Interrupted Flight Captain White Bashny.Net

It was his last trip, just the last one. He agreed, and the word he had always solid. He lived by the principle: "The man said a man did." He and his daughter said before leaving: "Oaks" (She was everything to him - and his son and daughter, so he jokingly called her male version of the name), this is my last Africa. " This was six months ago.

Maybe because it was "the last of Africa", he agreed to fly to the flight - in bad weather and in anticipation of rain. He loved the sky, I could not live without it, and abandon another flight can be, farewell, I could not. The six-month trip was over in a few days they had to fly home, and while sitting in the hotel waiting for calculation. Ahead was a life "on the ground" - in August, he would have turned sixty, and in this age of medical examination take place is already very difficult. And he could not refuse the offer to fly again. A flight in fact turned out to be the last: the plane touched the top of the tree fell to the ground and burst into flames. It not fired just because a tropical downpour was of such force that the fire was extinguished ...





The sky calls

It is now the boys dream to become managers or oligarchs to ride the white yachts and live in Maia. Or have your car service and "cut" through the streets of the city on a steep off-road, scaring the huge size of others. Postwar boys dreamed of heroic deeds and glory - they grew up in a different environment when honored those who fought, who worked hard, who in time of peace was considered a hero. Vladimir Kurbatov was born in Kemerovo, his father was a miner, and he wanted to become a pilot - to get off the ground. And they became. Not once, but passed quite a complex way: he has worked in a factory apprentice, serve in the army, to get a working specialty and qualification, and only then entered the Flight School. His peers have brought family and he went to study. Exactly - set off a dream: to climb into the sky.

So he went for a lifetime dream, mastering the profession and reached the pinnacle of craftsmanship. The last mark of the professional "Pilot 7000", he received in 1996: professionals know that this figure is - evidence of skill and experience. You can imagine what it is - seven thousand hours in the air? And then Vladimir flew another 15 years! He taught himself English when required to go abroad, and it is also easy - to know the language at the appropriate level.

After college, he was the co-pilot to "Annushka" (as fondly called pilots winged aircraft "AN-2"), and then flew to the AN-24, AN-mastered new 28. It was supposed to become the commander of the Tu-134 airliner, alone passed the exams at the Moscow center of pilot training, but ...



In an era of change

As fate would have on its own. Perestroika began, and aviation has become expensive for the state. Impoverished people could not fly through the ticket prices shot up, flights began to decline, and came to the rescue completed the privatization started. "Liberates" the planes were sold to Africa and other countries of the "third world" (to the west of its lack). And for the planes and the pilots were pulled: because they needed somewhere to earn a living ...

Kurbatov was one of the first who went to Africa. Then it was official - the company enters into a contract, and the crews were sent on a mission to various countries - Angola, Congo, Algeria, South Africa. We harness the continent. Kurbatov flown many - the first time he went to Africa in 1994, so his "African" experience passed for half a decade.

There is much talk about the fact that in Africa are frequent accidents and die, our crews. And why planes fall and people are dying? The reasons are many. One of the key - planes served their time. Hence - the lack of spare parts, improper maintenance. The second - the conditions of flight. Airfield in Africa - it's often simply landing site somewhere in the jungle or in the mountains, without proper navigation, a short runway. We need a higher qualification to fly in such conditions. Throw in climatic conditions: heat, wind and other place names. We are heavy rains, but it's nothing to the African rain. Tropical Rain - is a solid wall of water, through which nothing can be seen through, and you want to break through as a real obstacle. Add to this the wind that easily fell trees in the jungle ...



In the jungle and homes

Vladimir Kurbatov talk about the difficulties of the house did not like, why upset the family? That is, if the pilots were going somewhere in the country or on a picnic, you could hear something about "travel life", and that in a joking manner. The stories were in the nature of the "joke of life" or "was such a case." Sometimes someone is started: "Do you remember?" In the manner of a joke with a happy ending, and when the family learned that their father had to endure. Usually remembered with a laugh, they say, "Well, it was, but it's been!" And Tatiana Nikolaevna, the wife of Vladimir Kurbatov, my heart bleeds. It is hundreds of times, telling her husband: Come on, do not go, will live somehow! But he usually terribly interrupted her: "Shut up, woman!" These words were out of their favorite movie, where the hero did not want to quarrel, and ended that sentence with the words: "Your day of March 8!", But in this case they are not pronounced. What for? It was a signal that the conversation on this subject did not come up, they have all discussed hundreds of times, and the dispute was not about anything. He still would fall. Because the pilot can not fly, and live without the sky Kurbatov just could not.

Just life

They met in the hostel flight personnel back in 1976. Their rooms were next: Tatiana worked in the airport the kindergarten, and Vladimir - a driver at the airport: that she thought so then, because he usually went in the jacket without insignia, was in good spirits, joking. In a word, does not fit the definition of pilots that it was currently. Those were supposed to behave respectably, talking gravely. And here - a regular guy, good-looking, but just ... Great was her surprise when she saw Volodya in a white shirt with epaulets and a cap with a crab at the November demonstration! She even exclaimed in surprise: "What are you, a flight attendant !?" He's hurt, he said: "Yes, I'm the pilot!" And he added: "Pilot!»

The fact that he was the pilot of God, she heard more in the same distant seventies, when I came to Knyazhpogostky area to visit Volodya. Summer was hot then, forests were burning everywhere, and in the area - especially. Firefighters extinguished the fire with the air of the Soviet Union. And here, at the airport waiting for the flight of Vladimir, she heard from the guys-fire definition - "Pilot from God." It then paratroopers asked what it meant. They replied simply: "With him are not afraid to fly even in the inferno. Take out ».

And it was with him all: once even had to take birth in flight: impatient woman! And in fact I accepted! Then his friends jokingly called the midwife ... Vladimir entrusted to develop a new model of aircraft - the AN-28. He flew into small airfields, aircraft experienced in different modes, then worked on this aircraft commander. And he often surpassed the planes, but it is also a very simple matter: it is handy not trust anyone ...

In Africa, it was his. One of the best. Africans even gave him the title of "Captain White." Moreover, the co-pilot, who recently flew to Kurbatov, his son called Vladimir ... So now in Africa is growing with the Russian man named Volodya ...

One summer, Tatiana and her husband were in the country, and suddenly the phone rang on the "mobile phone". We called from Moscow, with the studio. They asked me to come - they urgently need to shoot the pilot in Lesotho. It was found somewhere in the South African Republic removed a scene from the series "The Last Hero" (ibid actor Alexander Domogarov plays a pilot ace that gets away from any scrapes). It turned out, the film directors have long been looking for the pilot who can fly in the jungle, at low altitudes, with masterly leads the plane. They searched the whole of Africa, and found in his - in the far north.

Vladimir departed the next day for ten days was on the set, received the highest rating, and how to fly, can be seen in scenes from the series. He himself said this way: normal operation, just tedious. But on Domogarova remained low opinion: "smug. Many stars. " But this he said only his wife did not tell others: after all this artist - the idol of women. Let this be it ... all trades master

Perhaps it can be called a pedant. He loved order and on all domestic demanded the same. It was all arranged on the shelves, every thing she knew her place. As a child he learned to sew and engaged in this business with pleasure: his grandchildren have blankets stitched grandfather himself, with such quality, which does not provide any factory. So one day, after returning from Africa, he looked in the drawers, on which stood a sewing machine, and sternly asked, "Who touched a pair of scissors?" Pets were very amazed and even shocked: they host the whole year was in Africa, but remember, in what place his scissors lay on a shelf!

Incidentally, the last trip he had taken away with him ten flags of Russia - of all sizes. I bought colored matter and sewed them himself. He said: "They will know Russia!" They - it's different Africans and other foreigners who worked in Africa. He was proud of his country, was a true patriot, hoping that it will still be among the prvyh. And he did everything possible to raise the prestige of the Motherland ...

Not long ago, Tatiana was in the hospital, with a long time. Vladimir, who loved the cottage, but by planting different cultures attracts more as a worker, was in a quandary: it is one thing - to help, but quite another - to put something yourself. He failed, did everything as it should - then it Tatiana assessed. However, he stuck the bow "upside down", and the long shoot, but it's the little things ... To be sure, and repair the house and in the country, he did himself.

And he loved the bath, simply could not imagine a summer residence without it. Hiking in the bath for him was a real ritual, though he could bathe every day and enjoy it. And he adored Vysotsky, especially the song "you told me to heat bathhouse in White" could listen to it repeatedly. He wrote all the songs of the bard, and is taken away to Africa, listened to them all the time: it was his connection with the homeland ...

But his main love was the daughter Oksana, in which he doted, was proud of her. Well, grandchildren - Sonya and Sanka - simply adored. I tried to bring gifts, but those that liked. And to help a young family as he could. It was one of the reasons why he went to Africa. Vladimir received a pension, together with his wife they could live tolerably well, but he was the master of the family, which grew grandchildren. And so he said his wife when she starts talking about how to Vladimir no longer went on business trips, "And we will live those pennies that you get?", Alluding to the fact that the salary of the employee education very small ... < br />


He did not return from the flight

At this time in the Congo co-pilot Vladimir was Oleg Frolov. They "flew", the crew can perform any task. But it so happened that Oleg ill. And when Kurbatov offered to go to flight, very Frolov asked the commander to give up: to fly with the new pilot is always difficult, but here at all a bunch of complexities. The guy just graduated from college, the experience enough to swear himself - Hindu, has difficulty with the English language ... For complete nepryatno and more stormy weather promised: as there will be with him, with an inexperienced rookie in the air? Can I rely on him? Alas, I could not dissuade the commander accepted the offer.

Maybe that's because firmachi promised to hurry to pay earned. It happened already, and more than once that the crew had to go home without money. It happened that in general they "threw" if the firm provides "dark". Once it happened that six months working for nothing - whether the company went bankrupt, or simply lied ...

Before the flight, he went to Oleg, and gave the key to his room. They privorovyvali in the hotel, so take the key receptionist Vladimir did not want to. He said that if anything let things pass native. A suitcase he habitually collected in advance, he stood in the closet. Oleg then even zarugalsya: say, do not croak ...

Heart Veshchunov

The news of the death of her husband Tatiana initially did not take seriously. She climbed the stairs, when the cell phone rang. An unfamiliar voice, calling her name, said that Vladimir Nikolayevich is no longer with them. She asked: "Who is this?", Considering as a joke or hoax husband said that fly from Congo, they are at the beginning of February, and it was midday on 31 January. In addition, an unknown manager introduced himself and for Tatiana Nikolaevna word associated with any merchant that are in stores or spread the goods. She even wanted to send the caller away, saying that is not going to buy anything, but the tone of voice forced to listen. The man on the other end of the line had the manager of the company where he worked Kurbatov. He again said that her husband is no longer with them, and then, after a pause, said that the plane crashed ...

And here her legs became cotton, lost his voice, and then Tatiana sobbed. In memory immediately surfaced that she was trying hard to forget and not to think about it. She thought of white flowers, which she dreamed recently, and it was a bad Gazette. These she saw a young man, before the death of the mother. Then she dreamed that she and her children (she worked in a kindergarten vospitelnitsey) goes on the meadow with white flowers and runs towards her postman, waving a telegram. And in that telegram - the news of the death of his mother. Waking up in a cold sweat, she rejoiced that it was a dream. Her mother was still very young, she was a little over forty, so think of death was ridiculous. Two days later she was out for a walk and saw postwomen children who waved to her and said that she received a telegram. It was written by the mother in serious condition, but it needs urgently to go to her parents' house ... As it turned out, the mother slipped on the wet pavement, hit her head on a rock. Without regaining consciousness, she died ...

Then Tatiana remembered one more thing. All the years of travel, she accompanied her husband to the airport, whether early morning or late evening. Vladimir even demanded to see him off, laughing, that is - as a rite, the wife should accompany the captain, when he leaves for a long time in the sea. After all, the sky - this is the fifth ocean, and in Africa it is called the White captain ... But in his last departure so happened that she was unwell and could not go to the airport.
All this prneslos head in a moment, and then there were tears and immense grief ...

Eyes zaviduschie

The other day, she met a friend who did not know about the death of Vladimir. She began to sympathize with, and then passed by an acquaintance whose name Tatiana call does not want to. That instead of sympathy suddenly said mischievously: "And there was nothing to go on Africa. I chased a lot of money, and that's got »...

What can I say? Yes, Mr Kurbatov no secret that goes to Africa for work. And there, in a foreign country, they do not have Tiffany's on pancakes, it is necessary to plow so called the next time, and so - to take on a job that will not make pilots from Europe. Taken because the state does not protect them fully, they are entirely dependent on the employer who seeks to infringe upon the rights not to pay what is necessary, and that he had promised.

Our pilots and other aviation specialists go to Africa because there is at least paid work there. And she needed to live. To support and provide for the family, children, grandchildren. Do not exist, and live! We went and will go, even on the rights of illegal immigrants, because otherwise it is impossible. He went to the stars

Tatyana Nikolayevna reported that the plane had three passengers. So the two of them were still alive, with the liner is trailing a man broke his leg, and the woman, and all escaped with scratches. And the pilots were broken, the body of Vladimir impact ejected from the cab, he was found in front of airplane. Experts say that the machine upravyali until the last second, and whether the crew more slёtannym, that is, if in place of the young Indian was more experienced pilot, the accident could not happen. But this is just a version of the official conclusion about the cause of the disaster yet.

Vladimir Kurbatov loved guests, treasure them and always tried to treat the glory. He lived by the adage "what is in the oven, all the swords on the table" because guests exhibited everything that was unego. Today, his friends and colleagues will celebrate the Day of Russian civil aviation. Surely he and friends have gathered at the banquet table. Do not gather. He went to the stars. But friends would always remember - as the pilot of God. Certainly in Africa will remember the White captain - because he and colleagues there. And yet - the boy Vova, which is named after the white captain, Vladimir Nikolayevich Kurbatov. Pilot and a man, who had gone to the stars ...


Source: