European-European, which shows the strength of the European aviation industry in this area and highlights the interest that there to resume construction of a Europe of Defence, mired since 2002 “.

The fighter from Dassault Aviation was selected Tuesday by India as part of a huge bidding 12 billion dollars (9.1 billion euros) on 126 planes. He was competing with the European consortium Eurofighter Typhoon.

Google Translate, sorry. 😮