fatman17
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Not PAF K8s
Karakorum - 8 (K-8) | Jet Trainer Aircraft.
- Thread starter AZADPAKISTAN2009
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Not PAF K8s
Frogman
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Not saying they are. Thought this was a more general thread on the K-8 and its derivatives.
Frogman
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They're called the Silver Stars. Egyptian Air Force Academy instructors do this in their spare time/on call. It's not a dedicated aerobatic wing like the Red Arrows or anything similar.
The K-8E is a advanced trainer so there's not much to say about it really. Does its job well not much more you can ask for.
Panther 57
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Pages from History
Pioneer K-8 Pilots along with PAC Pilots
In the August of 1994 a group of eight instructors from PAF Academy were selected and sent to China Nanchang Aircraft Manufacturing Company at Nanchang in Jiangxi Province. The selected lot reached Nanchang two PAF pilots were already present there on behalf of Pakistan Aeronautic Complex Kamra. It was interesting to find own colleagues representatives of supplier (CNAMC & PAC), dealing with their countrymen as the buyers’ (PAF) cockpit crew. The contingent was taken through an extensive round of ground training, commonly known as Aircraft Technical Training (ATT). Finally on 14th September, 1994 first pilot of PAF went airborne in a K-8 aircraft with Chinese Test Pilots. The PAF crew was allowed only three sorties of one hour each under supervision of Chinese Test Pilots before going solo. It was an experience of life time. The Chinese pilot would transmit his instructions to ground control, where it was interpreted to PAC pilots, who in turn would relay the message back to the front occupant of the aircraft. Likewise, it was vice-e-versa for PAF pilot. It is easier said than done, major portion of the flight was consumed inter cockpit communication. Yet, all involved achieved their solos in stipulated time.
After all the pilots of PAF contingent had flown solo flight, they started flying mutually to evaluate the aircraft and develop their own thumb rules. It was very interesting to find out that when temperature in Nanchang goes to 36°C automatically holiday is declared in Nanchang. Though a proper justification from Chinese could not be achieved, thus, it was presumed that high humidity levels prevalent in the area was the reason for such call offs. In a short span of 14 days, with a number of automatic holidays and bad weathers in between, each PAF pilot completed his 12 sorties with different configurations. The contingent returned in first week of October 1994. Pilots were redeployed to their original units. In first week of Nov 1994 the contingent was reconstituted and preparation started to welcome first batch of K-8 aircraft.
On 7th November 1994, team reached Hotien from where deliver of aircraft was arranged. In just one day time all pilots checked each other out for proficiency along with Functional Check Flight of each aircraft to be ferried to Pakistan. Dawn of 9th November was ready to welcome K-8 at PAF Academy Risalpur. Flying in the vicinity of Siachin, on looking snow covered peak of K-2, keeping in sight Gilglit, crossed Chilas with relieving sigh, from winding valleys into the plains of Risalpur, six aircraft were home by noon.
On 28th January Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, the then Prime Minister of Pakistan, formally inducted K-8 in Pakistan Air Force.
An extensive evaluation of first batch aircraft was carried out at Risalpur, yet PAF worried about future of K-8 in academy; it was the most important of all The Spin characteristics. None of the pilots of K-8 were taken through the spin training, except for the incipient stage recovery. PAF was skeptical on trusting the student with an aircraft not yet proven for its Spin and Recovery capabilities. Finally, in March of 1995 two pilots were selected to undergo flight characteristic test pilot training in China. The pair was allowed six sorties each to undergo spin training. The K-8 was configured with anti-spin rockets for first two sorties, it suggested, that PAF pilots were not the only one trying out spin for the first time. During these six hours each pilot experienced a combination of at least 50 erect and inverted spins. The pair returned with their final comments: “For spin, instead of trusting the student with the aircraft, aircraft can be trusted with the student.”
Pioneer K-8 Pilots along with PAC Pilots
In the August of 1994 a group of eight instructors from PAF Academy were selected and sent to China Nanchang Aircraft Manufacturing Company at Nanchang in Jiangxi Province. The selected lot reached Nanchang two PAF pilots were already present there on behalf of Pakistan Aeronautic Complex Kamra. It was interesting to find own colleagues representatives of supplier (CNAMC & PAC), dealing with their countrymen as the buyers’ (PAF) cockpit crew. The contingent was taken through an extensive round of ground training, commonly known as Aircraft Technical Training (ATT). Finally on 14th September, 1994 first pilot of PAF went airborne in a K-8 aircraft with Chinese Test Pilots. The PAF crew was allowed only three sorties of one hour each under supervision of Chinese Test Pilots before going solo. It was an experience of life time. The Chinese pilot would transmit his instructions to ground control, where it was interpreted to PAC pilots, who in turn would relay the message back to the front occupant of the aircraft. Likewise, it was vice-e-versa for PAF pilot. It is easier said than done, major portion of the flight was consumed inter cockpit communication. Yet, all involved achieved their solos in stipulated time.
After all the pilots of PAF contingent had flown solo flight, they started flying mutually to evaluate the aircraft and develop their own thumb rules. It was very interesting to find out that when temperature in Nanchang goes to 36°C automatically holiday is declared in Nanchang. Though a proper justification from Chinese could not be achieved, thus, it was presumed that high humidity levels prevalent in the area was the reason for such call offs. In a short span of 14 days, with a number of automatic holidays and bad weathers in between, each PAF pilot completed his 12 sorties with different configurations. The contingent returned in first week of October 1994. Pilots were redeployed to their original units. In first week of Nov 1994 the contingent was reconstituted and preparation started to welcome first batch of K-8 aircraft.
On 7th November 1994, team reached Hotien from where deliver of aircraft was arranged. In just one day time all pilots checked each other out for proficiency along with Functional Check Flight of each aircraft to be ferried to Pakistan. Dawn of 9th November was ready to welcome K-8 at PAF Academy Risalpur. Flying in the vicinity of Siachin, on looking snow covered peak of K-2, keeping in sight Gilglit, crossed Chilas with relieving sigh, from winding valleys into the plains of Risalpur, six aircraft were home by noon.
On 28th January Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, the then Prime Minister of Pakistan, formally inducted K-8 in Pakistan Air Force.
An extensive evaluation of first batch aircraft was carried out at Risalpur, yet PAF worried about future of K-8 in academy; it was the most important of all The Spin characteristics. None of the pilots of K-8 were taken through the spin training, except for the incipient stage recovery. PAF was skeptical on trusting the student with an aircraft not yet proven for its Spin and Recovery capabilities. Finally, in March of 1995 two pilots were selected to undergo flight characteristic test pilot training in China. The pair was allowed six sorties each to undergo spin training. The K-8 was configured with anti-spin rockets for first two sorties, it suggested, that PAF pilots were not the only one trying out spin for the first time. During these six hours each pilot experienced a combination of at least 50 erect and inverted spins. The pair returned with their final comments: “For spin, instead of trusting the student with the aircraft, aircraft can be trusted with the student.”
Windjammer
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HawkerHunter
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It is not the best trainer in World. But still it is serving the purpose. Used basically in PAF at Fighter Conversion Unit.
Panther 57
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Very stable aircraft. You can trust it with the student.
HawkerHunter
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Yes I know its stable, but the fact is that it is Chinese technology. For Basic Flying even T 37 is obsolete, it is better than K 8. For Fighter Conversion K 8 somehow is doing a good Job.
Panther 57
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K-8 should not be compared to T-37. K-8 is unfit for spin training, but as an aircraft it is certainly better then T-37, just because it is chinese it cannot be called as inferior. Even the first batch was 50% glass cockpit and was equipped with EFIS, TFE-731 a highly reliable engine. It is a very agile aircraft.
HawkerHunter
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The engine is very powerful but airframe doesn't support the engine. So efficiency of engine is reduced. It is not more stable than T 37. Additionally the switching and circuit breakers are not in symmetry, pure Chinese way of switching.
Panther 57
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may be you have more experience on K-8 then me.
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