Pressure of the leader of the Su30-MK2 'king cobra' group flying over the roof of the Independence Palace

These days, pilots and technicians at Bien Hoa military airport are working non-stop, even on weekends, to prepare for the flight mission to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South - National Reunification.

Leading the "king cobra" group

During the 50th Anniversary of National Reunification, the aircraft squadron will perform a special flight formation, with the highlight being the heat trap drop by the Su-30MK2 "king cobra" fighters. This will be one of the impressive performances, attracting the attention of many people.

Taking the lead position in the Su-30MK2 fighter formation flying in the parade in the upcoming celebration, Colonel Nguyen The Dung - Political Commissar of Division 371 (Air Defense - Air Force) said that with a formation of 3 - 4 aircraft, the "king cobra" Su-30MK2 group will perform somersaults, twist many times in the air, and tighten the vertical zone...

Colonel Nguyen The Dung is the pilot leading the Su-30MK2 fighter formation in the parade during the 50th Anniversary of the Liberation of the South.

As the lead pilot, Colonel Nguyen The Dung planned to perform 5 upward drills with acceleration of 90-degree vertical roll and vertical tightening and then reverse rotation. Along with that, he would release 96 chaff shells - equivalent to the number of chaff shells a Su-30MK2 could carry.

According to Colonel Nguyen The Dung, the flight with increased speed, rolling up and tightening the vertical zone is considered an advanced flight, requiring a high level of pilot skill. However, this time, the flight was performed at low altitude, so the difficulty was many times higher.

To successfully carry out a flight mission, in addition to having a firm grasp of terrain and weather conditions, pilots must have good mental fortitude, proficient movements and the ability to handle unexpected situations that may arise.

"The pilots who directly perform the acrobatic and difficult flying maneuvers mentioned above are all level 1 pilots and veteran flight instructors," said Colonel Nguyen The Dung.

Like previous defense exhibition flights, Colonel Dung said the procedure this time was no different. First, the aircraft was accelerated and pulled vertically, then it was shot with chaff and rolled several times in the air.

Demonstration flying requires the pilots to coordinate every second and every detail. They must coordinate to make the movements most standard and best, and create the most beautiful flying and lighting effects.

Great responsibility

Leading the Su-30MK2 "king cobra" fighter group, Colonel Dung said this was not only an honor and pride but also a great responsibility.

According to air force regulations and training curriculum, the squad leader is the one who is fully responsible for the flight as well as the safety of the members in the formation. From the time the plane rolls onto the runway, takes off until it lands safely, the squad leader must command the formation accurately and closely.

"Flying over a large city with many high-rise buildings and complex terrain like Ho Chi Minh City, we have to carefully study flight parameters and safety margins. This is not only an honor and pride but also a great responsibility. To complete the mission, the commander needs to have a strong will and extensive professional knowledge to lead the squadron to perform the assigned tasks well," said Colonel Dung.

During the 50th Anniversary of National Reunification, Su-30MK2 squadrons will fly in formations of 3-4 aircraft.

According to Colonel Dung, flying in large formations - in narrow spaces - at low altitudes will greatly affect the flight crew.

The weather conditions in the South are hot and sunny, with low clouds and fog in the early morning and frequent thunderstorms in the afternoon, affecting flight operations. Because of flying in large formations, all pilots must be meticulous, strict and highly determined in preparation, flight practice, as well as in coordination before, during and after the flight.

Not to mention, flying in terrain like in the center of Ho Chi Minh City, the wind blowing from all directions will be blocked by buildings, then rolled up, creating updrafts and downdrafts in the atmosphere, which greatly affects the control of the aircraft.

"The Su-30MK2 flies at supersonic speed, so the pilots will have difficulty sensing and perceiving the surrounding environment. Therefore, it requires the pilots to have the highest concentration and be the most skillful. On the ground, looking up, the formation looks neat, but in reality, in the cockpit, the pilots experience a lot of vibration," said the leader of the Su-30MK2 "king cobra" group.

People will be able to admire the air force performing somersaults and dropping heat traps during the April 30th holiday.

To fulfill their great responsibility, Colonel Dung said that the pilots have undergone thorough training, practice and rehearsal. First is basic, systematic theoretical training. Next is practice through flights, flight groups and joint training sessions, preliminary and final rehearsals. All activities must be carried out according to the curriculum, plans and strategies developed by the authorities.

After training at Bien Hoa airport and organizing joint flights in Ho Chi Minh City, Colonel Dung currently assesses that the pilots' flying skills have met the requirements of the proposed scenario and the requirements of all levels for the welcoming flight mission.

However, in the coming time, the squadrons will continue to practice the plans to make the flights more fluent, ready to perform other contents when requested by superiors.

Thy Hue - Vtcnews.vn

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/ap-luc-cua-nguoi-dan-doan-ho-mang-chua-su30-mk2-bay-tren-noc-dinh-doc-lap-ar935722.html