Marina Popovich is a truly legendary woman. She set 101 world records on airplanes of various types, more than any other pilot in the world. First-class test pilot, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Honored Master of Sports, writer, author of many books. Researcher, Vice-Rector, Institute of Management. And the man is extremely charming, the mistress of a cozy house, a caring mother and grandmother. Brave and fearless, a real heroine, not afraid to challenge mortal danger, conquering time and distance, storming the sky.
“Is it true that in the group of test pilots where you came a long time ago, out of 18 people, 16 died?”
- Unfortunately, this is true. There are only two of us left. Now the fighters put the most sophisticated automation, aircraft resemble flying laboratories. And at that time, all the work fell on the pilot, on his knowledge and intuition, the ability to find a way out in the most unpredictable situations. In 1965, I overcame the sound barrier, reached a speed of about 2300 kilometers per hour. Now these speeds, 2300 kilometers per hour, are far from the highest, but then ...
Testing planes is a very dangerous business, associated with great risk. Then there was an assault on the sound barrier, new MIGs were tested. The loads were incredible, instantaneous vibrations at which the planes collapsed. Our planes suffered from the most serious diseases. The most difficult is aero-inertial rotation, when the plane behaves inexplicably, loses control. There were a lot of problems dangerous to the pilot. And it was not always possible to find the right solution, people died. The profession of a test pilot is the most risky.
“How did you woman withstand such a load?”
- I wasn’t flying alone, and our other girls withstood tremendous stress. The pressure is up to 220, the pulse is more than 150 beats per minute. Flying at an altitude of more than 20 kilometers, extreme situations give an incredible load. Body temperature during flight 38.5. I even worked with the bar to make my arms and legs stronger, because you need to have remarkable strength to control the plane.
- Your famous spouse, cosmonaut Pavel Popovich visited space. But you did not succeed, although you were in the cosmonaut corps. Why didn’t you have to fulfill your dream?
- We divorced Popovich many years ago. And a long time ago I really went through a commission of forty days, very complicated. But they hacked me, not approved. I was told that I have increased oxygen metabolism. I was indignant, as it is, I am a test pilot, not a novice in this matter. Tell me the truth. They do not speak. Then I went on a hunger strike. And the most important medical general, Fedorov, said - well, then, my girl, you have a small child, your girl is only six years old, let your husband fly, and then you.
I said thanks and left. And then I was not interested. In space, after all, how - if not the first, then none. Who now remembers all the astronauts. And I was proud of my profession as a test pilot, I flew almost every day. And cosmonauts did not fly so much on airplanes.
- Everyone remembers, and Yuri Gagarin will go down in human history forever. Did you know him well?
- Of course, we are together from the Smolensk region. We lived with him practically on the same site at one time, and then in Star City through one floor - we are on the fourth, and he is on the sixth. Naturally, they met every day. He turned out to be a wonderful person. It is amazing how Sergey Pavlovich Korolev saw in him, an almost country boy from little Gzhatsk, such a collected and talented person. He flew from space almost transformed. All glowed. I sometimes told him - Yur, you can pinch you. He was worn literally in his arms all over the world. We all bowed before him. He had to fly, he could not be a Chekhov wedding general. After flights, astronauts do not, as a rule, remain pilots, only fly occasionally. And he really wanted to fly.
- You have written a lot of books about pilots. True, they say about pilots that they are all believers, among them there are no atheists?
- Among the pilots, astronauts and sailors, especially among submariners, - I tell you absolutely for sure - there are no atheists. If we do not believe in God, then we believe in justice and in some huge mind, strong. We did not go to church, did not pray, but we had faith. Test pilots touch something sublime. In our hearts everyone has moral rules. Pilots will not do anything wrong on earth, they will not offend anyone. At the school where I became a pilot, we had rules that everyone should be impeccable, honest, responsible, kind and courageous. We pilots have always adhered to these rules.
- And what helps you keep the form? You have so much time, you are simply amazed, although for a long time my grandmother.
- I realized that human life, its mood depends on the demand. I am often invited to speak, I talk about flights, books, and trials. I performed many times in the USA in front of my colleagues - pilots and space specialists, and flew American planes. I am interested in the sky. I recently found out that some stars are 120 times larger than the sun. It just shocked me. I'm interested in everything. My activity prolongs my life. I mean not only the desire to learn more, but also physical activity. I have a good training, which was necessary for the pilot. And now I support myself with exercises.
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“Do you not believe that?” Why?
- Because, if you recall Chekhov once again, this cannot be, because it can never be. I really want to believe. But, in my opinion, there is not enough of at least any concrete, tangible, convincing facts that can be scientifically explained. I love science fiction very much. But all that I read is, in my opinion, beautiful tales. I want to think that this is true, but, alas ...
- There are many skeptics like you, Mikhail. You have not encountered this. But you read more and make sure that there is a huge amount of evidence that can not be ignored in any case.
I have been dealing with this problem for a long time, for more than 15 years, I went on many expeditions and saw these mysterious phenomena four times. This was the first time in a gorge in Tajikistan. I saw a plate in Star City. After that, I was very interested in ufology, took part in congresses of ufologists, got acquainted with a huge variety of evidence and documents.
I am an experienced person and do not believe in hoaxes. I believe in my own eyes, I’m used as a pilot to various effects and analyze each specific case. An object hangs above me, which then moves silently with great speed. Neither the plane nor the helicopter can do this, believe me, I know that. Previously, we pilots were afraid to say a word about this, because we would be immediately put in a madhouse. But how much I heard from my colleagues such stories ...
Now there are amazing pictures, amazing evidence. Together with others, I was engaged in the analysis of many materials, read my book carefully, everything is explained in detail there. Moreover, it speaks of such phenomena that Einstein noticed. It is about the existence of a fifth field.
“Do we need to know that other worlds exist?”
“We are still making very timid steps in space.” This gives us the belief that people will not stay forever on Earth. Both Americans and ours are preparing for flights to other planets. This is not just curiosity. It cannot be that we are the only mind in the universe. Stanford University's largest UFO database contains more than 150,000 sightings of unidentified objects from nearly one hundred and forty countries over the past six decades. Ufologists estimate the total amount of UFO data at 800 thousand. Yes, you can say that 99 percent of what is associated with UFOs are traces of missile launches, weapon tests, and weather balloons. But there is that one percent, significant in itself, which no science can explain. And some believe that the number of unexplained phenomena reaches ten percent.
- And at the same time, many serious scientists deny this. And statesmen, who, probably, this issue is far from indifferent. Somehow, the question about UFOs was asked by Russian President Vladimir Putin. And he answered very ironically, saying that President George W. Bush did not show him anything and did not talk about the data that allegedly relates to the existence in the USA of the remains of some aliens that crashed on the earth. Putin said bluntly that this is all nonsense. US officials also deny everything. Well, why would George W. Bush, Vladimir Putin and many others, who undoubtedly possess the completeness of information, hide this information so amicably if it really existed.
- George W. Bush and Vladimir Putin are cunning when it comes to aliens. Many people have come across these phenomena, but they do not want to disclose them at the official level, because it is associated with many problems. This is a special conversation.
- And you met with the famous Eric Deniken - the most famous popularizer of information that aliens brought us civilization? At one time around the world, not only his books, but also the film “Remembering the Future” caused a sensation.
“I know him very well.” I was in Peru, they gave me a plane, and I flew over this plateau in Nazco. This he wrote about ancient Peruvian sources, which say that the Peruvians contacted with aliens who were considered gods and who taught them astronomy, agriculture, and various crafts. Deniken is an amazingly interesting person. He knows four languages, very erudite. I told him: I am interested in all this, take me on an expedition, I will be a pilot with you. He says that he is a pilot, and I need a cook on an expedition. You won’t believe me, but I studied for two months as a field cook to go on an expedition with him. But, unfortunately, his home was washed away by his village in Switzerland, he was not interested in traveling, but in the future, maybe he will realize his new idea and maybe I will take part in it. He gave me a whole cassette of fragments,
- No wonder Deniken wanted to take you. You, they say, cook wonderful and even rumor has it that you studied under the personal cook of Stalin?
- I don’t know if he really was a cook with Stalin, but he knew his business perfectly. Georgian, very pretty. He was in prison when they came up with this notorious case with doctors, then he was not allowed to go to Moscow, he settled at the Voronok station near Zvezdny Gorodok, worked there in a cafe. I learned a lot from him. And cook borscht, and dumplings, and barbecue.
- Many people know how to make barbecue. What recipe would you recommend?
- Of course, I knew before him how to make barbecue. Salted meat, shifted thickly chopped onions, added spices. But he told me that you can’t salt meat. Onions must be cut very finely, then it will give more juice. Acids must be added to the meat. It can be apple sauce diluted with water so that it is not very acidic, otherwise the meat will be tough. And the best, perfect fill is dry white wine. Pour them meat completely and let stand. One and a half hours before cooking, pour kefir there at the rate of one liter per two kilograms of meat, and for an hour - salt. Kefir gives fermentation and gives juiciness. Very soft and tasty kebab is obtained.
“And your daughters, have they come to you?”
- They are international economists: they studied at the Institute of International Relations. When I hinted to the eldest daughter that she would be good to follow in my footsteps and offered to teach her different secrets, she told me - mom, do you remember how I waited for you every time, especially from the night flight, as I hung on the fence, tied up with a belt . I do not want my daughter to wait for me as well. My daughters suffered a lot. They understood that you could not change me, but they did not want to join my profession. Interestingly, my youngest daughter was afraid to fly on passenger planes. And then she began to parachute. And my grandson Michael, who was born in London, where my daughter worked, reports to me somehow - my woman, I jumped. I ask - from the roof, or something. And he told me - what are you, from a helicopter, from a height of four thousand meters. I was stupefied.
