Ruben Yesayan
| Ruben Yesayan | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
November 24, 1946 Yerevan, Armenian SSR |
| Nationality | Russian |
| Occupation | Test pilot |
| Awards | Hero of the Russian Federation |
Ruben Tatevosovich Yesayan (born November 24, 1946) is a Russian-Armenian test pilot. Yesayan tested several aircraft, including Tupolev Tu-334, Tupolev Tu-154, Ilyushin Il-76MF, Ilyushin Il-96 and Ilyushin Il-114, and received the title of the Hero of the Russian Federation.[1]
Life
Yesayan was born on November 24, 1946 in Yerevan, then in the Soviet Union. He graduated from Sasovo Flight Academy, Civil Aviation Academy and the Soviet Academy of Test Pilots.[1]
In 2013, Yesayan, together with other Russian test pilots, signed an open letter to Vladimir Putin, criticizing the United Aircraft Corporation for not producing civilian airliners and outlining other shortcomings in the Russian aviation industry.[2]
In 2014, Yesayan's crew landed Tu-154 aircraft on the short runway of a Samara training airfield, where Tu-154 have never landed before.[3]
Comments about Malaysia Airlines Flight 17
Following the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 incident, Yesayan, alongside another test pilot Magomed Tolboyev, criticized the Russian version about the airliner's shootdown by a Ukrainian Sukhoi Su-25 aircraft: "Someone, unfamiliar with Su-25's capabilities and the Boeing-777 aircraft, is trying a PR stunt. This is a natural bluff. [...] Su-25 has a maximum airspeed of Mach 0.82. The Boeing-777 aircraft, which I tested in 1998 in Seattle, flies at Mach 0.83 in a cruise flight. Thus, a Su-25 would not be able to catch up with it at all".[4] Yesayan also noted that the Su-25 air-to-air missiles are heat-seeking and would strike the engine, while the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 Boeing was damaged on the cockpit side.[4]
References
- 1 2 "Летчики-испытатели ГосНИИ ГА: полеты любой сложности" (PDF) (in Russian). Russian State Scientific Research Institute for the Civial Aviation. Retrieved 24 Dec 2014.
- ↑ "Открытое письмо президенту В.В. Путину" (in Russian). Argumenty Nedeli. 21 Nov 2013. Retrieved 24 Dec 2014.
- ↑ "The crew of Ruben Yesayan landed Tu-154 aircraft at a Samara-based training airfield". Russian Aviation. April 3, 2014. Retrieved 24 Dec 2014.
- 1 2 Юлия Гусарова (23 Dec 2014). "Специалисты раскритиковали свидетельства "КП" о падении "Боинга" на Украине" (in Russian). Snob.ru. Retrieved 24 Dec 2014.