A Sukhoi Su-35 fighter demonstrator crashed on 19 December during flight testing. Test pilot Yuri Vashuk reported malfunctions before ejecting safely at Shatura, near Moscow. Test aircraft 711 has been deployed by Sukhoi on various test programmes, including the Su-37 multirole fighter, a thrust-vector derivative of the Su-35.
Source: Flight International
The flight, which incorporated nearly two-thirds of the stealth bomber fleet, was part of annual drills meant to test the US Air Force’s ability to generate sorties with Washington’s only nuclear-capable bomber capable of penetrating modern air defences.
The US Navy (USN) has been in discussions with Sierra Nevada about adding the company to the service’s Blue Water Maritime Logistics Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) programme.
The Federal Aviation Administration will soon require that air traffic controllers be given more time off between shifts, a response to concern about controller fatigue and to several recent close-calls involving commercial jets.
