Girls, like boys, can enter flight schools and aviation universities. There are, however, educational institutions where the rules prohibit the admission of girls. There were cases when they sued and sought to have such rules overturned.
In Russia there are female pilots in the civil and even military (rare) sector of aviation. Women today can be seen at the controls of aircraft of Russian airlines such as Aeroflot, UTair, Transaero and others.
The largest number of female pilots is in the United States, and they have the most opportunities there. There are quite a few of them in the French Air Force.
Overall, women make up about 5% of total number pilots. They are also found in some Islamic countries.
How can a girl learn to be a pilot?
If you are at a young age and dream of flying, you should first find out whether this is really your calling and whether your character and mind correspond to this profession. To do this, you should join the flying club of your city, where you can learn to fly and test yourself, and also begin to study the theory of flying. Studying at Russian flying clubs allows one to obtain a private pilot certificate after a person has flown a certain number of hours and passed an exam.
If you understand that airplanes are your thing, then you should try to enroll in a civil school or military aviation(depending on your goals) or aviation university. In the first case, you will have to study for three years, in the second - five. For admission, you will need a certificate of complete secondary education or primary vocational education, a medical certificate 086/u, a certificate of vaccinations, certificates from drug treatment and psychoneurological dispensaries, 3 * 4 photographs, as well as successful completion of a medical commission and professional psychological testing.
Since a pilot implies responsibility for not only his own life, but also that of other people, he must have restraint, attentiveness, self-control and the ability to think soberly in a difficult situation, the ability to quickly make decisions, navigate in space, and high performance. And, of course, he must love his work so much that it compensates for all the difficulties and hardships associated with it. Sometimes a pilot has to spend many hours in the sky and experience lack of sleep, and this should not affect the quality of control of the aircraft.
The pilot must be in excellent health, including good eyesight, physical and mental stamina. Therefore, everyone who wants to enter the appropriate educational institution must undergo a medical examination.
You should be prepared for the fact that in professions that are traditionally considered male, girls often have to prove their professionalism with more zeal than guys, even if they are really good at their chosen job. They often receive more attention and higher demands due to the prejudice that exists in society.
But if you are firmly confident in your calling and are not afraid of difficulties, then you can certainly achieve your goal. But you shouldn’t become a pilot just out of a desire to prove something to yourself or others, or because of romantic ideas about the profession.
As a co-pilot in November. This is the first female pilot in a Belarusian airline. Passengers who noticed her in the cockpit window try to take a picture of her directly from the plane with their phones. Where did she come from at Belavia? How did you manage to break into a stereotypically male profession? Where does the courage come from to take responsibility for hundreds of passengers on a flight?
TUT.BY asked Svetlana his questions, and she answered them patiently.
Svetlana Eremenko, 28 years old. Graduated from St. Petersburg State University civil aviation, specializing in flight operation of civil aircraft. She started her career at Pskovavia, flying An-24/An-26 aircraft. Then she worked at Transaero, underwent retraining on the Boeing-737NG - this is the aircraft she now flies for the Belarusian airline.
“They took me seriously here,” or where Svetlana came from at Belavia
— And I sent my resume (laughs. — TUT.BY). But I’ve been to Belarus before: even when I worked at Pskovavia on the An-26, we had several flights from Minsk. We drove here in a company car, and then flew.
Before Belavia, she worked at Transaero. There I underwent retraining for a specific type of aircraft: both theoretical and on simulators. But, unfortunately, I didn’t have time to fly there (Russian carrier Transaero went bankrupt last year. - TUT.BY).
How do pilots get jobs? There is a vacancy for “pilot”, if everything suits you and you are an airline, then you go to work. In general, I sent my resume to several companies. But Belavia was the first to answer me - and I immediately came here. I think I could have gone here even if they weren’t the first to answer. Now I will explain why.
Very funny dialogues have happened in some Russian companies. You call and ask: “Hello, you have a vacancy for a pilot. What are your requirements?" In response: “Well, level.” “There is a level, but what are the conditions? What can you offer?". They tell me: “Let him call himself.” I ask: “Who?” “Well, who are you calling for - let him call.” I answer that I am calling for myself. To me: “We don’t have girls.” “Well, I’m not asking if you have girlfriends. I’m calling about a vacancy.” To me: “We don’t have female pilots and never will.” That is, sometimes already on the phone this is the attitude. And in Belarus there was absolutely no: “What?! Young woman?!". They treated me seriously here, just as they once did at Transaero. That's what I liked.
And my great-grandmother on my father’s side is Belarusian. Her fate led her to Siberia during the Stolypin reform. Maybe the blood called?
Childhood at a small northern airfield
— I was born in Yakutia, in the tiny village of Khonuu. The only way to get there is by plane. We had a small Moma airfield there. When I was little, any greeter could approach the plane at our airfield. The plane is about to take off, and we children, if allowed, will crawl into the cabin and scout everything out.
My dad is an aviation specialist in the field of radio equipment. My father wanted to become a pilot; he had been ill with it since childhood, but it didn’t work out because his eyesight was poor. Mom, before she met dad, was far from aviation: she graduated from culinary school in Tashkent and came to work in the north as a cook. Then dad passed on his love to her, so mom went to study to become a meteorologist, worked at a weather station, and then received a higher education and became an aviation safety engineer.
As children, we spent a lot of time at the airfield. Recently, dad admitted that sometimes he even left us there for the whole day if he had to go somewhere on business.
To the question: “What will you be when you grow up?” — since I was three or four years old, for some reason I answered very seriously: “A fighter pilot.” But, of course, they were only touched by me.
Until I was in third grade, we lived in a village in Yakutia, then dad finally transferred us to Irkutsk, to the city.
Moma airfield, where she spent early childhood northerner Svetlana Eremenko. The Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). Photo: Vladimir Vlasov, russianplanes.net Path to the helm
— When I graduated from school, to be honest, I didn’t really believe that I would be able to become a pilot. I entered in 2004 - then the girl had to obtain a separate permit in order to study at the faculty flight operation. I wrote to the rector to ask him to be accepted as an exception.
After eleventh grade, I immediately flew to St. Petersburg to enter the university, which was then called the Academy of Civil Aviation. I wasn't afraid to go far from home. This is normal if you really want to, and even more so if you were given a chance and allowed to study.
At first I applied not to become a pilot, but to become a navigator. There were only paid places to become a pilot, and my family, unfortunately, could not pay for such an expensive education. At first I hoped to transfer to a pilot during my studies, when I was released budget places, but didn’t wait. I studied full-time to become a navigator, and part-time to become a pilot. I flew in a flying club. Therefore, now I have two higher educations, both in flying. By the way, I also managed to work as a navigator - at Pskovavia.
It was interesting to study. I lived in a hostel, the scholarship was a penny - three hundred rubles. But flight specialists: dispatchers, pilots, navigators and ground navigators were given food vouchers. And the coupons were worth as much as two thousand rubles. You could buy milk and bread at home with them, and eat with them at the university. Some guys had so many coupons that they also sold them (laughs - TUT.BY).
I worked part-time as a waitress because I had to raise money for the flights—it wasn’t free, though. Then I started solving coursework for the guys - also a part-time job.
When they found out that I was studying at the University of Civil Aviation, the first question was: “To become a flight attendant?” She nodded: “For the flight attendant, yes.”
The girl pilot always gets a lot of attention, which, to be honest, I don’t really like. I understand that the fact of women in aviation is very interesting to everyone. We have to answer the same questions. Sometimes I was so bored that I came up with different answers to at least somehow amuse myself.
I learned to fly before I learned to drive a car.
— Why did you want to become a pilot? Mmm... Have you been in the cockpit? How do you feel? And when do you drive this car yourself? And when you pull it towards you, it takes off - and you understand that this colossus is in your hands and that you are controlling it... It seems to me that people who drive a car for the first time have such delight. Those who have a predisposition to communicate with technology will understand me.
By the way, I learned to fly before I learned to drive a car. I love driving, but I'm still new to it. I don’t like to speed when driving a car; I like to control everything. I like the people who travel with me to feel comfortable.
I sat behind the controls of an airplane for the first time when I was eight years old. It was sunny, which in itself is rare in St. Petersburg. I just came for the flights, and they decided to give me a gift before Aviation Day: “You’re ready, give it yourself.” It was exciting: my hands and legs were shaking. But I didn’t have time to get too scared. Everything went great, because before that I had flown quite a lot and watched the work of the pilot guys. Then I noticed that everyone feels the plane differently and communicates with it differently.
“Automation in modern aircraft is very good. It does not exclude, but minimizes the possibility of human error and error. Autopilot helps. But any machine can go astray at some point, it’s a computer. Therefore, a person is necessary even when the autopilot is working.” I love it when the airplane is treated with respect. They don’t pull levers sharply, but do everything carefully, lovingly. Switch the toggle switches, press the button (smiles - TUT.BY). But maybe it's because I'm a woman.
No, careful attitude doesn't take longer. You know, in aviation there is this: to do quickly means to do continuously and deliberately. That is, if I quickly press something without looking, it will be much worse. And so, while I press, I think.
Pilots need a good memory, yes. You need to read a lot of technical literature. To my shame, I have no time to read fiction. I even feel embarrassed when one of my friends says that he read something interesting yesterday - and yesterday I read the navigation. But technical stuff is closer to me. Sometimes textbooks, however, get boring... You read something and think: how long can I write about it? Then you come across the described situation and suddenly remember both that text and the picture on the page. Then you return to it again and remember it forever. Therefore, memory is memory, but we must try, first of all, to delve into everything and understand it.
A matter of technology
— The plane I’m flying on now is one of the most common and reliable. I'm glad that the Boeing is controlled by a helm. Today there are planes where control is done using a sidestick (from English side-stick, side control stick. - TUT.BY). It seems to me that the helm is closer to me.
To the question of what I would fly on. In general, I really like the An-124 Ruslan. I even called - I tried to get a job as a navigator to work on the Ruslan. Because it's such a big deal! And the An-225 Mriya is generally super.
There are noticeable differences between the work of a pilot and a navigator. And the programs differed: in navigating, more attention was paid to air navigation, and in flight, more attention was paid to aerodynamics and piloting techniques. But it's all very close.
Navigation work is more related to calculations: on the An-26, the navigator was responsible for maintaining documents on board and for radio communications. This experience now, at Belavia, has been very useful to me. I work on an aircraft with only two people in the cabin. The co-pilot and commander take turns communicating. Thanks to my experience as a navigator, I no longer get lost on the air.
Previously, however, I conducted radio communications in Russian. And since Belavia’s flights are mostly international, everything has to be done in English.
There are a lot of differences from my previous work. For example, now we are flying in upper space. Smaller separation intervals, everyone flies nearby. When I first flew to Europe, I was very surprised at how close everything was to each other in the sky. Over vast areas of Russia this is not so noticeable, but here you fly and see other planes nearby.
I’m flying with an instructor for now, and there’s also a reserve pilot flying with us, who is called a safety pilot (safety pilot. - TUT.BY). He controls me, makes sure I do all the procedures correctly. Gives advices.
The forests are mesmerizing from above. Especially over Russia - forests, forests, and then the bright little light of a town. It looks cozy to me. And in Europe, of course, there is a city on a city.
Now we have a flight to Hurghada - it’s very beautiful from above, you can see the pyramids.
I hardly look at Minsk from above. When we arrive, preparations for landing are mainly underway. The city is visible, but we are very busy: different stages of instrument preparation, descent. Everything is very tense.
Don't worry about passengers, just do your job
— So far I have no experience working in difficult weather conditions. Pah-pah-pah, I'm very lucky: difficult situations I've only seen it on simulators so far.
But the most important thing in being a pilot is to clearly understand your tasks. You know, I am very lucky with teachers and instructors. One of them told me words that I really remembered: don’t worry about people. You just have to know that you have a responsible job and that you need to fly from point A to point B. Even if the plane flies empty. You must be responsible. You also need to remember about yourself. The psychophysiology teacher explained to us: human resources are limitless. The instinct of self-preservation works at full capacity when you worry primarily about your life. It’s the same on a flight: if you save your life, you’ll save everyone else’s.
In life, I’m not an extreme sports enthusiast, no. True, as a child I really wanted to jump with a parachute - I was not allowed. And this was the first thing I did as soon as I left for St. Petersburg from my parents. And you know, I don’t want to anymore.
And I jumped without preparation, without an instructor. Aviation people are still so humorous. I’m a naive sixteen-year-old girl, and they made jokes: “Oh, the blood hasn’t washed off from last time,” “Oh, wait: now we’ll sew up the parachutes and go” (laughs - TUT.BY). And, of course, everything was very nervous. And another boy scared me on the plane. He sat opposite me, and in his hands was some piece of earth with grass. I ask: “What is this?” He says: “But you definitely need to take a piece of land with you.” I sit and think: I don’t have one! Of course, it was a piece of cake to deceive me.
When I jumped out, I didn’t understand what to do, how to control the parachute. I figured out how it worked, and spent half of my flight trying to pilot it: I pulled myself up on a rope, trying to turn it away from the village I was flying towards.
At that time I was simply drawn to the sky, but I did not know what a jump was. Then I realized that I need to prepare for everything, I need to learn everything.
About love. “We haven’t seen each other for a week - and I no longer care where he left his socks.”
— My husband is also a pilot, he works for Rossiya Airlines. We met when I was in Yekaterinburg studying. I was sent to work on the An-26, many knew that I was a navigator, that I could help with navigation if something was unclear to someone. Sergei called me to help with materials for the test.
Today he works in St. Petersburg, and I work in Minsk. Our house is in St. Petersburg, my parents also moved there to live. But Minsk is similar to St. Petersburg in terms of mood, everything is calm here.
Everything is fine, my husband and I are always in touch. Today you can easily see each other on the Internet. He comes to visit me very often, I go when I have time. In fact, it's even more interesting. We haven’t seen each other for a week - I no longer care where he scattered his socks, where he walked with friends yesterday. It's just important for me to see him. And him too. And that's great.
My husband flies a lot: throughout Europe and Russia - to Omsk, Tyumen, Samara. By the way, he is very surprised by our geography: “Where are you flying to? To Geneva? Wow, I've never been there. To Ashgabat? We only heard about this.” He envies me in a kind way, jokes, but he, of course, is very happy for me.
In principle, I am not tied to any place or city. I'm where I have something to do. And when I worked at Transaero, I had to leave for Moscow. I left everything behind and came here because there are no borders. The sky is the same over both Magadan and Minsk. And here now is what I have been going towards for so many years.
“It’s not so exotic anymore - a woman at the helm”
My maiden name is Knizhnichenko. Now - Eremenko. As a student, I dreamed: I would get married, and I would finally have a “normal” surname, which would immediately show that I was a girl. But it turned out that everything remains the same (smiles. - TUT.BY).
There are funny situations. I'm passing medical checkup before the flight - and I am marked as a flight attendant. I say: “So I’m not a flight attendant.” The answer to me: “How is it not? Only the flight attendant has a female surname on the list of crew members.”
Bye full form They are still sewing a Belavia pilot for the girl. “They altered two men’s shirts for me. Now they ordered a women's uniform for me - I went to Moscow to try it on. And so is the men's cap. I would wear a men's one, I like it, but it's too big for me, even though it's the most small size. I bought the trousers for the girl flight attendants.” If I were asked to choose another job other than being a pilot, the only thing I would choose would be to be a mom. I would like my two children - a girl and a boy. My husband and I talked a lot about this. But, to be honest, I would be glad to take, in addition to my two children, also a child from an orphanage. And not quite small, but eight to ten years old. So that this child can already compare and believe in a miracle. I believe that you can educate any person and help him get back on his feet - and he will appreciate it. I also believe that everyone needs a miracle.
Do I encounter miracles myself? Yes. For example, when I was born, my grandfather fell ill with very serious cancer. And we count great miracle that he is still living. Even though he himself was born in 1928.
I will not dissuade my children if they really like the profession. If he wants to be a pilot - let him be, if he wants to be a journalist - let him be, if he likes it and everything works out. My mother said for a while: “Are you sure?”, “Do you need this?”, “Girls don’t do that.” But then, of course, my family supported me a lot. The child must go his own way.
Of course girls do this. I know about two to three dozen girls who want to fly or fly. Yes, our percentage is still insignificant. But still, things are getting to the point where it is no longer so exotic - a woman at the helm.
Many girls in Russia dream of conquering the sky, but only a few achieve this lofty goal. On the eve of March 8, the world's only female pilot of the new Russian plane Sukhoi Superjet 100 Daria Sinichkina told in an interview with RIA Novosti special correspondent Alexander Kovalev what needs to be done on Earth in order to fly the airliner of your dreams.
— Daria, when did you first feel that you would like to be on board not only as a passenger, and at what age did you make the bold and informed decision to become a pilot?
— There was no one in my family related to aviation, and before my first training flight, I had never flown on an airplane, even as a passenger, can you imagine? And, in general, before I had only seen airplanes on TV.
I started learning to fly at 23 years old. I already had a higher education and a job, but none of this brought me satisfaction. Then there was a desire to change my life and learn to do something really difficult and exciting. I wanted to do real work, set myself some difficult task and solve it. The first sightseeing flight on an airplane turned out to be spontaneous, but from the very first flight I realized that I wanted to do this all my life.
— It is known that in 1914 Evgenia Shakhovskaya became the first female military pilot in the world. Did you initially think about becoming a civilian pilot or did you want to go to military flight school?
— Yes, I immediately decided that I wanted to be a civil aviation pilot. My dream was to fly on large passenger planes.
— How did your flight career develop and what difficulties did you encounter during training?
— I started learning to fly in 2008. She received her commercial aviation pilot certificate at the Ulyanovsk Civil Aviation Flight School. I learned to fly at my own expense; of course, this required significant financial investments. I had to give up a lot then, but the goal was undoubtedly worth it. There were no particular difficulties during the training. For me, as a recent graduate of Lomonosov Moscow State University, studying was quite easy and always interesting.
— Your training for flights on the SSJ 100 took place at the SuperJet International training center in Zhukovsky. Did you like how the studies were organized? What can you say about the equipment - computer-based simulator (CBT), procedural simulator (FPTD), flight simulator (FTD LV)? What could be improved?
— The training center in Zhukovsky is simply excellent! The organization of the educational process, the material and technical base - everything is done at a very high level. The training was conducted by experienced teachers. I would especially like to note that there is the possibility of training at the SuperJet International center with instructors from Italy, in English. This forced me to work more actively and helped improve and consolidate my knowledge of the English language. IN training center wonderful new trainers. After the flight simulator, working in the cockpit of a “live” aircraft did not raise any questions at all. I think that simulators of this level fully meet the challenges of retraining pilots from any type of aircraft.
— In Russia, according to various sources, there are now about thirty female pilots. Who do you know, are friends with or communicate with? Maybe you maintain relationships with your foreign colleagues?
— I have only one friend who flies on passenger planes in Yakutsk, Anna Lozovskaya. We were friends during our studies. By the way, there are much more female pilots in general aviation than, for example, in sports. Of these, I enjoy communicating with many of them.
In general, I am against classifying female pilots as a special caste. In a profession, it should not matter what gender the specialist is, what matters is the level of knowledge and quality of work. I always strive to take a worthy place among my colleagues in terms of knowledge and quality of performance of duties, and not because there are few women in the profession and this is something special.
— According to the FAA, there are currently about 25.5 thousand women in the world who are lucky enough to receive licenses to fly air transport. What, in your opinion, are the prospects for Russian female pilots and what factors are holding them back at the controls?
— In Europe and America there are much more (in percentage terms) female pilots than in Russia. This is our national feature. Here, it seems to me, nothing but time will correct the situation.
In Russia, it is difficult for a woman pilot to get a job in the field of passenger transportation. I myself have encountered refusals when my documents were not even considered, citing, for example, the fact that “our collections of navigation documentation are heavy,” “we do not allocate funds to pay for a separate room for female pilots in hotels,” and so on. I think this problem is social. Perhaps employers do not want to get involved with women because the company costs money to retrain a pilot new type quite large, and the employer fears that a woman, for example, will go on maternity leave soon after retraining and will cease to be useful to her company. I can understand their concerns. And I want to thank the management of those airlines that give us a chance and understand that women pilots overcome a lot of difficulties to get the job of their dreams and, of course, not to then immediately go on maternity leave instead of flying.
— Russian airlines still lack civil aviation pilots. Does our country need to attract foreign pilots, and if so, how many? Won't they create serious competition for our young boys and girls?
— There is an overabundance of pilots in Russia: I mean commercial pilots without line work experience. We only lack aircraft commanders (PICs) with extensive flying hours. There are many commercial pilot license holders in the country, and many of them are not hired precisely because of the lack of experience in scheduled flights. This vicious circle. There is no shortage of pilots if commercial pilots are finally given a chance to start working and gain this very experience. Over time, they will become commanders. But airlines need commanders immediately and now. It is beyond my competence whether it is necessary to close the gap with foreign commanders. Perhaps for the first few years.
— Who was or is a personal example for you?
— A personal example for me has always been my first instructor, Honored Test Pilot of the Russian Federation Yuri Mikhailovich Kabanov, master of sports and world champion, wonderful person and a pilot with capital letters. From the very first lesson, he always treated me and all his students like a father and gave us a lot of irreplaceable knowledge and skills.
— You were lucky enough to become not just a pilot, but so far the only Superjet 100 pilot in the world. How much time have you already spent behind its joystick in the Russian airline Red Wings and what is your flight time as a co-pilot? How does it feel to fly the SSJ100?
“This is, of course, a very great honor for me.” Currently my flight time on the SSJ100 is about 500 hours. I love this plane very much and am always ready to argue with everyone who disagrees. I haven’t flown Boeing or Airbus, so I can’t compare with them, but the Superjet itself is wonderful, that’s true! A very smart machine, easy and convenient to work with. It relieves the pilot of a large share of mechanical monotonous work, allowing him to maintain attention for the most necessary and important actions, and does not allow him to make many mistakes.
In general, a very comfortable, reliable and safe aircraft.
— Why do you love your plane? Do you consider him the best in the world? What do you affectionately call him to yourself? Does he have a nickname?
- Of course, I consider him the best, quite sincerely. And in general, I am monogamous by nature, so it will be difficult to convince me. No, somehow the nickname didn’t work out, in operation we usually call the car by its side numbers, “deuce”, “twenty-first”, common name No.
— What, in your professional opinion, distinguishes the SSJ100 from other machines? What highlights and features does he have in piloting?
— I cannot compare it with other large passenger aircraft, since I have not thoroughly studied their technical features.
I think the main highlight of the Superjet 100 is its safety. The protection systems in it are simply brilliant. The aircraft does not allow exceeding the maximum permitted parameters where this affects flight safety. Plus - a high level of automation. Even the engine starting process is completely automatic. The system monitors itself, itself interrupts the launch if a malfunction is detected, multi-level automatic self-monitoring leaves no room for pilot error due to any inattention or stress factors. And so - for all systems.
It is known that the most common cause aviation accidents is human factor. Since flight safety is a priority for us at Red Wings Airlines in terms of passenger transportation, I believe that Superjet, with its the highest level automation and the presence of unique in-flight protection systems most fully meet modern requirements for the safe transportation of passengers.
— The SSJ100, being a new machine, is still learning to fly and is gaining the necessary statistics. What do you think could be improved on the plane?
— There are disadvantages, but they are small and most often domestic. I haven't encountered any critical problems. The air conditioning system in the parking lot was noisy, and there were problems with the supply of drinking water. Usually these details are quickly eliminated. It should be noted that I only flew aircraft of the first series, and I think these problems have already been eliminated in the new version.
— Men are given a flight uniform. Did the Russian airline Red Wings sew it to order for you? Are you happy?
— Large airlines like Aeroflot have more female pilots on staff. They can probably afford to develop special model female flight uniform. Typically, companies involved in the production of uniforms sew new model no less than 50 copies. It is clear that if there is only one girl working in an airline, like ours at Red Wings, special form it is impossible to develop for it. Plus the difficulty with size. For example, even the smallest men's jumpers are huge for me. I usually buy uniform trousers, shirts, jumpers and other paraphernalia at the Galaktika store, which specializes in selling uniforms for civil aviation workers. Women's clothing there is not intended specifically for female pilots, but is almost completely identical in appearance with what is required. I order some modifications from a studio or do it myself. That is, a way out can be found. The flight uniform is very nice and I wear it with pride.
— How important is knowledge of technical English for working as a pilot?
— Knowledge of English, and not only technical, is absolutely necessary on modern aircraft. All systems in the cockpit are signed and provide data in English, all commands and standard conversations in the cockpit are also conducted in English.
Teaching aids are often in English. And for Boeing and Airbus, all documentation is completely in English.
Nowadays it is very important to know English well. I really want to achieve such a level that English becomes a full-fledged second language for me. This is a difficult task, and therefore very interesting.
— Daria, how do passengers react if they find out that the co-pilot is a woman?
- I don’t know, honestly. While the commander reads a welcome speech to the passengers before the flight, I have been at my workplace in the cockpit for a long time and do not see the passengers, and the flight attendants have never told me about anything unusual.
Judging by the remarks on the Internet, there are also those who are unhappy that women are at the helm, but the Internet is a specific place for discussion, so I try not to read aviation-related forums at all. I personally have not encountered any dissatisfaction. Although I can believe that some people still have strong stereotypes about women driving. But this will not change anything, society is developing, and in ten years we will also have 20-30 percent women in the profession, just like in Europe. I think this will become commonplace.
— Do you have restrictions on the number of flights per month? How many hours are your flying and working hours? How many hours are there per year?
— According to our legislation, a pilot must fly no more than 80 hours per month and no more than 800 hours per year. This may seem like little compared to standard office working hours, but keep in mind that this is only time spent flying.
Pilots must report to the flight in advance for pre-flight preparation and medical control, and also conduct a post-flight debriefing after the flight. We also need to add stopover time at destination airports, during which the crew continues to perform their duties on the aircraft. A working day with one or two landings should not exceed 12 hours. There are also overnight stays at off-base airports, regular ground theoretical and simulator training, and time for the crew to be in reserve. So we earn our full salary.
“I have no doubt that male colleagues at the airline behave with dignity; it would be unprofessional on their part to show distrust or disrespect.” But do you think, at least behind your back, they make kind jokes about you?
- You know, I am always really surprised at how lucky I am with the people around me. Without exaggeration, there are people around me all the time beautiful people who treat me not only with respect, but kindly, and it seems to me that this is sincere. I feel very comfortable and calm in the work team, for which I am very grateful to my colleagues and management.
And in a friendly way, we all joke about each other, as in any company, this is a sign of a normal human atmosphere in the team, isn’t it?
— What goals do you set for yourself in the future, both professionally and personally?
— I plan to acquire the necessary experience and number of flight hours to obtain a flight pilot certificate. This is the immediate goal for now. I also want to get the fifth level of English according to ICAO, I am very interested in studying it. I didn’t think about retraining for any other type, I really like flying the SSJ100, it seems to me the best aircraft of all existing ones. Personally, I don’t have any special goals; I already have everything I could dream of.
— Are you married, do you have children, and if not, do you plan to return to the sky again after the birth of your baby?
- Yes, married. I don’t have children, I don’t plan this yet, now I’ve just started actively working in big aviation and I’m very passionate about my work.
— Do you have enough time for your personal life?
- IN summer period There are always more flights. Therefore, it happens that there is not enough. It's easier in winter. All yours free time I strive to spend time with my husband, but of course this is never enough.
— Do your family and friends worry when you go on a flight, and do they consider the job of a pilot risky?
— Parents, yes, they think and worry. But I always remind them that air transport is objectively the safest. My husband is also a pilot, he is aware of everything, but he always checks the weather before my flight.
— How and where do you prefer to relax and how much time do you manage to find for it?
— On vacation I like to travel, attend various aviation festivals, competitions and air shows. My hobby is still aviation, so I am interested in such events. I also prefer to spend my weekends at the flying club. I also like fishing, hunting, riding a snowmobile, in general, leisure and outdoor sports.
— Do you listen to superstitions (the 13th, not to take pictures before a flight, and many others) or do you no longer have them?
— I don’t have any specific superstitions. I am indifferent to Fridays and photographs. I somehow didn’t particularly notice them in professional passenger aviation. In general aviation, with which I am still closely associated, there is an opinion that several “signs” lead to each flight accident. That is, if you spilled your coffee in the morning, broke a sugar bowl, scratched your car, forgot your license and got stuck in a traffic jam, then go home and go to bed. It’s better not to fly anywhere on this day. But this, of course, can only be attributed to flying according to your own tasks and on your own aircraft.
In passenger aviation, I am sure that if you are well prepared, fulfill all the requirements, collect all the documents and carefully carry out your tasks, the flight will go well. This is exactly what we are taught - to do our job well.
— Have there been any failures of flight equipment? How did you get out of the situation?
“I haven’t flown in big aviation for many years and haven’t encountered any failures on passenger planes. But during training there was an incident when my front tire burst on a small training plane while landing. Not such a terrible refusal, of course, but then I worried for a long time, scolding myself for landing poorly, being too rude. The first refusal is probably the most memorable.
— What would you wish to girls who are serious about becoming civil aviation pilots?
— Don’t doubt your abilities and realistically assess your prospects. If this work is really really needed precisely because it is interesting to fly, then we need to act. There is no point in going into professional aviation for the sake of some kind of “unusuality”. It is this imaginary “unusuality” that, in my opinion, prevents women from getting a normal job in aviation. We must try to prove to the employer that a female pilot is the same average (good!) specialist as any other pilot. That she does not stand out in any way and does not demand any special treatment, indulgences or indulgences. No employer needs an “unknown animal” on their staff. We need a good reliable employee. This is what we should strive for.
— What is your wish for RIA Novosti readers?
— I can say for sure that flying is real happiness. If you have never flown on a small plane or helicopter, feel free to go to a flying club. I have no doubt that you will like it and will probably even want to learn how to control a flying car yourself. It’s an incomparable feeling to pilot yourself. I really want more and more people to fly in our country every year!
Many girls at this age don’t even know how to drive a car, only thinking about taking courses at a driving school, but Maria Fedorova quite calmly controls a passenger plane with a hundred passengers on board. Today she is the youngest pilot of passenger airliners in Russia and the first female Superjet pilot in Aeroflot.
In fact, the announcement by the aircraft commander over the loudspeaker before departure “... today the aircraft commander Sergei Ivanov and co-pilot Maria Fedorova are with you,” and even the female voice of the main pilot is not something surprising - in Aeroflot alone there are 20 pilots, from of which five are aircraft commanders (PIC). But 23 years old! This is what surprises and delights at the same time.
Last week I was able to spend half a day in the company of Maria, hearing first-hand how she managed to at a young age to become a pilot, how difficult this path was and what it is like to fly a passenger plane.
The pilot also answered questions from readers and gave me a ride in the cockpit.
Read about all this below.
Photos and text Sergei Anashkevich
2. Sheremetyevo Airport, morning... We arrived at the meeting almost simultaneously. Maria, with a modest smile, extended her frail hand in greeting, and for a moment it seemed to me that standing in front of me was not the co-pilot of the Superjet SSJ-100, who had already flown more than 300 hours, but a modest third-year student. And this despite being a pilot passenger plane- a very complex and responsible mission that requires enormous concentration and considerable strength.
While we are waiting for airline representatives to enter the tarmac, we take a glass of latte and I ask the question that worries me most: “Maria, how? How did you manage to become a full-fledged passenger aircraft pilot at the largest airline in Russia at 23?
- Actually, there is nothing surprising in this. Immediately after school, I entered the St. Petersburg University of Civil Aviation, and after graduating last year, in November, I came to get a job at Aeroflot. Then everything was standard: several months of retraining in the flight training squad, endless classes, tests, training and flights on a simulator, exams, three months as a trainee pilot and in August I went on my first flight as a full-fledged co-pilot.
— Were you very worried that day?
“To be honest, I don’t remember him at all,” Maria answers, embarrassed and a little thoughtful.
— Because of excitement?
- No, I just don’t remember... At that time I had already flown for 225 hours in the “second” seat, so that flight was almost the same, only this time the instructor pilot was not behind me.
At this moment, an escort from Aeroflot approaches us and we head to the airfield, to one of the airliners that Maria manages for the company. Unlike her other 19 female colleagues at the airline, she does not fly Airbus, but a domestic Superjet. Maria said that this was her conscious choice and she was very pleased to be the first girl at Aeroflot to fly this type of aircraft. She really likes the car and every time she is happy to carry out a pre-flight inspection and prepare the aircraft systems for flight.
It’s truly amazing when such a huge colossus is controlled by such a fragile girl - with the usual movement of her hand she sends the plane into the sky and also lands it on the runway in Sheremetyevo, Kazan or Helsinki..
Despite the 5 years spent at the university, training to fly a specific type of aircraft takes place in the flight training squad directly at the airline with which the pilot signs a contract. They don't teach you how to fly Boeings, Airbuses, or Superjets at university. Already here, at Aeroflot, Maria studied the type of aircraft she had chosen and for the first time sat at the controls of the SSJ-100 on a simulator at Sheremetyevo. Several months of theory and flights on a simulator, and already in May, for the first time in her life, the girl sat at the controls of a real airplane with passengers as a trainee pilot - the so-called commissioning began.
For the next 25 flights, our heroine flew as a trainee pilot in the co-pilot's seat on regular Aeroflot flights. During such flights, there are three people in the cockpit: in addition to the trainee, in the first pilot’s seat is a fully qualified second pilot, and behind them is an instructor (safety pilot), who is also the PIC. He manages the entire process and, if necessary, he sits in the co-pilot's seat and takes full control of the aircraft.
Having flown 25 flights as a trainee, Maria successfully passed the flight test in August without additional flights, and the flight commission allowed the girl to fly as a full-fledged co-pilot.
— Maria, tell us, what were your impressions of the first flights, the airports where you arrived?
— To be honest, I don’t remember anything, everything is in a fog. The tension is monstrous, you arrive, immediately after landing the pilots carry out a lot of procedures, you need to have time to “pass” this flight and immediately prepare for the return flight. While you are filling out the documents, luggage is already being loaded onto the plane, and the flight attendants are starting to board passengers. What kind of cities are there? Everything is like a fog.
— Were there any hiccups or problems during commissioning?
— No, everything went very smoothly and without mistakes.
To be honest, at that moment I looked at the girl with great respect. Even during the story, you could feel in every word how much responsibility lies with the crew of a passenger plane and how difficult there is in their work. How much composure, perseverance and moral strength you need to carry out all this difficult work without failure!
But now, when takeoffs and landings have become normal, when you fly to some cities for the eleventh time, Maria recognizes the cities and remembers certain features of the runway, and even favorite/unloved airports have appeared...
— I really like the runway in Tyumen - it’s high-quality, wide, it’s a pleasure to land a plane on it. I like to fly to Minsk, because... This route has the ideal flight duration: on the one hand there is a dynamic work environment, on the other hand you can do everything without haste.
— Surely there are unloved airports?
“Of course,” he laughs, “I don’t like flying to Saratov or to Stavropol...
— Where would you like to fly, where have you never flown at the controls of an airplane?
— At the very beginning of my training, I flew as an observer to Tivat and watched the work of the pilots. I really liked the approach there, but Tivat airport is considered difficult, with special admission conditions, and I can’t fly there yet. But once…
I couldn’t help but ask about the difficulties during flights. I liked the confidence with which she answered these questions. He says there are difficulties: the weather, avoiding thunderstorm fronts, now snowfalls, but this is a common thing for pilots and there is no fear during such flights; they cope with all situations that arise without any problems.
“I remember in August there were a lot of thunderstorms and I had to think a lot outside the box, understand where the storm was going and how best to go around it.
Answering a reader’s question whether she was superstitious, Maria replied that she was not, but at the school, most people tried not to be photographed before a training flight. Having touched upon the period of study, we also talked about what the girl had the opportunity to fly before she sat at the controls of the Superjet.
— Initially on the Yak-18T, then there were classes on the Cessna 172S, and the final type became the Diamond-42.
It also turned out that even as a passenger, Maria flew very little, only a few times for vacation while studying. But now the girl has no shortage of flights.
At the end of our conversation, I asked Maria questions from readers.
Was flying your childhood dream?
- No, there was no such dream. My father had this dream, but he failed to realize it. So, you can say that I am making his dream come true.
Why did you choose to fly a Superjet and not a Boeing?
“We support the domestic manufacturer,” he laughs, “in fact, on the advice of wise and experienced comrades.” In my flight training squad there were only guys, and I was the only girl on the Superjet. The plane is very good. Moreover, it is the norm for pilots to retrain for a new type of aircraft every 5-7 years. I would like to go to MS-21...
How long does the autopilot drive the car during the flight?
— Our company’s policy is to make maximum use of automation, so after gaining altitude of about 1000 feet, we activate the autopilot, and then work on it. In fact, we only perform takeoff and landing manually. Even when avoiding thunderstorms, everything is done automatically, it’s just that its operating modes are different.
What was the most difficult thing during your training?
— The most difficult thing was at the very beginning, during commissioning. You can always stop on the simulator, clarify, ask again, they will always explain everything to you, because... the pilot must understand absolutely everything and very accurately. But in a real flight you can’t stop and in general you need to do everything quickly. You can't be distracted by anything at all, because... you will miss radio traffic, and this can be a big problem. So in the first month, my back simply did not bend after flying.
Which stage of flight do you like best?
- Landing!
Is pilot training paid or free? And what does an outsider need if he has decided that he wants to become a pilot?
— I studied for free. But to become a pilot, just desire is not enough, you need basic education. Not necessarily higher education, like mine, but secondary specialized education - yes.
How long does a pilot change last?
— Depends on the duration of the flight and schedule, but maximum - no more than 12 hours.
What is the main quality a pilot should have?
— For myself, I realized that attentiveness! Without this there is absolutely no way, this is the key to success. Under no circumstances should you be distracted.
Do you have to communicate via speakerphone with the salon?
— Yes, several times the commander asked to say welcoming words, the flight attendants then reported that the passengers in the cabin were surprised, admired, began to discuss that a girl was in the pilot’s seat, but no one was indignant or scared.
What does the co-pilot do during a flight? What are its tasks?
— In general, there is no division of responsibilities in flight as such. On earth - yes. As for the flight, before takeoff we decide who is piloting, who is not piloting, and then according to the standard plan. Certainly, key decisions accepts PIC, but as far as mechanics are concerned, there is no division. As a rule, on a return flight, one way leads in one direction, and the other leads in the other direction. At this time, the non-piloting pilot conducts radio communications and documents on it.
Car enthusiasts often test other car brands. Is there such a thing among pilots and can you take the helm of, for example, AN-2 or combat fighter and manage it without any problems?
— The An-2 is no problem, but a combat fighter is unlikely. In action films, by the way, sometimes they show how a passenger with the skills of a pilot jumps up and sits at the helm of an airplane, because the pilot cannot control and easily lands the plane... In reality, this is far from reality, because aircraft types are very different from each other.
Does Maria have an Instagram account?
- Yes, but there are few readers in it. For those interested, Maria’s Instagram is @mariaalexseevna
We ended the conversation at the Aeroflot training center, which is located at Sheremetyevo airport, where Maria was met by her husband, also a pilot. Their warm hugs and smiles themselves answered the last question that had been pecked at - whether Maria had enough time for her personal life and family. As it turns out, that's enough. She and her husband understand each other perfectly in this profession, help and support if necessary, and even, whenever possible, meet each other at the airport so that after work they can go home together...
And yes, do not be prejudiced by such a young age of the pilot. You understand that the girl went through all stages of training, very strict tolerances, all the necessary commissions, where she was treated even more close attention than any other pilot. Today she is a full-fledged co-pilot. And it doesn’t matter how old she is - 23 or 40. She is a professional.
Today, about two dozen female pilots fly in Russia.
There are, of course, many more of them abroad, where this phenomenon is more common.
The first thing required is excellent health.
Analytic mind. Tenacious fighting character. And definitely a calling!!
I will show the pilots, all the photos and names are, of course, real.
Alina Zaletova, Boeing 737 PIC
Alina Zalyotova is the only woman civil aviation pilot in the Republic of Latvia.
The experience of making an impossible dream come true.
It’s not even that this simple girl from the working-class village of Kauguri became a professional pilot. And the fact is that if she wanted, she could achieve anything: become a prima ballerina, a tiger trainer, conquer Elbrus, win the marathon.
...Passers take her for a flight attendant. White blouse, blue flight suit, a slim body, elegant shoes - she looks like the heroine of Renata Litvinova from the film “Sky. Airplane. Young woman". You would never think that fragile Alina confidently lifts her Boeing 737-500 with more than a hundred passengers on board.
“Bespectacled people have no place in aviation!”
When Alina is asked how she became an airplane pilot, she laughs it off: thanks to her last name... Seriously speaking, Alina knew from the age of 12 what she wanted in this life. By the way, none of the adults believed in the “child’s nonsense about airplanes.”
Alina did not argue with anyone, did not prove anything to anyone - she simply stubbornly prepared for the profession: she exposed herself to all sorts of psychological tests to develop attention and reaction speed, studied all available and inaccessible literature on aviation, focused on studying at school, seriously played sports and learned English (although German was taught at school).
By the 10th grade, Alina’s vision had improved. This was an unexpected blow that broke all her hard-won plans! It is impossible for nearsighted applicants to pass a medical examination at a flight school. Alina, having assessed the situation, decided to enter Rizhsky aviation institute, which she graduated with a degree in avionics engineer (aircraft equipment maintenance).
Six years on the plane
Despite the skepticism of many, Alina (one woman out of dozens of male applicants) was accepted into airBaltic as an aircraft technician. There is little romance, but more than enough dirt and responsibility.
Male colleagues very quickly became convinced that Alina was not a bigot, but her boyfriend, who could be trusted. But the level of responsibility in this job is human lives: every day Alina signed that the plane was in good working order and ready to fly. If she had ever done something wrong, made a mistake, overlooked it - it’s even scary to think about.
She sometimes had nightmares.
“It’s very dangerous,” explains Alina, “to forget a tool in the engine.” Such scenarios have happened all over the world and airliners caught fire in the air from such a seemingly trifle - a screwdriver, a flashlight, even a nut forgotten by someone. I woke up at night in a cold sweat, wondering: was it a dream or did something really happen?
Amateur pilot without money or sponsors
And all these six years of working at the airport, Alina dreamed of the sky. I raised money for surgery to correct myopia. As soon as I had the operation, I immediately started looking for private pilot training courses. And again I hit a wall: six thousand dollars were required for training. The girl simply did not have that kind of money. However, as well as rich parents and sponsors.
Alina began to save, and for a whole year she denied herself even the smallest things - she saved on transport and meals. But she didn’t scrape together even half of the required amount. Then I decided to go to work in the USA. But then, fortunately, I found out that an air navigation center had opened at Riga Airport, where amateur pilots were trained at more reasonable prices.
“I made my very first flight on the legendary Yak-18,” Alina recalls. “I remember, before climbing into his cabin, I thought: what if it turns out that all this - both the sky and the plane - is not mine, what if I feel bad or scared?
But Alina did not feel bad. Everything was as she had dreamed - she returned from her first flight a completely happy person. True, then she didn’t succeed for a long time soft landing, she could not, as the pilots say, feel the altitude. But I managed to cope with this too.
And then I realized that such a long-awaited diploma as an amateur pilot did not give me any chance to work in an airline.
Skyscrapers collapsed... and hopes
Native airBaltic, meeting Alina halfway, planned to train her to the end (there was such a project - to train their own employees), but then September 11th happened, when skyscrapers collapsed in New York. All of Alina’s hopes collapsed along with them - due to the rise in the cost of flight insurance and much more in civil aviation, the plan to reassign employees was successfully closed. Until better times.
To train now to become a commercial pilot, Alina again needed a lot of money. The minimum flight time for the exam is 200 hours, and the cost of each is 60 lats (today it’s 100 lats!). Well, a simple girl didn’t have these armor!
Alina stubbornly looked for a way out... She found out that a flight school had been opened in Lithuania, where training was much cheaper. I rushed there. I worked and studied at the same time. She became so thin that the technicians, out of pity, tried to feed her pale colleague with bruises under her eyes - they shoved pies and cakes at her.
The moment came, and Alina received the long-awaited flying license, immediately converting it in Latvia. It would seem that everything is possible, you can breathe a sigh of relief. But that was not the case - the laws changed, and in order to work as an airline pilot in the EU countries, she needed to take another additional professional course, equivalent higher education pilots.
This was already too much - Alina was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. But she pulled herself together again and focused on her dream of heaven. And then, miraculously, the situation turned out in such a way that airBaltic decided to pay for the persistent girl’s education at the Swiss Flight Academy.
Alina Zalyotova has been flying as a co-pilot of a Boeing 737-500 for a year and a half now.
Male profession
Sometimes, very rarely, Alina feels that the men from the crew suddenly begin to worry if she is sitting at the helm and the weather outside is bad. Colleagues don’t say anything offensive, they don’t seem to show it, but she can read from their frozen faces: they are skeptical!
Alina proves with her actions that she can fly. Even in unexpected situations he behaves as expected. Once she was landing a plane in Hamburg: she was already leveling off, there were two meters left to the runway, and suddenly she saw geese on the runway. If the birds had gotten into the engine, it’s scary to think what would have happened! Alina did not flinch, did not panic and did everything right.
What to do when your dream comes true? Alina, having become a Boeing pilot, did not calm down. Now she decided to fly to the crew captain. And almost no one doubts that sooner or later this will happen.
Olga Kirsanova. Boeing PIC. Aeroflot. 
Oatmeal, good coffee and a call to my son - “mom is getting ready to fly, don’t worry.” Then - a plane to another country, a short walk between flights, a flight back to Russia. A company car, home, another call to my son - don’t worry, mom has arrived. Olga Kirsanova’s child is only five years old; he now lives with his grandmother in Mineralnye Vody. She sees her mother once a month: a civilian pilot has little free time, but Olga devotes everything she has to her son. 
Music, kayak, plane
Olga Kirsanova is a civil aviation pilot, piloting an aircraft weighing over one hundred tons and carrying 180 passengers. She is responsible for all these lives. She loves her job - she says there is no other way, for the sake of such a profession she had to go through fire, water and the offices of officials. In the Soviet Union, women pilots were not favored.
“In my family, all the men were aviators, all the women were teachers. Therefore, by first education I am a philologist, but I completed my final years of study, having already entered the flight school,” says Olga Kirsanova. - I ended up in the famous Volchanskoye, it was actually the only place where women were accepted. For us, there are only four places in the entire Soviet Union!”
Olga got a place - she had to go to the very “highest offices”, even making her way into the building of the Ministry of Defense. She was sure that she should study to be a pilot, because she had everything she needed: a strong character, flying experience in a flying club, sports category. Olga is a master of sports in kayaking, and at the age of 15 she joined the national youth team. I was getting ready to take part in big sports, but I didn’t qualify in terms of height - I was 10 centimeters short. The father even made an appointment for the girl to see Elizarov - in case she could get through it. But they dissuaded me: with age, such experiments with the body could lead to big problems.
Olga was eventually accepted into the school: service and life in the barracks began. Be sure to wear tarpaulin boots. “They were terribly uncomfortable. I thought what kind of deja vu was this: once upon a time I, such a refined thin girl, came to the rowing section after music school. I washed my hands until they bled, and now I have the same calluses on my feet.” Olga studied in Ukraine, where she moved from warm Tashkent, so the local winters shocked her. Men were given long overcoats and hats with earflaps, women were given a model uniform, a short coat to the knees and an astrakhan cap. It's beautiful, but doesn't warm up at all. However, according to the charter, nothing can be done. But the dream of heaven began to come true.
Become a beloved son.
After graduation I was a “hard worker” AN-2. However, I wanted to fly higher. Dreams about space brought him to the University of Geodesy, Cartography and Aerial Photography. But the men said: technical is good, but you need it in your specialty. To finally close the issue, Olga graduated from the Civil Aviation Academy - the highest level in pilot education. All this time she flew, improved her skills, proved to men that she was able to fly on an equal footing.
“You see, my parents were expecting their first-born son, but it turned out to be me,” Olga jokes. “Then they learned: I had two more brothers, but I always wanted to become my dad’s most beloved son - because I owe all my successes to him. He inspired me, for our sake he left big aviation for a small flying club - to give his children a taste of the sky.”
Dad supported Olga in everything: he taught her to “see the ground” - a pilot’s ability to accurately determine altitude “by eye” takes a long time to train. You need to choose the right point where to look - only then can you calculate the distance to the ground. Dad put Olga on the wing of the plane, took an ordinary tire and showed where her eyes should be directed correctly when landing. He explained to his daughter how to jump with a parachute and supported her before flights.
“Now I fly a large winged car, but before, when I flew small ones, I had to parachute twice a year,” says Olga. “It was very scary - not because I was afraid of hurting myself and dying, but because if I broke an arm or a leg, my pilot’s career could be over.” But I thought, my grandfather jumped, my dad jumped, I can’t disgrace our family. So, I will definitely succeed.”
Olga says that the pilot’s mind resists a parachute jump - why jump out of a properly flying plane? The first pancake was, as expected, lumpy. The jump ended with landing right in the middle of a herd of cows. “I was wearing a red suit, and I heard that it infuriates the bulls, how I rushed out of there! And literally a couple of days later I watched a TV program: they said that they react not to color, but to movement.”
After graduation, Olga received an assignment to the aviation center, but the collapse of the USSR occurred, staff reductions occurred - there was not enough space even for experienced pilots. Olga returned to her native Tashkent. After searching, I managed to break into the ranks of air ambulance pilots - prestigious, responsible. But there were few sorties - mostly on duty. Olga missed the sky and wanted to work. Started getting permits to work with chemicals - cargo special purpose. The profession is harmful, but you can fly more often. “The management’s hair stood on end, a woman, for chemistry, never! - Olga recalls. “I said, I’m ready to do anything for the sake of flying.” They suggested to me: let’s better retrain you on the Yak-40. I agreed. I flew on it for 11 years.”
Next was training on a TU-154 and a foreign Airbus. In those years, Olga had already moved to Moscow - by luck, a former colleague helped. “I flew to Domodedovo, I had two days in the capital to see something and buy something tasty to take home. Suddenly a familiar commander called: you have 15 minutes, iron your shirt, and come to the meeting of the qualification commission.” Olga made it in time and got a job with a large civil carrier.
Shirts are a sore subject for any pilot. You need to come to work “like it’s a holiday,” sparklingly clean and ironed, but after a whole day of flying you simply don’t have any energy left for this. “I have always envied men: they fly in, and their wife prepared dinner for them and ironed their shirts. It’s good that we now have a laundry service - it saves so much of my time!”
While working, the pilot had to hide her pregnancy - being in her seventh month, she passed the state exam “excellently” on a brand new Airbus A320. But soon it was impossible to hide the belly.
“I came to the authorities, I said: can I give birth quickly and come back, and they shouted so much ... - says Olga. - I thought I was going into premature labor. They told me that I was a liar, that I had to choose, the child or the planes. And they fired me. I was a single mother, with a child in my arms, with retired parents whom I had to support. It was a disaster - it cost me 15 kilograms of weight and a sea of tears.”
Three countries a day
Now Olga is an employee of Aeroflot, and she says about her work that “the stars have aligned”: she began her career in civil aviation in this company: in the Tashkent branch, more than twenty years ago. Flies all over the world - to London, Dubai, Madrid. There is not much time to see the world, but there is time - a light outfit is always waiting in your purse. There is a special one for Arab states- very closed. In one working day, Olga can change three countries. Flights almost daily.
Every six months - special training to practice emergency procedures. The simulator simulates everything down to the smallest detail - the pilot trains in 3D models of real airfields. Another training is in the pool, practicing evacuation in case of landing on water. Experienced pilots have known and been able to do everything for a long time, but practice must be regular in order to bring everything to pure automatism.
Flying is something that every pilot loves with all his heart, although not everyone admits it, Olga believes. The work is very hard - information comes into the cockpit every second, while the pilot simultaneously monitors five monitors - in such a flow you need to have time to process everything you receive and quickly make decisions. Standard scheme- one pilot pilots the aircraft, the other communicates, and on the way back they change. But at the same time they must control each other - no one is immune from mistakes.
“From childhood, my dad taught me not to have my head in the clouds, not to think about my own things, to immerse myself in work,” says Olga. - Because I am responsible for hundreds of lives. Just recently, the person on board was on the verge of life and death. By the time our flight arrived, the airspace over Moscow was very busy, but the services worked well and saved another life. Fortunately, everything worked out, but the experience was very difficult.”
Alcohol on board is a sore subject for most air carriers. “Often a person registers and goes to a cafe or duty free to have a drink, he is terribly late, but he is sure that they will wait for him. This used to be the case, but now we have canceled these concessions. I don’t welcome alcohol at all, it leaves nothing but trouble in the air!”
So that they clap.
Male colleagues perceive a female pilot differently, more often quite adequately, but there are also conflicts. “I have long noticed that when a person has a daughter in the family, communication is better,” says Olga. The unusual pilot usually makes passengers happy - sometimes after the flight they come up for autographs. Or just talk, get to know each other, give a compliment.
Pilots, in turn, love it when their work is appreciated. “I always try, if possible, to land the plane very softly - so that they will definitely clap for me, it’s so nice! Passengers also like to arrive a little earlier than scheduled, so we try to please them, even sacrificing their flight hours,” says Olga.
Olga, like all pilots, is a little superstitious: she doesn’t like black cats and the number 13. The year 2013 started hard for her - her dad, her dearest person, died. "He had a heart attack, I was nearby, but at my workplace - I was flying in the sky right above the house,” Olga recalls. To this day he cannot speak without tears. He carefully selects photos for publication: “be sure to include dad.”
“We didn’t have time to finish building the house, but I already planted a tree and gave birth to a son, all to make my dad proud of me,” says Olga. - A son without a grandfather is also terribly worried. I come to him every month, take two days off to be a good mother - talk, look after him, cut his nails - he doesn’t let his grandmother. I’m leaving, crying, my son is crying too. He gave me a flashlight - he worries about me so that I don’t walk in the dark. Waits from every flight. It’s all hard, but that’s my life, my job.”
In between trips to see my son - everyday life civil pilot. All day in the sky, go home - sleep - and fly again. When asked whether Olga wants her son to become a pilot, she does not have a definite answer. “The sky has become harsh and heavy. It will grow, we'll see. I want him to make his own choice. Just look what a cool man I have!” - Olga opens photos of her son on her phone. She always has them at hand - it makes it a little easier to get over breakups.
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Well, surely someone has heard about this “Queen of Heaven”...
Multiple absolute champion of the world, Europe and Russia in aerobatics.
Awarded the FAI Medal for Best Pilot of the Century!!
Svetlana Vladimirovna Kapanina. Sukhoi Design Bureau pilot. 
She is admired, the best male pilots take off their helmets in front of a colleague, the military aces of Japan and Spain, Korea and France, America and the Emirates stare at her “work”, the photographs are amazing beautiful woman decorate major magazines, and fan clubs have been opened in many countries. Even such an unemotional Celestial Empire freezes when our Russian “queen of heaven” “dances” above it to the music of a roaring engine. And back in 1998, in Great Britain, Svetlana opened an air show in honor of her 80th anniversary Royal Air Force and the Evening Standard newspaper the next day came out with the huge headline “Siberian Angel Blesses Biggin Hill.”
Of course, today Svetlana Kapanina is the most titled pilot in the entire history of world aviation: six-time absolute world champion in aerobatics and two-time absolute champion of the World Air Games, 2-time European champion, multiple champion of Russia. In the World Championships alone, she won 38 gold medals, and, according to the Head Coach of the National Team
Kasum Guseinovich Nazhmudinov, Svetlana has a “margin of safety” for another ten years.
Actually, the Motherland has awarded and continues to award the “Hero of Russia” for lesser merits, but... this fragile-looking woman is too categorical, irreconcilable in defending her ideas about truth and lies, good and evil, justice and lawlessness. Especially when it comes to her professional and civic conscience. Many high-ranking functionaries, because of whose laziness and selfishness we have practically lost sports aviation, got and get from Kapanina at every opportunity: be it an interview on TV or a personal conversation with President Putin.
And where does such an irreconcilable “truth-seeking” come from? Where does such perseverance and self-confidence come from from this daughter of ordinary workers, born in the distant Kazakh town of Shchuchinsk? Most likely, it is from this “simple” and pure childhood. A short, thin, but always interested in something girl, she has always loved cars and speed for as long as she can remember. In the fourth grade, Svetlana begged for a moped, and by the sixth grade she received the title of candidate master of sports in gymnastics. She also secretly dreamed of the exploits of a special forces soldier, of a black karate belt, of parachute jumping.
After graduating from medical school in 1987, Kapanina was assigned to Kurgan and worked in a pharmacy. But is it possible with her character to live in measured silence among test tubes, bottles and tablets? Svetlana decided to go to the local aviation sports club. “Girl, who do you want to sign up for?” - “Let’s become a parachutist” - “Let’s become a pilot, after all, flying is more interesting than jumping.” If “more interesting” means more interesting, and a year later she was already at the helm. Kapanina’s professional basics were instilled by Leonid Solodovnikov, and Nikolai Golubtsov became the first instructor.
...The Su-26M3 soars into the sky and, hanging, falls down with the engine turned off. Deafening silence and again the roar of the engine: the plane levels its flight just above the field. And then - turns, loops, rolls, calculated to the nearest degree. You need to perform 12 aerobatic elements without mistakes. The rules also clearly define the boundaries: you cannot fall below 100 meters and rise above 1000. But under Svetlana’s hands, the “drying”, obeying the steering wheel, does not “perform elements”, but dances. From the ground, a heavy plane, like a drop of mercury, sparkles and shimmers in the endless space. Easy, beautiful. At the same time, the overload for the pilot is “+10”, that is, fragile, slender body short Svetlana “weighs” more than half a ton! In addition, the Su-26M3 is a serial aircraft, with a strong engine, which is made for a normal male height, and in order to reach the control stick, Kapanina has to prop up pillows on the seat. Colleagues of the Knights joke: “you fly on a feather bed like the Princess and the Pea.” They laugh, but they help carry the pillows to the airplane cabin.
She is the first. This is generally accepted. And what, besides technical skill, besides a craft brought to perfection, is needed to become the best in the world? Courage? Yes. Calculation? Patience? Same. And also the will, the will, which overcomes the pain of blood vessels bursting due to overload. She formulated her innate, natural desire for leadership as follows: “I never intended to be an astronaut, because I don’t like standing in line.”
She is the best. Member of the Russian national team, 1st class instructor pilot aerobatic team LIIDB OKB Sukhoi, Honored Trainer of Russia and Academician of the Academy of Security, Defense and Law Enforcement of the Russian Federation, laureate of the Olympia and Glory awards, holder of the Order of Honor, medal of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, II degree, personalized medal “100 years since FAI organization" as the best pilot of the century. By the way, our pilot was awarded this medal together with astronaut Armstrong, the first earthling to set foot on the surface of the Moon. So who in Russia doesn’t know Svetlana Kapanina?!
Svetlana is also the mother of two wonderful children. And she, naturally, has a sports family. Husband Vladimir Stepanov, fourth dan in karate, honored coach of Russia and judge of the International category, is raising tiny Peresvet and Yesenia in the most spartan traditions. And it is unlikely that they will be able to avoid creaking exercise machines, muscle pain and overcoming trauma.
And obligatory great victories - after all, they are the children of the Russian “Queen of Heaven”. 
And more pilots:
Toty Amirova, Boeing PIC 
Olga Gracheva, master of sports in aerobatics, Boeing PIC at Aeroflot, 20 thousand flight hours. 
Maria Trunina a/k Nordstar 
Nadezhda Kuzhelnaya, Airbus A320 pilot 
Natalya Yalovenko. Shymkent CRJ-200 pilot 
Polina Pavlova at Boeing 
Tatiana Rymanova. Pilot. 
Elena Kozhukhar. pilot. 
Larina Evmurzaeva, pilot. 
I’ll add, the photos are mostly of foreign pilots, look at their faces
Ronnie Zuckerman, Air Force fighter pilot, Israel
Keith Moran pilot of Flybe
Video from Tota Amirova. Then she was the only pilot in the CIS.
Iraida Vertiprakhova.
headed the female crew consisting of: Tamara Pavlenko - 2nd pilot, Evgenia Martova - 2nd pilot, Galina Kozyr - navigator, Galina Smagina - flight engineer, Nina Stolyarova - flight radio operator, set 5 world records on the long-haul passenger airliner Il-62. Including the world record for flight distance without landing (11074 km).
Until 1985 was the commander of the Tu-154 crew in the Krasnoyarsk Civil Aviation Administration. Later she worked as a flight director and air traffic controller. 
Pilot Lyudmila Pukito, worked as a teacher of aerodynamics at the Borisoglebsk Higher Military Aviation School. Died. 
MAI graduate Svetlana Protasova is the only female fighter pilot in the world to fly the MiG-29. Now he works as a co-pilot at Aeroflot. 
Maria Uvarovskaya, commander of the Airbus A320 Aeroflot
Aeroflot currently has 3 female commanders and 10 co-pilots. 
Svetlana Slegtina. military station L-410 KrasAvia. 
Oksana Shiryaeva, a/k "UTair" 
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