OREANDA-NEWS. December 14, 2009. Utair Aviation flight inspector Victor Gorbachenko, from the department of helicopter operations was honored by the president with the prestigious ‘Honored Pilot of the Russian Federation’ award. Gorbachenko has been working for UTair Aviation for 35 years.

Gorbachenko began his career in 1975 when he served as the in-flight radio operator aboard then Tyumen Aviation’s first Mi-6 helicopter flight. After graduating from the Kremenchug Civil Aviation Flight School, he continued to work for the airline. Gorbachenko mastered his piloting skills and served as copilot and then as captain of Mi-6, Mi-8, Mi-10K and Mi-26 helicopters.

Mr Gorbachenko is the world's only acting command pilot-instructor and pilot-engineer of Mi-10K helicopters performing precision tasks. was made by Gorbachenko and his crew are responsible for brilliant performance in complex aerial maneuvers operating the Mi-10K, including the assembly and installation of power lines in the Far East, the installation of high-elevation wireless network towers in virtually in every settlement from the Arctic regions to the Southern Urals. Mr Gorbachenko has also played a leading role in search and rescue operations and served as crew member aboard Mi-10K performing damage control missions in the wake of the Armenian earthquake of 1988.

Commander Gorbachenko is also distinguished for his work in flight testing for the giant Mi-26 helicopter. As an instructor, his experience gained in operating this aircraft in the harsh conditions of Western Siberia and Sub-polar regions was then transferred to numerous pilots among Russian airlines.

Currently Commander Gorbachenko is also actively involved in training aviation engineers, personally overseeing the training of young pilots and introducing new training modules. The veteran aviator and engineer has personally trained dozens UTair helicopter pilots.