1 The crews

1 The crews. About thunderstorms, victories over the nature and people who had  won.

          In our cockpit, at the end of the summer becoming as iron box, advancing a limit when irritated heat, thunderstorms, some members of the crew and everything else, you wanted only to sleep. Usually, in the last working day I came and fell into the bed with a temperature of 38-39  and slept about 12 hours. The next day I was already in the shape. We could complain to the doctor and take sick days, but we loved our work and never did it. We tried to be treated on the side, after the summer.
          To go to the doctor with your problems looked not good. They started to check you and written off at the end. One our comrade had already reached the pension and he had folly to complain to  his health was sent to The Highest Medical Expert Commission.  where he was written off, and after he could not work even a tram driver. Therefore, our doctors dealing only with healthy people, began to lose his medical qualifications and become only the experts.
          My first crew on the Tu-134 was headed by Victor Arkhipov. The co-pilot was Oleg Pimenov and mechanic was G.L.Shapirko . Viktor treated for me just fatherly, but other than that , I will always remember him as my first Commander . Oleg , as well as me was just beginning , so we flew as all beginners , not very good. In general, the crew was amicable , and we never had problems, but we flew in such a composition is slightly more than 2 years.  Arhipov was appointed  as pilot- mentor and our crew was disbanded. V.V.Arhipov was a squadron commander, Shapirko  retired long time ago  and  Oleg flew. as captain before 2009.
Oleg was born in Moscow. But he lived in Volgograd, at least, he had been there for a long time and ended Central Aeroclub and flew on the L-29 jet training plane.
Then there was Kotlas with An-2(Colt), then the realization that besides flying club he no education and, finally, the Academy  of Civil Aviation.
I flew about six months without a constantly crew. I was taken by Yepishin YI Yepishin YI was a Commander. Gorgeous professional and a lovely person. He lived near me, and we often went with him to our flights.
His neighbor had a small little black mongrel, which followed on the heels of Yepishin. Once (Yepishin never did not take her on the airfield ), she found us in the parking place before flying to Murmansk! Nothing  to do but to take her with us. She sat on my windshield entire flight, fearing only on the climbing  but even then fell asleep  and woke up on the decline due to pressure differences and seeing run-on land, whined and hid behind my chair. She flew back, as if she engaged it all her life.
Once we sat in Aviagorpdok in the flat of Nicholas, our co-pilot and relaxing. Suddenly someone scratching the door. We opened. Whining and wagging by the tail, with a joyful bark enters our fifth crew member. How she she find us?
Yepishin  retired about 10 years, but about him I'll write more.
Nicholas Prestnikov was our co-pilot. Before that, he was commander of IL-14 on the ice reconnaissance, and this ice reconnaissance put only the best. Ice reconnaissance - is the courage and professionalism! They spent this ice reconnaissance, having hanged in the air 10 hours and returned to Talagi. They had already approached to the land and tried  flaps down and on one half of the wing, the flaps did not go!
There was  lift on one half a wing, but there was  not on the other. It was already several such cases, and a pile of coffins. In this situation, the plane behaves like a yellow leaf (which circled over the city as in one song ). IL-14 have two engines on the wing, and Nicholas in a split second that gave takeoff  regime to the engine, which half  a wing   went down and reduce regime to the engine, whose wing went up.
Went round again and approached on the second time.
Nicholas prematurely assigned the second class and sent for retraining in Ulyanovsk
Having sat and drank with them a little bit, Nicholas took his leave and hurried home. Going down, he saw a tired from the abundance of food and alcohol a person lying on the stairs and the like, as sleeping.
The policeman  was standing over the body. The cop asked Nick to help him to drag this body before police car which was parked at the entrance of the restaurant. Nicholas, who had quite proletarian upbringing and not burdened with thoughts of the misters and others, had helped. He drag this tired body to the car. Nick was offered  to go and drove to the police. As Nicholas was not drunk, then to hush up the fact stay in the drunk tank, he was asked to give a leather flying jacket he was wearing. Of course, Nick could not do it ...
Just before entering into Commanders the political officer caused Nicholas and asked him directly  what he had done in the restaurant and then in the drunk tank ... So Nicholas flew as co- pilot  before the collapse of the enterprise in 1993 ...
Serge Elizarov. was our flight engineer. He had always 200-300 kilogram of fuel only "his fuel" in tanks and took an active part in our flights . 
Sergey flew till 2010.
Ones we flew to Kishinev with the children and their were them 100 people! Sharov AA , navigator- inspector flew with us to check The Checking specialists in Arkhangelsk  their place and purpose of the flight knew, and therefore only checked.  And then he asked me  "I,  Alex, will forget how to fly soon, let me fly to Peter myself . " It was amazing to hear and of course, I could not refuse this wonderful man  and more else because the brigade  of stewardess was probably the best in our enterprise. Usually, I flew in the cockpit or front luggage compartment and in that situation I sat down that girls closer, near the front door.
The plane had just been bought up, just in Kishinev , and its board was 65898 . And  we  were running. But not that sound was heard in front of that door . It was not the same . I looked at the door.The border of the door even painted different as we had in Arkhangelsk. Overall, I thought that the door had not been closed , but the plane had come off . I was checking  the door if it was close. That was considered to be only a rush as the doors open inward and high pressure inside  against low pressure
outside. The rate of action exceeded the speed of the thought!
The girls having no idea that I was going  go out, immediately reported to Sergey that the door was not closed.
Sergey, after taking off, controlled the wheels up, monitors the operation of engines and removed the flaps in 10-15 seconds. And  here such introduction!
 Sergey thrower control and swearing run to the kitchen, located 3 meters from the cockpit, and I had, making sure that the door was closed, quietly set on the seat and a very surprised looked on lathered Sergey.
- Ugh, damn you, I closed all doors , and the alarm did not trigger! I can earn a heart attack therefore!
Sergey rushed back to remove the flaps.
Since that time I've never flown at the front door on unfamiliar aircraft.
After the  story of Nicholas  about  not synchronous release flaps, I started  to fear it, because the rudder would not enough. I just panicked at the moment when started release the flaps.  The flaps were release first on 20 degrees and then 38. So I flew, and in those few seconds was fritted. I was afraid a week may be 2. It was summer, so we  flew at least 20  times there  and back , I.  feared then 40 times!  And that's when I said to myself, or you go to damn from here, or cease to be afraid. I remained, and the fear went  out.
The summer is in full swing. The landings replaced by the new takeoffs. In July thunderstorms began and on the North.
Well, when such a terrible fool weighs one - it went around and flew away. The worse when they are disguised front and layered clouds. Why are they dangerous?
Because in the center of this cloud powerful updrafts and laterally , downward , and can be hail with torrential rainfall  and any sorts of lightnings . If the plane flies in the cloud , it will throw up and down several thousand meters  and some planes such withstand can not survive. The thunderstorms is the most unpleasent in the night time, but do not  want to sleep at all . Even it is worse, if the storm caught in a cost center.
 Moscow Air Zone . Area is the area. The step to the right, step to the left .You have no right to fly over Moscow !
Sometimes you fly over Moscow air zone with a speed under 900 km/h, and the distance between points only 20 kilometers . It is already necessary to turn right, and there will be a thunderstorm  ahead, and it shines and it is necessary to fly with a former course only kilometers 20-30 still to fly by but it is impossible. Because then you will cross the ring road and you will go  over Moscow on some kilometers, and you will ask to pilots to take over control at the rate, and pilots sharply twist to the right.
It is very sad to land in the thunderstorms - the maneuver is limited. The most dreary when the thunderstorms, the mountains and the night in one bottle. Unlikely to be something emotional.
Once we flew from Voronezh. It was was getting light and fatally wanted to sleep and eat. But soon the girls will bring the breakfast for us and it will be easier, and then an hour with a small and we're at home. I looked at the sky. Ahead of the obscuring the sky, was hanging huge and terrible storm cloud with a plume. I looked in radar screen . Scale 110. There were no clatters. The scale 200. Again there is no (clatters) backlight. Including increasing the scale.
Only on the maximum scale, I saw that before  thunderstorm was still 350 kilometers and it was hanging over Cherepovets! We have to fly to thunderstorm  30 minutes, and during this time and still have time to eat. As closer I could see it better. Beautiful, do not say anything, thunderstorms walked from west to east, across the track and to get around this front, it was necessary to go to the East about 150 kilometers.
Locator was pristine. It was impossible to determine the upper edge of the clouds  , but visually it was seen that they went up to 11,500 meters. We flew at 11,100. We pull up 1,000 meters.
12100, I have never flown so high! Even higher than that cloud 500-600 meters we were in turbulence and the spectacle of this vast and beautiful clouds just fascinated! But there was not the sense of superiority that it was under my feet,
But summer ends, the thunderstorms finished and you sigh with relief, but then you even miss them  until next summer. And in winter, let Olya to sleep, I told her fairy tales about fluffy lamb and huge blue-gray clouds that cover the sky, and these tales she liked  and she asked to tell her again and again until she fall asleep.
We had an absolutely wonderful flight Arkhangelsk - Kuibyshev - Baku spending there 3 days and back, and flying back in the night  to Arkhangelsk to be at 9-10 am. Political officer at the that time changed and engaged in activities very useful for us: the improvement of life for change, etc. Since 1986, I had not had to remind about my birthday and asked for a day off. Usually, the political officer in the squadron met me and congratulated me with this wonderful event and was listed in the flight plan BD. - Birthday. Prior to this exciting event we have put in Baku, where we are with the crew celebrated this holiday, and returning in the morning, I hopped on a plane just flying to Leningrad. In Leningrad, I slept a little bit and the next day met my birthday with my parents, and the next day flew to Arkhangelsk, get ready for a night flight.
My birthday was approaching. It was set a flight in advance to Baku. And we had been  already in Kuibyshev in a great mood! Even the numerous  mosquitoes could not spoil! These creatures buzzing filled our cockpit, and their humdrum buzzing fetched us the entire flight. And we killed them all the flight. We had already come down. I controlled the descending. Everything should be as always - beautiful.
The navigator on the Tu-134 is a very important figure. All navigation, including bypassing thunderstorms kept on him. Of course, the wheels down  and the operation  of mechanizations are more visible for navigator , and therefore it was decided - to listen to the recommendations of the navigator. Later on the approach procedures began writing PLG - point of  landing gear, and the navigator had to remind the commander about it. I usually slightly departed from this and knowing his commander (he's response to the execution of the remaining distance, wind and a dozen other parameters) simply said "wheels!"
The commander already on my the basis gave the command  "Chassis down!" In addition, we were still trying to save fuel. If it was possible in that conditions, and if the experience of the crew had allowed. Why on the low altitude far from the run way to down wheels add mode for engines, and then "fress" fuel ? It's ugly.
And at this crucial moment the last mosquito sat on my left hand and greedily started to drink my blood! I killed this  bastard with aimed blow and that my a short putt coincides with the entering in the zone of turbulence.
We are  turning baze(3), the vertical speed was 5-7 meters per second, and becomes for a few seconds more than 15, then we throw up and down again.
- Flaps 20.
While there were flaps, pull up and down.
- final!(4).
We had turning final well and had already taken the height of the circle.
- Three before glide path.
- Flaps 38.
- The vertical speed is 3.5 (what is 3.5  if we are throwing back and forth up to 2-3 meters and Yuri Ivanovich gives regimes not to fall close to the nominal value). If placed on the glide path nominal mode, you have to go around or to go alternate.
We had turning final well and had already taken the height of the circle.
You see, as threw? Kolya, Add Two percent, two more.
When on final approach and so threw , I looked on the pilots. In such conditions we will never go in the automatic mode operation and pilots  looks like the juggler, but the rates only much higher  The pilot's movement  could be   even abrupt, but always very accurate.
To better imagine that, put the board on the ball, stand on it, open your hands and take them with 10 kilograms dumbbells. Try to keep your balance!
We took height of out of marker a little earlier, the plane just drag down.
But here is the marker.
- the marker 220, on  course and glide slope, vertical 3.8. High speed, 310!
- Mode 88, 85, 84 ...
  We are approaching to the inner marker. And suddenly, as if we dived in the water. No turbulence and parameters are stable. We gently touch the  running way  and taxi to the parking place
Silence. Quite a minute. Nicholas and Yuri Ivanovich l could not part with the steering wheel.
Yuri Ivanovich the first breaks the silence .
- Yes, I did not approach so for a long time. Okay, the plane in renting and go to the hotel. Postflight will draw there.
I can not stand up  The armchair holds me. It is seemed  I buckled. Actually, I never fastened to the chair, and there was such turbulence, probably, I afraid to fall  down from the armchair.
Generally, it is necessary always to fasten belts to the seat according with instructions.
A bottle of vodka - "Landing Cocktail" and again we "flew".
The bottle of vodka for four healthy and strong men enough to fly?
Do not in that sense. It is our job and our life.
We slept off and the went to Mardakiany in the morning . Where was the sea and on the way back the market, the market for fruit and vegetables. It will be  to eat for my birthday!
In Baku, and especially  on the sea, is always a strong wind and we do not feel burned. I burned all the less -this is the love of the sea and the sun.
Birthday. The first toast for my health and for a long years of  my flights.
Is 24years of  flights a lot? I envy those who flew more than 30 years and reassure myself that someone was able to taste it all for 10 years. Such is life.
The next day, everybody went into the city, and I'm back on the beach. The hot under 40.  There was  no bus . And suddenly, I noticed my bus N 104 was standing a little aloof. Oh, good luck! The jumper leads from the airport to the main road and the bus N104 went on it to Mardakani. From Mardakani to the  sea was another bus. On the crossing of the highway we always got what to use .
-Are you going to move? I will melting like  a cheese soon.
- Even do not  think I  came to see off my daughter .
- I would be on the sea if you go.
- Why you want to Mardakyany? I will take you and will go on the most central beach in Baku!
You will bath, sunbathe, then I'm to take you in my place and we'll eat shashlyk and drink a wine!
I had to explain to him who I am and what I do here. Azerbaijani's driver then said to me  :I'll tell them that you will fly tomorrow, and  you're  my guest today and  can not fly in the night.
In general, he drove me to the fork and I warmly said goodbye to him.
On the next day, approaching to Arkhangelsk, the crew had been flying to Leningrad, had already been warned about me, and we were given a parking place near and I  had even 5 minutes.  I met 27th birthday very happily..
I flew   in the Epishin crew couple of years or so. During this time we came out on top in fuel economy, saving 32 tons over the summer and took first place in Socialist Competition! I went and was very proud. Our crew did it! It means that our crew worked better others.
We quarreled with Sergei in late of August because of nuts and bolts, probably, just tired. We had gone on the vacations, but some caution still existed, and I decided to leave the crew. Why me? Because in that crew Sergei had been flying for 4 years.