MOSCOW. May 14 (Interfax-AVN) - State tests of the new MIG- AT trainer are in their final phase, Valentin Stepanov, Deputy Designer General of the Russian MIG aircraft-building corporation, said on Friday.
"In late May 2004, the two aircraft under tests will undergo retrofitting to eliminate the weak-points discovered by the Air Force State Flight Tests Center during the first stage of the state tests. After that the aircraft will go to the Center where the effectiveness of retrofits will be analyzed," Stepanov told Interfax-Military News Agency.
As of today, a total of 1,060 flights have been performed within the framework of the test program, pilots expressing only best evaluations of the aircraft, said he.
"Some foreign countries have already shown their interest in the aircraft, including in its production on license," he added.
The MIG-AT is the world's only trainer aircraft with a digital flight control system, which provides broad possibilities for pilot training. A pilot can master type control modes of contemporary planes of generations four and four plus.
Flight security aboard the MIG-AT is increased considerably thanks to two engines, maximal view, protection from unintentional falls into a spin, a dangerous modes limitation and prevention system that does not allow the plane to go out of control even when the cadet makes a mistake, and an ejection possibility at any stage of the flight, including on the ground.
The plane is easy to service. It ensures short training terms and low cost of efficient training. All pilots, who have flown the MIG-AT, noted its high flight characteristics. This aircraft allows for training pilots for all contemporary national and foreign fighters, including MIG-29 Fulcrum, SU-27 Flanker, F- 16, Mirage 2000, Eurofighter, etc. Pilots, trained on the MIG-AT, quickly adapt for a combat fighter.