Pavel Nikolaevich Vlasov (russian: Павел Николаевич Власов; born 13 October 1960) is a Russian
test pilot
A test pilot is an aircraft pilot with additional training to fly and evaluate experimental, newly produced and modified aircraft with specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques.Stinton, Darrol. ''Flying Qualities and Flight Testin ...
, engineer, one of the
Gromov Flight Research Institute
The Gromov Flight Research Institute or GFRI for short (russian: link=no, Лётно-исследовательский институт имени М. М. Громова, russian: link=no, ЛИИ) is an important Russian State Researc ...
directors (2010–2017), chief of the
Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre (2017–2021)
and
Hero of the Russian Federation.
Biography
Early years and military service
Vlasov was born on October 13, 1960, in the city of
Lebedyn
Lebedyn ( uk, Лебеди́н, ) is a city in Sumy Oblast, Ukraine. Lebedyn is located in Sumy Raion. Before July 2020, Lebedyn served as the administrative center of Lebedyn Raion; it was administratively incorporated as a city of oblast sig ...
in the
Ukrainian SSR
The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic ( uk, Украї́нська Радя́нська Соціалісти́чна Респу́бліка, ; russian: Украи́нская Сове́тская Социалисти́ческая Респ ...
(current
Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
). He graduated high school with a
gold medal and in 1977 he entered the
Gritsevets Military Aviation Higher School of Pilots.
He trained there with
Aero L-39 and
MIG-21
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-21; NATO reporting name: Fishbed) is a supersonic jet fighter and interceptor aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. Its nickn ...
aircraft and graduated with a
"red diploma" in 1981.
Upon graduation Vlasov was assigned to serve as a
flight instructor
A flight instructor is a person who teaches others to operate aircraft. Specific privileges granted to holders of a flight instructor qualification vary from country to country, but very generally, a flight instructor serves to enhance or evaluate ...
and trained military pilots in the same flight school. In 1987 he was selected for
test pilot
A test pilot is an aircraft pilot with additional training to fly and evaluate experimental, newly produced and modified aircraft with specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques.Stinton, Darrol. ''Flying Qualities and Flight Testin ...
training at the
Fedotov Test Pilot School
The Fedotov Test Pilot School or FTPS (''russian: link=no, Школа лётчиков-испытателей имени А. В. Федотова or russian: link=no, ШЛИ'') is one of two test pilot schools in Russia (the other one ...
.
Aerospace industry
Upon graduation from the Fedotov Test Pilot School in 1989 Vlasov worked for the
MiG Corporation as a test pilot and as a deputy director general for flight testing (2002–2010).
He participated in flight testing of
MiG-31
The Mikoyan MiG-31 (russian: link=no, Микоян МиГ-31; NATO reporting name: Foxhound) is a supersonic interceptor aircraft that was developed for use by the Soviet Air Forces. The aircraft was designed by the Mikoyan design bureau as a ...
heavy interceptor, accomplished maiden flights and flight testing of the carrier-based
MiG-29K fighter and thrust-vectoring version of
MiG-29 (MiG-29OVT),
MiG-29M/M2 and
MiG-35 fighters and the
MiG-AT trainer. Vlasov is type rated for 35 types of aircraft.
As an
aerobatics
Aerobatics is the practice of flying maneuvers involving aircraft attitudes that are not used in conventional passenger-carrying flights. The term is a portmanteau of "aerial" and "acrobatics". Aerobatics are performed in aeroplanes and glide ...
pilot he flew demonstration flights at international air shows in the UK, Germany, India, the United Arab Emirates, Poland, France and Slovakia, and was awarded several times for his skills.
He headed the
Gromov Flight Research Institute
The Gromov Flight Research Institute or GFRI for short (russian: link=no, Лётно-исследовательский институт имени М. М. Громова, russian: link=no, ЛИИ) is an important Russian State Researc ...
from January 2010, while keeping his position in the MiG Corporation until February 2014. In 2010, he completed the
United Aircraft Corporation
, former_name = OJSC United Aircraft Corporation (2006–2015)
, type = Public, PJSC
, traded_as =
, industry = Aerospace, defense
, predecessor = Ilyushin, Irkut, Mikoyan, Sukhoi, Tupolev, Yakovlev
, founded =
, founder = Vladimir P ...
strategic personnel reserve programme in the
Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO. Vlasov worked as head of the Gromov Institute during its transformation into a public company, and became its Director General in 2012.
In November 2017 he became the head of the
Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre where worked until 1 June 2021.
[
]
Family
In 1986, Vlasov married Elena Pavlovna Vlasova, a teacher
A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching.
''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. whe ...
of chemistry and biology
Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary i ...
. Together they have a daughter Anna (born 1987) and a son Andrey (born 1993).
Awards and decorations
* Hero of the Russian Federation (1998)
* Order of Courage (1996)
* Merited Test Pilot of the Russian Federation (2003)
* Honoured Aircraft Engineer of the Russian Federation
* Golden Idea National Award (2004)
* Golden Chariot Transport Award (2007)
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vlasov, Pavel
1960 births
Russian aerospace engineers
Soviet aviators
People in aviation
Aerobatic pilots
Russian aviators
Living people
Soviet Air Force officers
Soviet test pilots
Fedotov TPS alumni
Golden Idea national award winners
Gromov Flight Research Institute employees
Heroes of the Russian Federation