SU-27 jets doing the "Pugachev's Cobra"
Video description:
Turn back on a full speed and do shot back ! Dream for any fighter pilot.. 99 % of jets in the World will be destroyed doing Cobra manoeuvre. But SU family planes do it easily and beautifully.It is Russian engineers, scientists and pilots!
The "Pugachev Cobra" is a fighter aircraft maneuver. The maneuver is so named after the Sukhoi OKB (design bureau) test pilot Viktor Pugachev, who first performed the maneuver at 1989 on SU-27.It is a demonstration of the pitch control authority, high angle of attack (AOA) stability and engine/inlet compatibility at high angles of attack of the aircraft. Maneuvers that are related to it include the "Cobra Turn", and the "Frolov Chakra". Until recently, the German Luftwaffe have performed the maneuver with Cold-War era MiG-29s (for example at the air show for the Royal Dutch Airforce at Gilze-Rijen Airforce Base, in 2002). The Eurofighter Typhoon should be able to perform this maneuver, as long as the engines stay lit. Vehicles known to be able to make the cobra maneuver are the Su-27 'Flanker' family (from horizontal flight), MiG-29 'Fulcrum' (from a 30 degree up angle), the F-22 (from horizontal flight) and the F/A-18E/F (from horizontal flight). Thrust vectoring aircraft (such as the Su-30 'Flanker', Su-37 'Flanker-F', Su-47 'Berkut', MiG 1.42, F-15 ACTIVE, F-16 MATV/VISTA, and NASA's X-31) should be able to perform this maneuver more easily, though note that the air intake still needs to be able to handle the air inflow. Russian fighters, designed for high maneuverability, are known for performing this maneuver at air shows for dramatic effect. The maneuver consists of the pilot disengaging the alpha limiter and pulling the aircraft to a 90°--120° angle of attack, then back down to zero. In a properly performed Pugachev's Cobra, the plane maintains a straight and level flight throughout the maneuver.


