Alexander Yakovlev — biography and achievementsAlexander Yakovlev — biography and achievements

Life and work in aviation

Alexander Sergeyevich Yakovlev (1906–1989) was a Soviet designer whose school developed training, sporting, combat and passenger aircraft. Early designs grew from gliding and instruction; later work included wartime fighters and the Yak-40 regional jet. Training, manoeuvrability, mass production and regional transport placed different demands on aircraft and the design organisation.

From airframe AVF-10 to AIR-1

In 1924, the training glider AVF-10 flew, and on May 12, 1927, Julian Piontkovsky flew the first Yakovlev Air-1 aircraft. This date is considered the beginning of the history of the Bureau. Early designs were relatively small, but required full coordination of design, engine, and control. They allowed to develop design skills and get feedback from a person who directly tested the new device.

The learning machine as a separate task

UT-2 and subsequent training aircraft of the Yakovlev school helped train pilots. Such a machine should give a clear response to control and support consistent learning skills. The training assignment can not be evaluated only by the maximum speed: review, behavior at low speeds, the work of the instructor and the ability to repeat exercises are important. This explains why training aviation remained a significant direction even with the development of high-speed combat aircraft.

Fighters and the transition to jet propulsion

Yak-1, Yak-7, Yak-9 and Yak-3 are associated with the military period of the team. Their design has changed under the influence of production and application practices. After the war, there was a jet Yak-15, then other devices of the new generation. The transition from propeller to jet thrust changed the requirements for the aircraft, but did not eliminate the need for convenient piloting, testing and steady release. Yakovlev’s contribution should be considered together with the work of the specialists of his bureau.

Yak-40 and local air lines

Yak-40 first flew in 1966 and became a jet passenger aircraft for local lines. It was a different task than creating a fighter: the carrier needed suitable capacity, maintenance and the ability to work on relatively small airfields. Modern aircraft enterprise "Yakovlev" refers to the further history of the company. They can not be automatically declared personal projects of Alexander Sergeevich only by the current name of the manufacturer.

How aviation experience becomes a profession

Pilot training combines theoretical knowledge and practical management. Training aircraft are chosen not only for simplicity, but also for the ability to form the necessary skills. The student must understand the actions in the cabin, notice the change in conditions and follow the established procedures. The first independent flights are a stage of training, and not the final confirmation of readiness for any type of machine. Further transition requires additional preparation for new systems and tasks.

Crew work is different than single piloting. The responsibilities are distributed so that people can control each other’s actions and maintain the overall picture of the flight. The commander is responsible for decisions within his role, but does not replace the rest of the specialists. In historical aviation, a separate task was often performed by a navigator. The development of devices changed the organization of work, but the need for coordination of actions remained on more modern technology.

The instructor should not only manage the aircraft well, but also explain the sequence of actions. It is important to notice the cause of the error, and not only its external result. Preparation includes the repetition of tasks in the prescribed conditions and a gradual complication. Through this work, personal experience becomes available to other people. Therefore, the contribution of an aviation specialist can be in the training of dozens of pilots, even if his name is not associated with the loudest record of the era.

Military, sports and civil aviation use different programs and tasks. Qualifying in one area does not automatically allow admission to another. The description of the biography should take into account the specific period of service, the type of aircraft and the nature of the work. This helps to understand a person’s real skills: piloting, instructor practice, command, or testing. Historical experience serves as a material for studying the profession, but does not replace the modern requirements for training and admission.

Major achievements

• He founded a school of educational and sports aircraft
• He led the creation of fighters of the Yak family
• Developed jet passenger aircraft of local lines with Yak-40

Aircraft and flying machines

• AVF-10
• AIR-1
• UT-2
• Yak-3
• Yak-9
• Yak-15
• Yak-40

Organisations and events

Yakovlev Design Bureau

• Flight Air-1 in 1927
• Transition to jet aircraft in the 1940s
• First flight of Yak-40 in 1966

Questions about this biography

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