At the place where the aircraft is based, there are always about 20 people from the engineering and technical staff.

The soldiers of the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces are the real heroes of this war. However, few people know about the heroes behind the flights – the engineering and technical service. It is its employees who prepare planes for combat missions.

“The engineering and technical service and the engineering and technical staff are a component of the Air Force in the same way as the aviation and anti-aircraft missile forces and so on. We carry out the tasks set before us. If there is a task for the aircraft to fly there, we will do everything so that the aircraft flies exactly there, so that everything is in order on it – everything depends on us. Despite the weather conditions, temperature regimes, in general, the availability of funds and so on, we come out of the situation with our heads held high and proudly do everything,” he said on the air of 1+ 1 within the framework of the telethon Severyn Vitvitskyi, head of maintenance of aircraft, engines and means of emergency abandonment of aircraft.

According to Vitvitskyi, the team does not work with just one plane. There is a group, which always includes 20 people from the engineering and technical staff, and which is located in the place where the aircraft is based before performing some tasks.

Before the plane takes off, “everything must be burning – not burning” and technical fluids and fuel must be refueled, he notes.

“Plus, we have not only training flights. Now it is more important to use means – missiles, bombs, projectiles. Everything must be available and the light bulbs must be lit. Plus there is such a nuance that at those points where we perform tasks, not everything can be done by us . with their hands. There are specialists who quickly go with their teams in cars, buses, etc. to eliminate such malfunctions that even a team of 20 people is unable to eliminate,” Vitvitskiy explained.

He also commented on the possibility of providing Ukraine with modern aircraft and talks about the fact that Ukrainian pilots will have to learn to fly Western aircraft for months.

“If we compare an airplane with a bicycle – roughly, but – do you remember the Soviet bicycle “Ukraine”? Big frame, wheels and two sprockets. And let’s just take some Chinese bicycle with many gears, cool rubber, a steering wheel, a comfortable seat – and that’s it. I think that for a pilot (it’s like) learning to ride, going from one bike to another. It’s difficult, yes, you have to learn a little bit. composition. Give us planes, give us F-16s and in three months we’ll be 200% flying them.” – notes the technical specialist.

Provision of aircraft to Ukraine: latest news

The spokesman of the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Yuriy Ignat notes that the American F-16 fighter jets are the best option for Ukraine. According to him, it is impossible to put several types of foreign aircraft into service in Ukraine, because each requires an individual approach to maintenance and repair.

The President of the United States, Joe Biden, believes that Ukraine “doesn’t need” American F-16 fighter jets. He noted that the United States is now sending tanks, artillery and air defense equipment to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

At the same time, US Deputy Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland reported that the US is discussing providing Ukraine with fifth-generation fighter jets (these include the F-22 Raptor, which is no longer produced, and the F-35 Lightning II). This can happen within the framework of meeting Ukraine’s long-term needs.