I only wanted to know if this “low visibilty” thing in Russian aircrafts is due to some technological limitation, whilst canopy design and materials may not exactly fall in the realm of hight tech when compared to avionics and stealth, it may be an engineering challenge. A case in point is the canopy of F-22 which is considered to be unique in world, in that it can withstand bird impacts at higher speeds compared to any other aircraft.

You hit the nail on the head. The one-piece bubble canopy of the F-16/F-22 is exceptionally as hard to make. Not only is fabrication hard but the right material science that allows the canopy to deal with heat, force, darkening, distortion and, on the administrative side, cost.

The F-16’s canopy is well-known as an immensely expensive component. Russian planes tend to use heavy framing to deal with both optical distortion (you need the front flat) and heat and force stress at high speed. Also, the clarity of the canopy material changes under exposure to sunlight and heat so that a canopy could darken or become opaque over time.

There is no less science going into the F-22’s canopy than the composite in the wings and fuselage.

is that IT?????

The KJ-2000 AWACS.

Pretty important stuff.

Headline story from the “Stars and Stripes” (pub of the US military)

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=27093

U.S. and China discuss hot line, ‘rules of road’ on ship, aircraft encounters

By Jon R. Anderson, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Thursday, February 10, 2005

ARLINGTON, Va. — Nearly four years after a U.S. Navy spy plane was intercepted off China, the two nations are working on an agreement that would use a hot line between its defense departments, and clarify a “rules of the road” when aircraft or ships encounter each other.

If successful, the two-pronged effort would allow direct communication between the respective tops and bottoms of the two chains of command and, U.S. officials hope, diffuse future flashpoints.

Richard Lawless, the Pentagon chief of Asian affairs, led a team that met with Chinese brass in Beijing last week to discuss the proposals, according to a senior defense official, who spoke only on condition of anonymity.

U.S. leaders have raised the two ideas repeatedly in recent years, to no avail.

“We’ve been attempting to break the impasse,” said the official. A spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Washington declined to comment on the negotiations.

continue

A well known item to PLA watchers but still a surprise to many US military fans who see it.

The Blackhawk in commie service 😀

It’s really a wonderful example of planespotting not just in China but of anywhere in the world. Look at the reactions of the people involved. A snapshot at the moment of great joy. The guy with the camera, his girlfriend, the big binoculars and the JJ-7 overhead.

It’s really a great photo that could be put into a volume like “A Day in the World of Planespotting!” 😀

The MA60 was developed from the Y-7 which itself was developed from the An-24.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-02/04/content_415166.htm

China aims for int’l aircraft market
(CCTV.COM)
Updated: 2005-02-04 14:23

The country’s self-designed MA-60 commercial plane went on display at an international gathering in Xi’an.

A new Chinese Modern Ark is flying up into the sky. MA-60, a regional aircraft, is newly developed and manufactured by China’s Xi’an Aircraft Industry Company. The company fully owns the intellectual property right of the aircraft. With 60 seats, the regional plane has been proved to be safe, economical and comfortable. China hopes the new type of aircraft can find its place in the international market.

The price of the MA-60 stands only about two-thirds of the aircraft of the same kind made by foreign manufactures. And the direct operation cost is 10 to 20 percent lower. Zimbabwe is the first to buy the China-made regional aircraft. The country signed the purchase agreement with China National Aero-Tech import & Export Corporation to buy two MA-60s in last November and is confident in the performance and operation of the airplane.

The two MA-60 airplanes are planed to be delivered to Zimbabwe in April. China aims to export 20 MA-60s aircrafts within this year. According to China Aviation Industry Corporation, several countries are now in talks with them to buy the plane. They hope the figure can be increased to 100 by 2008.

Hu Wenming, Vice-President of China Aviation Industry Corp, said, “The significance of the export of MA-60 aircraft is not simply about the plane itself. It shows that China’s aviation product and standard are accepted by foreign countries. We hope, with the support from the government, our airworthiness regulations can be recognized by more countries. That will help us to expand the overseas market.”

Currently, China’s airworthiness regulations or standards are still not accepted by western countries like the United States and the European Union. This makes it difficult for China to export its aviation products. China’s aircraft producers hope the technical barrier can be lifted some day in the future and They can have a fair footing with their overseas competitors.

There is a general discussion forum for political comments/questions. Go post your nationalistic opinions there. Keep this a news and aviation discussion thread.

Just add some sweep to the K-8’s wings and it would look like a Hawk.
Btw I’ve noted that the Hawk, Alpha Jet, K-8, FMA Pampa and the Super Galeb all share basically the same design. Any comments on why is that so?

The K-8 was designed during a period in the late 1980s when both China and Pakistan were firmly in the Western camp. The Hawk was cited as one of several western trainers that NAMC (now part of Hongdu) and PAC looked at.

The classic straight wings with large lift areas of basic trainers are there for low stall and landing speeds as well as spin recovery. Deltas and sharply swept wings force high takeoff/landing/stall speeds which are dangerous to trainees.

This is why you can’t have a supersonic, winged-delta like a FT-7P be your basic trainer.