Tag: Pilots

Flying Swing Wing (MiG23/27): My Experience

Anil Goyal

What is a Variable Sweep Wing aircraft? A variable-sweep wing, colloquially known as a “swing-wing”, is an airplane wing, that may be swept back and then returned to its original position during flight. It allows the aircraft’s shape to be modified in flight and is therefore an example of a variable-geometry aircraft. Typically, a swept wing is more suitable for high speeds, while an unswept wing is suitable for lower speeds improving field (take-off and landing) performance. A variable-sweep wing allows a pilot to select the correct wing configuration for the plane’s intended…

MiG 21: Love her OR Hate her?

Anil Goyal

The most widely produced supersonic jet fighter of all time, the MiG-21 (Western reporting name Fishbed) is an incredibly prolific aircraft. Dated but nimble, it has allowed skilled pilots in past decades to defeat more advanced aircraft. Though its days look to be numbered. To me, it does not. I think it will continue to live in the heart of pilots and adversaries alike for decades to come. Single-seat, single-engine, supersonic, all-weather, day-night capable, jet fighter aircraft produced by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau was an improvement on prior generations of…

Where you Seat matters…

Anil Goyal

The aircraft seat is becoming more than just a place to sit.  Be assured as you take your place on the assigned seat, someone somewhere is drawing up plans on how airline seats could be more effective on how it does.  An airline seat is a seat on an airliner in which passengers are accommodated for the duration of the journey. Such seats are usually arranged in rows running across the airplane’s fuselage. Safety and Comfort For safety, the seats are attached to rails on the fuselage and this facilitates their removal or reconfiguration if the airline…