Seventy-eight world
records were set flying Tupolev’s planes and 30 distinctive flights were
carried out, including the rescue of the SS Chelyuskin’s crew and nonstop
flights to the US across the North Pole.
MOSCOW, November 8.
/TASS/. Moscow’s Vnukovo International Airport officially adopted the name of
the legendary chief designer of the USSR’s aircraft industry, Andrei Tupolev.
The ceremony was dedicated to the 131st anniversary of his birthday.
The history of
Vnukovo Airport is closely linked to the name of the aircraft designer. The
Tu-104, Tu-114, Tu-124, Tu-134, Tu-154, Tu-204 and the Tu-204-300 made their
first passenger flights from this airport, and the first jetliner, Tupolev's
Tu-104KB, the monument to which was mounted at the airport’s entrance, became
one of Vnukovo Airport's symbols.
"The entire life
of this person is an achievement <...>. Under his guidance, the design
bureau created about 100 planes, 70 of which went into production. Chkalov’s
renowned feat was made on an ANT-25 airplane, which Andrei Nikolaevich
[Tupolev] also designed. This is a special day for us, we consider it a great
honor and will try to carry the name of this legendary designer with
honor," First Deputy Director General of Vnukovo Airport Dmitry
Yerzakovich promised.
Seventy-eight world
records were set flying Tupolev’s planes and 30 distinctive flights were
carried out, including the rescue of the SS Chelyuskin’s crew and nonstop
flights to the US across the North Pole.
A bust to the
legendary aircraft designer was also unveiled on Friday. Tupolev’s grandson and
Advisor to Tupolev’s Director General (likewise named) Andrei Tupolev was also
present at the event. "Grandpa would have been very pleased that the
airport is named in his honor, he always paid great attention to civil transportation,
and I still remember how grandpa and then [my] father lived for this work. They
had no Saturdays, no Sundays, nor any free evenings," the grandson of the
aircraft designer said. He noted that being a talented scientist, designer and
leading a team of thousands of engineers, product engineers, test pilots,
technicians and workers, "Andrei Nikolaevich [Tupolev] always remained a
very simple and friendly person who loved his family, nature, company and
friends."
The airport was
bestowed with the aircraft designer’s name under the Russian president’s order
after summing up the results of the "Great Names of Russia" contest.
Source: ITAR-TASS
09-11-2019
