MOSCOW, August 7 (AVN) - As many as 427 Air Force pilots and navigators have risen their qualification this year, Air Force Commander Anatoly Kornukov told the Military News Agency on Tuesday.
As many as 66 of them became pilots-snipers, 77 first class pilots, 184 second class pilots and 100 third class pilots, said Kornukov.
According to him, four crashes and four accidents with 11 people killed happened in the Air Force in 2001. The Air Force lost two L-39 training planes, two SU-25 Frogfoot attack planes, as well as SU-27 Flanker fighter, SU-24 Fencer frontline bomber and AN-12 Cub military and transport helicopter.
The average number of flying hours in comparison to crashes makes 12,000 since the beginning of 2001. These figures are lower than for the previous years. This index was 28,000 to 30,000 hours in late 80s to early 90s. As many as 62 percent of crashes were related to human factor, negligence of crews in organisation, production, control and provision of flights, Kornukov stressed.