Pilots comfortable in Russian jet fighters

A Russian technician (top left) makes pre-flight preparations before Indonesian pilots operate a Russian-made Sukhoi 30MK jet fighter. The flight took off from Halim Perdanakusuma air base in East Jakarta on Friday.

Later that day, pilot Lt. Col. Arief "Flanker 01" Mustofa exhibited the Pugachev's maneuver (Cobra maneuver) along with other pilots flying a Sukhoi Su-27.

After the short air show, the airplanes traveled to their home base in Madiun, East Java.

The air show was held a day after the Indonesian Air Force celebrated its 57th Anniversary at the same location.

"We have not found it difficult to adjust our skills to fly the double-engine Russian jet fighters. Indeed, we are more comfortable flying them," Arief said, shortly before the air show, as he compared them with the U.S.-made F-16, which has a single engine.

Arief and five other Indonesian pilots underwent three months of training in Russia to fly the jet fighters, from June to September last year.

The first Sukhoi arrived here in August of last year, following Megawati's decision to purchase the aircraft.

The decision was made following an arms embargo imposed by the United States in reaction to international criticism against the alleged brutality of Indonesian Military personnel in East Timor -- before, during and after its 1999 self determination. (Tiarma Siboro)