Are there women civil aviation pilots in Russia. A true lady in a pilot's jacket

The Village asked the pilotess to talk about working days, the reaction of passengers to the female voice of the pilot and how the world is changing.

About training

I never dreamed of becoming a pilot as a child. After school, I entered the architectural institute, and at the same time studied at the flying club. Today, most flying clubs are commercial, but in my youth you could study for free, it was called the Voluntary Society for Assistance to the Army, Air Force and Navy (DOSAAF). I flew for the first time at the age of 17 in a small aerobatic plane. Hobby after some time grew into a desire to become a professional pilot.

Fortunately for my parents, I managed to get a reliable education. At some point, I put them before the fact: I entered the Academy civil aviation. To become a pilot, you need to fly a certain number of hours, you have to pay for classes on an airplane yourself. The work of an architect made it possible to study on a small six-seater Yak-18T. Having flown about 100 hours on it, at the age of 24 I entered the Academy of Civil Aviation.

The first time I came for an interview at Aeroflot, when I could only fly on a sports plane. Of course, they looked at me with condescension then, but they liked my sincere desire to work here. I was given a number of conditions, including flying a Yak-40 for a certain number of hours. I got a job in another Russian airline and worked there. After that, she came again and this time for good. I was taken as a co-pilot on the Tu-154.

The practice of state flying clubs is no more, and since training costs a lot of money (obtaining a private pilot's license will cost from 350 to 650 thousand rubles, depending on the type of aircraft chosen. - Approx. The Village), a layer of business people has appeared among the pilots. Some of them even graduated from college at one time, but could not work in their specialty: in the early 90s there was a crisis, the number of flights was sharply reduced and there was no work for pilots, the staff was not expanded, the guys were not taken after schools. Then the old-timers retired, and there was no continuity of generations. Traffic volumes have increased, the number of airlines has increased, and there is a serious shortage. Those guys who dreamed of flying, but were forced to do business, returned to aviation.

They invested part of the money they earned, flew with instructors and became professionals. Among my colleagues there are quite rich people who could continue to do business, but they want to fly and they are ready to give up the life that they had before. (The profession of a pilot is well paid, for example, on the Aeroflot website, in the announcement of the recruitment of the PIC, a salary of up to 500 thousand rubles is indicated. - Approx. The Village.)

When in winter time I am in a coat and my flight uniform is not visible, I am regularly mistaken for a stewardess

Now programs have begun to appear when airlines pay for training. School graduates are considered valuable personnel: they are young, healthy and are good material for learning. Those who once flew something are considered more closely. Companies sometimes provide training loans to their employees: after flying a certain number of hours, becoming a pilot, they simply work them out. There are retrained flight engineers and navigators. There are precedents for retraining flight attendants.

About male colleagues

Male colleagues behave with dignity; on their part, I did not notice any cases of distrust or disrespect. There was never even ridicule in the face, although behind the eyes, I think they are joking about us. I had good aerobatic experience, colleagues in civil aviation did not know how to do what I could do: they never flew aerobatic aircraft. Apparently, this helped me gain credibility at first. I am glad that I work in a male team. I think I have a masculine mindset. I understand how to mentally set myself up to work with men. Sometimes it is even more difficult for me to negotiate with women than with men. Women have a slightly different world, and I have already adapted to the male environment.

As a rule, my co-pilot is a man. Of course, there were several cases when I saw that the co-pilot or flight attendant was uncomfortable. It is difficult for them because they do not understand a little what is happening. Previously, their commanders were always men, they knew what and how to say, but when they see a female commander, they begin to choose words and feel discomfort from the fact that the situation is unusual. This does not affect the work in any way, it's just sometimes more difficult to talk about an abstract topic with the co-pilot.

When I was introduced by the commander, I was sitting in the captain's seat, and my instructor was sitting in the co-pilot's seat. At the parking lot, a technician comes in, looks at us and says: “Why did you change places? Why are you sitting in the commander's seat? I answer that I am being introduced, that I am a future commander. "Come on!" the technician said. Gone. But somehow he was restless in his soul, he returned again, clarified: “Well, are you sure you are a pilot?” And with a sigh, he left.

By the way, the ground rendezvous system speaks with a female voice. Previously, there were only men in the cabin, and if a woman suddenly turns to you, then something is wrong.

About the reaction of others

Curiosities associated with the fact that the pilot of the aircraft is a woman periodically occur. Often such moments arise when we arrive at Russian airports. Everyone abroad is used to it. In AirFrance and Alitalia, 20% of the pilots are women, and for Russian ground personnel this is a completely unusual story. When in winter I am in a coat and my flight uniform is not visible, I am regularly mistaken for a flight attendant.

We don't see passengers when we greet them over the radio, but flight attendants say that many are surprised when they hear my voice. Some passengers are worried, but in all my work, no one has ever been filmed from a flight. It happens that after boarding, passengers want to look at the commander, get to know each other, take pictures, express their admiration, but they rarely succeed: our cabin is closed, and while the crew says goodbye to the passengers, we are doing our procedures in it.

When I say who I work for in an unfamiliar company, there is always an additional topic for conversation. A person wants to get to know me better, thinks: “Probably, there is something unusual in you, since you have chosen such a job.” Sometimes I want to say directly: "I a common person, an ordinary girl who just does what she likes."

About other women in aviation

I joined Aeroflot in 2007 and became the third female pilot in the company. Now 13 girls work for us, every year one or two pilotesses join us. I used to think that women compete in this area, but when I met the first woman commander in Aeroflot, Olga Ivanovna Gracheva, my gloomy ideas were dispelled. She worked for the Boeing 767, which is a long-haul aircraft, and was always ready to help everyone in everything.

In general, the number of female pilots in Russia is increasing, but the stereotype of our thinking lags behind technical progress. We are at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, and many processes are slowed down: the role of women is not entirely defined in our country. And women are different.

All my female colleagues are completely different, not similar to each other, each behaves differently in the cockpit, each has its own approach to work.

Previously, many flight attendants approached me with the question of where to learn and what to do to take my place in the cockpit. These were not always people who want to fly: someone wants a bigger salary, someone thinks that we are sitting and doing nothing special. As a rule, random people are eliminated at the training stage.

Men are given a uniform according to their size, the only thing is that they can take in a little. It's difficult with women.

In our company, people are evaluated depending on their professionalism, not gender. Our instructors managed to get rid of stereotypes, not only about women. For example, we now have a lot of young commanders, although it seems that preference in our field should be given to more mature and experienced ones. However, despite their young age, the pilots are well trained professionally, they have an excellent memory and good knowledge.

Men are given a uniform according to their size, the only thing is that they can take in a little. It's difficult with women. When I became the third pilot, they sewed a uniform on me, because I have a very small size. But the woman who came to work after me was sent to the warehouse to choose some of the men's clothing. Then the “Victoria Andreyanova Fashion House” worked with us, sewed uniforms according to individual measurements. At the same time, there were no differences between the male and female uniforms, we ourselves asked to sew a tunic a little on the figure, add a belt to the coat, and the fashion designers went to meet us.

Now there are more women, and we are treated more attentively. Tailoring of the female form is trying to put on stream. Currently under development new form, and literally last week all the women were called and asked how it would be convenient for us to work. Probably, our uniform will even differ from the male one in some way, including the headdress.

About the work of the commander and the working mode

In general, the work of the commander and co-pilot is the same: first, one communicates, and the other at this moment pilots or controls the operation of the autopilot. Then we change. However, the commander makes the final decision in important matters.

On my first flight as an aircraft commander, there was a little trepidation before the engines were pushed to maximum on the runway. At that moment, the realization came that I would now make all decisions on my own. After that, everything went on as usual, there was simply no time for excitement. Of course, there is responsibility, and it presses, but it never frightened me.

I'm flying an Airbus A320, it's a medium haul aircraft not designed for transcontinental flights. Our geography is Europe and Russia to Irkutsk. Long-haul aircraft fly to Vladivostok. If I fly away in the morning, then I fly for two hours, for example, to Prague. There's an hour parking - and back. If we fly away at eight o'clock in the evening, then we stand at the airport for several hours, and in the morning we arrive back. We can’t see anything if we don’t have a long parking lot with access to the city. The differences in flight are small: our country is wide, so the distances are longer and air space not as busy as the European one. There is a saturated radio exchange in the European space.

In the cockpit, the PIC and the co-pilot communicate in English, we speak Russian only on abstract topics. At the time when we were retraining from Soviet technology, there was a condition - to learn English. The level should be decent - this is technical language: all documentation on English language and all technical documents, the airbus itself is also foreign.

We have no restrictions on the number of flights per month. There is a flight norm and a norm of working hours. Flight rate- 80 hours per month, extended norm - 90 hours. Accordingly, 800 and 900 hours per year. Many pilots agree to an extended allowance because it increases the salary. Our holidays are longer than most. We rest about 70 days a year.

Changing a plane every five years is a good practice. Five years later, the pilot begins to get bored, he has been in all conditions, gained tremendous experience. Someone after that goes to instructors, someone takes leadership positions, someone changes the type of aircraft. Everyone needs movement and professional growth. I have the opportunity to retrain for a long-haul aircraft, but I don’t really want to. I like to leave in the morning and arrive in the evening. My flights, of course, also have their drawbacks: a lot of night flights. They eat up time because you sleep all day after the flight. There is very little time left for family and communication with a six-year-old daughter.

About dangers, superstitions and catastrophes

I was lucky, I never had aircraft failures in the air. There were failures on the ground and as a result of flight delays. In the air, the weather used to deteriorate, we had to go to the emergency lane. These are non-standard situations, they require attention, but they are standard. A combination of factors such as gusty side winds, icing on the runway, and runway length complicate the situation. When landing on a short snow-covered strip, you understand that you must land exactly at the sign, at the touchdown point - in clear weather from a four-kilometer landing strip you can afford to fly over this point. All these situations are worked out on simulators that completely imitate all options. Once a year on these simulators, we confirm our qualifications - if you do not cope with this exam, you will not be allowed to work.

After every plane crash in the world, there is a reaction in every Russian company. Information documents created on the basis of the analysis of the disaster are always published, we get acquainted with them. Special work is carried out - additional training or classes. If a situation has ever arisen before, we must be ready to prevent it when it arises again. We are trying to make the most of the mistakes. Even minor incidents are studied.

We fly every day and no longer believe in signs, for example, not to take pictures before the flight and so on. People at work are becoming more practical and perhaps a little more cynical. Passengers fly once a month, and they think it's a risk. When you fly every day, you are not afraid of anything. It's just work.

For some reason everyone thinks passenger aircraft run exclusively by men. We dispelled this myth by talking to Maria Uvarovskaya, an Aeroflot pilot.

- You have been in aviation for seven years, at the moment you are an aircraft commander. How did your pilot career start?

— From the flying club. I was engaged in aerobatics on sports aircraft. There is little experience in skydiving and gliding. In parallel, I studied at a civilian university. At that time, I did not think that I would fly professionally, but already in my third year I realized that everything was serious. I graduated from high school, worked a little and only then received a flight education.

I don’t think that if I worked in a “more feminine” specialty, I would have more free time

- And then you were already sure that you would become a pilot?

- I was sure that I seriously wanted to do this, but the obstacles seemed insurmountable. Civil aviation was a blue dream that I considered impossible. Then I thought that working as an instructor at the flying club was my ceiling, and I didn’t even imagine that I would ever cross the threshold of Aeroflot. It was difficult to get a job even for already professional pilots. And yet I decided to do everything in my power to be calm: at least I tried.

- But it's not enough to get an education, you still need to fly a certain number of hours?

- I got it at the very moment when the regression in sports aviation began. It was possible to fly seven and a half - nine hours a year, which is very little. Flying clubs were abolished, flights became paid. I had no connections and financial opportunities. I used every chance, and I managed, as they say, to be at the right time in the right place.

What was this opportunity?

— I was offered a job in Cherepovets. There is a large city-forming plant and it has the Severstal airline. I was accepted as a co-pilot of the Yak-40 and an instructor pilot in a local flying club. I always remember that time fondly. The first steps in civil aviation and professional flights in sports, an excellent team of a small company where everyone knows each other. A lot of friends in the first education did not understand me: why you can’t earn money and fly for your own pleasure. However, it was a conscious decision and I am very glad that the risk paid off.

- The fact that you chose a male profession did not bother anyone? Misunderstanding caused rather lack of clear prospects?

- Friends outside of aviation shrugged their shoulders, and the pilots understood and were happy for me.

Did your loved ones support you?

— Relatives saw my serious attitude. No one interfered with me, did not contradict me, although at that time it was absolutely incomprehensible what would come of it. What I have achieved is the merit of my parents, they always support me.

Does an employer take risks when hiring a woman?

- I believe that there is no risk in this - what difference does it make what gender the specialist is.

Usually two extremes - they either say: “Choose whatever you want, we will pay - you are the only one with us”, or: “Take a jacket for the flight attendant and sew chevrons on the sleeves”

— Do female pilots have any advantages over male pilots?

- In my opinion, women are more inclined to discipline, the implementation of technological procedures. We are not characterized by the desire for risk, adventures. By nature, we are more concerned with security. It is necessary to proceed from the capabilities of each individual person. It seems to me that the most important thing for a woman who has chosen a male profession is not to stand out, not to demand special treatment. Just do your job so that the management understands: in front of him is a normal specialist.

- It is believed that emergency situations it is more difficult for a woman to keep her composure. Do you agree?

“I don’t know, I can’t afford to panic. All, apparently, individually.

But have you ever had dangerous moments at work?

There are difficult moments, but this is part of our work. We are trained to act in any unforeseen situations. Of course, everything cannot be predicted, but what can be simulated, we work out on system simulators that allow us to create an absolutely real picture of what is happening: movement, various weather and wind combinations, and even smoke in the cockpit. This is necessary for the preparation and understanding of their own capabilities. The very likelihood of unforeseen situations is minimized by the technology of our work: we constantly double-check the work of our colleagues. For example, before the flight, both the technical staff, who directly prepare the car for the flight, and the pilots themselves, independently inspect important details, participate in the inspection of the aircraft. Not to mention that in the cockpit we always double-check each other's actions. With this approach, the possibility of human error is minimized.

How do you deal with overload?

- In sports and military aviation the concept of overloads is different, when performing complex and aerobatics, they are very noticeable and you need to be able to cope with them. In our country, irregular schedules and broken biorhythms affect health much more strongly. The hardest part is night flights. My personal way of coping is the day before and after the flight I do not plan anything, turn off the phone and sleep as much as necessary. It helps. It's no secret: the job of a pilot is difficult. To devote yourself to aviation, you need to live it. I really like being a part of a big and serious cause.

A female pilot is still unusual and uncomfortable: individual tailoring of uniforms, fear that she will go on maternity leave

Why is a female pilot rare?

I think stereotypes play a role. If there is a choice between well-trained pilots of different sexes, the employer may choose a man, because he does not want complications. A female pilot is still unusual and inconvenient: custom tailoring of uniforms, the fear that she will go on maternity leave and end her flying career there. I would like to thank employers who do not focus on these points, but consider the professional qualities of their specialists. In this sense, Aeroflot is in the lead - there are 15 female pilots in our company, of which three are PICs. I hope this gradually becomes the norm.

- And a special uniform has been developed for 15 women? Does it include a skirt?

- By international standards we are obliged to wear a tunic, trousers, a cap. Moreover, we have individual tailoring - this is important for Aeroflot. I know that at some airlines the girls manage on their own, picking up, suturing. In small companies, there are usually two extremes - either they say: "Choose whatever you want, we will pay - you are the only one with us," or: "Take a jacket for the flight attendant and sew chevrons on the sleeves."

— Have you ever faced skepticism from employers?

“I don’t remember having to hit a wall of male distrust. If it is obvious that the only motivation is a serious passion for a business, why not give a person the opportunity to work? Provided, of course, that he really meets all the requirements.

I feel comfortable working in a male team, I think even more comfortable than in a female team.

- And how do male colleagues, for example, the co-pilot, relate?

- At first, of course, appraising. In some, it is read in the eyes: "Let's see what kind of commander you are." This passes fairly quickly once he is convinced that I am in the right place. By the way, the main part of my work is team management. It is important not only how gently you pilot and land the plane, but also the ability to organize the crew so that everyone works smoothly, calmly and with a good attitude. The psychological environment is very important. We have special classes where, in the process of playing a particular non-standard situation, we work out options for interaction, analyze in detail the causes and consequences different behavior. Thus such serious threat flight safety as a human factor. In general, I feel comfortable working in a male team, I think even more comfortable than in a female team.

How are the passengers reacting?

- Of course, they are surprised. Sometimes they find out: “And we have already flown with you.” It's nice to see how people's skepticism is replaced by smiles and gratitude.

- You probably have a very busy schedule, how do you manage to combine family and work?

- I am at home almost every day, because I fly medium-haul aircraft - several hours there and back. Several times a month I fly on business trips - for one day maximum. In general, women are now very much in demand. You have to choose: either you lead active image life, or focused on the house. Children, family, marriage - this is a colossal work, a very worthy path. There is no right choice- everyone decides for himself. I don’t think that if I worked in a “more feminine” specialty, I would have more free time. And when a mother and wife are an accomplished person, this has a positive effect on the atmosphere in the house.

What will you do if your seven-year-old daughter wants to become a pilot too?

My daughter is interested in my profession, now she wants to follow in my footsteps. But everything is changing very quickly for her: today she decides to become a pilot, and tomorrow - a teacher. It is very difficult and important to understand exactly what you want. If I see her serious interest in some business, I will not interfere. I, like my parents in their time, will do everything in my power to make my child's dream come true.

— Why is the profession of a pilot considered male?

— Apparently because initially flying on airplanes was a dangerous and difficult business, and the first aeronauts were real testers. During the Second World War, not only men took to the air. Women's regiments and units left a bright historical mark. As for working in civil aviation from the post-war period to the present day, I think one of the reasons was the creation of liners with a control system that involves physical effort. But there have always been female exceptions, who flew both the An-2 in the north, and the complex Tu-134, An-24, Yak-40. The stereotype of the "male environment" was kept for a long time, it is noticeable even now.

— When did you decide you wanted to fly?

— The conscious desire to become a pilot came after the initial flight with an instructor in a small sports aircraft. My first flying club teacher, Sergei Nikolaevich Dadykin, managed to create an incredibly comfortable and favorable learning environment for us, then still schoolchildren. In this flight, I felt what piloting is, and after that no power: neither stereotypes that this is still not a profession for a girl, nor the surprise of others, nor financial difficulties could stop me. From the age of seventeen I knew what I wanted to do. The flying club itself, in which I was brought up, was a very attractive and romantic place. It is unfortunate that this aviation structure in budget option now almost abolished.

from the personal archive of the hero

— Where did you learn your profession?

— I studied at the St. Petersburg Academy of Civil Aviation. I was the only girl on my course, but every aviation school has its own legends about female pilots. And teachers always remember them with pleasure. I felt respectful towards myself, I was accepted on an equal footing.

— What is the percentage of female pilots in Russia today? Does it differ from similar indicators in the world?

— I don't have exact statistics. I can assume that about 50 women work in the civil aviation structure of Russia today. This is a very modest figure. While in major European and American airlines, the ratio of women is approximately 20-30% of total number pilots.

— Have you encountered distrust from male pilots, stewards, technicians?

— It all depends on how you feel. I can not imagine that my crew can not trust me and doubt. The same applies to ground personnel. Seconds of doubt in the eyes of colleagues are replaced by our constructive cooperation after they realize that I am competent, prepared and in the right place.

— Do female pilots have the same workload as male pilots?

— The job of a line pilot is challenging not only and not so much during critical phases of flight such as takeoff and landing, but also because of its intense and often changing schedule. The change of day and night activity is harmful and poorly tolerated by both men and women. Personally, my schedule from the "male" is no different.

Maria Uvarovskaya

press service of Aeroflot

— How did your relatives react to your decision to become a pilot?

— Fortunately for me, they did not forbid or hinder the realization of the dream, and at the stage of training they helped morally and financially. My success is their direct merit.

— Tell us about your form. Are there any rules about what a female pilot should wear? And how is the uniform sewn for you?

— Form, as in general appearance, is part of our work and self-confidence. It is important to look restrained, so that it is comfortable to work, and, of course, beautiful, we are women. According to international standards, the set consists of trousers and a tunic, it is obligatory to wear a tie, a headdress in the form of a cap is always with you. Aeroflot orders a personal uniform for all female pilots, we can discuss and make our own adjustments together with the masters.

— Were there any cases personally on your flights or on the flights of other female pilots, when passengers somehow reacted in a special way to the message that they would have to fly with a woman at the helm?

— Some passengers try to thank and express their impression of the flight. Someone asked to be photographed, and there was a case when a passenger asked to leave an autograph in her passport. Personally, I was touched by the case when one woman, getting off the plane after the arrival of the flight, asked me to write on paper words of support and encouragement for her daughter and sign my name and position. I don’t know a more pleasant mission if my words and I helped a person to believe in himself and overcome obstacles.

Maria Uvarovskaya is an Aeroflot pilot, and most recently became an Internet star, literally all publications drew attention to a beautiful female pilot. We were no exception - an interview with interesting person site site.

Maria Uvarovskaya - Aeroflot pilot, interview

There are three dozen women civil aviation pilots in Russia. Aeroflot pilot Olga Gracheva became the first woman in Russia to become an aircraft commander in 2009.

Now Aeroflot has 13 pilotesses, three of them are aircraft commanders. Maria Uvarovskaya received this position in January 2014.

"Pozitiv" asked the pilotess to talk about working days, the reaction of passengers to the female voice of the pilot and how the world is changing.

— Maria, we all didn’t study much… And how are you doing with that?

“I never dreamed of becoming a pilot as a child. After school, she entered the architectural institute, and at the same time studied at the flying club. The first time I flew at the age of 17 small plane. After some time, my hobby turned into a desire to become a professional pilot, and I entered the Academy of Civil Aviation.

The first time I came for an interview at Aeroflot, when I could only fly on a sports plane. Of course, they looked at me with condescension then, but they liked my sincere desire to work here. I was given a number of conditions, including flying a Yak-40 for a certain number of hours. I got a job at another Russian airline and worked there. After that, she came again and this time for good. I was taken as a co-pilot on the Tu-154. Then she rose to the rank of crew commander.

When in winter I am in a coat and my flight uniform is not visible, I am regularly mistaken for a flight attendant.

How do your male colleagues treat you?

- They behave with dignity, I did not notice any cases of distrust or disrespect on their part. There was never even ridicule in the eyes, although behind the eyes, I think they are joking about us. I had good aerobatic experience, colleagues in civil aviation did not know how to do what I could do: they never flew aerobatic aircraft. Apparently, this helped me gain credibility at first. I am glad that I work in a male team. I think I have a masculine mindset.

I understand how to mentally set myself up to work with men. Sometimes it is even more difficult for me to negotiate with women than with men. Women have a slightly different world, and I have already adapted to the male environment.

As a rule, my co-pilot is a man. Of course, there were several cases when I saw that the co-pilot or flight attendant was uncomfortable.

Previously, their commanders were men, they knew what and how to say, but when they see a female commander, they begin to choose words and feel discomfort from the fact that the situation is unusual. This does not affect the work in any way, it's just sometimes more difficult to talk about an abstract topic with the co-pilot.

I answer that I am being introduced, that I am a future commander. "Come on!" the technician said. Gone. But somehow he was restless in his soul, he returned again, clarified: “Well, are you sure you are a pilot?” And with a sigh, he left.

By the way, the ground rendezvous system speaks with a female voice. Previously, there were only men in the cabin, and if a woman suddenly turns from there, then something is wrong.

- And how do passengers and attendants react to you?

- Curiosities associated with the fact that the pilot of the aircraft is a woman periodically occur. Often such moments arise when we arrive at Russian airports. Everyone abroad is used to it. In AirFrance and Alitalia, 20% of the pilots are women, and for Russian ground personnel this is a completely unusual story.

We don't see passengers when we greet them over the radio, but flight attendants say that many are surprised when they hear my voice. Some passengers are worried, but in all my work, no one has ever been filmed from a flight. It happens that after landing, passengers want to look at the commander, get to know each other, take pictures, express their admiration, but they rarely succeed: our cabin is closed, and while the crew says goodbye to the passengers, we are engaged in technical routine in it.

When I say who I work for in an unfamiliar company, there is always an additional topic for conversation. People think that there is something unusual in me, since I chose this profession. Sometimes I want to say directly: "I'm an ordinary person, an ordinary girl who just does what she likes."

- Do you have Armani uniforms?

- Men are given a uniform according to their size, the only thing is that they can take in a little. With women it's more difficult. When I became a professional pilot, they sewed a uniform for me because I have a very small size. But the woman who came to work after me was sent to the warehouse to choose some of the men's clothing.

Then the “Victoria Andreyanova Fashion House” worked with us, sewed uniforms according to individual measurements. At the same time, there were no special differences between the male and female uniforms, we ourselves asked to sew a tunic according to the figure, add a belt to the coat, and the fashion designers went to meet us.

Now there are more women in aviation, and we are treated more attentively. Tailoring of the female form is trying to put on stream. Now a new form is being developed, and literally last week all the women were called and asked how it would be convenient for us to work. Probably, our uniform will even differ from the male one in some way, including the headdress.

- Well, tell me already, what is it like to hold the helm ?!

- In general, the work of the commander and the co-pilot is the same: first one communicates, and the other at that moment pilots or controls the operation of the autopilot. Then we change. However, the commander makes the final decision in important matters.

After that, everything went on as usual, there was simply no time for excitement. Of course, there is responsibility, and it mobilizes, but it never frightened me.

I'm flying an Airbus A320, it's a medium haul aircraft not designed for transcontinental flights. Our geography - Europe and Russia to Irkutsk.

Long-haul aircraft are already flying to Vladivostok. If I fly away in the morning, then I fly for two hours, for example, to Prague. There's an hour parking - and back. If we fly away at eight o'clock in the evening, then we stand at the airport for several hours, and in the morning we arrive back. We can’t see anything if we don’t have a long parking lot with access to the city.

Flying in Russia is easier: our country is wide, so the distances are longer and the airspace is not as busy as in Europe. There is a saturated radio exchange in the European space.

In the cockpit, the PIC and the co-pilot communicate in English, we speak Russian only on abstract topics. At the time when we were retraining from Soviet technology, there was a condition - to learn English. The level should be decent - this is a technical language: all documentation is in English and all technical documents, the airbus itself is also foreign.

According to the number of flights per month, there is a flight rate and a working time rate. Flight rate - 80 hours per month, extended rate - 90 hours. Accordingly, 800 and 900 hours per year. Many pilots agree to an extended allowance because it increases the salary.

I have the opportunity to retrain for a long-haul aircraft, but I don’t really want to.

I like to leave in the morning and arrive in the evening. My flights, of course, also have their drawbacks: a lot of night flights. They eat up time because you sleep all day after the flight. There is very little time left for family and communication with a six-year-old daughter.

"Can a pilot afford to be superstitious?"

- I was lucky, I never had equipment failures in the air. There were failures on the ground and as a result of flight delays. In the air, the weather used to deteriorate, we had to go to the emergency lane. These are non-standard situations, they require attention, but they are standard. A combination of factors such as gusty side winds, icing on the runway, and runway length complicate the situation.

When landing on a short snow-covered strip, you understand that you have to land exactly at the signs, at the landing point - in clear weather with a four-kilometer landing strip, you can afford to fly over this point. All these situations are worked out on simulators that completely imitate all options. Once a year on these simulators we confirm our qualifications - if you do not cope with this exam, you will not be allowed to work.

Source - Internet

Are there female pilots in Russia? Certainly! At first glance, this profession seems quite romantic, but it is not. It is very difficult for women in this area for many reasons. But how? Let's figure it out.

Our service is both dangerous and difficult

They can easily conquer the sky, having received the education of a flight attendant. What if you want more? Height, sky, beautiful shape - these are the first associations that come to the mind of girls when they hear the word "pilot". But all the pitfalls associated with this profession are not always taken into account. A professional female pilot in Russia needs to undergo special training, to be fluent in foreign language, to be a responsible and attentive person, because human lives are at stake.

Why aviation?

There are more and more female pilots in Russia every year. This profession is becoming increasingly popular - the fair sex is eager to realize their ambitions just like men. It often happens that the little daughter of a pilot, looking at her dad, dreams of following in his footsteps. The growing popularity of aviation in our country is obvious.

How can a woman become a pilot?

It no longer surprises anyone that a woman is an aircraft pilot in Russia. IN Lately in our country, an acute shortage of personnel in transport and military aviation began to be felt. In this regard, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that it is necessary to increase the number of places in educational institutions for future female pilots in Russia. Teachers of aviation clubs and flight schools say that women are not very suitable for military aviation because of the high workload. But for transport aviation - quite.

Professional training for pilots

First you need to go through a special medical commission - after all, the pilot must have excellent health. Then you need to choose an educational institution. Now in Russia there are a huge number of aviation clubs and training centers for female pilots, which provide professional training for aviation personnel. After passing the theory, which according to the standard is given 220 hours, you can begin to practice. A flight book is issued for a newly minted pilot, which contains flight permits, total flight time, testing of the theory and piloting technique. start flying better in autumn or in winter - the cabin will not be so hot, and the cold is not felt due to an excess of adrenaline. A solo flight is not allowed immediately - only after 9 hours with an instructor. And only after that, beginners are released into free flight without an instructor. On average, the practical course lasts about 50 hours.

Unfeminine work

It is believed that aviation is an exclusively male field. It is difficult for a woman here for several reasons. First, it is definitely heavy physical exercise designed more for the male body. Secondly, in order to work successfully in aviation, a woman must think like a man, which is not possible for everyone. And thirdly, you should not write off the work in the men's team. On the one hand - help and support, and on the other - condescension and, at times, arrogance. A female pilot in Russia must have iron restraint and a strong character.

Pilotesses and war

Marina Mikhailovna Raskova became an outstanding wartime pilot, who in 1941 took the initiative to create a women's aviation regiment. Even before the war, along with men, hundreds of women were educated in flight schools, so there were as many as 3 regiments who wanted to. Colonel G. Rozantsev led the recruitment of pilots. After some time, the 586th, 587th and 588th women's aviation regiments were formed. Brave women guarded the area of Stalingrad - the most important strategic facility military actions. Women's aviation regiments participated in the liberation of the Crimea, North Caucasus, Poland. Sometimes the regiment flew out on a mission without additional equipment and parachutes. Instead, the aircraft were equipped with more big amount ammunition.

Nobody is forgotten and nothing is forgotten

Aviation regiments the Germans called our female pilots "Night Witches". Brave women terrified German soldiers, sent against them the best representatives aviation of the German army.

Among the female pilots in Russia, it is worth highlighting the legendary pilot Polina Osipenko, who became famous for her unusual story. The girl worked in the dining room of the flight school, where K. E. Voroshilov once arrived. Plucking up courage, Polina asked to enroll her in an educational institution, which, to everyone's surprise, he did. Polina Osipenko set several world aviation records, her life was tragically cut short during a flight in 1939. Many pilots of women's regiments tragically died defending their Motherland. Streets in some cities are named after such great pilotesses as P. Osipenko and E. Bershanskaya.

The first women in aviation

The first woman in the world to conquer the sky is traditionally considered Raymond de Laroche (aka Eliza Deroche), who in 1909 for the first time rose to a height of 6 meters and flew about 300 meters. This act became the starting point for women in aviation. Eliza became the first pilot in the world, set several world records. Before the advent of aviation in the life of this woman, she was an actress. Eliza died in a plane crash. The pilot was a man, and Eliza was in the passenger seat.

The first woman to officially receive a pilot's license was Beryl Markham. This is the first girl to fly on the African continent with rescue missions. In 1936, Markham was the first woman to fly solo east-west transatlantic flights from England. He is the author of memoirs and various manuals on aviation. Among other merits of Beryl, it can be noted that she was the first woman who had a license to teach horseback riding in Kenya, which at the time of the restriction of the female half of humanity in rights was very significant achievement. Beryl Markham died at the age of 83 in Nairobi.

The first female pilots in Russia

Officially, Domnikia Illarionovna Kuznetsova-Novoleinik is considered the first pilotess in Russia, who, having only theoretical knowledge about the structure of the aircraft, lifted it, but, unfortunately, could not hold it and collapsed to the ground. By the way, Domnikia's husband was aviator Pavel Kuznetsov, who later became a flight instructor.

The first in Russia by the name of Zvereva, Lidia Vissarionovna, was the first officially recognized pilot in our country. In the flight school, she found not only her vocation, but also her husband, aviator Vladimir Slyusarenko. By the way, Lydia Zvereva was the first woman to graduate from a specialized aviation educational institution.

Everyday life of modern pilotesses

How many female civil aviation pilots are there in Russia? Today this question can be answered precisely - clearly more than in the USSR. In the Land of the Soviets, women aviators were not very fond of. In the whole state there were only 4 places for training women in this profession. At present, the list of female civil aviation pilots in Russia is much more extensive than, say, 30-40 years ago. Often, looking at the photos of Russian female pilots, it seems that these women do not have a life, but a romantic dream. Behind the scenes are separation from family and friends, lack of sleep and constant stress. And even despite these important factors, the list of female pilots in Russia is constantly updated, all new beauties strive to conquer the sky.

Beauty that conquered even the sky

Russian in peacetime and wartime has always been at a high level. As for civil aviation, it is in no way inferior to military aviation; the profession of a pilot has at all times been shrouded in the spirit of romanticism and prestige. And how many female pilots of civil aviation in Russia! It can be seen that exceptionally strong and beautiful representatives of the weaker sex work here. What is the secret of their beauty? This is definitely one that appears only when a person is busy with his favorite thing. When you are close to a dream, the world plays with new colors. Below are videos and photos of Russian female pilots who amaze not only with their determination and fortitude, but also with their beauty.

Maria Fedorova is the youngest female pilot in Russia

At the age of 23, many of the fair sex do not know how to drive, let alone an airplane, even a car! How many female pilots in Russia at such a young age sat at the helm of an aircraft? Looking at this fragile girl, you will never think that she can land a multi-ton liner with the usual movement of her hand. Maria Fedorova is the youngest pilot of Aeroflot.

When asked about the reason for choosing a profession, Maria modestly replies that her father always dreamed of becoming a pilot, but she did not have such a dream. We can say that the dream of the father was embodied in his daughter. In order to get closer to her goal, Mary had to go through a difficult path.

After graduating aviation school, Masha flew for several months as a trainee, trained on simulators, studied theory. It is interesting that Maria does not prefer a Boeing for a flight, like her colleagues, but a Russian Superjet. When asked about the reason for choosing a Russian manufacturer, Maria replies that it is much more convenient for her to fly on a domestic aircraft, especially since its quality is excellent.

Looking at the photos of female civil aviation pilots in Russia, we often see adult women as well. Maria refutes the prejudice that age affects the professionalism of the pilot. According to her, even greater demands were placed on her than on the rest (again, due to age). But she managed to go through all the stages of training and testing, at the moment she is a full-fledged co-pilot. Despite the busy schedule, Maria, according to her, has time for her personal life. However, sometimes, according to her, the schedule is too busy.

Aeroflot pilotess Maria Uvarovskaya about her work

The list of female pilots in Russia has about 30 people. In 2009, Olga Gracheva received the proud title of aircraft commander. After 3 years, such a thing as "pilotess" appeared. Maria Uvarovskaya received this proud title in 2014.

Initially, young Maria wanted to be an architect. The understanding that she wants to connect her life with aviation came by chance, during free aviation training at DOSAAF. Then the hobby grew into a goal - to become a professional pilot. The path to the dream was thorny - I had to earn hours of flight on my own (and this is very expensive), practice on a small six-seater plane, while simultaneously working as an architect.

After graduation educational institution the girl was not immediately taken to Aeroflot, they offered to practice at another airline, which she did. After all the efforts made, Maria Uvarovskaya nevertheless fulfilled her dream and was accepted into the ranks of the Aeroflot pilots. According to her, it was not difficult for her to change the company, because the work of a pilot involves retraining for another equipment every 3 years, therefore, changing places is not the most difficult thing in this work.

As always, in cases where a pilotess is flying an aircraft, passengers are very surprised when they hear a greeting from a female pilot. But contempt or panic fear, according to Maria, she never noticed. As for working in a male team, she quickly got used to such an environment. Uvarovskaya claims that when you work for male work then over time you start to think like a man.

Not once did Maria notice any contempt, or a condescending attitude, or rudeness in her address. But there is, of course, the assumption that the male part of the Aeroflot team is discussing pilotesses (in the good sense of the word).

Women at all times have made an invaluable contribution to the history of Russian aviation. In wartime and peacetime, the fair sex controlled the helm of an aircraft at a high level, in no way inferior to male aviators. In the twentieth century, society actively got rid of gender prejudices that dictated to a woman what to do and how to live. Now, thanks to this, women are full members of society, making their full contribution to the development of the world economy. And in our time, the fair sex can be a doctor, play football, drive a car and even fly an airplane. And this will not cause ridicule and misunderstanding, because a woman who has chosen such a profession is an example of a mature, strong personality that deserves respect and admiration.