Sukhoi Su-31

Su-31
300px
Jurgis Kairys in his Su-31
Role	Sports aircraft
National origin	Russia
Manufacturer	Sukhoi
First flight	1992
Developed from	Sukhoi Su-29

File:Sujoi Su-31 - Sukhoi Su-31 - Ramón Alonso.jpg

2008 World Aerobatics Champion Ramón Alonso in a Sukhoi Su-31.

File:CIAF 2015 SU-31 1.jpg

CIAF 2015, Czech republic

The Sukhoi Su-31 is a Russian single-engined aerobatic aircraft designed by Sukhoi as a lighter and more powerful version of the Sukhoi Su-29.

Design and development

The design of the aircraft started in 1991 as a single-seat development of the earlier Sukhoi Su-29 with a more powerful Vedeneyev M-14PF engine and new landing gear. The low-wing cantilever monoplane first flew in June 1992 as the Su-29T and the first production aircraft flying in 1994.

Variants

Su-29T

Prototype single-seat aerobatic monoplane

Su-31

Production variant with fixed landing gear, sometimes known as the Su-31T.

Su-31M

Improved variant with a pilot extraction system.

Su-31M2

Further improved variant of the Su-31M with weight reduction, single piece canopy/windscreen and larger wing introduced in 1999.

SU-31U

Proposed retractable landing gear variant of the Su-31T.

Su-31X

Export variant of the Su-31T

Su-31ffX

Modified experiment for wider aerobatic envelope.

Specifications

Data from Su-26, 29, 31 Specifications

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 6.83 m (22.41 ft)
• Wingspan: 7.80 m (25.59 ft)
• Height: 2.76 m (9.06 ft)
• Wing area: 11.83 m² (127.34 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 700 kg (1,543 lb)
• Max. takeoff weight: 1,050 kg (2,315 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Vedeneyev M-14PF, 294 kW (400 hp)

Performance

• Never exceed speed: 450 km/h (243 knots, 280 mph)
• Maximum speed: 331 km/h (178 knots, 205 mph)
• Stall speed: 106 km/h (57 knots, 66 mph)
• Range: 1,100 km (594 nmi, 684 mi)
• Rate of climb: 24 m/s (4,724 ft/min)
  
• Load factor: -10g to 12g
• Roll rate: 7 rad/sec (401 deg/sec)

See also

Related development

• Sukhoi Su-26
• Sukhoi Su-29

External links

• Su-31 Air Races Datasheet