Oleksandr Halunenko
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Oleksandr Vasylyovych Halunenko (Ukrainian: Олександр Васильович Галуненко) is a Ukrainian test pilot, Honoured Test Pilot of the USSR, the president of the Ukrainian Federation of Aeronautical Sports (member of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale), Hero of Ukraine.[1][2]
.jpg)
Oleksandr Halunenko | |
|---|---|
Олександр Васильович Галуненко | |
 | |
| Born | 1 March 1946 Troyitske, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union |
| Citizenship | Ukraine |
| Education | Leningrad Institute of Aviation Instrumentation (1974) |
| Alma mater | Chernihiv Military Aviation Higher School of Pilots (1968) |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1968–present |
| Employer | Antonov |
| Known for | testing Antonov An-124 Ruslan and Antonov An-225 Mriya aircraft and aviation records of FAI |
| Spouse | Olga Halunenko |
| Children | 2 |
| Awards | Hero of Ukraine (1999) |
| Education | Military aviation – Chernihiv Military Aviation Higher School of Pilots (1968) Test pilot – Fedotov Test Pilot School (1975) |
| Aviation career | |
| First flight | 1965 |
| Flight license | 1968 USSR |
| Air force | Soviet Air Forces |
He is known for testing such airplanes as the Antonov An-124 Ruslan and the super giant Antonov An-225 Mriya.
Halunenko received the Hero of Ukraine award for manually landing the second prototype of the Antonov An-70 successfully, after malfunctions of the electronic control system occurred during its April 1997 initial flight. After retiring from flying in 2004, he served a single term in the Ukrainian parliament beginning in 2006. A resident of Bucha, Ukraine, Halunenko survived the battle of Bucha during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[3]
Awards
- Hero of Ukraine with the Order of the Gold Star (August 21, 1999)[4]
- Order of Merit (Ukraine) (September 20, 1997)[5]