The Yak 50
In the early seventies Sergi Yakolev, son of Yakolev himself set out to crush the aerobatic competition of the time. In 1975, a derivative of the Yak 18PS was developed and out of the program came the fire breathing Yak 50. In 1976 the Yak 50 took 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in the Mens World Aerobatic Competition, 1st - 5th in womens and it took the overall for men and women. In short it demolished every aircraft the west had ever produced and from it, modern power aerobatics were formed. It dominated for 5 years until US monoplanes caught up. 30 years later there are approximately 40 still flying and it is still a contender on the competition circuit.
Tail Chaser traces its routes to 1979 where it flew for 50 hours and then was parked for over twenty years. A few years ago it was brought over from Russia, high tech pistons and gapless rings boosted the already impressive 360hp M-14 to a staggering 420 hp and a few modern avionics were added. It is large, powerful and loud and as the Ruskies would say “Strong like Bull, Built like tank!” Very simple, yet a monster in the air.
I love this plane!!!! The more and more I fly it the better it gets. It leaps off the ground in about 50 feet, with the monster motor and 3 blade MT prop it develops nearly 1600# of thrust - nearly a 1 to 1 thrust to weight ratio when empty! It has absolutely staggering climb performance and looks and sounds stunning in flight. It draws a crowd wherever it goes on the ground, in the air it is amazing. The controls are light and effortless to move and in a pull it will go vertically to the moon! The Yak 50 is by far the coolest Aerobatic mount on the planet.
Yak Takeoff
The Greatest Day Jones Beach Airshow 2008
My First Airshow Ever!!! Stevesairshow.com posted unedited video of the show over Atlantic City 2008
