Yak 52 ownership questions

[Darth JBell]

Hi, all!

Can anyone help me out with some Yaquisition questions? I'll take answers, websites or Harrassments. Whatever you've got.

First, my biggest concern is maintenance (both special and routine). Are mechs and parts readily available?

Second, where can folks get some training?

Third, are there any must haves or have nots in the quest for the plane (like the western electrics)?

Fourth, are there any Yak Brokers/Gurus that specialize in Yakquisitions?

Finally, can a case be made for a Warbird of another make/model with better operating costs (and what could that be)? Requirements would still have to be 2-place and at least gentleman aerobatics.

Thanks for all the help!

P.S. If there are any Pitts S-2 guys out there I'd love to pick your brain for some cost of ownership basics as well.

[soko121]

PM sent

[fiftycal]

beware they need a spar strap if not already done. engines are low tbo, they arnt much faster than a cessna @ 5x the fuel

[Matt Gunsch]

Look at the Nanchang CJ-6A, very similar to the Yak-52, but it is a military trainer and can do acro.

[Iclo]

Look at the Nanchang CJ-6A, very similar to the Yak-52, but it is a military trainer and can do acro.

I don't undersand your last comment : the Yak-52 can do acro

[fiftycal]

Look at the Nanchang CJ-6A, very similar to the Yak-52, but it is a military trainer and can do acro.

I don't undersand your last comment : the Yak-52 can do acro

nanchang is a lot stronger

[Matt Gunsch]

Finally, can a case be made for a Warbird of another make/model with better operating costs (and what could that be)? Requirements would still have to be 2-place and at least gentleman aerobatics.
.

Look at the Nanchang CJ-6A, very similar to the Yak-52, but it is a military trainer and can do acro.

I don't undersand your last comment : the Yak-52 can do acro

I was responding the original posters comment about being aerobatic,

I know the Yak-52 can do acro, I have done several years of maint on one, and flown several CJs.

[Darth JBell]

Thanks for the inputs, guys. Please keep them coming!

Yeah, the Yak 52 won't be super quick. I'd love a T-28 or even a T-33 or L-39 for some more speed and altitude, but I imagine their cost of ownership to be through the roof.

Concerning the CJ in this aspect, isn't it only slightly quicker with the fully retractable gear because of the less powerful engine?

Also, is the maintenance more cost effective than the Yak?

I guess what I'm asking is what would the case be for a CJ over a Yak? Fewer ADs? Lower Cost of ownership? Ease of maintenance (availability of parts and Mechs)?

Sorry for all the rookie questions and thanks again for the help!

- Josh

[shrike]

Dunno, I'd consider a Yak 18T. Performance about halfway between the 52 and CJ-6 with greater range than either, and the possibility of taking either 2 extra people or a fair amount of stuff while retaining the acrobatic performance.
Any one of them and you'll need to invest in a few scuba tanks<G>

[Matt Gunsch]

If I had my choice, I would go with the CJ, more of them flying than Yak-52s.
Maint is about the same, I just love chasing freekin air leaks..

[fiftycal]

agree with shrike, yak-18T is the go, 4 seats, fully aerobatic, 400hp, good for touring, retractable, no major problems

[famvburg]

Other than getting an hour or so of dual in a Yak-52 about 20 years ago and being around a few transient Yaks of various flavors, I think over the years I have heard talk of various conversions to convert some of the pneumatic systems to hydraulic (brakes and/or ?) and electric (starter). Is that correct? I remember back in the late '80s or early '90s a Su or Yak stopping in on a Sunday afternoon and leaking all of his air. Try finding a high pressure source in my town on a Sunday afternoon! I think we finally tracked down a soda machine vendor with a CO2 tank and rounded up enough fittings to make it work.

[Darth JBell]

The 18T, huh? Can't say I've even thought of it until ya'll mentioned it. Something else to think about for sure.

Since we're tossing around options, here's my actual airplane mission:
- Aerobatic (at least gentlemanly rolls/loops/Cuban 8s, etc.)
- Something to share with family members (not necessarily all at once)
- Must sound cool and look cool (Warbirds would be great, but a Pitts does this too)

Feel free to chew on it and let me know if I'm off or missing anything.

Also, let me say thanks to the PMs I got. I'm too much of a Newb to be allowed to PM back, but I truly appreciate all the information!

- Josh

[Booshka]

IAR-823...enough said.

True military liaison/armament trainer

IO-540 290hp (can be upgraded to 320hp), 4-place. True underwing hardpoints. Fully aerobatic. Cruise at 145KIAS all day. Built strong like ox (da).

Company very famous (IAR) and still in business, although they do helos now.

IAR823.com

=Bob=

[DB2]

There is a fairly active Yak/CJ specific forum at:

http://forums.matronics.com/viewforum.php?f=6

There's also a lot of good info on Richard Goode's website:

http://www.russianaeros.com/products/

The Yak-18T would be a great choice, although they are not that common in the US. With any Yak one thing to consider is the amount of fuel they can carry; as built they were really only designed for short aerobatic or general training hops, and thus won't provide the cross-country range you might be used to with your average Cessna. There are a number of additional tank modifications available to increase the range on 52s and 18Ts - some of these are easily retrofittable; some are not.

A CJ-6A re-engined with the M-14P (360hp) or M-14PF (400hp) would also be an excellent choice for an all-round sporty-warbirdy aircraft. A stock CJ-6A with the standard 285 hp engine is a fun ride, but a bit of a dog IMHO compared to a Yak-52.