Gennady Gal. Memories of the flight at the An-2.

Hou Svoge share the story of the first flight in an airplane An-2... Vivid childhood impressions remain the same fresh almost to the end of our days, but then I did not know this, and I did not understand. And now, when I remember this, they - a man in civil aviation uniform and a woman in a light flowered dress - stand before my eyes, as if everything happened only yesterday. 

  Do you think this is a metaphor? Nothing like this! But not for me and several dozens of boys and girls who once, on a hot summer day many years ago, took to the air on a real plane ... thanks to love - someone else's love - whose sincere impulse touched us in the most unusual way.

  In the blinding sunlight, against the background of various shades of greenery, these two froze in a strong embrace of happiness, all of their kind rushing into the sky and as if inviting everyone to share the joy of flying with them. And they shared ... She is the director of the pioneer camp, he is the pilot of An-2.

  At the official level, an agreement was reached, and here we, lagerists, having reverently entered the field of a small provincial airfield, where there were several helicopters and “maize farmers”, approached the aircraft with considerable enthusiasm. By the way, I didn’t fly on airplanes either before or after this flight, so the absence of a ladder and smiling stewardess I did not bother. Dusty salon with a specific smell, suspiciously similar to the interior of the suburban PAZ-ika, reminded me of a trip to the village to my grandmother. So what?! It was and remains the best aircraft in my life.

  Roaring by the motor and bouncing on the bumps, our An-2 rushed into the sky. It is finished! I'm in the sky! How beautiful the earth is from a bird's eye view: ribbons of blue rivers, threads of gray roads, green and yellow squares of fields, toy buildings and cars, ants people, dwarf cows on pastures. But I had to look at all this fabulous beauty with side vision, because there was something that caught my attention much stronger. After, already firmly standing with my feet on the ground, I was surprised to try to understand why this something — a paper bag in my hands — was in the sky for me the most important thing. But nothing prevented me from fully enjoying the air holes, because for this, the eyes are not needed, only the stomach.

  How long was the flight exactly, I find it difficult to say, but I will always remember that it took place. And two staring into the sky, embraced figures of people in love will forever remain for me a symbol of love, which shares joy and happiness with others and can give wings for flight both literally and figuratively.

  Gennady Gal