Galina Korchuganova facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Galina Gavrilovna Korchuganova
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| Born | 22 March 1935 Barnaul, USSR
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| Died | 18 January 2004 (aged 68) Moscow, Russian Federation
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| Resting place | Khovanskoye Cemetery |
| Nationality | Soviet/Russian |
| Education | Moscow Aviation Institute |
| Occupation | Test pilot, aerobatics |
| Known for | First women's world aerobatics champion |
Galina Gavrilovna Korchuganova (Russian: Галина Гавриловна Корчуганова; 22 March 1935 – 18 January 2004) was a Soviet test pilot and aerobatics champion. She was born in Barnaul, Russia. After finishing her aviation studies in 1959, Korchuganova became famous as a pilot in aerobatics competitions. She became the first woman world aerobatics champion in 1966.
Later, she trained as a test pilot. She went on to set 42 world flight records. She flew more than 20 different types of aircraft. By the end of her flying career in 1984, she had flown for over 4,000 hours. This included 1,500 hours as a test pilot.
In 1992, Korchuganova started Aviatrissa. This was the first Russian aviation club for women. She was its president and helped it grow from 13 to 550 members. She also helped organize aviation events that brought pilots together from around the world.
She was honored after her death. In 2006, she was added to the Women in Aviation International Pioneer Hall of Fame.
Early Life and Learning
Galina Gavrilovna Korchuganova was born on 22 March 1935. Her hometown was Barnaul, Russia. She had an older sister named Nina. Galina discovered her love for aviation when she joined a sport parachute club as a teenager. She graduated high school with excellent grades. She then studied aviation technology at the Moscow Aviation Institute. She finished her studies in 1959.
Amazing Flying Career
After graduating, Korchuganova started working as an engineer. She worked at the Ramensk Avionics company. She flew planes for fun, but she dreamed of being a professional test pilot. At that time, this job was not open to women in the Soviet Union.
In 1962, a Soviet aviation organization called DOSAAF looked for women to train for space flight. Korchuganova was one of 18 women chosen to be considered. However, she was not selected for the next stage.
In 1965, Korchuganova set a world aviation record. She flew a Yak-32 jet on a 100 km closed track. One year later, she competed at the World Aerobatic Championship in Moscow. She won a gold medal in the women's individual competition. This made her the first woman world aerobatics champion. People called her "the mistress of the sky".
Finally, Soviet officials allowed Korchuganova to become a test pilot. It was hard for her to get training. Some male pilots didn't want to work with a woman. But another famous aviator, Valentina Stepanovna Grizodubova, helped her. Grizodubova was the head of a flight test center. With her support, Korchuganova graduated from the Kirovograd flight school in 1969.
Korchuganova went on to achieve 42 world aviation records. She set these records in many different types of aircraft. In 1980, she set two YAK-40 world records with cosmonaut Svetlana Savitskaya. Korchuganova became skilled in flying over 20 types of planes. She moved up from a 5th class test pilot to a 2nd class test pilot. By 1984, when she stopped flying, she had flown for over 4,000 hours. About 1,500 of those hours were as a test pilot.
After she retired, she worked at the Museum of Aviation and Astronautics in Moscow.
Starting Aviatrissa
After the Soviet Union ended in the early 1990s, Korchuganova worried about women in aviation. She saw that many female pilots were being told to find jobs in other fields. Their flying skills were not being valued. So, in 1992, Korchuganova started Aviatrissa. This was the first Russian aviation club just for women.
She became the president of the club. Under her leadership, the club grew a lot. It started with 13 members and grew to 550.
Aviatrissa organized five international aviation events over the years. Pilots came from France, Israel, Estonia, the United States, and other countries. In 1998, Aviatrissa members celebrated a special anniversary. They honored the 60th anniversary of a record-breaking flight across Russia by Grizodubova. They recreated the flight themselves with two planes. One plane was Russian and one was American. They took off from Tushino. This flight was called "Bridge of Wings".
Later Life and Legacy
Galina Korchuganova was diagnosed with liver cancer. She passed away on 18 January 2004. She was buried in Khovanskoye Cemetery. In 2006, she was honored for her achievements. She was added to the Women in Aviation International Pioneer Hall of Fame.
