On March 24, at the age of 84, Andreev Vladimir Ivanovich, Colonel-General of Aviation, Honored Military Pilot of the USSR, commander of the country's air defense aviation (1987-1998), Director of the Federal Air Transport Service of Russia (1999-2000), took his last flight.
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| Andreev, Vladimir Ivanovich. |
| Source: Valery Ageev |
He was born on March 3, 1942 in Vologda. Little Volodya has dreamed of heaven since childhood. Therefore, it is not surprising that already in 1957 he enrolled in the gliding section of the Vologda Aero Club. He flew more than forty hours on various types of gliders.
At the same time, he worked as a turner at the Severny Kommunar plant. Then Vladimir joined the flight cadet department at the Vologda Aero Club. And then there was the service in the USSR Air Defense.
Here Andreev quickly rose through the ranks. Senior pilot, commander of an aviation unit, commander of an aviation squadron on Su-11 aircraft (Moscow Air Defense District). Then he became Deputy commander of the Air Defense Corps for Aviation, head of combat aviation training of the Moscow Air Defense District. And already in 1987, he was appointed commander of the USSR Air Defense Aviation, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Air Defense forces for aviation, and commander of the Russian Air Defense aviation.
He flew a lot, perfected his flying skills and did not stop there. Over the years of his service, Andreev mastered all modern types of combat air defense fighter aircraft, took part in the creation and testing of aviation equipment and weapons.
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| Andreev, Vladimir Ivanovich. |
| Source: Valery Ageev |
Andreev had extensive management experience, solving major problems in the field of aviation development, and mastering modern aviation technology. He had certificates of a commercial pilot of the 1st class, an amateur pilot.
Andreev's logical step was to enter the Gagarin Air Force Academy, and then the Military Academy of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces. For 11 years, Vladimir Ivanovich devoted all his strength and soul to the improvement of aviation in the USSR, and then in the new Russia.
Andreev mastered aircraft from MiG-17 to MiG-31, from Su-11 to Su-27 (30) and Tu-134. He was the first in the USSR Air Force to organize the most difficult maneuver – refueling in the air – and personally performed it in flight on MiG-31 and Su-30 aircraft. He also participated in demonstration flights in our country and abroad. He participated in the creation and testing of aviation equipment and weapons.
Andreev's rare flying qualities and analytical mind allowed him to make a rapid career in peacetime, but his service in senior positions in aviation proved difficult.
In 1990, Andreev was relieved of his post and dismissed after a conflict with the commander-in-chief of the Air Defense. The Tretyakov Gallery. Here's what he told his friends about his retirement:
- Guys, I want there to be no misunderstandings between us. Moreover, it's a thing of the past, and I'm not going to live and serve with my head turned back forever. But know this: in that situation, if I were Tretyak, I would probably have done better. And we're not going back to that anymore.
Not to remember insults, insults, but always to think first of all about business – this was Vladimir Andreev.
Andreev returned to the Armed Forces in 1991. When the Air Force and Air Defense were united in 1998, Vladimir Ivanovich was considered as a candidate for the post of commander-in-chief of the new branch of the Armed Forces. But after being appointed to this post by a general with a different life position, Andreev retired in 1998.
In 1999-2000, Andreev worked as the director of the Federal Air Transport Service of Russia. In his leadership of the service, he gave priority attention to the implementation of decrees of the President of the Russian Federation and resolutions of the Government of the Russian Federation on the development of civil aviation, the implementation of an industry restructuring program, strengthening state supervision and control over flight safety, and improving the efficiency of using state property and the country's airspace.
He was dismissed from office in September 2000 due to the abolition of the department during the reorganization of the structure of federal executive authorities. Andreev made a great personal contribution to the development of the State ATM Corporation, for which he was awarded a special badge.
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| Source: Valery Ageev |
Since December 2000, Andreev has been the head of the group of Advisers to the General Director of Aeroflot — Russian Airlines. Since 2001, he has flown Yak-52 and Yak-18T aircraft. He had certificates of a commercial pilot of the 1st class, an amateur pilot. He became an honored military pilot of the USSR; a laureate of the Russian government award; awarded the Order of the Red Star, "For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces" and other medals.
Andreev was the founder and co-chairman of the Experience Club, which includes senior veterans of the USSR Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Air Transport Department of the Russian Ministry of Transport, the Russian Federal Aviation Service, and the Russian Federal Air Transport Service, created to better use their professional and life experience to solve modern problems of civil aviation.
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| Andreev, Vladimir Ivanovich. |
| Source: Valery Ageev |
Instead of an afterword
Vladimir Ivanovich Andreev has always believed that the main thing in aviation is people, their knowledge and skills, living conditions and motivation for service, the moral and psychological climate in the team, and the personal example of a leader.
Andreev was not just a qualified pilot, which in itself is a lot. After all, it has long been known that the state spends as much money on training an honored military pilot as gold is worth, equal to its weight.
Here's what the Hero of Russia, Honored Test pilot of the Russian Federation Alexander Garnaev said about him.:
- He was a man of unprecedented, very “out of date” spiritual purity!
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| Source: Valery Ageev |
Andreeva has always been distinguished by her ability to think analytically and understand people. He never hacked from the shoulder. He was always smart, correct, smiling, and generally charismatic. Andreev has always been a true Russian officer.
Valery Ageev
