Yakovlev Yak-50 (1975)

Yakovlev Yak-50

Company type	Aircraft
Industry	Aerospace
Founded	1975
Headquarters	Soviet Union
Products	Aerobatic aircraft

For experimental jet interceptor with identical designation, see Yakovlev Yak-50 (1949).

File:Yak-50-2008-Bankstown.jpg

One of the remaining airworthy examples

File:VH-DZY Cockpit.jpg

Cockpit view of VH-DZY

The Yakovlev Yak-50 (Russian: Яковлев Як-50) is a single-seat, all-metal low-wing monoplane designed for aerobatics, featuring retractable main landing gear and a fixed tailwheel. To reduce weight, its control surfaces are covered with fabric. Notably, this model does not incorporate flaps.

Its supercharged powerplant options include the Vedeneyev M14P (standard production variant), M14PF, or M14R engines, delivering between 360 and 450 horsepower through a reduction gearbox to the propeller. The aircraft’s landing gear, braking system, and engine starter are pneumatically operated using compressed air stored in main and emergency bottles located in the forward fuselage between the firewall and fuel tanks; these air supplies are maintained by an engine-driven compressor.

Praised for its excellent handling qualitiesTemplate:Fix/category, the Yak-50 benefits from a comparatively high power-to-weight ratio. It possesses a robust yet nimble airframe and has earned the title of World Aerobatic Champion twice. Several nations have employed it as a military trainer.

Due to the severe stresses imposed by unlimited aerobatic maneuvers, Yak-50s flown by the Soviet National Aerobatic team were often retired or scrapped after approximately 50 flight hours. Main spar failures were common, tragically affecting pilots including Viktor Letsko, the 1976 World Aerobatic Champion.

To address these structural concerns, two reinforcement modifications—Service Bulletin 61DA for serial numbers 0102-2007 and Service Bulletin 79 for serial numbers 1201-2806—were implemented to strengthen wing spars against extreme aerobatic loads; following these upgrades, no further spar failures were reported.Template:Fix/category

Aircraft operated by DOSAAF were generally decommissioned or stored once replaced by newer models like the Yak-55 and Su-26.

These particular airframes constitute most of the currently airworthy "survivors." Roughly over 90 remain operational today under private ownership across Europe, North America, Australia, and Canada.

Civilian operators

Template:ITA

• Yakitalia is an Italian civilian aerobatic squadron established in 1999. The team flies three Yak-52 aircraft alongside one Yak-50. Their home base is Fano “Enzo e Walter Omiccioli” Airport (LIDF) located in the Marche region.

Military users

Lithuania

• Lithuanian National Defence Volunteer Forces

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• DOSAAF Russia

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• Civil Air Patrol (Ukraine)

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• DOSAAF