| Few people know that you don't have to be a | | | | - 2004: USD 7300.00 |
| pilot to fly a jet fighter. Mig 29 flights in Russia are | | | | - 2005: USD 7800.00 (+500) |
| available to anyone interested in taking a jet | | | | - 2006: USD 11300.00 (+3500.00) |
| fighter ride. | | | | - 2007: USD 13200.00 (+1900.00) |
| A unique mix of political, economical and historical | | | | - 2008: USD 17450.00 (+4250.00) |
| circumstances allows simple tourists to flying | | | | - 2009: USD 21800.00 (+4350.00) |
| fighter jets in Russia. However, there are clear | | | | Today, the price to fly mig therefore is almost |
| indicators that the possibility of flying fighters, | | | | three times higher of what mig 29 flights were |
| especially to fly a jet fighter like the mig 29, will | | | | priced only six years ago. |
| become more and more expensive. To | | | | According to insiders of two main reasons cause |
| understand why this is so, let's have a look at the | | | | this increase: |
| recent history of jet fighter rides in Russia and | | | | First Business:In the past, many decision makers |
| the price development of mig 29 flights. | | | | in Russia had a Soviet background and were not |
| Today, the only mig jet fighter available for a jet | | | | aware of how much financial benefit they can gain |
| fighter ride is the heavy and modern mig 29. This | | | | from letting tourists fly a jet fighter. Renting Migs |
| was not always so: Six years ago, in 2004, flying | | | | for a jet fighter ride and allowing civilians to fly |
| Russian mig 29 flights with supersonic capability | | | | mig was a nice addition to the usual Mig 29 flights |
| was a relatively low-priced endeavor. A wide | | | | of the air force, but few key people realized the |
| range of migs - mig-21, mig-23, mig-25 and mig-29 | | | | possible financial gains. As more and more |
| were available for a jet fighter ride. Thus, for as | | | | old-school bureaucrats are being replaced by |
| low as 3800 USD, a supersonic jet fighter ride in | | | | younger generation successors who focus on |
| the mig 21 fishbed was possible. At the same | | | | profit, the increasing trend for profit-maximizing |
| time, a flight in the more modern MiG-23 was | | | | behavior and rules will prevail and also affect jet |
| priced some 4500 USD - still quite a bargain | | | | fighter rides. The times were you just paid for |
| compared to today's mig 29 flights prices. | | | | fuel to fly a jet fighter on a remote Russian |
| As the older MiG-21 were removed from service | | | | airfield are past. |
| with the Russian Air Force, the mig 23 jet fighter | | | | The second reason, still, are fuel prices:As fuel |
| became the new “entrance level” for mig | | | | burning is the major cost factor for any flying |
| jet flights. In 2005, still everyone could fly a jet | | | | fighter. And the bad news is that fuel prices are |
| fighter - but as the MiG-23 replaced the MiG-21, | | | | constantly on the rise. In 2001 a barrel of oil was |
| prices rose to around4800 USD for a supersonic | | | | traded for some twenty dollars, at the time of |
| jet fighter ride. | | | | writing, the price reached around seventy-five. |
| A massive price boost hit the market again in | | | | The price development of flying jet fighters |
| 2006, when flying fighter jets became once again | | | | makes it apparent: the trend goes steadily |
| much more expensive. Costs to fly mig 23, | | | | upwards in general, but unpredictable, yet massive |
| available two years ago for 4800 USD, suddenly | | | | price boosts at single points in time have a |
| rose to 8900 USD - an increase of almost 100%! | | | | massive impact on the flying jet fighter |
| Since 2006, only Mig 29 flights remain possible for | | | | experience. These boosts are either caused by |
| civilians. Let's look at the price development for | | | | fleet replacements or by bureaucratic changes. |
| flying the mig 29 fighter: | | | | |