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 find out.
Our service is both dangerous and difficult
Modern girls 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, be fluent in a foreign language, 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. Oftenit 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?
No one is surprised anymore that a woman is an airplane pilot in Russia. Recently, an acute shortage of personnel in transport and military aviation has begun to be felt in our country. 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 he alth. 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. It is better to start flying in autumn or winter - it will not be so hot in the cockpit, 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. Averagethe practical course lasts approximately 50 hours.
Unwomanly work
It is believed that aviation is an exclusively male field. It is difficult for a woman here for several reasons. Firstly, it is, of course, heavy physical activity, 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 - indulgence 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 initiated the creation of 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 region of Stalingrad - the most important strategic object of military operations. Women's aviation regiments participated in the liberation of the Crimea, the North Caucasus, and Poland. Sometimes the regiment flew out on a mission without additional equipment and parachutes. Instead, the planes were equipped with even more ammunition.
No one is forgotten and nothing is forgotten
The Germans called the aviation regiments of our female pilots "Night Witches". The brave women terrified the German soldiers, the best representatives of the German army aviation were sent against them.
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 pilots as P. Osipenko and E. Bershanskaya.
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 travelon a solo east-west transatlantic flight 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 was a very significant achievement at a time when the female half of humanity was limited in rights. Beryl Markham died at the age of 83 in Nairobi.
First female pilots in Russia
Officially, the first pilotess in Russia is Domnikia Illarionovna Kuznetsova-Novoleynik, 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 female civil aviation pilot in Russia named 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, Lidia Zvereva was the first woman to graduate from a specialized aviation school.
Everyday life of modern pilots
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. Currently, the list of female civil aviation pilots in Russia is much larger than, say, 30-40years 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 despite these important factors, the list of female pilots in Russia is constantly updated, more and more new beauties strive to conquer the sky.
Beauty that conquered even the sky
Russian military aviation 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? It is definitely a sparkle in the eyes that only appears when a person is doing their 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.
Onthe question of the reason for choosing a profession, Maria modestly answers 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, Maria had to go through a difficult path.
After graduating from 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 pilot 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 got itproud 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 flying hours on my own (and this is very expensive), practice on a small six-seater plane, while simultaneously working as an architect.
After graduating from an 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 job.
As always, in cases where a pilotess flies an aircraft, passengers are very surprised when they hear the greeting of 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 at a male job, you eventually start to think like a man.
Never once did Maria notice any contempt, or a condescending attitude, or rudeness towards her. But there is, of course, the assumption that the male part of the company's teamAeroflot 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.
