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AERO-INDIA 2025 STARTING FROM FEBRUARY 10 AT BENGALURU: RECALLING MY 1998 ‘COBRA’ MOMENT

By P.T. Bopanna

Having covered several Aero India shows in Bengaluru, my fan moment came when I got the opportunity to meet the legendary Russian test pilot Viktor Pugachev (in picture) in 1998. 

He became famous after his 1989 Su-27 demonstrations at the Paris Air Show. On November 1, 1989 he landed a Su-27K on an aircraft carrier for the first time in Soviet history.

Having heard about his feats, I was keen to meet the famous test pilot during the Aero India show. After ascertaining his location at the air show venue, I walked into his chalet (a temporary air conditioned wooden house) by the side of the Russian stall. I introduced myself to the personnel. After verifying my credentials, I was ushered into Pugachev’s cabin.

Having witnessed his Cobra manoeuver the previous day, I could not believe that I was face to face with the man who performed such aerobatics in the sky which made you hold your breath.

But there was a problem. Pugachev could not speak English. In no time, a Russian girl appeared on the scene. She was one of the most beautiful girls I had seen. She was an interpreter who translated to me in English what Pugachev spoke in Russian.  But much of what the test pilot spoke was lost in translation. Nonetheless, it was a moment to cherish. I filed a report of the interview to my paper The Pioneer (New Delhi).

Pugachev attained stardom after he performed the Cobra manoeuver. In aerobatics, Pugachev’s Cobra (or Pugachev Cobra) is a dramatic and demanding manoeuvre in which an airplane flying at a moderate speed suddenly raises the nose momentarily to the vertical position and slightly beyond, before dropping it back to normal flight. 

For his feats, the Soviet Union honoured him with the Gold medal of the Hero of the Soviet Union.

Having covered the Aero India shows, I am convinced of the abilities of the pilots of the Indian Air Force. Prior to the induction of the Rafale and Sukhoi aircraft, the IAF had ageing fleet. Despite the outmoded aircraft, IAF had one of the most lethal fleets because of the large pool of fine pilots.

Source: Round and About with P T Bopanna, Rolling Stone Publications (2022). Paperback copies of the book available on Amazon: