There were no many flights and Igor with whom we flew in Arkhangelsk brought me to the Stock Exchange and began teaching me to earn money there. I even liked it.
The flight number was unusual to Batumi. Georgia was so eager to be independent that it had even forgotten that energy, like tangerines, did not grow on the trees and Turkey there did not help them.
But the fact that ordinary people can understand, the leaders of this people can not understand. Their heads are occupied by another things. And in Georgia of 90th gave electricity more than rationed. The kerosene was only
in the airport . The gasoline was almost nowhere too, but people can feel quite independent from the money - salaries and pensions in the 5-20 dollars, should be enough for their happy, free and independent life.
It is for this reason that the plane tried not to leave unattended - fuel consumption on the land could be more fuel in flight, but a couple of buckets we gave people almost always. While in Russia in 90 years , sometimes beacons have not worked because of their obsolescence and lack of money to repair them, then in Georgia not only this, but also because it was not electricity.
The Georgian settlements plunged into darkness in the night and if somewhere flickering light, it means that it was the light of a candle or kerosene lamp.
We flew In Batumi, through Kiev. In Kiev we bought sausages, which were not in Batumi and either sold or exchanged for fruit. But the most important thing for us were the passengers, especially without a ticket.
Tickets we could sell them ourselves. However, tickets were virtual, but the money were quite alive.
We did not break take-off weight of the aircraft,, but because traveling stowaways was just not too comfortable. But it is very comfortable for us.
We landed in the afternoon and we had the whole day before departure. In the first, we swam in the sea, and then sat in the hut-hotel under the palm-trees. The life on the interests. The peasants from nearby houses brought us local hooch
so called - Mandarinovku which was famous
unpredictable consequences, so I had never drunk it. If necessary,I drank some vodka.
The most interesting place in Batumi was the ran way of length of 2500 meters.It had no fence around and even the children went out to play the classics, and sometimes even on the run way could appear cows or other artiodactyls. The fence was only at the end of the ran way, with a huge hole in the middle, just for the diameter of the fuselage, and then there was a beach of 20 meters and it closed reinforced concrete breakwater. If not take off - no chance to survive.
Batumi is on the border with Turkey. If to fly there, on left side there the mountains and the boundary on the right. We have not had any serious problems with Abkhazia, so we flew over the sea, past the Sukhumi. By the way, nice town.
Medical unit there generally was unique. Before flying away, you come to the doctor, and he asked: Did you drink?
- No, of course.
- You did not?
- Drink this a glass of house dry wine and fly with God!
By the way, resting in the 82nd in Batumi, hospitable landlord did not let me go into the sea until I drank with him 10 glasses of house wine! Normally, only the stomach was full.
In general, even when there was no electricity, and the beacons did not work, to find a place on the radar band was not too difficult. The approaching, as most of the Black Sea airports was from the sea. And always take off towards the sea. Who did not like, stayed in the mountains. Without aircraft, but in the wreckage. Anyone was not happy with this prospect.
It was worse when there were thunderstorms. As I have said on the left there were mountains, on the right the border, but everywhere were thunderstorms. And as luck mostly on the course. That as bypassed, but in the mountains were not gone and did not violate the state border.
Alexander Alekseevich and Igor were worse. They had no locator screen and where I carried them they did not know.
But I told them that they were not so sad. In general, everything was over, they even left the storm behind and we had already released the wheels and went to the final approach. Even the electricity was given and everything in operation, but my experience had always said:
"Do not relax!"
Whether Igor, whether Alexander noticed cows on the runway and I was prepared to return in that hell. But the ranway was cleaned from the cows and we landed.
I laughed once. It was was the order, when somewhere in the Far East IL-62 collided with a cow on the runway .
Do you remember MV V / 2? This is kinetic energy. What is it? I remember that in the childhood on a bicycle I had rolled down from the bridge. I dispersed so that every crack in the pavement surrendered in the steering wheel, it was already a speed of 60-70 kilometers per hour, or about 20 meters per second, and at this point the fly flew across the road and hit my forehead. I almost did not fall off the bike.
This kinetic energy of fly transferred into potential energy.
And if a cow? what can be? The cow is always heavier than fly and the speed of our landing 260-280 kilometers per hour or about 70 meters per second!
The downpour started and I was good. I was hot a little. I climbed the tower to gave the portfolio with a very secret documents. And there dispatchers sat and tried to lead the Yak-40 which flew out from somewhere from Armenia.
- The rain thunderstorm. Send them to the alternative - I said.
- And this Armenian, let them try! May be they will land!
Even worse, worse storms and mountains was our squadron navigator. I'll just say about him that for 24 years of my flights I have never met anyone in Aviation worse than he. And EVERYBODY followed the same opinion ! But he flies, and he was a good navigator and I if I can not do without his mention, I'll just call him "X".
In different ways, mostly well treated me everybody. There were times when we could not work together. I could and maybe he did not seem good enough professional. There were not ordinary cases combination characters, but I have not seen the rascal among my brothers.
Once we set in Batumi. Time to fly away already, our mechanic Volodya had fueled the airplane and we signed with Igor our flying papers and took the decision to fly and our stowaways languishing from the heat in the front trunk.
We defended ourselves from the ground service
They said that this just something bale weighs 20 kilograms, but I could not even tear off the ground these 20 kilograms . The heat under 30, but wind bends trees to the sea. We may fly with the wind of 5 meters per second in tail . 5 meters it is when the leaves on the trees are moving, but when the trees bend steadily in one direction, this is clearly more than 5!
I asked the dispatcher about the wind.
- And how many meters per second you need?
- everything is mine!
- variable, 5 meters per second.
At last Pavlov had appeared. He was surrounded by 2 more friends. He was led. It seems that the forces were not calculated. How to take off? I felt a twinge of hypertension, I was sure. As bad as with a very strong hangover.
Our "hares" silently watched this terrible scene. Finally, one "hare" said:
- And I think I'll go on another plane - and left!
- Maybe let the flies in the luggage compartment? but Pavlov had sat already down in his chair.
- Shura, only do not touch here nothing, do not bother to fly to boys - Vova prayed.
We have already started and taxied. All the hope only for Igor.Just to take off! The plane started rolling.The speed grew poorly.The half the length of the runway, and we have only 200 km/h.
- If only the damn wind died!
The runway was ending, but the rate at last reached 270, and Igor yanked the plane and flew over the fence close, too close, then over the waves, but the speed grew up and pull up. And at last the clear wing and only knocks at the temples ...
Aleksand Alekseevich was OK by landing . But thunderstorms in the vicinity of the airport It is not possible.to break from the North .
We tried from the South. It was possible. We had already rolled on runway.
Next landing was in St. Petersburg, everything was good, but the thunderstorms did not pleased me.
I had to be twisted on the takeoff and pull up, but the thunderstorms were successfully avoided and now should be clear sky and this clear sky appeared suddenly . We flew in a gray mist, we were in a little turbulence, and headphones standing crackle and suddenly the picture changed !
The blue sky with a dazzling sun and that thunderstorms had been already back and this exit to the clear sky was ushered cotton -the statics was accumulated. Everything works fine, the flight continues. We landed in Pulkovo normally and Alexander Alekseevich in perfect order, but the landing spotlight was broken by statics . That was not our mistake, but thanks to Vova, he quickly changed that spotlight and a case that did not happen because of our fault, had been closed.
What to do with the commander? That was happened the first time! I felt that there was an accident, and decided not to talk about it more. To home!
We with Luda used to complete freedom and full anarchy of creativity, so we lived apart from parents in a small communal apartment with only one neighbor and her son - the same age as our Olya. Our neighbor was also the same age and she was underground worker. A year later, she married a subway driver and we had a friendly relationship. I was often visited by my friends from Arkhangelsk, but she never expressed his displeasure, and at times, she even gave her room to my friends, when she worked in the night time.
In November, the 4th I had to fly to Kherson. I transplanted on Nevsky and suddenly my arm touches a woman. Do you Speak English? - She Asked me.
- Yes, I do.
We met in the train, as it was on the way to go. She was an American and I will tell you more about her.
Certainly the case with Pavlov was quite unique. Long ago, in 1981, the order came to the Ministry of C.A, stating that if the aircrew member who had been seen in the use of alcohol during the flight operations will be laid off from work, without reduction and will cancelled pensions. In the 81-82 years Aeroflot left many for whom the "green snake"(alcohol) was too strong.
The flights were not often as we would like. We flew 30 hours per month. My friend Igor from Arkhangelsk invented a wonderful scheme and all the free time from the flights I spent on the Exchange. The guys who always helped me to earn money most effectively appeared there. By the way, twisting on the exchange, I can honestly say that all funds and all vouchers personally invented by president and his sidekick all sorts of lisping guardians for the prosperity of Russia, and other lovers of butterflies, were nothing more than gambling, deception for the masses.
In the evening will be reserve and perhaps we will not fly. Suddenly a call from planning dispatchers.
- Will you fly in Tyumen at 21:30?
- No problem.
- There is no your Commander .
-It is only 17 and he have not to report where he is.
Finally, I phoned to Pavlov about 18.In the phone tube was the smell of alcohol, but I asked if we fly or not. It turned out that after a bathroom and a cup of coffee, even on the moon. I called Igor.
Volodya is fueled the plane, Igor take the decision , but there was no the commander . That is, he came, but starting doctor did not allow him to fly. The passengers were sitting on the plane. It was announced delay for technical reasons, and finally found free of the work Alexei Ivanovich, commander of our squadron and we flew. The matter was hushed up. We realized that our beloved commander was sick.
What to do? To report or be complicit in crimes? It was decided that we would remain silent, but the last time. Pavlov held on and we flew excellent. Pavlov was a great professional and a person. Once we arrived and our squadron commander T.A.G. met us. No, he did not specifically met us. He just arrived as well as we are at the same time. He drove us to the car. While riding, he asked me: Well, how did you fly? - OK - I said. And he began to enumerate all, so my jaw dropped. He knows everything, why did he ask? Later, I asked him why he asked me, but no response received . And then I had a very negative opinion. about him .This opinion had been formed in the very that day.
It is an analysis. Security guards catches T.A.G. with the canister of gaso line, which he drove to Georgian comrades in Tbilisi. Violation. You can not carry gasoline in the cargo compartment of the aircraft. T.A.G. said about it, about his abuse on this parsing . And I did not remember what was funny attacked me or this recognition so amused me, but I laughed. Probably loud. Then T.A.G. looked at me and said: "We are getting to fly abroad and some laughs in vain, somebody would not fly in abroad"
We had to fly in Vorkuta on the December 31. There was north weather. Everything can expect there. But we came and it was strange that the weather was nice. We had already taxied to the run way and the dispatcher told us that Vorkuta closed for 3 hours for cleaning the runway and we turned around and cursing, parked again. Before the New Year was less than 12 hours.
It was strange, but in 3 hours the runway was cleaned and we were again in the sky. We normally landed and flew back over Arkhangelsk. Even my heart pounding! I said the dispatcher if I flew over the shop "North" direct to revere Ileksa. Of course, this is a direct violation of phraseology, but I would say so! In the store, "North", usually gathered pilots took 100 grams, and there they took cabbies, who considered it an honor to bring the airfield pilots. As for the river Ileksa, then over this river we started comunicate with Petrozavodsk. We saved 10 kilometers of distance of only, but nice!
The dispatcher said to me : "You may , Aleksey!"
After landing we lightly noted the upcoming 94th year and I was at home for 30 minutes before this bad year.
Once I took out of my crew and we flew with Pasha Savushkin. We flew with Pasha in Arkhangelsk, when our Oleg was out of crew. Pasha was a good co-pilot and a great guy. In addition he repaired everything and understood any technical that even nicknamed him dearly "Our Morbidity"
Anyway, sitting in the sauna, I cried to him that I can not repair the heating controller on the iron. So Pasha repaired it! We were not friends with Pasha, but he always remembered about his comrades! Just a few lines will come about Pasha. Remember this.
Zhurzhenko ON was a Commander . We flew in winter and the weather was far winter-shit!
All the airports had been closed, but we still got somewhere on the alternative and we landed. Zhurzhenko then said: "Oh, how I like to fly with these fellows from Arkhangelsk!"
We flew 30 hours per month and were very tired from such a frail work. Generally, when there were no a weekends and suddenly appeared, the first day you are rejoice, on the 2nd wonder, and on the 3rd day could not find the place for yourself. Went on vacation.
We went with my girls in Ulyanovsk.
There have already been built Aviastar and "Ruslan", the biggest aircraft in the world, which were built there this world was shaken.
"Ruslan", AN-124 was my dream. I saw her in Moscow - I think that the feelings of the believer in the temple were the same as I was into the womb of this giant.
In the 91st of his show at Le Bourget. It is in France, near Paris, where every two years there is air show. The largest aircraft is considered C-5 "Galaxy" and it was written, "If you want to see the largest aircraft in the world, welcome to the company Lockheed!" They brought even strengthened wing for him, loaded 120 tons and was sent on 3,000 meters - so it was born a new record
Nothing were brought for "Ruslan" but having loaded 180 tons the plane climb it to 9600 meters.
- 9650 meters - corrected me that the pilot, who was involved in this record.
- I was talked to and asked to call. I have already passed it ...
Yeah, maybe I was a chance in the 88th or 89th year to get on Aviastar , but I would like to Leningrad, and I was not yet known about "Ruslan" Dima C. , my comrade, who was taking me from the hospital and now flies in the Volga-Dnepr on "Ruslan", once said that on his place I should have been. And I believe that everyone in their place and envy to him with white envy.
The vacation ended and we were flying again. The vacation was small, that even after it we have not checked. The first flight to Sheremetyevo. The first working day was very stormy. In Sheremetyevo landing corse was 67 and we sweat until the Savelovo these thunderstorms bypassed and now clear sky and all these thunderstorms one line on the left of us and hang somewhere closer to the runway and do not interfere. We fly nicely on a small gas to the (base) third turn, decreasing to 5 meters. We have already released the wheels and come to the fourth(final). We were twisting the fourth(final) and it's here that I saw what was going on. And there will be lightning, like drops of rain pierce lead turbidity and flow of water waiting for us and a bunch of troubles.
I remember in the 84th, in the night we approached in Kiev. Then I realized that it was not possible to approach from the North, due to thunderstorms and we were allowed to go to the south. I was very proud that I could approach in such conditions. The dispatchers always and almost in all airports had understood us, and if conditions permit, we stopped on the side where it was possible to do it. Sheremetyevo was exception because there was more traffic than anywhere and probably to rebuild flow from West to East was not easy.
I reported to the dispatcher, but he did not change the landing course and allowed to continue the approaches.
We went to the South, that is, to Moscow, although we were lost by dispatcher from radar screen. We were already outside the landing radar and outside the landing system. I only had data from Vnukovo lighthouse, located 25-30 kilometers to the south. The calculations on the lighthouse were made in Arkhangelsk and carefully transferred to the scheme by me. So long as the beacon worked, I knew the place very precisely. We released the flaps completely and began to descend.
- Where are we flying?
- I will bring you between the in and out of marker.
Slightly to the right floated construction cranes and we still hit the rain showers, but it lasted no more than 5 seconds, the crackling of the headphones stopped finally and started operate the out of marcer and we in the reception area of the landing sistem . I remember the huge belly of the 747 standing on the line up,or 90 degrees to the landing course and we turning to the landing course.The approach was almost like a visual that we would be allowed only in 5 years. We landed.
Our hands were shaking after this approach...
The course was changed and all of these thunderstorms began again against us. To take off, is not to land. Avoided.
Analysis took place in honor of our approach and we were accused that we have not gone to alternate.
Only we knew that on that stage of the flight we had nowhere to go.
No matter how great it was to live here in St. Petersburg, but the thought of our own apartment were very exciting.
We were already over 30, and it was time to have something of my own, here. The apartment in Arkhangelsk has become a burden for me and the proceeds thereof, did not even cover the costs for housing our room here.
Therefore, it was decided to sell the flat in Arkhangelsk. The second vacations in 94th year came in September, and I decided to sell the flat in this vacations
There was housing market (bazar), which could easily lose an apartment and money.
The bandits felt the masters of life.
Like the followers of the Great Chinese Mao, these "norma"l guys in crimson jackets, with low foreheads and broad chest, something reminds me of a bath (probably gold chains hanging and sticking out everywhere), and often stuck into the jacket badges with president "Rossiyan"
"normal" guys in crimson jackets was the uniform of bandits of Eltsin's Russia
"purely not specifically" gives me confidence. The same was with the companies and a refusal to purchase this property. Barely learned to write and speak on the hair dryer, a bruiser, like a gorilla, a finger trying to get into the computer keyboard, and while he is tried, I read the list of proposed force majeure, which weighed several pounds.
So I was forced to get around several such shabby offices where buying and selling and proudly calling themselves real estate businesses. I had to tell them from the hearts - to talk with you, this is force majeure already .
I was helped by my guys from Arkhangelsk. Igor M. with whom we flew together and who helped me to learn the basics of business on the stock exchange, find out how to sell the apartment safe apartment and immediately money.
I was going to fly to Arhagelsk to sell a flat and all of a sudden call from the squadron, Pavlov died.
On the last day, after the night reserve before the vacations, we decided to meet in the morning at Alexander Alekseevich. and celebrate this joyous occasion. We celebrated long and happily.
We celebrated before lunch time. Our "honorary fifth member of the crew" the dispatcher came to Pavlov
He so loved to fly, often flying with us and he even asked me to contact with ATC .He flew with us in Bukhara and Jambul and other eastern locations. In general, they have little celebrate and Pavlov went to the cottage in Chudovo on Msta river. He would hunting there and rifle ammunition Alexander Alexeyevich was ready. But, getting off the train, he was under the same train and died.
We buried him the whole crew, and flying over his grave, honking headlights ...