Sasa Savicevic from Serbia about his MiG-29 Flight to the "Edge of Space"

Name: 
Sasa Savicevic
Country: 
Serbia

It is nice (superb!) feeling when man in his late thirties fulfill his childhood dream. Since I was a boy I dreamt about this day. I had experienced parachute jumps, flight in light planes, gliders, scuba diving but this is the top of all.
First, I advise future "Edge of Space" travelers to come to Nizhny Novgorod city few days earlier, because this city has to show a lot. Turbulent history, nice buildings, river Volga, nice streets with prettiest women in whole Russia. Try some Russian food (do not eat pizza and McDonalds stuff there) and Russian drinks – kvas, vodka..... Russian vodka is much different (better) than vodka produced in other parts of the world. Russia is “mother” of vodka. I preferred to come from Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod by speed train “Sapsan”, so I had a chance to look Russian country...
Sokol base is “mother” of the best Russian fighter planes trough history and now you can see history of planes in a museum. People who likes aviation will find visit to Sokol museum as a cherry on top of a cake. Cake is of course flight.
Flight was so exciting. Preparation, anti / G suite, helmet, boots, mask, briefing with one of the best jet pilots in the world. In my case it was Sergei Kara, pilot with over 5000 hours and more than 50 planes that he tested. Earlier I was so excited on air shows if I get lucky to sit into a fighter jet but now it was my day. First excitement was when I saw MiG 29 waiting on a runway for Sergei and me. Second excitement was to sit into MiG-29 with full pilot equipment. Third excitement was starting and probation of engines and other avionics. After that I stopped to count excitements because next 45 minutes was the best hour in my life (if I do not count first sex).
There are no words to describe it all, look up and down from 20.600 meters, descent from that altitude (roller coaster) and all kind of aerobatics and modern dogfight maneuvers performed by one of the best world pilots...
When we came down, if there was a lock on a cabin I would have locked me inside for next hour. If I had a chance I would have gone up the sky tomorrow again. For anybody who likes aviation and can pay or find a sponsor (my case) this is one of the best experiences in life. Some people like barbecue or to watch TV, some like this kind of Adventure..
I hope I will have a chance to go again to the sky with pilot Sergei and maybe to go much higher, you never know life is full of surprises. What you think is what you live.
But nothing can explain smell of kerosene, sound of Solovyev engines and 8G force. If you go there or you have questions, do not hesitate to write me.
Many thanks (bolshoe spasibo) to pilot Sergei, Travel Agency "Space Tourism Ltd", Oleg Fedorov from Sokol base, Irina, Slava and all other people involved...
Sky is the limit.
Have a nice flight.
Sasa Savicevic

Cards