Legacy Flights

For years, the MiG-29 Fulcrum was the crown jewel of FlyFighterJet.com and MiGFlug's flight lineup — the only supersonic fighter jet in the world available for civilian flights. The Mikoyan MiG-29, NATO designation "Fulcrum," is a fourth-generation twin-engine multirole fighter that served as the Soviet Union's frontline air superiority jet throughout the Cold War and remains in active military service with air forces around the world today.

What made the MiG-29 program extraordinary was not just the aircraft itself, but the access it provided. Civilians could fly in a fully operational military fighter jet, experience supersonic speed, pull up to 9G, and reach altitudes above 17 kilometers — high enough to see the curvature of the Earth. Participants could even take the controls under the supervision of a military test pilot.

The MiG-29 flight program began at Zhukovsky (Ramenskoye Airfield), located about 40 kilometers southeast of Moscow. Home to the Gromov Flight Research Institute (LII), Zhukovsky has been the center of Soviet and Russian aviation testing since the 1940s. It was here that nearly every major Soviet military aircraft — including the MiG-29 itself — was first tested and certified.

MiGFlug and FlyFighterJet.com operated early MiG-29 flights from this legendary facility, giving civilian participants access to one of the most historically significant airfields in aviation history. Flights were conducted in the MiG-29UB, the two-seat training variant, with experienced military test pilots at the controls.

The program later moved to the Sokol Aircraft Building Plant near Nizhny Novgorod, approximately 400 kilometers east of Moscow. The Sokol plant is where MiG-29 fighters were actually manufactured — making it one of the most authentic settings imaginable for flying the aircraft. For decades, this military-industrial complex was closed to all outside visitors. Only through a special arrangement were civilian flights made possible here.

Accessing the airfield required special authorization from Russian military authorities, a process that took at least 60 business days. Participants had to submit passport copies and personal data well in advance. Once on-site, they were escorted through security, given a full medical examination, and introduced to their pilot before the flight.

Two flight programs were offered: a 25-minute aerobatic sortie and an extended 45-minute supersonic mission. Both included a detailed aircraft walk-around, a pre-flight briefing with the pilot, and a post-flight debrief with a signed flight certificate.

During the flight, participants experienced the full envelope of the MiG-29's capabilities: rolls, loops, Immelman turns, split-S maneuvers, vertical climbs, steep dives, tail slides, and the pilot's signature "hammer maneuver." Those on the extended sortie flew supersonic — exceeding Mach 1 — and climbed to extreme altitude where the sky turns dark blue and the horizon curves visibly.

The MiG-29's raw performance was unlike anything else available to civilians. With a climb rate of 330 meters per second and a thrust-to-weight ratio exceeding 1, the aircraft could accelerate while climbing vertically — a sensation closer to a rocket launch than any conventional aircraft.

The most extreme variant was the "Edge of Space" flight: a 45-50 minute mission that took participants to altitudes of 17 to 22 kilometers (approximately 56,000 to 72,000 feet). At these altitudes, far above commercial airline cruising height, the curvature of the Earth becomes visible against the blackness of near-space. The MiG-29 cruised at Mach 2 — twice the speed of sound — during these flights.

The Edge of Space program represented the absolute pinnacle of what was possible for civilian aviation enthusiasts. There was, and still is, no equivalent experience available anywhere in the world for non-astronauts.