I think I Saw One, Once

Hey, I read your topic concerning aircraft stopping in midair and
would like to ask another question that I hope isn't considered
stupid.

Here goes, "why" is it so hard to believe?

I once went to an air show in New York when I was much younger and
there was an airplane that did stunts in the air.

It was a propeller plane which I don't know what kind and it did a
whole string of fancy flying that had the crowd in awe.

One of the flyer"s moves put the aircraft in a loop than a climb. We
watched for the next trick but then the plane's motor cut out and he
just stopped in the air. We all looked up and it just sat there for a
minute, not moving.

Is this considered really stopped or was the altitude making it an
optical illusion?

Was the flyer still slightly moving?

Anyhow, he dropped down, restarted his engine, and then did more
tricks.

I'll never forget that sight though. I was so scared at first that an
accident might happen but the sight of the plane in suspension was
wonderful.

Oh yeah, mister smarty-pants at my work said that the Reds can stop in
the air. I had to write down the aircraft he listed and these
comments, "one of the very first Su-27 aircraft discovered 0 IAS on a
test flight after developing an inflight control problem. Nosing up
into high AOA the aircraft stood on its tail and stopped in midair for
an alarming 18 seconds at 8,000m before the aircraft dropped back down
and rolled free". He said the flight occurance was reported and
documented a long time ago.

Can anyone disprove this guy? What is a Su-27, a prototype or what?


James Dandy