The day started very early, since I could not sleep very well the previous night. I was too excited with the flight!
21st October 2003 will always be in my good memories. As an "aviation nut", to fly the "Foxbat" was a unique experience. I'll try to describe it briefly, but for sure the exact dimension cannot be translated into words.

At 9 o'clock the driver (Viktor) and the interpreter (Larissa) were waiting for me at the hotel entrance.
The trip to Zhukovsky took about one hour. There were no problems with the security: once the passports were checked, we were allowed to enter. One representative from the institute was waiting for us.

No time was lost. I went straight to the medical check-up (simpler than I thought - only blood pressure and a questionnaire to fill) and then I met the test pilot, Alexander Pavlov.
He briefly explained me how the flight would be, so I knew more or less what to expect. At that moment I also signed a document, taking responsibility for all the risks involved in such flight.

The next step was the G-suit. That was funny!
I took out my clothes and put a kind of pyjamas on, and two ladies helped me with the suit. It fits tight and has a strange design, but I felt great wearing it!
Some hoses run along the back, legs and arms, which is connected to the pressurized air line of the aircraft. In case of high G-loads, it is supposed to squeeze the body to prevent the blood from moving down.
After the G-suit, the helmet was adjusted and the communication system checked. She also taught me how to take out/put in the oxygen mask. I was ready to go!

As there was another flight just before mine, I had to wait for a while.
When I arrived at the place where the Foxbat was parked, the engines had just been turned on. I could watch the take off (with after burners!), and a low-pass just before landing. Wow!

While the aircraft was being refueled, I could take pictures and appreciate the bird.
In the 80's, most of the data about the Mig-25 performance was still unknown in the occident. The pictures available were also limited, and I still remember reading some books about military aviation that transmitted a "mysterious atmosphere" when describing the Foxbat and other Russian fighters. I could never imagine that one day I would be so close to such aircraft. More than this, I was about to fly in one!

When I was "installed" in the cockpit, the pilot briefed me about the relevant buttons/commands (radio/oxygen) and answered some questions. Of course I could stay with him for weeks to get all my questions answered, but unfortunately the time was short.
Once the canopy was closed, the procedures to start the engines began. The heart was beating fast� I waived good-bye to Viktor and Larissa and we headed for the position 3.
Aircraft aligned in the runway. Throttles ahead� Here we go!

We took off using less distance that I had imagined, then we turned left and started climbing. The weather was very bad, so I could see nothing around.
I also was expecting to be pushed harder against the seat based on the thrust of those huge engines behind me, but it is not that impressive (of course higher than in a 737, for example).

For someone like me who never did an acrobatic maneuver in a plane, the G-loads during climbing are a bit uncomfortable, but not extreme. At a certain point, Alexander did a roll to the left, so I could see the horizon turning 360 degrees in front of me. Really cool!

At 7,000 m (= 23,000 ft - all the gauges follow the metric system�) the after burners were activated again (they had been turned off since we took off), then I could feel the power of those engines. It seemed like someone was pushing me just behind the seat!
At 11,000 m (= 36,100 ft) we crossed Mach 1 and 16,000 m (=52,500 ft) the maximum speed was reached: Mach 2.44.

We continued climbing to 24.2 km (= 79,400 ft). We stayed at this level for about 2 minutes.
The landscape is amazing! I could see the limit between the sky and the space, I mean, a white surface (layer of clouds thousands of feet below us), a blue "band" in the horizon and the sky getting gradually darker; however, unfortunately the weather did not allow me to see the curvature of the Earth.

During descending, I was allowed to hold the stick and test the pedals for a few minutes. Yes, I actually controlled the aircraft and felt its commands for a while!

Once again, the weather was so bad that I could not see anything outside. Alexander told me that we were about to make a low-pass above Zhukovsky, and when I realized I had an Ilyushin-76 just below me!

Few minutes later we completed the approach procedure and landed.
The ground crew helped me to get out the cockpit. I took a couple of pictures more before the Foxbat was towed to the hangar.

When I came back to the hotel, I still could not really believe on what had just happened. I was a bit "drained" and tired after the flight, but also felling the unique sensation of I dream that finally came true. That what makes life good!

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