The flight pass was arranged and performed by famous aeronauts Leonid Tukhtyaev and Stanislav Fedorov and their team called Russian Record Factory and confirming now the name given for just one more time. All technical operations procedures were processed by a long time AU-30 airship owner and operator AeroScan Company under support of the recognized unique aircraft constructor AUGUR-RosAeroSystems Scientific Production Association.

            The route holds absolutely special meaning – the joint pass between the only Russian lighter-than-air aviation shop and airfield Kirzhach-D operating two AU-30 type airships and Saint-Petersburg city considered to be the origin of Russian lighter-than-air aviation where the first ever Russian airship Uchebny (Training) was flown one hundred years ago.

            The last days event is describing… September 12^th, the AU-3001 airship takes off from Kirzhach at 8:05 AM to perform landing in Borovichi at 3:55 PM covering 377,7 km what has beaten by 3,7 km the previous record set in 1990 by the American crew at the two-seater GA-42 airship constructed by Thander&Colt Company. The new record was ensured by Russian flight crew composed of Leonid Tukhtyaev, Leonid Putintsev, Ivan Chaika, Yuri Ivanchanko. The following flight from Borovichi to Manushkino airfield situated in Saint-Petersburg suburbs was the most ordinaries and covered about 300 km during the next 4 hours. At last the way back home started at 7:20 AM on September 14^th and keep going until 6:20 PM covering total flight distance of 626 km for 11 hours. The honorable members’ names of record holding flight crew are Leonid Tukhtyaev, Leonid Putintsev, Konstantin Vereschagin, Alexey Badakin.

            “The constructors of the record holding AU-30 airship are thankful to all the team of Record Factory,”- says Genndy Verba , the head of AUGUR-RosAeroSystems board. –“The flight pass has proved the significant value of human factor as the main element of success. We are sure in the ability of Leonid Tukhtyaev team to perform the greater results but any machine is limited in capabilities. The record beating flight had taken 500 kg of avgas, and the airship was landing with significant positive buoyancy what could have complicate the end of flight if continuing the flight further. However the most recent AUGUR-RosAeroSystems R&D issues – or Active Balancing System (ABS) – would rather bring proper solution to the problem emerged today. We are going to install ABS at the next AU-30 modification for the most effective force of buoyancy control raising the airship flight range and duration capabilities to establish the new records and implement the polished technology as key factor during the prospect and more effective transport airship creation.»

            Our congratulations are to all who were taking part in the record flight! Pilots, engineers and aircraft technicians, ground crew and FAI commissioners – honor to all who were going through and sharing the experience! Success has met us – and you keep looking for the newer records!

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