After a rest which was fun, I came to Arkhangelsk.
Vova V. traveled to Tallinn (sorry if I did not finish in the title of any letter) as a navigator squadron of Yak-40.(Tallin in the Soviet time)
Vova O. did not go anywhere, he immediately hit the Bykovo on the An-24.
I liked Arkhangelsk. Who said that the North? I bathed in the Dvina River in late of August. But after a month I did not know what to wear because it was very cool.
Actually, I wanted to get on the An-26. I would like to visit the Graham-Bela. Franz Josef Land is the southern part of the North Pole, but the main navigator of the told me that it is necessary to have at least 500 of flying hours before they will be spoke with me on this topic.
6 people came with me. We lived in a dorm and someone took the trouble and cut out from a newspaper pasted on the door: "Here lives the intellectuals of the North." A few days later someone finished from the newspaper: "Every second can neither write nor read."
The most important neighbor for me, and for us the green guys were Serge R. He was flying on the Tu-134 for three years and had already trampled glide path when we started to study in the Academy. Sergei was also the senior citizens of Leningrad and as our friend tried to protect us in all things.
Even before my first flight I went to him and asked him about the features of the passage of the medical unit. Serge with a completely straight face, and gave me a very valuable piece of advice:
- When you Metering pulse, show your socks.
That it was done. Everyone who was there, with undisguised delight went to see this premiere ...
The half of August we drew navigator charts, trained numerous time on the simulators, we had ground training, took tests, and finally flew as navigator-training.
The summer of '81was "fruitful." 3 or 4 planes were crashed in that month. Therefore, attention to us was very close. I remember that even in the parsing (I personally began felt bad when some very clever journalist begins with an understanding of the case them coven call as debriefing) Suddenly I was asked by the political officer demanded me to demonstrate my socks. The socks were gray. And the socks must be black or blue. Other color of socks - a violation of safety of flights.
- Why are such colure of the socks? - He yelled.
- The color of the skin of An-24! - I yelled.
I was so frightened that such types as I spoil us a picture of safety of flights that the last quarter of a century I continue to walk in black or blue socks.
Many orders about disasters ended with the standard "but the repeated triggering RCAS (risk of collision alarm system) the crew continued to descend recklessly, the aircraft collided with the ground, destroyed and burned, the crew was killed."
Finally, the flights had started. We flew as interns. The full of enthusiasm and pay money!
The flights were on the North, but we flew also to the South, to Saratov (south).
The autumn had began. The visibility had deteriorated and the nightmare had began. Only in a nightmare you can see it. I take off my hat in front of the first my Captain who had helped me and had never descent recklessly.
We were checked often and it was unnerving.
I remember even that I asked our neighbor Vasya help me to make baze turn and on final . Vasya said that he cough at the necessary time.(in radio communication)
What is baze and final (3 and 4 turns)?
Imagine the table. On the edge of the table closer to the right corner, put a glass and fill it to the brim with liquid, which is you like. The glass is your run way. Now, put your hands behind your back. We have took off! Yes, lift your head, take off! So we are on the corner of the table. This is the first turn, approaching to the second, the second and now the glass is strictly on your left, on the abeam..
On this abeam the wheels had been down and we come to the end of the table, or 3 turn or baze. On the leg between 3(baze) and 4 (final) we must to extend the flaps and reduce our speed and turning final. Everything is simple, unless before such a "flight" you emptied the contents of the glasses several times and poured there yet. Farther you go along the edge of the table, gradually lower the shot glass to the head - it's glide path. If you are too swift to a glass, then you tip over and smash it, and if it is too slow, then get tired and you get to glasses. Okay?
Now, you should do the same but with closed eyes and your left hand grasp the edge of the table and take in your right a dinner plate with the eggs and for the full experience someone have to push you a little and 20 centimeters before glass open the eyes and tell me if you can drink from this glass ?
We flew about such a way. It was easier if you have à special marks on the table and on the table if your head below or higher of the glass . Instrumental Landing System (ILS) But there were no such equipment on the most part of the Nort’s airports.
The main was NDB approach (using beacons)
It was necessary to know how you go on the course and glide path and for this it was necessary to count a lot.
In general, it looks simple as twice two is four but sometimes could be five .
Only close to winter I was able to do something .
The navigator had no separate and special place on the AN-24 . The navigator was behind mechanic and between the Captain and co-pilot. The mechanic constantly interferes to navigator. The navigator always tries to move mechanic to sideways . After takeoff the most conscious mechanics set down on the arm chair next to the navigator not to interfere him. In a truth I did not ever meet such mechanics.
The internal communication in the plane we supported using AIC - Aircraft intercom communication with recording on the tape. In those years, still used in all "laryngs" - something like a collar for the dog. It was not very handy thing. We tried to wear them only during the approach and in the rest we shouted.
You will not believe that the most essential instrument on the AN-24 was a stopwatch that was always with me and was bought in the sports shop for 10-15 rubles. This universal sport-navigation instrument helped determine the location of the plane! Of course, you could ask the dispatcher the place. The dispatcher could give this place. But he sometimes could not give the place. Certainly not because he was such pest, but because his equipment was so ancient that it could pass an eternity before he saw us. The time for us was not only the money. Rublev YI in the Academy, The Chief of the Navigation said: "What's the navigator who asked "give me the place" . Are you the navigator, or what? "So, I never requested the place and asked to confirm the distance.
In general, except of the stopwatch on the flight desk there were navigation and flight instruments : 3 Compass: one to go for mushrooms. It was also the most reliable but also the most useless and used as a reserve, gyromagnetic who assisted approach and directional gyro which we used in the upper latitudes.
Radar - this is like the TV where you can see the coastline, settlements, drift(demolition) and to avoid the storm. There were no storms on the North in the winter. There was no shoreline because of pile of ice, there were no settlements almost there, but there was the wind and therefore there was a drifting (demolition).If you ever cross the river, then you will certainly correct your heading and this is the drifting(demolition).
The radiokompass - is the instrument that shows the direction on the radio station (beacon, as we said). In the North, there were not a lot of beacons and it begins to show the direction, if you fly high enough only on the distance100-250 kilometers. On the AN-24 we flew mainly on 4500-6000(flight level 200) and rarely climbed on 7200.
The next important tool was the speed indicator. Defining airspeed and calculating the wind, the navigator determines the speed relative to the ground and while still in the air, reported arrival time and the willingness of the crew to eat venison. The airspeed is the most important for Pilots . It is necessary, in order not to drop the plane at low speed and not destroy on the big.
Vario (Instrument for measuring the vertical speed) - This instrument which determine the rate of climb or descend.
A very important for the pilots is the official horisont which gives an idea about the spatial position.
We have even the expression: The horizon is mislaid. It is used when somebody say stupid thing or lost the spatial orientation.
A very good people lives on the North. A little number of people lives there. When you traveling across tundra and forests you can find huts in some places. If somebody wants to go for a walk in tundra or taiga and so like it that do not want to go back for a while. Then he can find a hut. In the hut he would find the most necessary for life on the first time. There is no the refrigerator, of course, but there are matches , salt, and some canned goods. We even drew positions such huts on the flight map in the case of forced landing .
I've mastered flying in almost all airports and so-called "airport".
The winter is cold on the North, or may be very cold, but it is funny thing that I had never seen the temperature below -39C.
That was generally bewitched number .
- Oh, now is cold -45!
- Great, I say.
I went to fly, went to meteorological office and asked about the temperature and I was answered that already had warmed and -39 only.
So, when I was happily reported that the temperature -50 outside, I was sure that when I come to the met office it would be -39. And so it was!
The cockpit on the An-24 is near the luggage compartment in the plane of rotation of the screw. If we forget to down the wheels and made belly landing to avoid damage of the passengers by the flying debris of the screw.
The plane always warmed to alive it if it was standing in the cold all the night. When we had come into the cockpit, I was even hot, and the first time I even took off my coat. It lasted about 5 minutes. Luggage was loaded and that helped the plane again become icy. And just after takeoff, after 20-30 minutes at full heating we warmed plane. We have to have fur jacket and boots, but them received everybody but not pilots. However, when I went to a different type of aircraft, they remembered about our brother.
We flew a lot and nostalgia for Peter was huge but, so in the first opportunity I flew to Peter. There were no terrorists in that time and we had always flown as "hares." (without any tickets)The logic was simple: I was separated from the Motherland and I am not blame in it.
Ones I was sitting next to me a very pretty girl and I'm in uniform and she asked me all sorts of questions, and I answered her politely. We had already landed and taxied in airport Talagi. Suddenly she saw the AN-24 and asks, "Oh, how terrible! Helicopter? "And I told her proudly and said that that was the plane on which I was flying. AN-24 named Fant;mas.(very popular French movie in 70th)
When we did not fly and the next day we will fly, than we played in all kinds of games or just sleeping. My wall was decorated with views of Leningrad, planes and women (without clothes ) . Once I was lying on the bed and looking our wall with postcards and Serge, my neighbor , an electronics engineer was sitting at the table and eating. The dinner was called by him to eat jam from huge cans using a large spoon, ladle -sized . I never met such a huge spoons! He was born in Riga and he probably wanted home , but he was took to the Army. In the Soviet Army the turbine of Su-25 sucked his cap, then Latvia became independent from us, and I do not know what with Sergey.
Suddenly the door opens and I see the main specialist of a color socks and guardian of our morals. He became watch on my wall and I even moved, not to disturb him. Suddenly he yelled : To take it out! And I said to him quietly, "It must be something here to please me" and turned his back.
Once we have a little drink. The stocks of binge had finished. The night had come in the yard ... My turn is to go. "Maybe Serge had it?" - And with this thought I knocked in Serge's door.
Sleepy Serge opened the door, but admitted that he had no alcohol, but he know where it is. Kirdyanova the keeper of flight documents in the second squadron has a very good binge.. (samogon) But, of course, illegal moonshine(samogon) and only for very good friends. Personally, I considered myself a good friend of Kirdyanova because, she really helped me in the decoction of pasta that I had to cook for all our fellows. I cooked pasta for the first time in my life and Kirdyanova helped me.
In à words and deeds. In addition, Kirdyanova was my neighbour lived across the room, so I thought it fair to ask Kirdyanovoy little booze.
I knocked on the door conditional signal and winked to her right eye as taught me Serge ...
It was clearly, what happened next ...
Alcohol was in sale only in state shops and only from 11 till 20. There were supermarkets with 24 hours work
In general, I liked the girls . And the girls liked me and chocolate. They always hung on me something shiny and gold . It is great that I have no holes in my ears , otherwise they would hanged me earrings there. Then I returned them back, of course, so my memory is good.
And finally, I'm back in the sky. We're going to fly to Kotlas which is close to upstream Dvina. It is a good city! The run way is about 1500 meters and covered by asphalt. We descent and all according to plan. We are in sight in Kotlas's locator and landing will be easy and dispatchers would insure! There is not instrumental landing system (ILS) but the beacon begin to work steadily for 100 kilometers, and it is about 20 minutes including approach for us So, we determined, 30 kilometers on the radar, then comes the reckoning only, because in our locator not possible to see something because height of less than 1000 meters.
Straight in approach is the easiest. The main is not miss the glide path. We have already reached the landing course. We released wheels and flaps, here's a very important moment - approaching to glide path. Further, as taught to keep the vertical speed of 1-1.5 meters higher than the calculated.
The distance of 10, approaching to final approach, the flaps has gone completely, vertical speed 3, on the course....
That's 200 meters in 15seconds will be beacon.
Horizon -I shout. This is done to pass the beacon on the calculated hight. After passing the beacon vertical speed must be exactly calculated before decision height. On this lowest height we take a decision if we land or will be procedure of missed approach
Now will be out of marker
Now, now, will be an out of the marker (beacon) - I read like a prayer,, but the arrow ADF stands motionless, and finally, as if tired from the waiting, turns on its axis a couple of times and the blunt end of it arrow shows passing the beacon.
Out of marker is on 200! On the course and glide! Estimated 2.5 (vertical speed) - I shout with joy!
At 180-190 meters we fall out of the clouds and the run way is in front of us ...
But I was wrong on 50 seconds or 4 kilometers. I thought (personally), that that it was not good ... I believed that in that conditions, when there is nothing you can be wrong not more than 2 kilometers.(More strong that in our documents. After the book people said about me as Navigatore. With big letter N)
On the same day we flew to the village Leshukonskoe. It is close. 260 kilometers to the east. There is an asphalt strip, but very little equipment, and radar starts something to show for 30 kilometers. Only dead reckoning and locator ... Weather on minimum ... In short, bull shit (crap).
I have found that a single landmark in the locator. This is landmark and fit into the scheme of approach. At last beacon started work and the ATC saw us and we are already on the final approach and Nick had already reported "275, the wheels and flaps are down, ready for landing."
We have been very accurate ...
We fall out of the clouds and everything is white. River is white, forest is white Everything is white, but where's the run way? Damn it ...
-Cap I do not see the run way
- Yes, there's a clearing in the woods, do not be afraid ...
The flights to Dixon, as in "Airport" by Arthur Hailey called flight to Rome, I called Golden Argos.
For this flight we were even paid 50 rubles (130-140r average salary in the USSR) It is very romance. Dixon, what is the wonderful name and the town covered with snow and the store sold alcohol drinking, milk powder and instant coffee ...
The city associated with Jack London.
The plane was always with red wings.
The route passed through Naryan-Mar and the first landing was in Amderma. Here everything is familiar and 2 hour and a half hour flight time I was preparing to the main. The flight from Amderma to Dixon. Afer Harasaveya there is nothing on that plot There is only vigilant air defense. Width of the track in this area to 10 kilometers in both directions. Widely? And you try to draw a straight line from point to point, with those devices at a distance of at least 500 meters.
To fly in summer easy. The coast line as a television series. You can see yellow beaches and blue water, as well as in the Blue Lagoon. Only the water is cold. Airport Amderma this is a strip of concrete and yellow sand around
A little further away, in the water there is the skeleton of a sunken ship and on the shore there is wreckage of the plane. Probably the only monument of Mig-15 In the city, which protected our North, But with the advent of democracy and personal enemies ... we are gone, but money, too, but according to this savvy businessmen and got to the North and in the muddy stream of crap even managed to steal this moment, and drive it for the price of two apartments, at least garrison received so much
Another thing in the winter. Auroras, it is really very beautiful, but interfere with our radio and the ice distort the picture on the locator. Therefore, the first 1060 kilometers to Amderma, speaking on the language of science , I defined the care of the gyroscope and for its compensation counted and entered with fictitious latitude
by sine-cosine potentiometer.
The last 777 kilometers from Amderma to Dixon, we were flying armed by the knowledge about the care of our gyroscope, and it pleased me.
Dixon is 74 is parallel, with magnetic declination of 30 degrees of deviation and
the difference between magnetic and orthodromy course in 23 degrees. Of course, I would explained the difference between the orthodromy and the magnetic course, but it is not a textbook, so simply trust me as we trusted, trying to follow by Lenin's course.
Having collected and calculate all amendments(in Russin: ïîïðàâêè, ÏÎÏÐÀÂÊÈÍ) together, we go to the landing.
-There is not out of marker. Horizon! (without descending) ... But Captain recklessly continued to descend, despite my warning ... - I managed to say before the plane touched the run way gently...
Well, I forgot after all this stress that only single beacon was on the other side of the runway!
20 years from now, we landed somewhere in Surgut or Nizhnevartovsk on the Tu-134. I Looked and see An-24 from Arkhangelsk standing near of us. I went there. Arkhangelsk guys, the joy of meeting.
- Well, Aleksey, you are continuing recklessly continuing to descend,? - Asked me a Captain who was co- pilot that time.
The temperature is -39 on the street as always . The frostbitten ear, dining room with venison, polar pilots. Cool!
Once I decided to walk a little bit. The snow is around . I walked on a special bridges that are above the surface on a 2 meter because of the snow. Suddenly, I saw walking polar bearn the 800 meters . He was hungry. I watched him for 5-10 minutes, then getting very cold and returned to the hotel. Told.
Why you do not run away?
So, I'm armed. (Then we with the Captain had Makarov pistols and I did not yet know that those things useless against polar bears).
Once we returned home from Dixon on the same route. The tanks are full because the weather on the North even more changeable than those of us in Peter
The first landing must be in Amderma and alternative airport is Naryan-Mar. The weather is not that bad, but it is good enough and in Naryan-Mar even better.
We are flying. Suddenly Anderma is closed. Suddenly there is such visibility on the ground that it is not possible to find the store. We have passed Amderma and around overcast and snowstorm everywhere and Marian-Mar is closed for full complex. If to fly to Rogachevo, the New Land, only 40 minutes of fligh from Naryan-Mar, and if that airport would be closed and then the Red Wings would not be found. The airport Pechora also has closed. Where to go?
Arkhangelsk is only remained. The weather is there at the limit of the minimum, but there is. There is and we fly.
And how much fuel we have and what is headwind?
We took flight level 7200 meters. It is almost the limit for us. At this height the temperature is lower, and consequently the efficiency of engines are more. I calculated the wind. It blew more into the starboard than on the forehead and robbed of 60-70 kilometers per hour. We had over Narian-Mar about 1,500 kilograms of fuel or 1hour and 50 minutes, and the fuel consumption at the height down to 600 kilograms per hour. We must land. It is enough fuel. And still remain at an altitude range (where the flow close to the maximum) and remained for 15 minutes even. Of course, this gets out of the all laws, but we have no exit way.
We are pulling. The warring lights is on. The fuel is remaining 600 kilograms. Yellow lamp shines boring me in the eyes. It is 7-8 minutes before Mezen(215km from airport or 40minutes of flight) There is the run way in Mezen but no weather (The same as in Arkhangelsk but the minima is higher and therefore is not suitable).
We have to land in 40 minutes . So, if the instrument is not lying and it should not lie, because I try to control it already 4 hours, we must have 200 kilograms and is about 15 minutes!
The calculation of the landing without the right to even the slightest mistake, performed very accurately.
We are rolling on the run way ... I was right ... We won ...
We had debriefings and other idiotic gatherings.(We very tired and want a rest instead of going to squadron in the morning )For example, one navigator bought in the garage petrol on the price 8 kopeks per liter. He did not go to the state gasoline station to buy the petrol on established by the government price - 12 kopeks, and supported speculator - huckster.
So-called opened party meetings (the appearance is required for everybody). It is a symphony. First violin plays a specialist on the socks and at the same time and the safety of our flights- the political officer.
I am tired to listen his clever speeches got up and left. Kara overtook me on the same day. I was removed from all the flights and put me on the duty on the phone and even sent to a pigsty. In accordance with the decision of the Party and the government, everyone had to work for the benefit of agriculture on the farm.
My friend Dima was so frightened by this decision that still lives in Canada.
(Do you remember? I told about him.)
Somehow we flew in Bykovo(one of the airport in Moscow) through Kotlas. It was summer. I even think that July. It was very hot. The cross wind was blowing the run way more than 12 meters in Bykovo and we could not land there. We were waiting when the wind weakened or even turned on the head so that we could fly away.
Personally, I was sitting in the black socks, but having taken off the shirt, under the right wing on the wheel of the main landing gear and sunbathed. I could not interfere to anyone, because nobody were around even rare planes in Kolas had flown away......
The political officer appeared suddenly from somewhere. What a voice he had! Even the best modern singers do not have such loud and vocal voices, which had this Kotlas's political officer. Well, imagine yourself that the airport's silence suddenly was broken by the cry of at least ten donkeys! I almost fell down from that wheel.
The oratorio Kotlas's political officer lasted before the captain came and said that the wind ceased and we can fly.
At last we are in the air again. Bikovo - this is one of the four of the airports in Moscow. All the planes like An-24, circling over the airfield, waiting their turn to land. Beauty! Moscow from the two height of bird flight and even turbulence increased pleasantness experience.
We have circled about 30 minutes, when warning lamp is on. Remaining 30 minutes of flight. We were already on final approach line when the wind increased again and we had to go to the alternate.
This airfield was Domodedovo.
The sun was setting and the yellow lamp emergency remaining fuel boring shone into my eyes. In addition, the cockpit door opened and stewardess entered with the message and not very fresh air from the cabin that sanitary napkins had finished. "Tell them that is not enough for the
crew ..."
In Moscow air zone was the usual hubbub when not to get in touch with the dispatcher and as always begins shortage of time, which is always inversely proportional to your experience.
To crown it all, on final approach our radio refused . We had to go round again while I set up the second radio station (such stations, probably, were in the time of Kulikovo Battle in 1380 year ) and in front of us was IL-62, which was not very much in a hurry to land. The fuel was on 15-20 minutes. But we thought that less. The first time I saw, felt better say that the nerves of Captain were strained. We landed ...
The co-pilots were different . The co- pilots is the Assistant of the Captain . Of course, the most jokes were about co-pilots of the Aeroflot as The Captain- is the head of the crew , the navigator - the brain of the crew, mechanic - the hands , and the co-pilot - a member (sexual member) of the crew. Well, they fell down. They out of from the wreckage . The Captain said : "That I gave the wrong team" . The Navigator said "I gave a wrong course ." Mechanic - "It 's all my fault - flaps were early released ," the the co-pilot - " damn, you devil ," shaking his cap , " the way to kill yourself."
But again, the co-pilot - is the Assistant of the Captain.
Co-pilots took from An-2, or after Aviation Higher Aviation School in Aktubinsk and later from Kirovograd.
Igor M. graduated from Kirovograd . He came a year later after me. He was below me was just a few inches and was Kandidat of Master of Sport. In Arkhangelsk, I've never seen anyone who would swim better him . If we did not fly then we go to the swiming pool . In the morning he let me eat egg and drink a cup of tea in the best way saying " Well, eat , you 'll drown ."
I realized that maybe I will drown , but it is better to sink with a full stomach. He did not give me to eat only, but he also would not let me to smoke. I had to invent elegant theory If you swims and smokes after swiming their lungs develops immensely. He stoped to restrict me.
Honestly, the swimming it's great! The main is that you are not sweat. I have sailed so good that somebody wanted me to stick to the swimming competition. But Igor said: "Sport is the grave for the pilot ." So, I swam as "Lazy Shark" Ideal dose was 1,000 meters, and Igor swam 2-3. Then we sat on the bottom (an interesting sight!), And after that we went to sauna.
Igor interested all my navigators affairs in the flights and he could replace me soon.
AN-24 allowed to fly without a navigator and prepared for such kind of flights but they could not fly to the North.
Igor with a brilliant head, a good comrade and friend flew as co-pilot another 10 years before he finally became commander! Then Yeltsin and his ilk came to power and the country was changed.. The pilots on the North began to receive a salary so much that even ashamed to say. In short Igor had to do business in which he was so successful that he can not return back now. But ... the love to sky and to flight had remained. Of course, he flew on his paraglider in his free time and he is happy. Maybe the day will come and we fly with him on his own airplane!
We flew a lot. Sometimes we do not have enough time to wash the shirt even but as a rule, we were flying in the clean shirts.
We came one hour before departure , as the technology required . During this hour, we had to pass a medical check , visit the meteorological and then calculate the flight and to report the results of calculation . We recieved the information from meteo, loading the aircraft and took the decision about the fuel on board. The fuel should be enough for the flight to the target and to fly to the alternate , if necessary . Who do not know can not worry. The quantity of fuel on landing must be for another hour.
The flight engineer went to the plane to check all aircraft systems and refuel it.
What is to calculate the flight? This means that it is necessary to take into account the wind to fly where you want. But not to fly to Odessa but to approach to Kherson.. The wind affects of the ground speed and, consequently, on the flight time and the total fuel consumption.
All of that calculated by the navigator. The copilot counted the payload. Any aircraft has a maximum takeoff weight. If one engine failure the remaining allow him to continue the takeoff or to make flight safely.
Payload - a mass of passengers, baggage and cargo. Co-pilot and navigator were sometimes to "inflate plane" to take all passengers together with their belongings and necessary fuel.
We tried to take passengers but not the load.
Sometimes we had to "avoid established rules" when there were too many passengers and the customer our flight was too greedy.
Basically, it was a fiery years of privatization and capitalization of the wild masses. That's when most of the incident plane on the takeoff.
We had to communicate with friends, with whom I could see just before flying away and to be on the board before 22 minutes for take- off to check our equipment. In short, the hour was never enough. There were no automated calculations in that time, so we had come earlier, but that time was not paid.
We may to work 12 hours, and with the consent of the crew 13. Personally, I do not recall that the crew refused to work for passengers 13 hours.
Working time added from preflight preparation, flight time, parking time in the airports and post-analysis of flight.
The food there was not given for the crew on AN-24 . The general illness for pilots was a stomach ulcer. As you know, sleep and food are the basis of flying. So I tried to eat everywhere. But I was not fat.
My commander said that I skinny as a bicycle. But I repeat again, that I was perfectly normal. And women were fond of me. Even very much.
Post-flight analysis can be moved to another day. It's a whole hour! Lunch hour, too, actually 20 minutes, so, sometimes, writing 13 hours, we worked really 15.
Every year we had "serious" medical examination, and each quarter "frivolous."(easy) But we are serious people, so the medical examination was twice a year. Who passed "serious medical examination" had gotten "bread card."
The "Bread cards "did not receive everybody after 40 . But if in 40 years old passes, he will fly long. Such was the trust. But ... Vanya L. was 39, he flew back drank a glass of brandy and forever went to the country of sand hills. Victor, a little over forty, died right on the gangway ... I can go on, but I will not. But gaining that in fact the healthiest!
But the pilots do not die, they just fly away...
The august of 1982 was a very intensive. I do not remember whether the weekends, but to go to Leningrad was not possible. The weekends were moved from August to September. To fly more was impossible. 87 hours in the air was extended sanitary norm. But on the August 31 we returned in the morning to the base. It was a fog in Arkhangelsk and we flew to the alternative to Syktyvkar. I arrived in Peter only in the evening.
... Can be more fun, but I did not sleep for two nights ... I still remember it, but that's another story.
So, there quietly passed a year of my stay in Arkhangelsk. I even have a thought that I was a professional, but it was a fiction. I just was a good specialist, but to the true professionalism was still far . I was even entrusted with the opening of the flight Arkhangelsk - Kotlas - Volgograd. I opened it not because I was so good, but because one could not, the other was afraid, so I flew.
We had flown normally. The first approach was from the Volga River, just over the Monument of the Motherland - Mother.
It was cool! Though it was winter, the view was a unique spectacle. For me, Volga - Mother in general hypnotically effects! We landed, near the old run way, where was written "Glory to Stalin’s Falcons!"
We were Stalin's Falcons and now? ...Brezhnev's sparrows?
For a year and a half my flight time was already about 1000 hours and it was the time to change the type of aircraft.
At the beginning I was offered Tu-134 "Pretty Boy" and almost the next day the AN-26, remembering that I really want to fly to Graham - Bell.(Franz Josef Land)
"The Childhood is over" - I thought, and decided to study on the Tu-134.
The studing on large aircraft was in Ulyanovsk Higher School of flight training. (in Russian SHVLP) "Shalopaevka" as we called it. The attitude to the pilots in Ulyanovsk was unbelievably wonderful! I was convinced in this fact in the very first minutes of being there!
The ticket to Ulyanovsk I wrote through Leningrad.I did it specifically, to meet with my friend Dima and my girlfriend. It will come to me sideways ..
Andrei, the fellow from our squadron went with me.
In Ulyanovsk airport was a small queue on the taxi, but when the people saw us, they immediately let us go. A taxi driver rushed us toward knowledge under the way telling us very useful and not very useful information. It was the end of March, but in the spring did not smell . Smelled only the new the adventures.
We stayed in the newly built, luxury, at the time, hotel. We had celebrated our travel and went for a walk on Volga, which was still covered by ice.
Beauty! Volga is on the right side, a little farther is Lenin's Memorial, and slightly to the left the famous restaurant "Venec", where all roads lead. The bridge across the Volga river with the length of 98 kopecks by the taxi in prices of 1983 (lunch in the dining room for pilots) was on the right side
We had walked and being hungry went to eat to the restaurant "Venec". There have always been places for flight personnel . Better to say, for those who was in the flight uniform. The color of the socks did not look. They knew who was going to retrain would never put on colored socks! (it is joke, but to take a seat in the restaurant was difficult in that time! if you did not book before)
We were sitting with Andrei and ... we will see only next day in the personnel department in the afternoon. Only 5 people has come instead of minimum 7.
We went for a walk again, but not in the "Venec". We appeared in "Cellar". That was quite historic place for me. Together we brought the day's takings for this restraunt and soon sign "Closed for specials. service " hung on the doors of the institution.
We sat with Andrei not long time. The girls came from somewhere and broke the silence ...
On the third day we met again in the personnel department. The soul and the brain required knowledge, but the people did not come. They did not want to learn. It was decided to send us home. Andrew was delighted, because he had no more money But I did not, because I had 25 rubles($30), and I did not in the Memorial.
At Memorial we were about an hour. After that, Andrew began to whine that he did not eat soup for three days . I gave him the rest of the money and he rushed off in the "Venec" to eat soup, and I stayed to study a little the biography of Lenin.
In the restaurant we ate soup and were very pleased.
Arriving at Arkhangelsk, I felt sad because there was no money. It lasted not long. Two weeks. During this time the group was collected and waited only us. Andriusha's wife did not allow to retrain the second time and I was not against it, and I was free. I recieved money again, and I went to study .
The teaching is light! It is the true, I had to go through Leningrad, to prepare for a wedding. One very nice girl wanted it. That event had to coincide with the Independence Day of the United States. My mood had dropped, because as a good thing did not call marriage (brack -this is the playing of the words in Russian)
Generally, from my point of view, you can certainly walk around and think to marry or not to marry. There is Love or it is not the Love. How you can go a few years and to think love or do not love and finally understand - I love her. I do not understand! You have seen and understood . I love her!