‘Orange Angels’: Aviators of Eastern Kazakhstan Fly Daily Rescue Missions
When there is no help left on the ground, they take to the skies: orange fuselages, the roar of propellers, and salvation descending from above. The Aviation Division of the East Kazakhstan Region - the 'Orange Angels' - is more than a state enterprise; it is a vital lifeline, operating when every minute counts. No Margin For Error Since its founding in 2003, the division has become an indispensable part of the region’s emergency response system. Its 114 full-time specialists conduct medical flights, firefighting operations, evacuations, and rescues. Yet staffing remains a challenge. "We are short 12-13 personnel. Ideally, we should have around 120," Kalikan Baigonusov, Director of the East Kazakhstan Aviation Division, told The Times of Central Asia. “Young people prefer big airlines, foreign skies, and big paychecks. Our salaries are decent, between $1,300 and $2,900, but the profession lacks visibility and appeal. It’s a calling, not just a job.” [caption id="attachment_35346" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Image: TCA[/caption] Baigonusov hopes more young people will be drawn to aviation through education. His division is now organizing practical MI-2 helicopter training for students from the Civil Aviation Academy JSC. There is also close cooperation with the East Kazakhstan Multidisciplinary College, which, with support from the regional governor, launched new specialties in aviation engineering and mechanics on September 1, 2024. Therein, students undergo practical training with the air squadron, learning directly from experienced pilots and engineers. Still, Baigonusov believes Kazakhstan’s personnel training system needs urgent reform. "I’ve knocked on every door, the academy, the rector, the department head," he told TCA. "We need to train our people locally. Sending a student to Russia costs $47,000. That’s simply out of reach. We need to promote dual education here, so people can study and work at home.” Many of the division’s specialists are graduates of now-diminished Soviet-era aviation schools in Kachinsk, Omsk, Kyiv, and Riga. Each year, their ranks grow thinner. Engineering, Maintenance, and a Race Against Time Despite operating from aging facilities built in the 1970s and 1980s, the team is working to modernize and extend the lifespan of its equipment. The aircraft fleet, averaging 35 years in age, has undergone extensive inspections and upgrades. Standardization tests have been passed, and all certifications are in place. Thanks to the expertise of the engineering team, the division recently secured certification for maintaining YAK-40 and YAK-42 aircraft and Mi-8 and Mi-2 helicopters. [caption id="attachment_35348" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Image: TCA[/caption] “Before, we relied on outside companies for repairs. Now we do everything ourselves,” says Baigonusov. “That saves time and money and makes us more self-reliant.” Deputy for the Engineering and Aviation Service (IAS) Lobanov leads a team dedicated to his work, although he, like many in the unit, is already over 55. Baigonusov is determined to attract the younger generation. “We need to show how important and beautiful this profession is. It's demanding, but it’s also deeply meaningful.” Rescuing the Stranded in Kalbatau Chief pilot Denis Grunsky recalled one of the most dramatic missions of his career to TCA....
