Thank you for this comment. I was heart broken when I first saw this documentary and watched Captain Georgy lose his wings. I have often wondered what became of him after the events shown in this video. Can you enlighten us?
WOW that is amazing I remember watching this back in 1996 and now i watch it again. I remember feeling so sad for this pilot who obviously loved flying . It was his passion and then suddenly he was forced to stop being a pilot due to his medical situation I remember feeling so sad and almost crying There are only a few things in this world that give us joy and satisfaction and nothing is more sad than knowing the time has come you must face which you must give up your passion. We never know when life will make a turn for us.. Him releasing the little bird free just priceless and precious ... God bless your grandfather Kseniya . I hope he is now flying in the heavens.
In1981 I was living in Kenya and flew to UK in December. Routing Nbo/ Entebbe/ Cairo/ Sofia/ Sheremetevo. Amazing flight..only drinks availabe were russian lemonade or vodka or georgian red wine. All poured from jugs! The crew encouraged the vodka. Limitless.... Arrived in heavy snow..three attenpts to take off to Leningrad skidding on runway..finally took off and skipped Leningrad for unknown reasons. Aborted LHR..tried Edinburgh..then landed in Brussels. Crew..'welcome to London'. Finally reached LHR next afternoon. But hospitality was generous throughout including overnight at Metropole Hotel Brussells. 28 hours nbo/lhr.
I saw this back in the 90s on TV. Loved it. I felt so much sorrow for Captain Georgy when they took his wings. I have often wondered what became of him. Did he find something to do that made him happy again? I hope so. He'll undoubtedly be dead now. So all I can say is Tail winds, clear skies and soft landing to you, Georgy Kudryavtsev
Started watching this and realised: I’ve Seen This Before! Must’ve been back when it first aired. Totally memorable characters, every one world-weary. What an incredible documentary, thanks for the upload.
I love it when Captain Gerrgi Kudryavtsev lights up a cigarette at 1.03:51 after he has been told that he has been medically grounded from flying due to blood pressure. Ahh stuff it !!
I was devastated for Grigori and felt sympathy for the mechanic Oleg Yefrimpv. So much pressure on such a young kid. I found Captain Eduard particularly cinematic. 99% of these people seemed like good people trying to make the best of a difficult situation. But, omg, that marriage pimp woman was so cringe. Never trust a beautiful woman trying to initiate conversation with you. lol@ “can i fasten myself to you?”
I was just watching this and noticing the Russian Pilots commentary being translated into subtitles starting at 4:47 describing how Russian pilots and aviation where being pulled in many different directions. Also how the airline previously focused mainly on pilot training and airline safety and right at 4:58 "But now we are told that business is all that counts" and years past that the airlines and their safety standards dropped dramatically. Here in the US in 2024 I cant help but notice a similar pattern with some airlines (notably Boeing being one) where safety was sacrified over business priority and pilot training over DEI and now Boeing once the flagship of quality and safety has been taken over by buisiness politicans and bean counters and as of lately their planes are starting to fall apart and their stock is slipping . The saying used to be "if it not a Boeing I'm not going !" is now has a different meaning .
Great documentary, but I cried with laughter at 47:26 I wonder how many times he’s done that 😂😂 I swore for him. Is there a doctor on board? The captain has knocked himself out
Giorgi being medixally retired and releasing the bird afrer he buys it and the British businessmen gettign smashed on vodka so over all the delays are the highlights of this.
1:08:57,bird gets sucked into jet engine,so is the life of airline employee,alcoholism,divorce,misery,working nights,weekends,holidays,may God have mercy on our souls.......
I love having places that have not become globalized and standardized. A little less in the aviation industry since it’s been so successful at saving lives. But I won’t begrudge these fellow pilots their fun. But, seriously, it was sad to see what these Russian pilots had to put up with. As this video shows, the stereotype of Russian cowboy pilots is BS. Just as many of them are concerned with safety and quality as anywhere else. And the contingent of “this how a man flys” is certainly no bigger than in the US.
After the collapse of Soviet Union I made regular trips to Russia and other republics between 1992 and 2003...If you didn't have to it was definitely a place that you didn't want to be in...People were depressed nobody was smiling due to economy and country's over all state of course... food wasn't good at all everything tasted bland that was a whole different issue on it's own...And of course air travel... None of the interviewers exaggerate what they've experienced in this video because I have experienced the similar things myself...it was tragic, concerning and you couldn't help but laugh also
The pilots teeth say a lot too, I don’t think I could ever fly with pilots from Russia! I wonder if the passengers are still are allowed to take goats and chickens with them on board, like in the olden days?
Does anybody know what the buskers are playing from 1:05:42 please? I know that it's by Alexander Glasunov/Glazunov, but would love to know the name of the piece.
![1957 | Soviet October Revolution Parade [IN COLOR]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/oyt_RjDfah4/mqdefault.jpg)
I miss the Soviet aircrafts a lot. My dad used the Aeroflot pilot from 1967 to 1997. He flew AN-2, YAK-12, AN-24, AN-26, IL-18 and TU-154.
Thank you very much for this film! I’m happy to find it!!! Georgy Kudryavtsev was my grandfather
Ksenia - I'm sure he must have had many fascinating stories to tell and that you must be very proud of him
Thank you for this comment. I was heart broken when I first saw this documentary and watched Captain Georgy lose his wings. I have often wondered what became of him after the events shown in this video. Can you enlighten us?
WOW that is amazing I remember watching this back in 1996 and now i watch it again. I remember feeling so sad for this pilot who obviously loved flying . It was his passion and then suddenly he was forced to stop being a pilot due to his medical situation I remember feeling so sad and almost crying There are only a few things in this world that give us joy and satisfaction and nothing is more sad than knowing the time has come you must face which you must give up your passion. We never know when life will make a turn for us.. Him releasing the little bird free just priceless and precious ... God bless your grandfather Kseniya . I hope he is now flying in the heavens.
In1981 I was living in Kenya and flew to UK in December.
Routing Nbo/ Entebbe/ Cairo/ Sofia/ Sheremetevo.
Amazing flight..only drinks availabe were russian lemonade or vodka or georgian red wine. All poured from jugs! The crew encouraged the vodka. Limitless....
Arrived in heavy snow..three attenpts to take off to Leningrad skidding on runway..finally took off and skipped Leningrad for unknown reasons.
Aborted LHR..tried Edinburgh..then landed in Brussels.
Crew..'welcome to London'.
Finally reached LHR next afternoon.
But hospitality was generous throughout including overnight at Metropole Hotel Brussells.
28 hours nbo/lhr.
I saw this back in the 90s on TV. Loved it. I felt so much sorrow for Captain Georgy when they took his wings. I have often wondered what became of him. Did he find something to do that made him happy again? I hope so. He'll undoubtedly be dead now. So all I can say is Tail winds, clear skies and soft landing to you, Georgy Kudryavtsev
Phenomenal piece. I almost cried at 1:08:00 ... such a powerful moment. Thank you for posting!
same here! watch till the end
Respect to these guys. They were true pilots. Skilled aviators from a great era.
I enjoy the part when the young stewardess receives electric sleep treatment. It relaxes me, as if I'm receiving it.
This is amazing, thank you for uploading and preserving this.
Started watching this and realised: I’ve Seen This Before! Must’ve been back when it first aired. Totally memorable characters, every one world-weary. What an incredible documentary, thanks for the upload.
I love it when Captain Gerrgi Kudryavtsev lights up a cigarette at 1.03:51 after he has been told that he has been medically grounded from flying due to blood pressure. Ahh stuff it !!
I’m just blown away by all those bells and alarms on that first approach. Wowza!
We don't need no automation.... Nor warnings.
Guess he proved it there!
Nothing more than minimums, inner marker etc. All airplanes do it.
Those were rough times in Russia including in aviation, I'm glad that it climbed out!
Oleshuk gone to his last flight to heaven couple days ago. RIP.
How did I you know this? & the other 2, Sasha & Georgi, I often think are they alive now as it's been about 25 years since I 1st saw this documentary.
I love the Tel Aviv story!
I was devastated for Grigori and felt sympathy for the mechanic Oleg Yefrimpv. So much pressure on such a young kid. I found Captain Eduard particularly cinematic. 99% of these people seemed like good people trying to make the best of a difficult situation. But, omg, that marriage pimp woman was so cringe. Never trust a beautiful woman trying to initiate conversation with you.
lol@ “can i fasten myself to you?”
The funniest part the women air traffic controllers drinking vodka at lunchtime.
I was just watching this and noticing the Russian Pilots commentary being translated into subtitles starting at 4:47 describing how Russian pilots and aviation where being pulled in many different directions. Also how the airline previously focused mainly on pilot training and airline safety and right at 4:58 "But now we are told that business is all that counts" and years past that the airlines and their safety standards dropped dramatically. Here in the US in 2024 I cant help but notice a similar pattern with some airlines (notably Boeing being one) where safety was sacrified over business priority and pilot training over DEI and now Boeing once the flagship of quality and safety has been taken over by buisiness politicans and bean counters and as of lately their planes are starting to fall apart and their stock is slipping . The saying used to be "if it not a Boeing I'm not going !" is now has a different meaning .
Great documentary, but I cried with laughter at 47:26 I wonder how many times he’s done that 😂😂 I swore for him. Is there a doctor on board? The captain has knocked himself out
I wish there were a follow up on what came of the protagonists; from the pilots to the flight attendants to the engineer. Fascinating people
Giorgi being medixally retired and releasing the bird afrer he buys it and the British businessmen gettign smashed on vodka so over all the delays are the highlights of this.
With what's happening in Russia and Ukraine these days, we may very well be going back to the days of Airplaneski...
Waittt a minute I recognize that master caution alarm came from 747 classic at 4:07. Definitely not from a ilyushin alarm
Wow thanks!
1:08:57,bird gets sucked into jet engine,so is the life of airline employee,alcoholism,divorce,misery,working nights,weekends,holidays,may God have mercy on our souls.......
It would be so easy to make a comedy trailer out of this. Bless them.
Interesting documentary. Very good.
I love having places that have not become globalized and standardized. A little less in the aviation industry since it’s been so successful at saving lives. But I won’t begrudge these fellow pilots their fun. But, seriously, it was sad to see what these Russian pilots had to put up with. As this video shows, the stereotype of Russian cowboy pilots is BS. Just as many of them are concerned with safety and quality as anywhere else. And the contingent of “this how a man flys” is certainly no bigger than in the US.
Faces like from the early Scooby Doos villains
47:25 lol
After the collapse of Soviet Union I made regular trips to Russia and other republics between 1992 and 2003...If you didn't have to it was definitely a place that you didn't want to be in...People were depressed nobody was smiling due to economy and country's over all state of course... food wasn't good at all everything tasted bland that was a whole different issue on it's own...And of course air travel... None of the interviewers exaggerate what they've experienced in this video because I have experienced the similar things myself...it was tragic, concerning and you couldn't help but laugh also
19:00 "In 'normal' countries (!!?!) pilots don't drink at all before they fly... " - that says a lot.
The pilots teeth say a lot too, I don’t think I could ever fly with pilots from Russia! I wonder if the passengers are still are allowed to take goats and chickens with them on board, like in the olden days?
они и не пили,это вода)
Does anybody know what the buskers are playing from 1:05:42 please? I know that it's by Alexander Glasunov/Glazunov, but would love to know the name of the piece.
I think its: Vittorio Monti - Czardasz Ciardaș
45:00 Yea I wonder as well who would take over after Yeltsin. I hope its only a 4 year term. 😆
Coming soon AIRPLANESKI 2!!! we have a bunch of stolen Boeings and airbuses
Anyone know the song starting at 10:48?
50:04 own seat and nobody drunk next to me 😄 who needs first class anyway.
19:29 😍
Георгий Титович...жалко ..