The Russians!?!

[wowie_kazowie]

Heard a odd exchange over ATC today.
An aircraft with the call sign 'Openskies 33F' was on Vancouver Centre 'just passing through' requesting waypoints. A little later on the controller issued a traffic warning to a YVR inbound flight to report a Russian Military Antonov in sight. The controller was almost laughing as he said it.
I googled it because I was curious and found that it's a Russian reconnaissance aircraft. I guess the 'open skies treaty' allows this (If Wikipedia can be trusted).
Just wondering if anyone knows anything about this, or has heard it before?

[GyvAir]

Sounds like it causes a minor stir wherever it goes:

http://www.fightercontrol.co.uk/forum/v ... 6&p=549885

I was given an impromptu tour of one by its freindly crew back in the late 90s. What struck me most at the time were the full functioning sextant and other mechanical navigation instruments that I couldn't name, up front in the observer's bubble, apparently still in use to some degree.

[ogc]

Heard a odd exchange over ATC today.
An aircraft with the call sign 'Openskies 33F' was on Vancouver Centre 'just passing through' requesting waypoints. A little later on the controller issued a traffic warning to a YVR inbound flight to report a Russian Military Antonov in sight. The controller was almost laughing as he said it.
I googled it because I was curious and found that it's a Russian reconnaissance aircraft. I guess the 'open skies treaty' allows this (If Wikipedia can be trusted).
Just wondering if anyone knows anything about this, or has heard it before?

Its a treaty that we have with the roooskees.

They let us fly over their country and take pictures and we reciprocate. Its all set up in advance so everyone sees what they want the other to see.

[TeePeeCreeper]

Anyone know what that plane uses as a power plant? Looks like RR "dart" style engines?

[Ki-ll]

Anyone know what that plane uses as a power plant? Looks like RR "dart" style engines?

Pretty much all Russian turboprops use Ivchenko powerplants. That particular airplane is An-30, it has 3 engines. Two turboprop AI-24 engines (direct drive 2500+hp engine) and one turbojet RU-19 in the RH engine nacelle (it provides about 1500 lbs of thrust). This small turbojet engine provides electrical power for starting the main engines and also thrust when required (single engine overshoot, high density operations etc.).

[raven54]

A louder turbo prop, you will not hear!

[Gannet167]

The Tu-95 Bear is several times louder.

[TG]

I'll raise you with the AN-22.
The loudest, weirdest, incoming end of the world contra rotative prop wash sound I've ever heard.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD4HtxpGd-U

Thinking of it, the TU-95 might sound the same actually.

[xchox]

It's not a TU-95 but still pretty damn loud though:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcABUx-NGYM

[raven54]

The Tu-95 Bear is several times louder.

Touche, but not exactly a run of the mill machine...hopefully not

[linecrew]

The Russians now use this Tupolev Tu-154 for Open Skies flights.

[hazatude]

Russian crews are a funny mix. Military or ex-military (very hard-ass), flight deck guys and the rest of the crew just wants to talk hockey and drink. In my experience with them at least.

[hawker driver]

I had a few rides in an An26 a few years ago was surprised by the 5 man cockpit crew.
Captain, Co pilot, Navigator, Flight engineer and Radio operator.
The navigator had a huge panel infront of him and all these slide rulers and maps. Tucked in the corner was a GPS unit.

The company I used to work for overseas leased one with the crew for some work we had.
The price 14 years ago Aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance (ACMI) was $275 USD per hour, we paid the fuel and had to house and feed the crew.

[TheCheez]

Just wanted to clarify that it isn't planned out in advance by the receiving country. Within the treaty countries, you can go visit any other country with fairly short notice and the flight plan goes in after you arrive, that is the first time the receiving nation would be aware of what you intend to fly over. The treaty is very precise about how you fly and who watches etc. The photos are useful, it's good for diplomacy. It's a good program, I think.

Canada slaps a photo pod on a herc in place of an external tank, but some other countries have dedicated aircraft for the job.

[hazatude]

It would be a fun job on either side!

[sstaurus]

Interesting. I've always been fascinated by Russian aviation, they have some amazing machines.

[Liquid Charlie]

And as mentioned above -- all about man power -- I road in a russian helicopter at the n pole and crew of 5 -- pilots only steered the aircraft -- navigator would set the heading bug and the pilot would maintain the heading -- over the years I have observed the same -- they had a 757 clone in europe and we watched guys load up -- some with lawn chairs -- lol -- they must of had a crew of about 10 to fly it - freight only -- in CPH we had to start going through customs on arrival because the russians were caught bring cash fares from st pete's on the an26 during night freight ops -- it's all about cash and black market and as much as 50% overloads for "personal crew freight" because their salaries really suck - think about that next time we start feeling sorry for ourselves --

[xchox]

Worlds fastest airliner (TU-144) had throttles in the engineering station:

(not gonna lie... I effin LOVE Russian Aviation)

[PS-90A]

And as mentioned above -- all about man power -- I road in a russian helicopter at the n pole and crew of 5 -- pilots only steered the aircraft -- navigator would set the heading bug and the pilot would maintain the heading -- over the years I have observed the same -- they had a 757 clone in europe and we watched guys load up -- some with lawn chairs -- lol -- they must of had a crew of about 10 to fly it - freight only -- in CPH we had to start going through customs on arrival because the russians were caught bring cash fares from st pete's on the an26 during night freight ops -- it's all about cash and black market and as much as 50% overloads for "personal crew freight" because their salaries really suck - think about that next time we start feeling sorry for ourselves --

whats a 757 clone? 10 to operate it...can u support that statement with anything other than ur own gossip? and where u got info like that about their salaries? thank you

[PS-90A]

OPEN SKIES TU-214ON
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0VtMrBYSsc