Once upon a time, conquering the sound barrier remained the privilege of elite Air Force-trained pilots and certain movie stars. Top Gun would-be's take heart. The sight of Tom Cruise barreling through the heavens no longer need incite your deepest envy. The ultimate rush is within reach. Don't expect to dogfight a MiG, though. You'll be flying one.
In 1982's Firefox, Clint Eastwood had to learn not only to speak but to actually think in Russian, slip into Moscow, and infiltrate the Russian military for the privilege. Relax, the Cold War's over, and, thanks to a few companies like Florida-based Incredible Adventures, all you'll need is a little under $10,000--about the price of a new Hyundai.
Located at Moscow's Zhukovsky Air Base, the Incredible Adventures program lets you choose among a number of planes, and the nature of your experience will vary depending upon your choice of aircraft. Power your way 80,000 feet up, to the edge of the atmosphere, where the sky shines blue below and looms black above, in the MiG-25 "Foxbat C." If "Talk to me Goose!"-type aerial acrobatics are more your style, try the MiG-29 "Fulcrum," the closest Russian counterpart to the American F-18 Hornet. Each flight lasts approximately 30 minutes, but times will vary depending on your choice of aircraft. Whichever you choose, an English-speaking test-pilot from the Gromov Flight Research Institute will assist you in designing and executing your flight.
The action begins with a pre-flight medical check at the Zhukovsky Air Base, located one hour outside of Moscow. Upon successful completion, you'll be fitted with a flight suit, g-suit and helmet, and then move on to a training session in the ejection seat simulator.
Once these preliminaries have been completed, you'll meet your personal test-pilot/driving instructor. Each jet features a set of dual controls, one for you, one for your instructor, who will demonstrate maneuvers, one-by-one, and then turn the plane over to you to give them a shot.
Incredible adventures offers a variety of full-service packages that will deposit you in Russian airspace in no time. Both "The Right Stuff" and "The Top Gun" packages include a six-day, five-night stay at a hotel located near Red Square. "The Right Stuff" package features two flights in the L-39 jet trainer, followed by one flight in any of the five supersonic jets. "The Top Gun" package includes the two training flights, followed by flights in the MiG-29 "Fulcrum," the MiG-25 "Foxbat C" and the Su-27, a larger jet featuring a fly-by-wire system. With "The Top Gun" package, you also receive a custom-made Russian flight suit to keep as proof of your new-found prowess. You can also customize a package tailored to your specific aerial needs. Prices range from $8,675 to almost $27,000.
If speed isn't your thing, how about zero-gravity? For $5,000, you can ride in the cabin of a plane used to train cosmonauts for maneuvering in a weightless environment. Russian instructors will bounce you around the cabin for no extra charge.
"Incredible Adventures" is attempting to bring their jet flight program to the U.S., beginning with a series of exhibition flights in Phoenix, AZ. If the FAA approves the program, Americans will be able to fly a Russian Su-30 at a price of $8,850 per half hour flight, right here at home.
(For additional information, contact Incredible Adventures at 941-346-2603).
