Vladimir Putin met with female pilots in Krasnodar

In Krasnodar, Supreme Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Putin met with the female pilots and for a long time did not refuse them increased attention. Kommersant special correspondent Andrey Kolesnikov believes that they deserve it: after all, they have a holiday.

Having arrived at the Krasnodar Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots (and now, apparently, “and female pilots” will be added to the name), Vladimir Putin, as planned, first went to fly on a simulator.

There was everything for the soul – a failed chassis, but in fact a sensor, and a trigger that was asked to be pulled (he wanted to, but it turned out he had to after aiming), and a hard landing, and a model-looking girl instructor who walked to attack (no, not in that sense).

The stories began immediately.

– I’m Sergei Kuzhugetovich (Minister of Defense Mr. Shoigu. – A.K.) told how the first recruitment was carried out. I don’t know if this girl is here or not?.. – the president looked around. “One of the future cadets didn’t manage to enroll, so she pitched a tent here, in front of the gate. This attitude towards life and towards your future profession is really worth a lot.

That is, they obviously took her after all. Otherwise they would hardly have talked about her.

– Your name is Katya, right? – the president asked his instructor, Guard Lieutenant Battalova. – A person is in her place: she is engaged with pleasure in the business to which she decided to devote her life… to which you all decided to devote your lives.

Until now, the taxi driver girl is still impressed on the passenger who is not prepared for strong impressions, and the girl pilot, I must admit, is taken aback.

Lieutenant Kasilovich asked what the most striking event for the president in 2023 was.

– You know, my life consists of an infinite number of different events and activities. Sometimes I compare it to a waterfall: you stand under a waterfall and it pours endlessly! – said Vladimir Putin. – Even when I am next to my loved ones, I try not to show it and, on the contrary, I pretend that everything is fine, we are relaxing… But I know that in five minutes so-and-so should call me, in ten minutes I have to call somewhere, and in half an hour such and such an event will happen and I have to understand what happened, and, if necessary, somehow react to it or correct something.

Vladimir Putin has not yet publicly shared his schedule with anyone in such terms. At the same time, it would be strange if he did not say that all the most important things in 2023 took place in the NWO zone. He said.

Lieutenant Fedotova had to ask the president what he remembered about not the entire last year, but at least just one event – the flight on the Tu-160M ​​strategic missile carrier.

“Just now we were at the simulator with a comrade lieutenant (he nodded gratefully to Guard Lieutenant Battalova. – A.K.) – these are also certain impressions. But I piloted… You know, if so, I really only piloted a “whatnot”, flew with cranes (to be more precise, with Siberian Cranes. – A.K.), if you noticed… Remember, it was a few years ago… But this is not a simulator, I actually piloted there, it’s true.

In fact, the guard lieutenant might not even remember, or even know at all: she was most likely not even ten years old at the time.

– I flew low – about 400 meters (Well, not very high… If anything, it’s quite enough. – A.K.). As soon as the wind blows, it immediately shakes! These are not simulators, 400 meters is a bit high,” the Supreme Commander-in-Chief admitted. That’s where I piloted,” the president nodded with satisfaction.

He recalled this, no doubt, with pleasure. Otherwise I would not list from the very beginning:

– And everything else I flew on was the Su-25 attack aircraft… Then on the Su-27 fighter, then on the Tu-160, then on the Be-200, when they were putting out fires… I didn’t pilot anything, naturally. Although it was all useful and interesting, it was necessary to understand what it was. You always need to understand what it is, touch it with your hands, then you will better understand what is happening.

This is how Vladimir Putin explained his love for the sky – a production necessity.

“It seems to me,” he continued, “the hardest service—it seems to me, I don’t want to offend anyone—is that of stormtroopers.” Overload! I just don’t understand how the guys control the plane, because up and down, the blows are delivered visually… When they visually observe the target, they descend sharply, and then rise just as sharply! The overload is so great that only the hands and fingers move effectively. I don’t understand how they drive the car!

He himself only made a “barrel” for the Su-27.

– When the commander suggested that I make a “barrel”. I did this myself. True, he said: “I transfer control and smoothly, there is no need to make sudden movements, move the control lever to the right, and you and I will make a barrel roll.” He did it himself, it’s true…” Vladimir Putin repeated. – We turned over calmly, the car is very powerful. But he said just that: “The car is powerful, very obedient, controllable, do it calmly.” So I did it myself!

But he didn’t keep silent about the Tu-160 either:

– We flew on the Tu-160 for about five hours, in my opinion. This was in 2005. This is a delight! Of course, this is also a special sensation, especially with the imperceptible transition to supersonic. You can’t even hear that click! You can hear it on the ground, but you can’t hear it on the plane…

Details have emerged about the last flight, in Kazan:

– It was not planned (as Kommersant predicted. – A.K.; see issue dated February 22), because the minister (Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. – A.K.) says: “You can’t fly because we haven’t accepted this machine yet.” And the industry says: “We haven’t passed it yet.” But when we came to the enterprise and inspected it, the ship’s commander told me: “Vladimir Vladimirovich, we are ready! We can be in the air in two hours. I suggest you try it!” I say, “Okay. But after two hours I can’t. There is a work schedule and protocol meetings. Let’s do it tomorrow”. He says: “Let’s be ready!” So we sat down and flew around.

This half hour, which remains in the history of Russian aviation, made a strong impression on Vladimir Putin:

– It was interesting to compare what happened to the car from the time I flew it in 2005. And indeed: a lot has changed – it’s practically a new car. The crew told me what was new there – almost everything was new, the avionics were all new! The commander suggested that I start the engines, pressed buttons, and did something else… The minister had the right proposal. We have actually created a new machine, there is no such machine in the world – supersonic, operating at such speeds. The strategic aircraft is capable of carrying nuclear weapons. In this way we supported our nuclear triad.

It turned out that she needed support.

But that was not all.

– And I tried to pilot a helicopter! – the president perked up. – I think this is the most difficult thing about piloting. There’s just a millimeter of the handle – the car falls somewhere, flies somewhere, left and right, it’s difficult to find the landing point! I think this is the hardest thing about piloting an aircraft!

Apparently they were talking about a simulator, but I remembered another such flight, at the Sukhoi Design Bureau. It did not end in the best way (the fighter, due to an unretracted braking parachute, trivially slid off the deck into the sea), but this, obviously, is what will be remembered (see Kommersant of August 17, 2002).

Yes, there were cases.

Lieutenant Vasina, who flies a Tu-154 in Khabarovsk (it turns out they are still in service), raised the question that there should be simulators for every type of aircraft.

“That is, then, Sergei Kuzhugetovich, we need to think about having simulators for all types of aircraft on which girls and boys will have to continue to work and fight,” suggested Vladimir Putin.

It is unlikely that he meant that the Tu-154 could be used to fight if something happened. Although…

“Vladimir Vladimirovich, the Tu-154 is a machine that has not been produced for many years,” the minister commented.

“Yes, I understand,” agreed the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. – I mean other cars.

“And other cars are absolutely correct,” agreed Sergei Shoigu. – We need to make Tu-214 simulators, which we now have in this class of aircraft. In connection with your decision, it is now being restored, the Tu-96 has appeared – it needs simulators.

Most likely, the minister meant either the Il-96 or the Tu-95. One out of two.

Considering that the IL-96 is being restored, apparently, bingo.

“That’s why we have a solution: each batch of aircraft, especially training aircraft, comes in one order with simulators,” the minister added.

It turns out, as always, everything has already been done.

“Comrade lieutenant asked how I was and what I flew on,” the president again went deeper into himself. – You know, this is important, it really matters. Because on one type of aircraft the pedals move one way, and on other types of aircraft they move differently, and this little thing can make a difference when piloting. Unfortunately, we also had mistakes that led to tragedies when crews transferred from one type of similar aircraft to another similar one, and the units there work a little differently.

He was apparently talking about a specific incident.

– Do you mean the Yak-40, Yak-42? – the minister also clarified.

They knew what they were talking about now, essentially among themselves.

– Yes. Therefore, this is the right thing,” Vladimir Putin nodded. We will definitely pay attention to this. You’re right.

– Thank you! – Lieutenant Vasina thanked him touchingly.

There were questions about the longest flights.

– There were a lot of long, lengthy flights, I don’t remember now, but we probably flew to Latin America somewhere, to Mexico (and this happened more than once. – A.K.) – such flights across the ocean. Although you know, sometimes you fly from one point in Russia to another faster (most likely, I meant to say “you fly longer.” – A.K.) than across the ocean,” said Vladimir Putin. – A big country, the sun never sets on it!

He managed to be distracted by the eternal.

“You have to spend a lot of time on the plane,” the president added. – There was a moment, I don’t remember exactly when, I got the impression that I was living on an airplane. Yes Yes!

Something like a tour of Latin America in July 2014.

New details about physical fitness have emerged:

– A very good procedure – this is important for you as officers – is hardening. Is it true! Hot and cold showers or contrast baths are the most effective means of hardening. I remember, you know, when I was still a kid, I lived in Leningrad, where we lived… We didn’t even have a bath in our communal apartment, but nevertheless, I went out into the yard in the winter and wiped myself with snow, I was still a kid.

Ironically, Lieutenant Zakalyukina acted next as the villain.