Strizhi (The Swifts) aerobatic team site

Today two planes, Mig-29UB tail No.35 and Mig-29UB tail No.80 have took off from Kubinka at 14:30 and about 15:00 they landed on the Lukhovitsy Machine Building Plant (Moscow region), which is part of MiG Russian Aircraft Building Corporation.

Planes will get new fuel system and will be painted in brand Strizhi colors. Besides, their tail numbers will be changed. Tail No.35 will replace tail No. 01 lost in Perm and tail No.80 will be No.07.

So totally Strizhi aerobatic team will have 7 planes - three two-seaters Mig-29UB, tail No. 01, 02, 07 and four single-seaters Mig-29 tail No. 03, 04, 05 and 06.

Strizhi aerobatic team right now is training for the ‘Al Ain 2007′ which officially is - “Under the patronage of His Highness, General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority in collaboration with the UAE Air Forces and Air Defence organize the ‘Al Ain International Aerobatic Show Championship 2007′ from 26 to 30 January 2007.”
Reminding, on the Al Ain 2006 “Strizhi” didn’t participate, but “Russian Knights” took first place there on 23rd FAI World Grand Prix in Formation Teams/Jets group.

Guards lieutenant colonel, “Strizhi” aerobatic team master pilot Aleksey Prohorov has a birthday!

Congratulations!

Gennadiy Anatolyevich Avramenko, guards colonel, left wingman of Strizhi aerobatic team has a birthday!

Congratulations!

All the best to our beloved Strizh!

Nikolay Dyatel has successfully passed all the necessary medical surveys (after his ejection from Mig-29UB tail no. 01) and now is qualified for the flights. Still, he will not participate in demo flight in front of Finland Air Force Command on 24th of August.

Mig-29UB tail No.01 (crashed near Perm 27 of July) was returned to Kubinka. There is no exact plans for this aircraft right now, still its condition is unrecoverable.

Since the MiG-29UB tail No.1 loss and due to the necessary medical survey of Nikolay Dyatel (after he has ejected), Strizhi team is preparing to train now in new formation 5+1 solo, with formation leader Gennadiy Avramenko

Today at 15:10 all the Strizhi aerobatic team and 5 aircrafts has landed at home Kubinka airbase.

Photos of Mig-29UB crashed 27 of July :

Source: Teron.ru

Today, 27 of July at 15:16 Moscow time Mig-29UB tail No. 1 of Strizhi aerobatic team has crashed immediately after take-off, near the airfield. Pilot Nikolay Dyatel and navigator Sergey Kurilenko (on the photo) has successfully ejected.

Strizhi aerobatic team were flying to Tyumen according their display schedule.
They were following the route Kubinka - “Bolshoe Savino” - Tyumen, with refuel landing in “Bolshoe Savino” airbase, Perm region.

After take-off pilots has ejected and tail no.1 has crashed. The preliminary reason is birds hitted into both engines.

Pilot Nikolay Dyatel feel good now, recovering after accident. Nikolay Kurilenko, 237th demonstration center navigator has leg dislocation and now is in hospital.

Igor Valentinovich Tkachenko, honoured pilot of Russia, guards colonel, sniper-pilot, 237th Proskurov Guards aircraft demonstration center commander has a birthday!

Congratulations!

Strizhi.Ru administrator, Oleg has published amazing Strizhi’s booklet 2006:

You will find there information both in Russian and in English. You are free to download all the hi-res images and print them for personal use.

“…in the late ’60s Moscow Military District Air Forces HQ has understood that it’s became much harder for the 234 Guards Fighters Air Regiment to keep title “aerobatic”. New aircrafts put new limits on the pilots level, their psychological and physical abilities. It was decided to create special squadron, where most talanted and trained pilots could perform aerobatics on demonstration flights. This squadron was created on the 7th June, 1974. According to the order of Commander-in-Chief USSR Airforces it got number 4 in 234 Guards Fighters Air Regiment.

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On the 26th of May in Kubinka took place some filming for the new action movie with the working title “Belle”. The short story of this movie is: modern fighter was stolen to attack airliner, two fighters are taking off for the interception. Starring Anastasia Zavorotnuk.

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Dmitry Koposov, single aerobatic pilot of the Strizhi team has a birthday on 1st of June!

Our congratulations and warmest regards!

Wish you clear skies and soft landings, Dmitriy!

More info about this pilot can be found here: Dmitry Koposov bio