&host=www.rt.com&uri=/news/pioneer-pilot-of-transatlantic-flight-celebrated-70-years-on/comments/&via=1.1 8.27.241.133:80 (Footprint 4.8/FPMCP)&ua=CCBot/1.0 (+http://www.commoncrawl.org/bot.html))
Pioneer pilot of transatlantic flight celebrated 70 years on
Published: 28 April, 2009, 09:24
Trailblazing soviet test pilot Vladimir Kokkinaki pioneered the shortest flight between Europe and America 70 years ago by flying non-stop from Moscow to New York, but unfortunately had to ditch short of his destination.
2 COMMENTS
My father - Leo Simons sr. - was one of the first Western pilots to fly the Il-18 in the early 1960's, together with the by then legendary Vladimir Kokkinaki. I was born in 1963 and this must have taken place somewhere around 1964. All my life I heard the stories about the flights in the Il-18 with General Kokkinaki. It becomes a part of you in a sense. So what a thrill to see his granddaughter talk about her grandfather. Very emotional.
Godspeed Vladimir!
POST COMMENT
Even though I was not born when the plane crashed on our Island of Miscou in Northern New Brunswick, it is one of the eventful part of history that even happenned. It's legacy for the pilots should be honored and the Islanders who helped. I am very proud to say I have the original skis from Kokinaki, and hope that eventually We will have a place to display them to the public.