PUGACHEV'S COBRA

The 'Pugachev's Cobra' (or 'Pugachev Cobra') is an aircraft manoeuvre. 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 (i.e. supermanoeuvrability^[1]). The manoeuvre allows for very quick turns which can make an attack fail or put the pilot in a position to execute an attack. It is an example of air combat manoeuvring (ACM), specifically poststall manoeuvring^[2]. The Pugachev's Cobra is considered to be one of the most dramatic and demanding manoeuvres performed at air shows worldwide. The manoeuvre is so named after the Sukhoi OKB (design bureau) test pilot Viktor Pugachev, who first performed the manoeuvre in 1989 at the Paris Le Bourget air show.

Contents

Description

Vehicles known to be able to make the Cobra manoeuvre

See also

References

External links

Video links

Description

The manoeuvre consists of the pilot 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 manoeuvre.
The vertical form of this manoeuvre is called a Cobra, named after the snake that behaves in a similar manner. Performing the manoeuvre on the horizontal plane is known as a 'Hook', and is considered a most effective manoeuvre. The combat effect is likely to be similar to the "(collective) thrust vector ''up''" manoeuvre successfully used by Royal Navy Harriers during the Falklands War, and results in the aircraft effectively stopping while the enemy overshoots, leaving the aircraft in a position for a straightforward missile attack on the enemy aircraft.^[3]

Vehicles known to be able to make the Cobra manoeuvre

Vehicles known to be able to make the Cobra manoeuvre are the Su-27 'Flanker' family (from horizontal flight), MiG-29 'Fulcrum' (from a 30 degree up angle), SAAB J-35 Draken, and 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 manoeuvre more easily, though note that the air intake still needs to be able to handle the air inflow. Russian fighters, designed for high manoeuvrability, are known for performing this manoeuvre at air shows for dramatic effect. Until recently, the German Luftwaffe have performed the manoeuvre with Cold-War era MiG-29s (for example at the air show for the Royal Dutch Air Force at Gilze-Rijen Airforce Base, in 2002). The Eurofighter Typhoon should be able to perform this manoeuvre, as long as the engines stay lit.
Manoeuvres that are related to it include the Cobra Turn, and the Frolov Chakra.

See also

★ "Kulbit" ACM

References

1. http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/airchronicles/apj/apj88/spr88/siuru.html
2. http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/airchronicles/apj/apj88/spr88/siuru.html
3. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,951776,00.html

External links

★ Interview with Pugachev about this manoeuvre

Video links

★ Cobra video clip @ AeroWeb.Lucia.it

★ Videoclip 1: F-22 Raptor

★ Videoclip 2: Sukhoi Su-27

★ Videoclip 3: Saab Draken

★ Videoclip 4: Rockwell-MBB X-31

★ Videoclip 5: F-16 Fighting Falcon

★ Videoclip 6: Cobra clip on YouTube