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