Vladimir Kokkinaki set twenty-two world records as a Soviet test pilot, fundamentally altering the trajectory of aerial navigation through his exploration of long-distance routes. Born in Novorossiysk in 1904, his professional life spanned from infantry service in the Red Army to a senior role within the Ilyushin Design Bureau, where he spent decades validating the performance of experimental aircraft.
Military Career and Training
After joining the Red Army in 1925, Kokkinaki trained at the Leningrad Military-Theoretical School and the Borisoglebsk pilot school. By 1931, his performance led to his appointment as an instructor. During the Second World War, he transitioned into administrative roles, serving as the head of the flight-test service for the People's Commissariat for the Aircraft Industry between 1943 and 1947, eventually reaching the rank of Air Force major general.
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Starting in 1932, Kokkinaki tested various Soviet aircraft, beginning with the Kocherigin-Gurevich TSh-3. His longest tenure was at the Ilyushin Design Bureau, where he conducted maiden flights for prototypes including the Il-4, Il-2, Il-28, and Il-14. Even after retiring from the Air Force in 1966, he continued to oversee flight testing for the bureau, contributing to projects such as the Ilyushin Il-62.
Record-Breaking Flights
His aviation career was defined by constant record-setting, starting with an altitude achievement in 1935. In 1938, he piloted the Moskva on a 7,580-kilometer flight from Moscow to Spassk-Dalny. A 1939 attempt to reach New York ended with a landing in New Brunswick, Canada, but the flight path he established was later adopted for regular commercial aviation. By the 1960s, he shifted his focus to testing the Ilyushin Il-18, setting thirteen additional speed and altitude records.
Organizational Leadership and Legacy
Kokkinaki served as the chairman of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale from 1966 to 1967, following a term as vice chairman. He also led the USSR Aviation Sport Federation. Throughout his life, he received numerous awards, including multiple Orders of Lenin and the Order of the October Revolution. Following his death in 1985 in Moscow, he was interred at the Novodevichy Cemetery.
Fast facts
- Born: 1904, Novorossiysk
- Died: 1985, Moscow
- Military Rank: Air Force major general
- Primary Employer: Ilyushin Design Bureau
- FAI Chairman: 1966–1967
- Final resting place: Novodevichy Cemetery
Questions readers ask
What was his primary contribution to aviation?
He established multiple world records for speed, altitude, and long-range flight, while also conducting the first test flights for major Ilyushin aircraft prototypes.
Did he hold political positions?
Yes, he served as a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union.
Achievements
- Educated at Mozhaysky Air Force Academy and Borisoglebsk Higher Aviators School
- Worked as aircraft pilot, test pilot and writer
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