All about civil aviation. The coming revival of Russian civil aviation. What do we expect from Max?

Russian civil aviation has come a long and glorious way. Originating in the early 20s of the last century, in the process of its development it became an integral part of the world transport system. Many enterprises that are part of the Rostec State Corporation today took an active part in the development of Russian aviation.

The press service of Rostec informed this correspondent.

The birthday of Russian civil aviation is considered to be February 9, 1923. It was on this day that a civil air fleet officially appeared in our country.

And in March of the same year, the first air transport enterprise, Dobrolet, was created in the USSR and the first domestic airline was opened - Moscow- Nizhny Novgorod. The entire journey from Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod, 420 km, was covered in three and a half hours.

By comparison, today it takes 50 minutes. The pilot flew the plane without any connection with the ground, navigated along rivers and along railway. Of course, the flights were carried out only in good weather and during the day.

The aircraft of the air transport company - "Dobrolet" on the first domestic airline - Moscow-Nizhny Novgorod

The party slogan of that time “ Working people, build your own air fleet!” had its effect. In just 5 years, by 1928, 400 aircraft were built using funds raised by the people. Already by the mid-30s, Russia had its own aircraft factories, research institutes, design bureaus and educational institutions where aviation specialists were trained.

The first specialized plant for the production of semi-finished products from aluminum and magnesium alloys for aircraft and aircraft engines was created in the Soviet Union, and subsequently the modern titanium giant, the VSMPO-AVISMA Corporation, grew from its facilities.

And aircraft design teams, headed by Andrei Tupolev, Nikolai Polikarpov and other outstanding domestic scientists, designed and built the first Soviet aircraft.

In the pre-war years, domestic civil aviation crews made a number of record achievements and outstanding long-distance flights, which brought world fame to both the domestic aircraft industry and our pilots.

So, in 1925 a flight was made across the Gobi Desert, in 1926 - a flight over the capitals Western Europe, and already in 1927 the distance record of that time was set - the flight Moscow - Tokyo - Moscow.

Already in 1929, Soviet pilots set a new record - pilot Shestakov flew a distance of 21,242 km from Moscow to New York on the “Country of Soviets” (ANT-4) plane.

A number of heavy multi-engine aircraft were built between 1930 and 1939. The most striking of them was the eight-engine giant ANT-20 Maxim Gorky, which carried 80 passengers, had a maximum speed of 280 km per hour and a flight range of 2000 km. At that time it was the largest aircraft in the world.

The Soviet Union successfully developed civil aviation, air transportation grew, but the Great Patriotic War began, and everything changed dramatically - civil Aviation came to the aid of the military. Most of the civil aircraft were transferred military units, and the pilots went to the front. Something new appeared in the structure of civil aviation itself - the First Air Transport Division of the Civil Air Fleet was created.

She took an active part in the evacuation of residents from besieged Leningrad and delivered cargo to the city. Civilian pilots flew more than 46 thousand missions during the Battle of Stalingrad, flew to besieged Sevastopol, and took part in the battles for Ukraine and the Baltic states. In addition, during the war they flew many times to cities in Europe, Africa and America, providing our country with communications with the allied states.

The act of surrender of Nazi Germany on May 9, 1945 was delivered to Moscow by a Li-2 aircraft, created already during the war years by designer Lisunov on the basis of a civilian passenger aircraft. Air traffic, disrupted by the war, began to quickly recover after its end.

Airports began to be re-equipped: instead of the Li-2, Il-12 and Il-14 appeared, and by 1948, the volume of passenger and cargo traffic increased many times over. They began to develop and international airlines: in just 10 years after the end of the war, the number of international relations of the USSR tripled, and in 1959 the first international Airport country - the famous Sheremetyevo.

IL-18 on a pedestal

At the end of the 40s, the first jet planes and already in 1956 the world saw the Soviet Tu-104, which greatly surprised everyone. Similar American, English and French aircraft appeared several years later.

Russian jets were a great success, but there were also problems - jet engines required a lot of fuel. Our designers worked quickly and in 1957 aircraft with turbojet engines appeared, which made it possible to significantly save fuel.

The first such aircraft was the Il-18, and it immediately began to be used for long-distance flights, not only to the North Pole, but also to Antarctica. IL-18 long time was Aeroflot's main passenger aircraft, its production continued until 1969.

Il-18 in flight

For longer-distance transportation of large cargoes, for intercontinental flights with a large number of passengers, aircraft with even greater carrying capacity were required. Therefore, A.N. Tupolev opted for a turboprop engine. The Tu-114 passenger aircraft, created in 1957, became such an ultra-long-range aircraft.

At that time, the Tu-114 was the largest aircraft in the world. In the usual version, with a take-off weight of 175 tons and a flight range of 7000 km, it could carry 170 passengers, and when operating on shorter lines, up to 220 people.

The aircraft was equipped with an NK-12M engine, developed by the Samara enterprise Kuznetsov. To this day, it is considered the most powerful turboprop engine in the world.

Tu-114 plane flew to the USA for the first time

The Tu-114 was the flagship of Aeroflot until 1967; it set 32 ​​world records. Even Nikita Khrushchev crossed for the first time Atlantic Ocean to arrive on a visit to the United States on this plane.

The leader of the country needed to impress the Americans with something, and with the help of the intercontinental Tu-114, which was created in deep secrecy, Khrushchev succeeded. Then there was the Tu-144 - the first and one of two in the world supersonic airliners, which also surprised the world.

Airplane Tu-144

But the most popular domestically produced aircraft, the longest-lived aircraft, was the Tu-154. From the moment when test pilot Yu.V. Sukhov first took the Tu-154 into the air on October 9, 1968, this machine opened an entire era in the history of domestic aviation. And only in the late 1980s - early 1990s, to replace the Tu-154 on airlines, the Tupolev Design Bureau developed the Tu-204 medium-range passenger aircraft.

The Tu-204 was supposed to become as widespread as its predecessor, the Tu-154. However, with the collapse of the USSR, funding for the aviation industry fell sharply, and the Tu-204 was supplanted by used Western-made aircraft.

Since the beginning of the 2000s, a number of changes have been made to the design of the Tu-204/214. Airplanes began to be equipped with improved passenger seats and amenities. The avionics were also updated. The new aircraft are equipped with PS-90A engines produced by the Perm Motor Plant, part of the UEC. These same engines are also used on modern Il-96 aircraft.

At the beginning of 2014, aircraft of the Tu-204/214 family form the basis of the aircraft fleet of the government aviation squad - 13 Tu-204 and Tu-214 aircraft of various modifications are operated in the Rossiya SLO.

The deep modernization of the Tu-204 - the Tu-204SM aircraft - may well become a real competitor to the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737. The maximum take-off weight was increased, the avionics were updated, which made it possible to reduce the crew to two people. Most of new systems and units were produced at the enterprises of the Radioelectronic Technologies Concern (KRET), part of Rostec.

Today, the state continues to actively develop the civil aviation industry. In particular, in order to regain centralized control over the industry, aviation assets were merged into the UAC (United Aircraft Corporation), prohibitive duties were introduced on the import of foreign aircraft, and funds were also invested in the creation of the first civilian aircraft since the times of the USSR - the Sukhoi SuperJet-100.

NPO Saturn, part of Rostec, together with the French aerospace corporation Snecma, is taking part in the development and production of engines for the new airliner.

Sukhoi SuperJet-100 aircraft

The second development of the domestic aviation industry is approaching - a medium-range aircraft of the future generation MS-21. At the Irkut Corporation aviation plant, they began installing the first stations on the automatic assembly line for this aircraft.

Many Rostec enterprises are working on a project to create promising aircraft: KRET enterprises create avionics; Aviadvigatel, a subsidiary of UEC, has developed the PD-14 engine for the aircraft.

The engine is produced by the Perm Motor Plant and the Rybinsk enterprise Saturn. The enterprise of the RT-Chemcomposite holding has organized the production of large-sized stringer panels of the keel caissons for the MC-21.

Medium-range aircraft of the future generation MS-21

The formation of domestic civil aviation is a clear embodiment of the achievements of science, technology and technology. A huge credit for this goes to our famous aircraft designers. Tupolev, Polikarpov, Ilyushin, Antonov, Mikulin are names that are known throughout the world.

The airplanes they designed and built ushered in a new era of airpower. Today Russia is reviving the traditions of domestic aviation.

According to the supervisory body of the Federal Service for Supervision of Transport, quantitative accident rates in civil aviation in 2018, compared to 2017, worsened. The number of aviation accidents increased by 13.7%, the number of disasters increased by 66.6%, while the number of accidents decreased by 12.5%, the number of deaths increased by 12.5 times, and the number of injured remained at the same level.

Quantity aviation incidents increased by 2.3%, the number of emergency incidents doubled, and the number of aircraft damage on the ground increased by 46.4%.

Gosavianadzor and its territorial bodies carried out 5,907 inspections for 8 months of 2018 (in 2017, 15.1% less - 5,014 in relation to subjects and objects of civil aviation, including 428 inspections within the framework of Federal Law-294 (126 planned, 302 unscheduled), 3,913 inspections of aircraft on the apron (raid inspections), 582 inspections on the route (in flight), took part in 124 inspections of other supervisory authorities, carried out 860 supervisory activities on other grounds of current legislation.

The main threats to flight safety identified in 2018 during 5 supervisory activities in the field of civil aviation are:

• violation of established requirements during training and retraining of aviation personnel, including flight crews;
• deliberate violation of the rules for the use of Russian airspace, primarily by aircraft owners who do not have general aviation operator certificates;
• lack of personal responsibility of owners, managers and officials of airlines for the state of flight safety, implementation and maintenance of the functioning of the flight safety management system.

In the field of ensuring aviation and transport security in air transport, significant problems in the functioning of airports with low flight intensity have been identified. Due to the lack of the required number of personnel and funding for the maintenance of such airports, it is not always possible to even fencing the territory of the airport and the airport runway, where flights are carried out with an intensity of 1-2 flights per week.

Location features, climatic conditions and the volume of traffic at such airports does not allow the full range of activities to be carried out, including the purchase, delivery and installation of engineering and technical safety equipment that meets legal requirements, or makes it impossible to operate them. For example, every year the spring flood destroys a significant part of the perimeter fence of airports such as Vilyuysk, Verkhnevilyuysk, and Ust-Nera. During spring/autumn storms and during ice drift, the fences of the Cape Kamenny airport from the sea are washed away. Additional problems in implementing the Requirements arise due to the short summer season, which significantly impedes delivery to the airport building materials and equipment, as well as the period of possible construction.

The problem of ensuring aviation and transport security at landing sites and heliports has not been resolved. Currently the legislation Russian Federation, this issue has not been resolved in any way.

To reduce the level of risks and to exchange positive experience in addressing issues of ensuring aviation and transport security in air transport, Rostransnadzor holds quarterly public discussions of law enforcement practice.

An interesting fact is that legislation in the field of transport security creates priorities for foreign carriers on the territory of the Russian Federation. Foreign carriers are not subject to the Federal Law of 02/09/2007 No. 16-FZ “On Transport Security”; the requirements for ensuring transport security, including requirements for anti-terrorist protection of objects (territories), taking into account security levels for various categories, are not applied to them. transport infrastructure facilities and vehicles air transport, approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated July 28, 2018 No. 886, which puts Russian carriers in unequal competitive conditions.

Over 8 months in 2018, 29 aviation accidents occurred with civil aircraft of the Russian Federation: 15 disasters and 14 accidents. 112 people were killed and 15 people were injured in aviation accidents.

During the same period in 2017, 25 aviation accidents occurred with civil aircraft of the Russian Federation: 9 disasters and 16 accidents. 19 people were killed and 15 people were injured in aviation accidents.

On July 18, the next MAKS - Moscow Aviation and Space Salon will open in Zhukovsky. It is extremely important for our country. The fact is that, due to well-known political problems, we could not bring our aircraft to Le Bourget, probably the most “promoted” aviation exhibition in the world. But in Zhukovsky we will be able to show them in all their glory. Come - it will be interesting!

What do we expect from MAX

The main intrigue of the Salon is MS-21 – the latest “hit” of our civil aviation industry. Although, according to some reports, it may not reach Moscow - only the first flights took place in Irkutsk, the place where this aircraft is manufactured. And, of course, we will show the latest achievements of Russian fighter and field aviation. After all, it has been a huge success all over the world for many years. And they don’t just look and admire it, but also buy it. And in considerable quantities. So, maybe a Russian 5th generation fighter (project T-50) will fly to the Air Show.

In this regard, we decided to publish a number of materials about the history and present day of our aviation industry. Of course, a lot of not only articles, but also “thick” books have been written on this topic. Therefore, we are not going to repeat all this “historiography”. We want to isolate those very important points, the history of which can be “projected” onto our current reality. That is, act according to the principle: “The fairy tale is a lie, but there is a hint in it. A lesson to good fellows."

And further. We will not dwell in detail on technical specifications certain aircraft. We will be interested in the economic and social consequences of the development of the aviation industry. And we will start with modern domestic civil aviation.

MS-21 and its competitors

The main event of the domestic aviation industry is the MS-21-300 civil aircraft (with possible modifications MS-21-200 and MS-21-400). . But let’s repeat ourselves a little and try to figure out something else. The history of the MS-21 began in 2002, when Rosaviakosmos, as part of the implementation of the federal aviation development program until 2015, announced a tender for the creation of a medium-range aircraft. The winner of the tender was a joint project of OAO Irkut and the Yakovlev Design Bureau. At some stage of the project, the Ilyushin Design Bureau also participated in it. 15 years have passed since the start of the project - and the plane took off. It’s not far yet, around the Irkut OJSC airfield. Certification in Russia and abroad is ahead. The start of mass production is scheduled for 2020. Well, God forbid. And now about the plane itself.

The MC-21 belongs to the class of so-called narrow-body medium-haul aircraft - the most in demand, according to world experts, product of the global aviation industry in the coming years. Let's not delve into technical details. The word “medium-haul” means the ability to fly up to 6000 – 6500 kilometers. And the word “narrow-body” means the presence of only two seats, located to the right and left of the aisle in the aircraft cabin.

What else do world experts say? And the fact is that the creation of such an aircraft and its production can be financially justified only by organizing its sales on global markets. Will we be able to get out there?

This is not an easy matter, because the “enemy” does not sleep! Among other things, the leading American aircraft manufacturer Boeing received so-called “firm contracts” for 361 of its narrow-body 737 Max 10 from 16 airlines at the last Le Bourget. Despite the fact that serial production of these aircraft will begin only in 2020. And there are also similar projects - Airbus A320NEO, Chinese Comac C919, Canadian Bombardier CS300, Brazilian Embraer. And we must not forget about the “old, proven horses” - the Boeing 737 and Airbus 320, which no one is going to scrap for now.

Structure of the global civil aviation market

And here we need to understand how the sale of passenger aircraft is organized in the world and what determines their real cost. So here it is. In the vast majority of cases, aircraft are not purchased by “carrier companies”, but by certain intermediaries - specialized financial structures. They make wholesale purchases, achieving significant discounts from the “catalog” price, and then lease these aircraft to interested carrier companies. And then there are resales of outdated models to countries where money is scarce. And this process can continue for a very long time. Because an airplane is a very “tenacious animal” and, say, 20 years is not a long time for it. If, of course, you take good care of it in a timely manner.

And here we come to perhaps main problem Russian aviation industry. This means the presence of service centers distributed throughout the world. Which Boeing and Airbus have. It is very important for the carrier company that the aircraft operates “like a clock.” That is, its “downtime” for necessary preventative maintenance, pre-flight maintenance, and some minor repairs was minimal. This means that all these “procedures” must take place at the base location. For example, buyers of any Boeing aircraft receive a 3-4 year warranty from the manufacturer for the repair of the main components of the aircraft. The company guarantees that new parts will be delivered to the aircraft buyer within 12 hours anywhere in the world. If the aircraft is repaired by the buyer himself, Boeing will reimburse the cost of repairs. But we do not have such a service system, widespread throughout the world. That's why they don't buy ours passenger aircraft. Therefore, the prospects for the MC-21 on the world market are connected not so much with the flight characteristics of the aircraft - we still know how to build aircraft - but with the establishment of a large-scale production base and the construction of a wide after-sales service network. Then Hi-tech, used in MS-21 (for example, a wing made of composite materials) can create competitive advantages for it in world markets.

History of the Superjet 100

Returning to these global markets. To understand what is happening there, the situation with our previous “breakthrough for the domestic aviation industry” project - the Superjet-100 aircraft - is very instructive.

And what is it - Superjet-100 (SSJ100), as it is called in the world, and in Russia too?

SSJ100 is the first civil aircraft developed in modern Russia. Belongs to the family of regional vessels, the flight range of the basic version is 4400 km, the capacity is 98 passengers. That is, a medium-range aircraft. Close to MS-21.

Its production began in 2011. At the beginning of April this year, 122 SSJ100 aircraft were produced. According to the Air Transport Review magazine, 65 of them are owned by Russian carrier companies (including 30 by Aeroflot), 30 by foreign ones, 19 are in storage or are being prepared for sale, 7 are owned by the manufacturing company - GSS ( Civil Aircraft Sukhoi).

If anyone doesn't know. Under Soviet rule, the Sukhoi Design Bureau was the developer of our most popular fighters and field bomber aircraft (you probably saw how we bombed militants in Syria). Then, on the basis of this enterprise, the UAC (United Aviation Corporation) company was created, which included all enterprises of the Russian aviation industry. Well, the GSS appeared under its wing with its SSJ100.

How much money was spent on the development of the SSJ100 is “not known to science.” Data from developers and independent experts differ by approximately three times. “Which of them is to blame and who is right is not for us to judge.” Although even the most optimistic estimates provided by the developers of the SSJ100 show that the creation of the Canadian Bombardier or the Brazilian Embraer took one and a half times less money. And their sales are significantly higher.

And, of course, we must say about the “monsters” of global civil aviation. Boeing and Airbus, which produce approximately a thousand passenger aircraft per year, albeit of different classes. And we are 122 since 2011.

But let's return to the SSJ100. From the material of the authoritative publication Vedomosti, it follows that the average SSJ100 flight time for Russian carrier companies in 2016 was 3–3.7 hours per day. Whereas, according to professor of the State Research Institute of Civil Aviation Alexander Fridlyand, the average flight time of foreign aircraft Russian airlines(excluding small and business aviation) in 2016 it was 9 hours a day.

Yes, “something is wrong in the Danish kingdom.” So Aeroflot filed a lawsuit against the SSJ100 manufacturers. Details have not yet been specified. But the very fact of a legal dispute between two, essentially, state-owned companies speaks for itself.

And further. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev instructed the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Transport, the Federal Air Transport Agency and the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), together with Aeroflot, to develop a set of measures to improve the technical performance indicators and flight hours of SSJ-100 aircraft to “world-class” indicators (details on the Cabinet website) .

So what's the deal? Is it the technical shortcomings of the SSJ-100 or the lack of adequate after-sales service? Probably both of these factors are present. But here's what's typical. The Prime Minister instructed to prepare proposals for the use of modern civil aviation sales schemes when selling new MC-21 aircraft, in particular the “trade-in” system, in which used aircraft are purchased at a discount of their cost. So, probably, it’s not so much the quality of the technology, but the organization of the business.

In conclusion

We sincerely hope that everything will work out for us. And the problems that we wrote about here will be solved.

In the meantime, come to MAX! Offers unforgettable experience. After all, a television picture is one thing. But huge, roaring machines that soar into the sky before your eyes and do incomprehensible things there are completely different.

Civil aviation pilots are specialists who are completely dedicated to life in the skies. These are fearless people who have challenged fate and passed many tests. Therefore, anyone who dreams of such a profession must realize that his life path will become just as difficult and thorny.

And if such a fate does not frighten you, then let's talk about civil aviation in Russia. Where should you go to study? How long will it take, and how will you look for a job then?

The beginning of a long journey

First of all, you should be aware of the fact that it will take quite a long time to study to become a civil aviation pilot. Indeed, unlike a car, flying an airplane requires extensive knowledge: from its structure to the peculiarities of flying in bad weather.

Therefore, you should prepare for the fact that you will have to study “tons” of educational material. At the same time, it is not easy to memorize all the information, but to be able to use it competently during flights. Especially if in the future you have plans to get a job in a commercial structure.

Flight licenses

Today, all civil aviation pilots are divided into three large categories. This happens due to a strict licensing system that absolutely all pilots are required to pass. It is she who subsequently determines what type of winged machines a person will be able to control.

1. PPL or private pilot. Possession of this document grants the right to fly small aircraft not intended for cargo transportation. Simply put, a person can fly as much as he wants for his own pleasure, but no one will hire him.
2. CPL or commercial pilot. This type of license allows a person to deliver small cargo, make tourist flights and take paratroopers into the sky.
3. ATPL or Air Line Pilot. What can I say, this is the highest category of pilots, allowing them to fly multi-ton passenger airliners.

civil aviation

Once a person decides to take this path, he is immediately faced with a choice: apply to a flight school or confine himself to a flying school? Oddly enough, both options have their pros and cons, so let's look at them separately.

Let's start with flight schools. higher here, since much more time is allocated for pilot training. In addition, students are taught not only piloting, but also other disciplines - physics, advanced mathematics and law. This makes it possible to train well-rounded pilots capable of performing their duties efficiently.

As for the downsides, flight schools and academies recruit based on government orders. This results in 10 to 12 applicants vying for one place. In addition, many accomplished civil aviation pilots complain that the technical base of our educational institutions is noticeably outdated. Because of this, their graduates have to take additional courses in order to understand the features of piloting new aircraft.

But in flight school everyone can do it. What is more important here is whether a person has money for training. The quality of education here is slightly lower, although it largely depends on the school itself and what kind of teachers work there. It is worth noting that at a flying school it is much easier to obtain a PPL category certificate, since here you can take extracurricular classes.

Moving from one category to another

Both male and female civil aviation pilots in Russia pass the same standards to obtain a license. They are different for each document type, so let's look at them:

1. A PPL type certificate can be obtained by candidates who have reached 16 years of age. To do this, they need to master 155 hours of theoretical material and also fly 47 hours on a Cessna 172 aircraft. On average, training in this category takes from several months to one year, depending on the intensity of the classes and the type of educational institution.
2. A CPL type certificate can be obtained by candidates who have reached 18 years of age. To do this, they need to have a PPL license or complete this training course from scratch. In addition, they will have to study more than 600 hours of theory, as well as fly 152 hours in a single-engine aircraft. And at the end of the training, complete another 30 hours of flights on a navigation simulator and 12 hours on a multi-engine airplane.
3. An ATPL type certificate is a more complicated version of the CPL license. That is, you will need to learn everything as in the previous categories, only with greater depth in practice. In addition, you will have to work out flight simulations on passenger and cargo airliners.

Passing a medical examination

All civil aviation pilots undergo strict medical testing. Moreover, it is carried out both before the start of training and after its completion. Also, a medical examination will have to be completed annually even after being hired, otherwise the pilot will simply not be allowed to fly.

The difficulty is that any flaw or disease can become a reason for a negative conclusion. If we talk about commercial flights, doctors can prohibit flights even because a person does not have a couple of teeth. This is due to the fact that such a defect distorts speech, and this, in turn, makes it difficult to communicate with the air tower controller.

Finding a suitable job

When looking for work, naturally, all civil aviation pilots in Russia are guided by what license they have. So, if you have a CPL, you should try to get a job in small airline engaged in the provision of tourism services. Alternatively, you can consider vacancies for instructors in flight schools, but then you will have to complete additional courses.

Much more prospects open up for those who hold an ATPL license. In this case, there is a high probability that a large airline will offer you a job. There is just one thing - most likely you will have to enroll in special courses that will allow you to master the control of an airliner.

The trouble is that their cost is quite high. Consequently, a special agreement will have to be concluded, according to which the pilot will deduct part of his salary in order to pay off the debt to the airline. In addition, initially a newcomer is allowed only to the position of 2nd pilot, since the captain’s position requires experience in flying large aircraft (over 1.5 thousand hours).

Responsibilities of a civil aviation pilot

Airlines often disagree on the finer points of internal policies. However, there is something that unites them all - the rigidity of the requirements for their pilots. After all, not only the safety of the aircraft, but also the lives of its passengers depend on this.

Therefore, all pilots are required to comply with the following five points:

1. Fly an airplane professionally.
2. Always follow safety regulations.
3. Receive weather reports in advance.
4. Check the condition of the vessel before starting the flight.
5. Obediently use the air traffic controller's commands and prompts.

Women civil aviation pilots in Russia

Most people are accustomed to the fact that a pilot is a man. Therefore, for them, a female civil aviation pilot is something out of the ordinary. However, the reality is that both men and women can fly an airplane. But for some reason, even today they are cautiously allowed near large airliners. And yet in Russia there are examples of women managing such giants.

Thus, Olga Kirsanova has been piloting a passenger plane weighing more than one hundred tons for several years. She is sure that anyone can get a seat in the cockpit of a winged car - the main thing is to want it with all your heart. It is true that Olga herself had to work hard to achieve her position, since the management of her airline took a very long time to decide on this appointment.

Chapter IV. DOMESTIC CIVIL AVIATION

After the October Revolution of 1917, the Russian air fleet consisted of about 1000 aircraft, 35 thousand. personnel, the absolute majority of which were at the disposal of the military department. There were no aircraft specifically for transport. In Western countries and in the United States there were then a larger number of military, civil, and transport aircraft than in Soviet Russia. By 1918, England already had more than 22 thousand aircraft and about 30 thousand pilots. France had about 68 thousand. aircraft. Revolutionary changes in Russia also affected its air fleet. A new aviation control apparatus began to take shape.

The Soviet government created at the end of October 1917. The Bureau of Commissioners of Aviation and Aeronautics at Smolny, which began to form new, red air squads in Petrograd. December 20, 1917 The bureau was transformed into the All-Russian Collegium for the Management of the Air Fleet of the Republic (Uvoflot). Implementing government policy, the board issued an order that demanded that aviation be fully preserved for the working people. This was one of the first official documents on the prospect of using aviation in the interests of socialist construction.

In April 1918 at the All-Russian Collegium for Control of the Air Fleet of the Republic, headed by military pilot K.V. Akashev, a department was created for the use of aviation in the national economy. The department was tasked with organizing aerial photography of lands and forests, as well as creating an air mail and passenger line between Moscow and Kharkov. (May 1, 1918, this line was opened by pilot M.D. Lerche)

In May 1918 Uvoflot was transformed into the Main Directorate of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Air Fleet (Glavvozduhflot), headed by the Council. Later, the collegiality in Glavvozduhflot was replaced by a single commander and K.V. was appointed its first chief. Akasheva.

The Soviet government took measures to establish the domestic aviation industry for the production of its aircraft and engines. In 1919 The Commission on Heavy Aviation (COMTA) was created, which began its activities with the design of a twin-engine transport aircraft to replace the obsolete Muromtsev and organized the construction of the first domestic aircraft engine.

In March 1919, the Third Air Congress of the Russian Republic took place, which paid attention to the issue of using aviation for peaceful purposes. In the magazine "Bulletin of the Air Fleet", published since 1918, a special department of civil aviation was created to promote the experience of using aircraft in the national economy. Prominent civil aviation organizers I.A. began to actively work there. Valentey, V.M. Vishnev, A.I. Lapchinsky, I.S. Peretersky and others.

At the end civil war Airplanes as a means of transport began to be increasingly used to transport passengers and mail. During this period, special attention was paid to the education of aviation personnel, although serious mistakes were made that did not allow Russia to retain many talented aviators. Famous designer I.I. Sikorsky, pilot ace D.N. Prokofiev-Seversky, aircraft pilots V.V. Slyusarenko, A.A. Agafonov, gifted researcher and organizer S.A. Ulyanin, pilot number two N.E. Popov, Colonel E.V. Rudnev and others were forced to emigrate abroad.

The main forge of aviation personnel was the former aviation school of the Moscow Aeronautics Society, renamed the Moscow Aviation School with branches in Yegoryevsk and Zaraysk. Student N.E. was appointed head of this school. Zhukovsky, the outstanding pilot B.K. Welling. In difficult times for the country, its cadets mastered flying skills on old, worn-out Farmans, Vdazens, and Morans. Flights were often disrupted due to lack of fuel. Enthusiastic instructors of the Moscow Aviation School Yu.A. Bratolyubov, V.B. Agafonov, I.K. Polyakov, A.I. Zhukov, I.M. Vinogradov and others sought to prepare a worthy young succession of pilots for military and civil aviation. From the walls of this school came the later famous pilots N.I. Shebanov, M.M. Gromov, M.P. Dauge and many others.

In connection with the development of aviation flights for peaceful purposes, it became necessary to prepare airfields more suitable for aircraft. In September 1920, the Council of People's Commissars decided to allocate 30 thousand rubles for such construction in Saratov, Rzhev and Kirsanov. Experiments on the use of aerial vehicles for civilian purposes for aerial photography in the interests of various departments began to be carried out again. The very first aerial photographs of Moscow revealed a complete discrepancy between its old plans and reality. All the ships that sank on the Neva were discovered in Petrograd.

A significant event in the history of the formation of domestic civil aviation was the adoption on January 17, 1921 of the decree of the Council of People's Commissars of the Republic "On Air Movements". The reason for this was the violation of our border by an Estonian plane in June 1920. Laws and rules on the protection of the air borders of the RSFSR did not yet exist, and since Estonia rejected the proposal of the Soviet government to conclude an Air Convention, it decided to develop its own rules prohibiting foreign aircraft from flying over the borders of the Soviet Republic. This is how the decree appeared.

This document became the first legislative act of the state regulating the movement of aircraft over the territory of the RSFSR and its waters. The decree established that control of aircraft was permitted only to persons who had passed the test for the rank of pilot. The procedure and conditions for the use of aviation and its management systems both in the air and on the ground were determined. The decree provided for a clear procedure for the flights of foreign aircraft over the territory of the Russian state. The takeoff and landing of foreign ships was permitted only at airfields that had customs offices. Cases of violations of these rules were subject to consideration only by Soviet judicial authorities. The decree applied to all types of vessels used for movement in the airspace, including automatic (unmanned) aircraft. Later, the provisions of this decree formed the basis Air Code USSR, approved in 1932.

The importance of these documents was that they contributed to the organizational development of civil aviation and its multi-purpose use in the national economy.

In November 1921 The mixed "Russian-German Air Transport Society" - "Deruluft" - was formed. Regular flights on the first international postal and passenger line Moscow-Konigsberg opened on May 1, 1922. pilot I.F. Voedilo.

At the beginning of December 1922 The Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic decided to create a Civil Air Fleet Inspectorate (CAF) under the Main Directorate of the Air Fleet. The functions of the Civil Air Fleet Inspectorate included: developing measures for the use of civil aviation in the national economy, determining the pace of its development, exercising supervision and general technical control over the opened air lines. Professor Ivan Sergeevich Peretersky, who taught at aviation educational institutions, was appointed the first Chief Inspector of the Civil Air Fleet. He is credited with developing the problem of the civil use of the air fleet and the basic principles of the development of domestic civil aviation.

February 9, 1923 The Council of Labor and Defense (STO) adopted a resolution on the organization of the Civil Aviation Council under the Main Directorate of the Air Fleet. The resolution legislated the creation of a new branch of the national economy - civil aviation. The Civil Air Fleet Inspectorate was entrusted with the functions of the executive and technical body of the Council, which directed all civil aviation activities in the USSR. February 9, 1923 became the official date of birth of domestic civil aviation.

March 17, 1923 The first air transport enterprise of the RSFSR, Dobrolet, was created. In the same year, similar societies appeared in Transcaucasia - "Zakavia" and in Ukraine - "Ukrvozduhput". In December 1929 on their basis, a single society “Dobrolet USSR” was formed.

"Dobrolet" played a big role in training the first pilots and technicians for civil aviation. To train flight personnel, courses were organized to retrain military pilots and technicians for civilian ones. According to a special program approved by Glavvozduhflot, pilots were required to study air law, airline service, meteorology, engine science and the materiel of Junkers aircraft. Upon completion of the courses, aviators received pilot certificates and were allowed to fly on civil aviation lines that were preparing to open. A 1st class pilot's license gave the right to fly with passengers and cargo, and a 2nd class certificate gave the right to fly without passengers.

At that time, many military pilots who participated in the Civil War became civil aviation pilots. Among them is A.D. Alekseev, I.F. Voedilo, I.V. Doronin, M.T. Slepnev, A.I. Tomashevsky, A.K. Tumansky, etc. “Dobrolet” equipped the first regular air line in the USSR Moscow - Nizhny Novgorod, which opened on July 15, 1923. The first flight was carried out by pilot Yakov Nikolaevich Moiseev.

A major political and mobilizing role in the development of domestic aviation was played by public organization"Russian Society of Friends of the Air Fleet" (ODVF), which arose in March 1923. Members of the society campaigned for the creation of the Red Air Fleet, preliminary aviation training for young people from among the volunteers - future aviators and defenders of the Fatherland. The money raised was used to purchase and build aircraft for military and civil aviation units.

On August 2, 1923, a holiday of the USSR Air Fleet was held everywhere for the first time. In Moscow on this day, aircraft flights took place over the Khodynka Field.

In the circular of the presidium of the ODVF, sent out then to all organizations of the country, it was said that “this day, August 2, is now becoming the day of the annual holiday not only of the military air fleet, but also of the civil air fleet, as a body that unites in its person everything great the task of creating, through the voluntary efforts of workers and peasants, all citizens of the USSR, a mighty Red Air Fleet."

In 1923, more than 3 million rubles in gold voluntary contributions were received for the development of aviation. This was equal to the first major subsidy from the Soviet government allocated for the development of the republic's air fleet in 1921.

Since November 1923, the ODVF began publishing the monthly magazine "Airplane". In March 1925, ODVF merged with the defense society Dobrokhim into a single Society of Friends of Aerochemical Defense and Industry of the USSR (Aviakhim), and on January 23, 1927, as a result of the merger of Aviakhim and the Society for Assistance to the Defense of the USSR (OSO), a new mass organization Osoaviakhim arose, which played an important role in development of Soviet military and civil aviation, training for it.

In 1923, when civil aviation was organizationally created, three airlines began to operate regularly in the USSR:

Moscow-Nizhny Novgorod (Dobrolet society);

Moscow-Tiflis (Junkers company);

Moscow-Keninsberg (Deruluft society).

October 19, 1923 The STO approved an indicative plan for the development of air lines for 1924-1926, which became the first experience in state airline planning and provided for the opening of new air routes with a length of over 6 thousand km. V industrial areas, as well as in Siberia, on Far East, in Transcaucasia and Central

Asia. The development of air routes by Soviet aviators took place in difficult conditions: there were no means of navigation and communication, or meteorological support for flights. Despite these difficulties, the importance of aviation as vehicle increased from year to year. The flights were carried out on passenger metal six-seater Junkers-type aircraft. By the end of the first year of its existence, the Civil Air Fleet had 45 aircraft and 30 pilots, of which 14 were citizens of the USSR, and 16 were foreigners. The Civil Air Fleet performed 863 flights on routes, transported 2,453 passengers, more than 45 tons of cargo and soil, and flew 461 thousand km.

Pilots and aircraft technicians were trained in military aviation schools: Moscow, Leningrad, Kachinsk, Borisoglebsk, Serpukhov, Orenburg, Volsk. Engineers for civil aviation were trained by the air communications department of the Leningrad Institute of Transport. Among its graduates was V.B. Shavrov, who later became a famous designer and scientist.

In 1924 was designed for civil aviation by TsAGI engineers V.L. Alexandrov. V.V. Kalinin and A.M. Cheremukhin the first Soviet four-seat wooden passenger aircraft AK-1. It had a Salmson engine of 170 hp (speed 145 km/h, flight ceiling 2200 m). Under the leadership of A.N. Tupolev built the ANT-2, the first all-metal two-seat passenger aircraft made of chain mail aluminum in the USSR. Domestic aircraft AK-1, U-2, K-5, ANT-4 entered domestic routes. Successfully operated since 1925. the five-seater PM-1 passenger aircraft flew on the Moscow-Leningrad, Moscow-Berlin routes and was not inferior to foreign Dornier, Junkers and Fokker aircraft. 10 such vehicles were built for the Civil Air Fleet. In 1926 USSR flights to the Mongolian People's Republic began. In 1927 The lines Leningrad-Berlin and Tashkent-Kabul were opened.

In October 1928 Our civil aviation was presented for the first time at an international exhibition in Berlin, where 26 states participated. The USSR exhibited ANT-3, K-4 and U-2. The K-4 aircraft (designed by K.A. Kalinin) was produced in passenger and ambulance aerial photography versions. Kalinin's aircraft turned out to be more economical than other civil aircraft of that time, both ours and foreign ones, and were widely used in civil aviation of the USSR.

The foreign press spoke favorably of the Soviet cars exhibited at the Berlin exhibition.

In the second half of 1928, serial production of the first-born of the domestic heavy aircraft industry, ANT-4 (TB-1), began. This twin-engine all-metal monoplane was superior in its performance to all foreign aircraft of this type. He entered civil aviation under the name "Country of Soviets". Its take-off weight was more than 7 tons, and its speed was up to 207 km/h. All subsequent Soviet bomber aircraft and American “flying fortresses” were essentially developments of the TB-1 type.

For 1923-1928 The Civil Air Fleet transported over 28 thousand passengers and about 700 tons of cargo. In the 20s, flights were made to develop new air routes and check the quality of domestic aircraft and engines. They included B.K. Welling, M.M. Gromov, A.N. Ekatov, A.I. Tomashevsky, S.A. Shestakov and other pilots.

Civil Air Fleet by the end of 1928 carried out not only transportation, but also found its application in agriculture, aerial photography, forestry, meteorology, scientific research, hunting, geological exploration, and the development of vast spaces Soviet Union. The country's lack of its own developed aviation industry forced the civil fleet in its formative years to use imported foreign material, engines and spare parts. Since 1925, a number of designs of domestic, aerial photographic ambulance aircraft of the types K-1, K-3, ANT-3, ANT-4, U-2 and others have been created in the USSR, which began to enter service in the Civil Air Fleet, although their mass production is still was not organized.

In order to improve the civil air fleet management system, the USSR STO adopted the “Regulations on Civil Aviation” on July 29, 1927, repealing the provisions of the RSFSR STO dated February 9, 1923. The status of the Civil Aviation Council was raised, which from that time was subordinate to the People's Commissariat for Military Affairs and maritime affairs and was removed from subordination to the Main Air Force. The Council was entrusted with overseeing civil aviation in the USSR and guiding its development; issuing permits for the opening of new air lines and reviewing financial and operational reports of air services companies.

Along with organizational changes, the work schedule of personnel was improved. The Civil Air Fleet Inspectorate established a pilot's flying hours on airlines - 75 hours per month with a flight duration of no more than 8 hours per day and with a rest period of 16 hours after that; with a day's rest - after two days of work. In some cases, at the request of the flight crew, flight time up to 90 hours was allowed.

For 1923-1928 the material and technical foundations of the domestic civil air fleet were laid. Having started with the organization of the first airlines on a public and commercial basis, which were of a makeshift nature, having neither experience nor sufficient funds, the Civil Air Fleet by the end of 1928. already had permanently operating airlines and a generally positive financial balance. Civil air transport has become a new promising mode of transport. During this period, the organizational development of civil aviation took place.