A School of Aeronautics is opened at Samara University

A School of Aeronautics is opened at Samara University, where students are taught how to control balloons. Any university student can take a free aeronautics course here, regardless of their main specialty and faculty. The school provides both theoretical flight training and practical training. Students, under the guidance of a qualified mentor, study the design of various balloons and master practical skills in working with this exotic type of air transport.

“There are not so many schools of aeronautics in Russia, especially those organized at a university. Unlike various commercial organizations and clubs, our training is provided free of charge. Our main priority is flight safety. Students learn to assess current weather conditions and analyze weather forecasts, and learn how to work with balloon equipment in such a way as to eliminate or minimize any possible risks. In the classroom, we thoroughly study the technical design of balloons and safety techniques. Even without a crew, when empty, the balloon weighs about a third of a ton, including the bag, basket, burner and fuel cylinders with gas, and all this requires careful monitoring and solid knowledge,” said Sergey Shabanov, head of the Samara University School of Aeronautics, a certified free balloon instructor pilot.

The training takes place on two thermal balloons of the AX-7 class with a bag volume of 2,190 m³ and AX-8 with a bag volume of 2,550 m³. A balloon is indeed a difficult subject, not only in terms of study, but also in terms of its weight. For example, the bag of the AX-8 weighs 112 kg, and the empty basket weighs 72 kg. There is also a burner and fuel cylinders with gas. But future balloonists successfully overcome the difficulties and hardness of training.

“Preparing to work with a balloon is a serious and painstaking process. We are learning how to control the gas supply through the burner to ensure smooth and safe ball maneuvers. At first, it was difficult, but gradually we began to understand the technical issues,” said Tatiana Bulkina, a second-year student at Samara University Institute of Social Sciences and Humanities.

According to Tatiana, she came to the Aeronautics School inspired by the opportunity to fly a balloon and see the beauty of Samara from a height.

“But, of course, it's not just about romance: it's just a unique opportunity to gain the skills of a balloon pilot without having to study in specialized educational institutions. Here I can realize my dream of heaven and at the same time gain useful experience,” Tatiana Bulkina emphasized.

“Studying at this school is a great experience for a technical specialist. In addition to theory, we are studying how to handle the burner and all aerostatic equipment. The knowledge and practice we gain are a good basis for further professional development in this field,” said Alexey Bogatyrev, a first-year student at the Institute of Natural Sciences and Mathematics of Samara University.

The future curriculum of the School of Aeronautics includes practical development of flights at an altitude of 500–600 meters. Upon completion of the training course, graduates of the school will possess basic knowledge and practical skills that will allow them to improve in this field, if desired. So, if they plan to receive a free balloon pilot's certificate in the future, they will need to apply to specialized aviation training centers. Samara University School of Aeronautics does not issue such an official document as a pilot's certificate.

Recently, the School of Aeronautics took part in the University Health Day, held on the Volga island of Podzhabny. The balloon attracted everyone's attention there, and many people wanted to go to school and learn how to fly it. By the way, on May 31, the participants of the school and the balloon can be seen at the Lukachev Street University Festival. The guests of the celebration will be told about the arrangement of the balloon, will be show how to control the burner, and will be answered any questions on the topic of balloon flights.

Photos provided by the Samara University School of Aeronautics