Simonov reaches his seventieth birthday still at the top of profession and driving Russian design

Published: 10/21/1999

19th October 1999 marked the seventieth birthday of one of Russia most accomplished aircraft designers: Mikhail Simonov, General Designer of the Sukhoi Design Bureau. He joined the bureau in 1970 as a Deputy General Designer, rising to First Deputy General Designer in 1977, with responsibility for the T-10-1: a project started in 1969 by Pawel Sukhoi that was to become the Su-27.The design was then developed by Simonov into the Su-27UB two seat combat trainer and further developed into a new family of aircraft based on the multirole Su-30 derived from the two seat Su-27UB. Using techniques such as vectoring engines in the late 1980's, Sukhoi began to develop much more agile aircraft when combined with revolutionary aerodynamics, best demonstrated by the experimental fifth generation fighter, the swept wing Su-37 Berkut. This was designed at the bureau's own expense to explore post stall manoeuvrability and supermanoevrability, although declared by the Ministry of Defence not to be a candidate for the fifth generation fighter requirement. While pushing aircraft design forward, the bureau, under Simonov, has also become the most successful of the emerging military industrial complexes, successfully exporting the Su-27 to China and latterly the Su-30 to both China and India. As such, it has beaten its rival, MiG/MAPO, and, to a certain degree, potentially subsuming it in a proposed merger of the industry. Outside of the military arena, Sukhoi, between 1983-1999, designed the 1 and 2 seat sport aircraft, the Su-26, 29 and 31, winning 180 international competitive medals, including 80 gold. The aircraft was also one of the first to combine a rescue system in an aerobatic aircraft, selling substantially around the world. In 1998, Aviation Week and Space International designated Simonov as an aerospace legend. Simonov is probably the last of the great General Designers of the Soviet era: men whose status placed them high in the echelons of Russia's hierarchy. Since the fall of communism, some have adjusted badly to the change and, in some circles; Simonov is regarded as being one of these. Perceived by some as unable or unwilling to change his approach to aircraft design (historically driven by the designer's own ambitions rather than the air force's actual needs), Simonov has found himself at odds with much of the Russian military planning apparatus in the last few years. They would argue, in particular, that the S-37 is an inappropriate aircraft for the current needs of the Russian Air Force and unlikely to be ever produced in series, although recent reports have suggested that the air force may be warming to the aircraft, which was given pride of place at the recent Moscow Air Show. The bureau has however, argued that the design work and development undertaken on the project will serve the company in future designs. Simonov's forays into the civil market have also been marked by colourful incidents, such as the continuation of the supersonic business jet, after the joint venture with Gulfstream collapsed, and the withdrawal from involvement in the Airbus A-XXX programme, arguing that the bureau had a better idea in the KR-860 large airliner and felt it was being offered an insufficient share of the programme. Within the Sukhoi complex itself his relationships with his fellow managers have become increasingly strained according to reports from within the bureau. The primary root of discord appears to come from the unwillingness of the General Designer to work within the constraints of budget. One particular story that illustrates this point relates to a confrontation between the General Director of AVPK Sukhoi, Mikhail Pogosyan, who was presented with a demand for funding for several millions of dollars and when he asked what it was for Simonov's only explanation being that he needed the money!

Article ID: 989