Russian flight school practically died out

The 28th World Cup which has come to the end recently in the French city of Shatora in aerobatics in the category Unlimited appeared completely ignored by the Russian mass media. Perhaps because on present superiority of the best pilots of the world, passing time in two years, the Russian athletes the second time in a row conceded leadership to Frenchmen? To comment on last championship and the competition of pilots we asked the pilot-athlete, the expert in the field of Evgeny’s airsport КОМАРОВА.

– Evgeny so nevertheless why our pilots conceded to Frenchmen?

– Would like to note in the beginning that the category Unlimited is the most extreme and interesting competition in airsport. With our pilots there was the same history that two years ago in Texas. However, in command offset the victory of Frenchmen could be predicted, but the well-known Petersburg pilot Mikhail Mamistov frankly was not lucky. Following the results of three exercises its separation from the leader – young French pilot Alexander Orlovski – was minimum. Mamistov took chances to come out on top, but the program of flights reduced because of low overcast. Our pilot has the second place in all-round and any gold medal in separate exercises. Two years ago in the USA the bad luck was directly the return: three "gold" in exercises, and the general – again the second. And the French pilot appeared the first in all-round and then. Command result at the Russian national team too the second.

– What represent competitions on aerobatics?

– It is some kind of figure skating by the plane. In a square kilometer on kilometer the athlete should "dance" a flight complex – a certain sequence from 10-20 figures. The known complex – any program – is published in advance. It is made by the athlete personally for itself(himself) and moves in jury. Two unknown complexes – them still call "dark" – are made by judges of the figures offered by teams directly at competitions. Unlike two previous, them it is necessary to fly "at sight" therefore here and the real skill is shown. Competitions on pilotage are carried out in six categories: Primary (the third league), Sportsman (the second league) and "Yak-52", Intermidiate, Advance, Unlimited. In the two first arrange only regional competitions, in the others – up to the World Cups.

– Decades our pilots did not concede anybody the first places on a pedestal, and for the right to act on our "Yaks" and "Dry" pilots of other countries spread considerable money. What suddenly happened?

– It happened long ago. Destruction of system of preparation of pilots-athletes existing in the USSR in ДОСААФ, almost complete refusal of financing of this unique sport led to physical extinction of Russian flight school. One more factor – equipment. Release of the flight planes of "Sukhoi" best in the world 26/29/31 was stopped in 2004. This year passed also the European championship in the category Advance. So there all our pilots acted on German Extra. In command offset we took only the fourth place, having conceded even to Ukrainians… In France preparation of the national team is carried out on the basis of the Air Force, at children the big raid – is much more, than at the Russian pilots whom planes did not buy that, gasoline did not allocate. By the way, even aviation gasoline in Russia is not issued any more. On heels of Russian national team there come Americans though in the USA no state support is present. Pilots there train and come on competitions at own expense: each of them spent about 50 thousand. dollars on plane delivery to Europe, flight, accommodation, a starting contribution. In America remarkably developed aviation infrastructure – completely equipped airports for aircraft of general purpose each hundred miles in any party.

– And how now to become the pilot-athlete in Russia, to grow to the national team and to go to defend honor of the country on the World Cup?

– Theoretically it is necessary to come to aviasports club ДОСААФ, to pass medical board and to start occupations. But in practice of planes in ДОСААФ almost did not remain, these are old "Yak-52" who are suitable only for initial training and competitions in three lowest categories. Therefore it is better to go to aviation training center (AUTs) at first to receive the certificate of the private pilot. To a word: on a site of Rosaviation of such centers is registered 105, but almost all of them are engaged in preparation and retraining of pilots for airlines. Only 19 AUTs belong to aircraft of general purpose all over the country… Then it is necessary to get the flight plane (150-500 thousand dollars), to find the trainer, to agree with it about payment and occupations, and then, if to devote to it 3-5 days in a week, years for five it is possible to grow to level of the end of standings in the European championship.

– And you as came to airsport?

– I started to fly after forty years when many already finish aviation career. Embodied old boyish dream. I was lucky: I just got to one of yet not closed clubs ДОСААФ in the city of Ishim of the Tyumen region. The world champion in league "Yak-52" Alexander Myakishev was his chief. One of my first instructors – the professional fighter pilot, flying away all life on "MiG-21бис". I began to speak at competitions: at first local, then in other regions. For some years received many awards at regional competitions in Tyumen, Samara, Kaluga, Moscow, St. Petersburg. Unexpectedly it became clear that I have a high resistance to overloads (the pilot on pilotage tests at least a five-sevenfold sign-variable overload). It began to turn out and, as they say, tightened. Mastered "Su-26", but it already was in the USA.

– Why not in Russia?

– The majority of legendary Russian "Knots" were sold to America. There behind them now also go. However, I fly to the USA just on "Yak-52" more often – I transported the plane across the ocean. It there still big rarity, than "SU": Americans consider "Yak-52" by da fit only for semi-military parades of flights by systems, and for pilotage – not above initial level. Strange sounds, but I became the first pilot in the USA who started to fly on "Yak-52" on pilotage to the categories Intermidiate, competing with Extra and Pitz. To win – it is difficult, but to make the worthy competition and to draw attention – it is possible: for half a year – five medals…

– Americans sometime participated in the World Cups in the category "Yak-52"?

– No. This category in general costs independently. In all the others you can theoretically fly by any plane, and here – only on one. It is a tribute of popularity of "Yak-52" which it was let out about 1700 – ten times more than flight "SU".« Yak-52» – the plane unique on universality which is suitable and for initial training, and for route flights, and for pilotage. The car double – on it is easier to train the cadet from scratch. Has landing guards and being cleaned chassis – an absolute exception for the flight car. But there are also minuses: it practically is twice heavier, than "SU" and Extra, radiuses is more, rotations more slowly. A wing profile at it dissymetric therefore return pilotage, i.e. figures is headfirst very complicated. So flight on "Yak-52" looks absolutely differently, and the American judges to such show are not habitual. Nevertheless, having received a number of prize-winning places at interregional competitions in the USA, I want and to propagandize further this plane in America. At the end of September I will fly in Texas in the national championship. In the long term I want to bring together adherents and on the following World Cup in the category "Yak-52" to expose an American team. In it I am supported by my trainer – the numerous world champion in Unlimited Nikolay Timofeev who now trains also the national team of the USA in Advance.

– And what prospects of development of sports aircraft in Russia?

– In Russia in a paradoxical way there are two parallel to aircraft. It is possible to have the certificate of the private pilot or the commercial pilot: they are given out by the bodies of civil aviation subordinated to Federal agency of air transport. To receive it it is very difficult. In Russia there were only two flight higher education institutions – in St. Petersburg and Ulyanovsk where it is possible to be learned on the pilot of civil aviation. To learn to fly for itself by the private plane even more difficult. It is necessary to be trained in private aviation training center. If you decide to study abroad, for example, in the USA where it most cheaper and is put long ago on the conveyor, your pilotsky certificate is necessary «валидировать» – that still bureaucratic procedure… Except civil aviation and aircraft of general purpose, there is a state aircraft: Ministries of Defence, Ministry of Emergency Situations, Ministry of Internal Affairs, ДОСААФ. There give out "crusts" of other sample, and even the medical certificate should be another. Around the world the pilot who has left the Air Force, is considered gold fund: it with open arms will take for work as the linear pilot both in Delta, and in American Airlines, and in United. But only not at us. I do not know why, but military pilots in the Russian civil aviation always silently hated. And here to the 40-year-old officer who flew by all youth on "Su-25" and which wanted to fly on "Yak-18T" or Cessna, with a jeer speak: your raid and your "crusts" for us anything, go pay money, fly 42 hours in training center and come to examination.

Evgeny Komarov discusses the next flight with the trainer Nikolay Timofeev. – What to do?

– It is necessary to revive production of unique radial aircraft engines M-14P thanks to which "Yaks" and "SU" had the characteristics, to restore production of planes: "Sou" for the national team and "Yak" – for mass sports and training. It is necessary to develop infrastructure for aircraft of general purpose, to restore training to sports pilotage in ДОСААФ or on the basis of AUTs in civil aviation. Unfortunately, all this almost excessive task because in Rosaviation the prohibitive approach prevails: any failure or a problem is used as an occasion to arrange new checks, to close, deprive of the license, to complicate an order…

Vladimir Zorin