MiG-21UM arrives at National Test Pilot School

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Photographs by Tom Reynolds

Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the National Test Pilot School, Jim “JB” Brown, delivers a MiG-21UM to the Mojave Air and Space Port. The supersonic jet was purchased from Warbirds
of Delaware in 2014; however, international sanctions against Russia delayed supplies needed to render the aircraft safe for flight.

by Linda KC Reynolds                                         fast airplane—the biggest limitation is the fuel it car-
staff writer                                                 ries. If you’re flying for over an hour you’re looking
                                                             for a runway to put it down right now,” explained
   A warm, sunny day and a bright blue sky were a            Brown.
perfect backdrop for the grand arrival of a MiG-21UM
piloted by Jim “JB” Brown, vice president and chief             The supersonic jet fighter and interceptor aircraft
operating officer of the National Test Pilot School, at      was designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bu-
the Mojave Air and Space Port.                               reau in the Soviet Union in 1959. This particular air-
                                                             craft was built in 1976 and served with the Czecho-
   On Jan. 17, 2018, spectators including friends and        slovakian Air Force. Brown said that the MiG-21 was
family enjoyed several flybys before the sleek, silver       the most-produced fighter since World War II. Ap-
and blue jet landed in front of the school. “That is re-     proximately 13,000 have been built and they are still
ally cool,” said Bill Kuhlemeier, flight test engineer       in service with 18 different air forces around the world.
for The Space Ship Company, after watching the MiG-          “It has plenty to teach a student test pilot. Pilots that
21UM land. “Not as cool as a space ship, but very            have grown up flying F-15s, F-16s and the Eurofighter
cool!” Kuhlemeier worked with Brown on the F-22              haven’t seen the handling qualities this airplane has,
Raptor and F-117 Night Hawk programs.                        which are very basic and very typical of the era in
                                                             which it was developed.” The school also has a su-
   Starting from Delaware, it took Brown seven flights,      personic T-38; however, they are hoping the MiG is
400 miles at a time, to fly the jet from coast to coast.     more cost efficient.
With no automatic pilot, the journey in a relatively un-
stable aircraft was quite tiring for the experienced pilot,     “It’s been quite an odyssey getting it here,” said Dr.
who has 9,400-plus hours in more than 150 aircraft.                                               See MiG, Page 2

   “The aircraft is capable of flying Mach 2.05, a very

Cheers—Pilot James “JB” Brown, vice president and chief operating officer of the National Test Pilot School,
celebrates after delivering a MiG-21UM to the school Jan. 17, 2018. The supersonic jet was purchased from
Warbirds of Delaware in 2014. Luca Campello, chief of flight operations, JB’s daughter Lily Brown and Dr.
Al Peterson, NTPS president and CEO, enjoy the celebration.

February 2, 2018• Volume 32 Issue 1                          Serving the aerospace industry since 1986                  Use your smartphone to connect to
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