The pilot from god nikolay maidanov. A pilot from God. Heroes don't give up. And don't die

February 7 - Birthday of Nikolai Maidanov - a helicopter pilot from God, a man of unparalleled courage and courage. Afghanistan and Chechnya remember his fighting qualities. Hero of the Soviet Union and Hero of Russia. According to his colleagues, Maidanov's flying skills were so high that he - one of the few pilots - was allowed to search for bandit formations in the "free hunt" mode, that is, without coordination with the command of the aviation unit.

AFGHANISTAN SOUND IN HIS SOUL

The fact that Nikolai Maidanov would link his life with heaven was predetermined.

He was born on February 7, 1956 in a village with the heavenly name Taskuduk (translated from Kazakh means "a well of stars") of the Dzhambul district of the Ural region in a friendly large family. Served urgently in the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany. Immediately upon his return, in 1976, he entered and in 1980 graduated from the Saratov Higher Military Aviation School. He served in the Odessa, Turkestan and Trans-Baikal military districts, flying the combat Mi-24 - the famous crocodile.

In 1984, Maidanov first came to Afghanistan. On his first business trip, he spent "only" a year there. But fame came to him during his second business trip. He took part in landing operations in the area of Pandsher, Tashkuduk, Mazar-i-Sharif, Ghazni, Jalalabad, having landed more than two hundred reconnaissance groups. I went out on caravans regularly. It was then that Nikolai Maidanov was nicknamed the lucky Kolya.

Maidan recorded its first large caravan of one hundred and ninety-three pack animals on May 12, 1987. They took such trophies that in Kabul they did not know what to do for joy: sixty MANPADS, five hundred rockets, shots for grenade launchers, zinc with cartridges.

The crew of the lucky Kolya, consisting of navigator Valery Almakov and flight engineer Sergei Lazarev, discovered and destroyed ten caravans with weapons in a year. This is not counting the daily delivery of groceries, mail and medicine. The spooks felt the hard way that aces were working on the border with Pakistan. In the Pakistani camps, a special detachment was created to combat helicopter pilots working "in caravans."

After the death of several crews, the helicopter pilots had to change their tactics. Maidanov himself once almost fell into a trap. We flew out on the "hunt" in the evening. We walked, as usual, at an ultra-low altitude. Immediately beyond the ridge, the leader noticed the saddled horses. They sat down. The paratroopers captured them. And then mortars hit them, trying to cut them off from the helicopters. It turned out that the "spirits" deliberately left the animals in a conspicuous place, and the helicopter pilots were caught "with live bait." Then they managed to slip out of the trap, but the pilot of the second crew, Lieutenant Andrey Prozorov, was seriously wounded.

In 1988, Nikolai Maidanov performed a feat for which he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. A special forces group and two helicopters were ambushed by a Dushman. The rotorcraft were burned, their crews, along with the landing party, dug in, fought. There was only hope for a miracle. But ... either all, or none! Maidanov evacuated all forty-six soldiers and officers in one flight under hurricane enemy fire!

There is in his biography a case of rescuing an ejected Su-25 pilot near Tulukan. Unfortunately, the author of the publication has not yet been able to establish the name and surname of the pilot. Two Afghan missions of the lucky Kolya were summed up by the entry in his attestation documents: “Military pilot of the 2nd class, Captain Maidanov, twice performed his international duty in the Republic of Afghanistan. During this period, he flew 1250 sorties. The total flight time was 1100 hours. He was awarded the Gold Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union, the Orders of Lenin, the Red Banner, the Red Star, "For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" III degree.

HEROES DO NOT GIVE UP. AND DO NOT DIE

The counter-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus became a decisive period in the life of the state and Colonel Maidanov. Russia has really begun to restore order in chaos-ridden Chechnya, without stopping and marking time. Military aviators took the most direct part in restoring law and order. Nikolai Maidanov was always at the forefront of events. Since August 1999, he has been taking part in the counter-terrorist operation in Dagestan - he has landed six tactical assault forces. For Botlikh he was awarded the Order of Courage.

For a month and a half of Chechen battles, the Soviet awards of Maidanov were also supplemented by the Suvorov medal, award weapons, a watch from the Minister of Defense and a presentation to the Order of Merit for the Fatherland IV and III degrees.

On December 13, 1999, Maidanov was again on the verge of death, rescuing crews and troops from three downed helicopters in the mouth of the Argun Gorge. His turntable was beaten from forty (!) Firing points.

Fifteen holes on board and a broken fuel line ... But Maidanov followed the order. Two weeks later, he saved the commander of the group in the North Caucasus, Colonel-General Viktor Kazantsev, and journalists from death, having managed to stop the ice-covered helicopter on the edge of the abyss.

Nikolai Maidanov's wife Tatyana recalled: “About a day before leaving for Chechnya, Nikolai thought and fell silent, which rarely happened to him. And tomorrow he will fly (at six o'clock they have already left the garrison), he wakes up at three o'clock in the morning, sits on the bed and says: "Tanya, let's go baptized today."

On January 29, 2000, Colonel Maidanov was tasked with landing a group of troops in the Wahhabis' zone of operation. In fact, this meant planting combat vehicles in the very den of bandit formations. To say that the task was associated with a risk to life is to say nothing. The helicopter pilots went into the thick of it.

Immediately after the landing, it became clear that our soldiers were already expected here. A detachment of paratroopers was ambushed - under powerful crossfire for the time being of a hidden enemy. In the first moments of the fleeting battle, several of our soldiers were wounded.

The landing party was doomed to perish. Nikolai Maidanov has almost no time left to think. The commander of the helicopter pilots made the only decision possible in this situation - to take the spetsnaz group back to his board. According to Nikolai Maidanov's colleague, helicopter pilot Viktor Nikolayev, Suvorov's law "Die yourself, and help your comrade" was dissolved in Maidanov's hot blood. “He never abandoned his comrades in trouble. Before God I testify about this with all my experience, when Nikolay and I fought shoulder to shoulder in Afghanistan, ”Nikolayev recalled.

The enemy concentrated fire on Maidanov's helicopter. A sniper hit the commander. The bullet hit the dashboard and ricocheted into his chest, hitting the heart area. But even such a severe wound was not fatal for him. Maidanov did not let go of the steering wheel.

“Already at the time of the climb, Nikolai was again seriously wounded - in the neck. The most important arteries were damaged, the cervical vertebrae were broken. But he continued to personally control the rotorcraft - and almost brought it to base. That is why he was - a pilot from God! In this almost dead state, he steered the board for another fifteen minutes. And only when he was convinced that everyone was already saved and that no one was in danger, while in the air, he transferred control to the right pilot and died in the hands of the flight engineer in the sky. The helicopter landed his co-pilot ... - V. Nikolaev told about the last minutes of the life of the Orthodox pilot. - In the detachment of helicopter pilots, no one wanted to believe in the death of their beloved commander. The hardened peasants, who had gone through the heat of many fierce battles, wept bitterly at such a loss, like little children. Until now, and I can not understand the death of my fighting friend. Despite the belated efforts of the front-line doctors, the hero's soul flew away from us, earthly, into an unattainable heavenly distance. "

Nikolai Maidanov was buried on February 2 in the Alley of Heroes of the cemetery in the name of the Monk Seraphim of Sarov in St. Petersburg. In 2000, by the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation, Nikolai Sainovich Maidanov was awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation (posthumously).

(Shield and sword # 5/1213)

On February 7, Hero of the Soviet Union, Hero of the Russian Federation Nikolai Maidanov would have turned 54 years old.

Nikolai Maidanov is a helicopter pilot from God, a man of unparalleled courage and courage. Afghanistan and Chechnya remember his fighting qualities. Hero of the Soviet Union and Hero of Russia. According to his colleagues, Maidanov's flying skills were so high that he, one of the few pilots, was allowed to search for bandit formations in the "free hunt" mode, that is, without coordination with the command of the aviation unit. The pilots considered it an honor to fly with him. And the "spirits" would be happy to know the routes of his flights ...

Afghanistan sounded in his soul

The fact that Nikolai Maidanov would connect his life with the sky was predetermined.

He was born on February 7, 1956 in a village with the heavenly name Taskuduk (translated from Kazakh as "a well of stars") of the Dzhambul district of the Ural region in a friendly large family. Served urgently in the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany. Immediately upon his return, in 1976, he entered and in 1980 graduated from the Saratov Higher Military Aviation School. He served in the Odessa, Turkestan and Trans-Baikal military districts, flying the combat Mi-24 - the famous "crocodile".

In 1984, Maidanov first came to Afghanistan. He spent "only" a year there that time. But fame came to him during the second command-
rocking. He took part in landing operations in the area of Panjer, Tashkuduk, Mazar-i-Sharif, Ghazni, Jalalabad, having landed more than 200 reconnaissance groups. I went out on caravans regularly. It was then that the nickname Kolya the lucky one stuck to Nikolai Maidanov.

Maidan recorded its first large caravan of 193 pack animals on May 12, 1987. The trophies were impressive: 60 MANPADS, 500 rockets, shots for grenade launchers, zinc with cartridges.

In just 15 months, the crew of the lucky Kolya, consisting of navigator Valery Almakov and flight engineer Sergei Lazarev, discovered and destroyed ten caravans with weapons. This is not counting the daily delivery of groceries, mail and medicine. The spooks felt the hard way that aces were working on the border with Pakistan. In Pakistani camps, a special detachment was created to combat helicopter pilots working "in caravans."

After the death of several crews, the helicopter pilots had to change their tactics. Maidanov himself once almost fell into a trap. We flew out on the "hunt" in the evening. We walked, as usual, at an ultra-low altitude. Immediately beyond the ridge, the leader noticed the saddled horses. They sat down. The paratroopers captured them. And then mortars hit them, trying to cut them off from the helicopters. It turned out that the "spirits" deliberately left the animals in a conspicuous place, and the helicopter pilots were caught with live bait. Then they managed to slip out of the trap, but the pilot of the second crew, Lieutenant Andrey Prozorov, was seriously wounded.

In 1988, Nikolai Maidanov performed a feat for which he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. A special forces group and two helicopters were ambushed by a Dushman. The rotorcraft were burned, their crews, along with the landing force, dug in, fought, one could only hope for a miracle. Maidanov evacuated all 46 soldiers and officers in one flight under hurricane fire from the enemy!

There is in his biography a case of rescuing an ejected Su-25 pilot near Tulukan. Unfortunately, the author of the publication has not yet been able to establish the name and surname of the pilot.

Two Afghan missions of the lucky Kolya were summed up by the entry in his certification documents: "The military pilot of the 2nd class, Captain Maidanov, twice performed international duty in the Republic of Afghanistan. During this period, he flew 1250 combat missions. The total flight time was 1100 hours. He was awarded the Gold Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union. Union, Orders of Lenin, Red Banner, Red Star, "For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" III degree.

Heroes don't give up. And don't die

The counter-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus became an important milestone in the life of the state and Colonel Maidanov. Russia has really begun to restore order to the chaos-ridden Chechnya, without stopping and marking time. Nikolai Maidanov was at the forefront of events ... Since August 1999, he has been taking part in the counter-terrorist operation in Dagestan - he has landed 6 tactical assault forces. For Botlikh he was awarded the Order of Courage.

For a month and a half of work in Chechnya, the Suvorov medal, award weapons, a watch from the Minister of Defense and a presentation to two orders "For Services to the Fatherland" IV and III degrees were added to the Soviet awards of the famous pilot.

On December 13, 1999, Maidanov again found himself on the verge of death, rescuing crews and troops from three downed helicopters in the mouth of the Argun Gorge. His turntable was beaten from forty (!) Firing points. 15 holes and a broken fuel line ... But Maidanov followed the order. Two weeks later, he saved the commander of the group in the North Caucasus, Colonel-General Viktor Kazantsev, and journalists from death, having managed to stop the ice-covered helicopter on the edge of the abyss.

Nikolai's wife Tatyana recalled: "About a day before leaving for Chechnya, he thought and fell silent, which rarely happened to him. Tomorrow he should fly. At three o'clock in the morning he wakes up, sits on the bed and says:" Tanya, let's go baptized today. "

On January 29, 2000, Colonel Maidanov was tasked with landing a group of troops in the zone of operation of the Wahhabite militants. In fact, this meant planting combat vehicles in the very den of bandit formations. To say that the assignment was life-threatening is to say nothing. The helicopter pilots went into the thick of it.

Immediately after disembarkation, it became clear that ours were already expected here. A detachment of paratroopers was ambushed - under powerful crossfire for the time being of a hidden enemy. In the first moments of the fleeting battle, several of our soldiers were wounded.

The landing party was doomed to perish. Nikolai Maidanov did not have time to think. The commander of the helicopter pilots made the only decision possible in this situation - to take the spetsnaz group back to his board. According to his colleague Viktor Nikolayev, Suvorov's law "perish yourself, and help your comrade" was in Maidanov's hot blood. "He never abandoned his comrades in trouble. Before God I testify to this with all my experience, when Nikolai and I fought shoulder to shoulder in Afghanistan," Nikolayev recalled.

The enemy concentrated fire on Maidanov's helicopter. A sniper hit the commander. The bullet hit the dashboard and ricocheted into his chest, hitting the heart. But even such a severe wound was not fatal for him. Maidanov did not let go of the steering wheel.

“Already at the time of climb, Nikolai was again seriously wounded in the neck. The most important arteries were damaged, the cervical vertebrae were broken. But he continued to personally control the rotorcraft and almost brought it to the base. That was why he was a pilot from God! that everyone was already saved and no one was in danger, he, being in the air, passed the control stick to the right pilot and died in the hands of a flight engineer in the sky. those who had gone through the heat of many fierce battles, wept bitterly at such a loss, like little children. Until now, I cannot understand the death of a fighting friend. "

Nikolai Maidanov was buried on February 2 in the Alley of Heroes of the cemetery in the name of St. Seraphim of Sarov in St. Petersburg. In 2000, by the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation, Nikolai Sainovich Maidanov was awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation (posthumously).

AFGHANISTAN SOUND IN HIS SOUL

The fact that Nikolai Maidanov would link his life with heaven was predetermined.

HEROES DO NOT GIVE UP. AND DO NOT DIE

These are the films and stories that should be shown to modern schoolchildren.

A film about the legendary helicopter pilot, Colonel Nikolai Maidanov, the hero of the Soviet Union, the hero of Russia, who went through the Afghan and Chechen wars. Nikolai Maidanov, in difficult mountain conditions, developed his own helicopter landing and takeoff system. Killed in Chechnya in 2000 while carrying out a combat mission. Taking on board the wounded and the landing, falling under the crossfire of the enemy, bleeding, took everyone from the battlefield, and died, having landed the helicopter.

Nikolai Maidanov is one of four people awarded both the title of Hero of the Soviet Union and Hero of the Russian Federation, and the only one to whom both titles were awarded for exploits on the battlefield.

Despite the fact that his father was Kazakh and his mother was German, Nikolai Maidanov, at the age of 40, decided to be baptized, to accept the Orthodox faith. Major General A.M. Filipenok became the godfather.

Anatoly Vyacheslavovich Lebed, the future Hero of Russia, the only special forces officer who served with a prosthesis, was a flight technician on Maidanov's helicopter during his service in Transbaikalia and the Afghan war.

Nikolai Maidanov is a man of unparalleled courage and courage. Afghanistan and Chechnya remember his fighting qualities. Hero of the Soviet Union and Hero of Russia. According to his colleagues, Maidanov's flying skills were so high that he - one of the few pilots - was allowed to search for bandit formations in the "free hunt" mode, that is, without coordination with the command of the aviation unit.

AFGHANISTAN SOUND IN HIS SOUL

The fact that Nikolai Maidanov would link his life with heaven was predetermined.

HEROES DO NOT GIVE UP. AND DO NOT DIE

“Already at the time of the climb, Nikolai was again seriously wounded - in the neck. The most important arteries were damaged, the cervical vertebrae were broken. But he continued to personally control the rotorcraft - and almost brought it to base. That's why he was - a pilot from God! In this almost dead state, he steered the board for another fifteen minutes. And only when he was convinced that everyone was already saved and that no one was in danger, while in the air, he transferred control to the right pilot and died in the hands of the flight engineer in the sky. The helicopter landed his co-pilot ... - V. Nikolaev told about the last minutes of the life of the famous pilot. - In the detachment of helicopter pilots, no one wanted to believe in the death of their beloved commander. The hardened peasants, who had gone through the heat of many fierce battles, wept bitterly at such a loss, like little children. Until now, and I can not understand the death of my fighting friend. Despite the belated efforts of the front-line doctors, the hero's soul flew away from us, earthly, into an unattainable heavenly distance. "

Nikolai Maidanov was buried in the Alley of Heroes of the cemetery in the name of the Monk Seraphim of Sarov in St. Petersburg. In 2000, by the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation, Nikolai Sainovich Maidanov was awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation (posthumously).

They say about such a person that he was born in the sky, that he is a pilot from God. Yet
as a child, he dreamed of becoming a helicopter pilot. The fact that the elder brother Alexander in the family was also preparing himself for future flights was not a decisive factor for Vladimir, he just wanted to fly himself.

Vladimir Nikitich Bessonov was born in Moscow, almost in its very center, near the Arbat in 1959. At school he studied at "good" and "excellent", went in for sports. Even then, he clearly understood that in order to achieve the set goal, it was necessary to work hard and gain knowledge. Flying helicopters always aroused awe in his soul, and he watched them go with the hope that he himself would soon be able to fly too.

After graduating from high school, Vladimir entered and successfully graduated from the Volchansk Aviation School of Pilots of the USSR DOSAAF, having received the specialty of an instructor pilot in helicopters. Realizing that this education was not enough, he graduated from the Moscow Institute of Civil Aviation Engineers in 1986, becoming a pilot-engineer. After assignment, he was sent to work at NPO Vzlyot, where he was immediately sent for training at the Center for Training and Improvement of Flight Personnel of the Ministry of Aviation Industry. In October 1987, he was qualified as a 3rd class test pilot. So the childhood dream came true, Vladimir began to fly.

When I met with Vladimir, I expected from him exciting stories about difficult flights, about various stories of testing aviation technology, about working abroad. With the dictaphone turned on, he answered all the questions unambiguously - ordinary work, we carry out the assigned tasks.

Here you, the police, catch crooks and bandits, and I just fly.

Without a dictaphone, the conversation went more confidential.

Currently, Vladimir Nikitich has more than 9,500 flight hours on various modifications of helicopters and airplanes. He mastered more than 20 types of aircraft, namely: Mi-1, Mi-2, Mi-8 and its modifications, Mi-17 and its modifications, Mi-171, Mi-172, Mi-6 and its modifications,
Mi-10K, Mi-24 and its modifications, Mi-26T, Mi-34, Ka-32 and its modifications, MD-500,
VK-1171S2, An-2, An-24, An-26, An-12. Has permission to fly foreign helicopters E-480, AS-350, BELL 206 L-3, ES-145, A-139. But most of all he liked to fly the Mi-1. He regrets that this helicopter is now out of production. Says it is
a unique model that allows you to quickly learn the technique of its piloting, adapt to the car and operate it competently.

Today, Vladimir is trusted to perform unique tasks that only select pilots in Russia can handle. In the North Caucasus, he is restoring cell towers in the mountains. Moreover, the operation of his helicopter is insured by combat Mi-24s, which, if necessary, fire off thermal missiles, thus protecting it from the Stingers hitting the hovering helicopter.

Recently, in St. Petersburg, he was replacing an analog antenna with a digital one on a city television tower. This work must be done with pinpoint precision. Clearly interact with ground installers who regulate the process of fixing and installing the structure. In this case, there should be no distortions, it is necessary to maintain the vertical line of placing the load.

The Russian Orthodox Church entrusts him with the reconstruction of churches. So, in Tambov, Vladimir installed a 21-meter gilded cross on the bell tower. Near Kursk, he erected a 16-ton dome on the church cathedral. In the Noginsk region, he had to install first the bells, and then the church dome.

Probably, every pilot in his work experienced minutes when his life depended on decisions made in a matter of seconds. Vladimir Nikitich was tested by fate more than once. Working in Ukraine, while landing on a Mi-2 helicopter, the left engine caught fire. The sensors signaling the fire did not work, therefore the fire extinguishing system was not turned on in time. Thanks to his high skill, Vladimir landed a burning helicopter, which was extinguished by ground services. Most recently, he was on a mission in India. The flight route took place in such a way that I had to fly in the mountains over the territory of Bhutan. On the Mi-8, on which he flew, the equipment failed and had to perform an emergency hard landing. Vladimir remembered the cordial attitude of local residents, who brought food and water to the pilots and helped in eliminating the deficiencies of the helicopter.

In 1992, Vladimir Nikitich, together with a group of Moscow policemen, was sent to the United States to learn how to work on a police helicopter. American teachers were very surprised why Russian pilots boarded an American helicopter and after a short time could take off themselves and carry out any flight tasks without any problems. Their pilots could not fly at all on Russian helicopters. Vladimir explained everything very simply:

The training methodology for Russian pilots is better than for American ones. We have it all-round. The pilot performs all actions at his own discretion. For the Americans, everything is done according to the instructions. Our pilot works on the principle of "possible" or "impossible", and the Americans need to explain everything, give an order. They cannot deviate from the instructions. I remember how I myself got into the cockpit of an American helicopter, studied all the instruments, understood what and how it works, and was already ready to fly.

After returning from the USA after training, it was Bessonov who received the keys to BELL 206 L-3 on Manezhnaya Square during the presentation of the police helicopter, which he flew as the first pilot. Vladimir worked for 14 years in the helicopter unit of the Moscow police. In addition to BELL, he flew the Mi-8, Ka-32. All police observer pilots who worked with Vladimir are grateful to him for teaching them, giving competent advice: how to fly in adverse weather conditions, in fog, in strong winds. He himself recalls with satisfaction the work of the police. Says he liked the process of organizing the work. The task was set and the police officers knew what to do, how to accomplish this task. I often felt unity in the air-ground interaction. He recalls how they rescued a drowning man, how they were the first to discover fires, how they detained with the help of patrol police officers the burglars who entered the apartment on a rope from the roof of the house. Vladimir Nikitich claims that the period of work in the helicopter unit of the Moscow Main Internal Affairs Directorate was for him the best in his life.

Vladimir considers himself a happy person. He enjoys life, loves his job, family, and has two sons. By the way, the eldest son Maxim followed in his father's footsteps, serves in one of the units of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in Moscow, has the rank of senior police lieutenant. In his free time from flying, Vladimir is fond of computers.

For high performance, professionalism and courage in performing assignments to Vladimir Nikitich Bessonov, President of Russia Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin awarded the high title "Honored Test Pilot of Russia". Thank you, Vladimir, for your service. We are proud to meet you.

Alexander OBOIDIKHIN

Photo from the archive of V. BESSONOV