Yes: Ace Combat brand director Kazutoki Kono has finally experienced a real fighter-jet ride. Bandai Namco showed him in a MiG-21 in a promotional video accompanying ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE. PC Gamer reporter Wes Fenlon, whose June interview asked Kono whether he had ever ridden in a fighter jet, says Kono later confirmed that the interview helped set the events in motion. Fenlon’s “I’m taking credit” framing is playful, not proof that the interview alone secured the flight.
Why the flight took 30 years to happen
Kono has worked on Ace Combat since Ace Combat 2 in 1997, according to PC Gamer. In a June interview with the outlet, he said that he and the team had spent years asking for a ride in a fighter jet without getting the opportunity.
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“Unfortunately over the last 30 years of my career I’ve been appealing, saying ‘hey, we want to ride in one of these jets!’ but we have not yet had the chance,” Kono said at the time. “Neither myself, or anyone on the team.”
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PC Gamer’s Wes Fenlon later reported that Kono confirmed the interview helped set the chain of events in motion. That gives Fenlon grounds for a cheeky claim of journalistic influence, but it does not establish that his question was the sole reason the ride happened. PC Gamer’s October 2, 2026 report connects the June conversation with Bandai Namco’s later video.
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What Kono said the MiG-21 ride felt like
In the promotional video, as relayed by PC Gamer, Kono described being nervous before takeoff and delighted once airborne.
“I was scared before getting in. But once we were airborne, it turned into one of the most beautiful experiences,” he said in the video.
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He also described the physical sensation of the flight and how the small cockpit shaped the experience:
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“The G-force during turns was noticeable, but what stood out the most was the force pushing me downward into the seat. Being up in the sky inside such a compact cockpit felt incredible. It was a surprisingly comfortable and enjoyable space to be in. Compared to a large aircraft, it really made me appreciate the appeal of fighter jets.”
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Kono also reflected that looking at the sky from the aircraft made him think about how well made Ace Combat is. It is a striking perspective for the director of a series built around the sensation of flying, but it remains his response to this particular experience—not a technical account of the aircraft or flight.
What is known—and what the video does not establish
PC Gamer identifies the aircraft as a MiG-21 and reports that Bandai Namco released the video alongside ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE. The reviewed reporting does not give the flight’s date or location, identify the operator, describe the flight profile, or say whether Kono piloted the aircraft or rode as a passenger. Those details should not be inferred from the cockpit footage or his comments.
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- FAST-PACED ARCADE AIR COMBAT — Engage enemy aircraft, deploy powerful weapons, and dominate the battlefield with the signature high-speed gameplay the ACE COMBAT series is known for.
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How the real flight connects to Ace Combat 8
Bandai Namco presents ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE as the culmination of 30 years of series experience. Its April 9, 2026 developer diary describes a flight-action game with an emotional story, first-person story scenes, aircraft and environment rendering, clouds and weather, dogfights, and a tutorial aimed at helping newcomers. The publisher lists the game for PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X|S. That is useful context for why Kono’s flight resonates with the franchise, but the video is a promotional feature, not a review or evidence about the game’s quality. Bandai Namco’s ACE COMBAT 8 page has the publisher’s current game information.
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