Photos: Russian air show aims high

No, this plane (probably a Russian Sukhoi Su-27, on which the Su-35 design is based) isn't in trouble--it's just showing off for the amusement and amazement of spectators on the ground. The MAKS event is taking place at the Zhukovsky airfield, outside Moscow.

But if the planes themselves are getting good marks, the show may not be making the best impression. In a story headlined "Lines, toilets rile air show visitors," the English language Moscow Times reported Thursday that "irritation was palpable from many foreign participants and visitors." In comparison with the big-name shows in Paris and in Farnborough, England, this one ranks as amateurish and inconvenient, complainers say.