The flights are continuous. I really do not know exactly what was the reason, but the ummer of 2002 just started and I was transferred to another crew, whose commander was Vladimir K. I received this news without any enthusiasm, not because I did not like Vladimir, but because that used to and loved his old crew.
Vladimir, was over fifty. BeforeTu-134 he was an instructor in Sasovo, then went from the co- pilot to commander and became a pilot - instructor on our ship.
Impetuous as a bullet on the ground, he never twitched and slowly in the sky, and I never heard him raise his voice or had a bad mood. He always distinguished his wisdom and wit.
In general, Vladimir once made on me a very good impression, and the more we flew with him, the more I liked him for his ability and willingness to consider others, and to prove the truth always, even if someone think that he was right. The truth is one! He underlined treated with respect for everybody ! From the chicks greenhorn to people with experience.
Our onboard mechanic was Alexander S. With Alexander we had been already familiar more than 10 years.
By the way, back in 91 when we with Nikitich (Petersburg the beginning of 3d Newton Low chapter)
We flew 5 days over Ukraine and than flew to Tallinn. We had even shared a cigarette fraternally.
Then, we were flying with him when the thermal overclocking had been place and it was the very that Aleksander who gloried me in the squadron.
More of all Alexander had beloved dog, setter, which he otherwise,than my boy never called Once he came to me with his boys. Luda prepared us coffee . The boy was rushing in the apartment. His boy set down on the floor and Alexander put on his paws on a slice of cheese and we drank the coffee. As we drank coffee he did not let to his boy to eat this cheese.
Alexander never parted with a camera. He always find something interesting. Sometimes the celebrity looked in the cockpit to get satisfaction or the plane will fly next, then someone from the crew so tired - Sasha right here! When was the heat, I always a fan with turbo supercharged switched on and took off the shirt, so for Sasha it was very amusing, and some of these photos I have, and one of the largest, Olga hung it over the table .
Our crew was Instructor and co-pilots changed often. We flew may be not very beautiful, but very reliable, had to make a margin of time for the young co-pilots.
Oleg Ch. was the first who came to learn to us. He graduated from the Orenburg aviation military school. In the first flight on the L-39 engine died, and Oleg successfully landed the plane in front of him.
Then, when the submarine "Komsomolets" was in distress, Oleg, was piloting bomber Tu-16 on the altitude 15-20 meters from the water found that submarine. He was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.
He also flew on the other types, but soon eltsin with his crime friends took the power and they no longer needed in the Air Force. Oleg, like others, my friend Nick, with whom they even served in the same regiment, were kicked. Oleg worked on conveying bread. Everything was good, but there was no Sky.As soon Oleg started ill, by standard aviation disease as was found the place in Pulkovo.The disease has gone.
We fly for the first time on a business trip in Domodedovo, and Oleg worried lit a cigarette. I do not worry, it's nice that the end of his torment
Oleg and lit his cigarette.It is forbiden to smoke on the apron and I noted - you can not smoke on the apron. There was next satellite, where our IL-86 stand. But IL-86 flew away, and the fuel tanks, with a mind like hatches had remained. With these manholes, tanks, IL-86 and refueled. So Oleg, without knowing it, however, threw an extinguished cigarette there! (Do not put your cigarette butts in the tanks! It will not nothing bad happen!)
As coffee brought , the turbulence began and Oleg spilled coffee on his suit "Аgain spilled!" - He lamented. I previously had never missed (in the sense of the mouth)! And then I did it thrice in one flight, !!!
We made friends with Oleg. He was pleasant personality for me . Once we were sitting somewhere with him, drank a little, and I said to him: I am afraid if I grab Nazis, began to torture me, to turn out hands, to poke needles under fingernails - could not stand and betray ours. And Oleg said to me that will hurt only the first 5 minutes, then you will feel nothing! Calms me a little!
Then, in that trip I felt the approach of his illness, but thought I was just tired.
Oleg slowly began transformed to eagle!
Alexander P. was a squadron commander in Rzhevka, our second airport in St. Petersburg.
The democratic winds of change thrown from the bridge not only the president but also shut the enterprise, the more small airports. And Alexander became unemployed pensioner and not thought that will be flying. But he was lucky to fly more. He was taken on the flying job in Pulkovo. He flew very good so he had not been with us long. It was sad to separate with him.
Soon he became the commander, but without me.
Then came Serge. Serge was still very young and tried very hard. Everything he always was great! Wherever we were flying, no matter what was the weather everything and always had was great!
Somehow we were flying to Yerevan. The mood was wonderful in the evening we will drink the best brandy in the world!
We already landed and Alexander, our mechanic(I told about him. Look above), and asked me, well, if you buy brandy, then buy it for me a couple of members. Of course, I promised him. There were several shops in Zvartnots where brandy traded and traded within some cognac liquid. They traded by "Saber" and it was the cognac liquid, so I did not take these Sabres never. I took a few bottles for me and to Sasha couple of Sabres.
We already flew back and Sasha wanted to see what I had bought for him because, where a lot of orders, and Sasha had to pack it. We went in the luggage compartment and I gave him Sabres. He was surprised my absolute stupidity. Alexander said to me: " are you unable to distinguish member from Sabres ?"
I did not know that the Armenian master glass blowers, started production of the bottles in the form of Member for cognac liquid in them! Members of those were probably copied from members of the statues of Greek gods without fig leaves!
Then Nina came to us! Yes, yes the woman- pilot.. I met in the air, only two or three in the USSR! Many women flying in Air France, SAS, British Air Ways, finally, we have! The girl-navigator had already flying in Gazprom . She learned to fly in the first squadron!
I remember, that I had been flying on the AN-24. We gathered to drink with a little cheerful company, in the place of our flight attendants and the table was already laid, and тхэ girl returned after the flight. She was very tired and did not want to see a half-drunk physiognomies. The tantrum was with her and knowing that she had no personal life and her whole life was just the flights, we collected our drinking and went away. Silently and without recriminations.
The woman pilot! The ordinary frail woman with a family, a small child, and certainly with character from the steel . She flew on airplanes in sports DOSAAF and tried on a large aircraft. The parachute lies in a closet - she told me!
It was hard the first time, but do not think she offended for someone of us - we tried to show her everything and teach!
A woman is a woman. Do not fly before she prepare herself in order .
And I'm wondering from where she took the forces to keep our ship in turbulence on the landing!
How we land, lead herself up, painted lips , made her hair, put on shoes and went.
If there was a shop at the airport we bought for her chocolate and ice cream - because Nina loves sweets!
In general, life was getting better. We had a great crew, came to power great guys.
The same Paul, about which I wrote, becomes our deputy squadron commander and within a couple of weeks did everything that I confirmed the second category of landing. We got it in place in Arkhangelsk in '85 and for it we were paid. The old leadership could not find the possibly to do this, and I soon lost money on the car already.
The navigator of squadron was Anatoly V. great man, with only one drawback - he liked to fly a lot, so he often sat on my place when he checked me.
It was becoming already clear that the Tu-134 would flying not long time. Maybe 5 years, maybe less. It was the rumor that will retrain on the Tu-154 and IL-86. To fly I was ready to fly with joy on the Tu-154, and with even greater on IL-86. I had already written and signed report for retraining in September 2003,.
Vladimir Nickolaevich is retired.
Alexander Sazonov is retired. He knows how to grow mushrooms on dacha!
Oleg Chebachev is the Captain on the An-148.
Alexander P. Now is the squadron commander of AN-148.
Serge flies Airbus as the Captain since the end of 2011.
Nina flies as co-pilot on the An-148