Russian aircrews in Africa (eyewitness narrative accounts)

Abstract

The last decade of the 20th century saw another boom in the supply of Soviet-made civil aircraft to the countries of Africa. Hundreds of highly qualified aviation specialists from all post-Soviet states were involved in its operation and maintenance. Market relations, new for many of them, the aggressive way of doing business on the part of entrepreneurs, as well as the complicated military and political situation in some regions, have led to the formation of a certain type of business and personal relationships. Lessons learned over the thirty years of work in special economic and socio-cultural conditions are still actual. Nevertheless, this aspect of Russia-Africa relations remains one of the least studied. Analysis of the narratives of the eyewitnesses - pilots, flight engineers, translators - is still the only way to know more about some hallmarks of the African aviation market, which still has a significant shadow segment. For this study the narratives of a Russian flight engineer who has worked as a flight crew member in various African countries for more than ten years were collected. The recollections presented relate to the first organized trip to South Africa and Mozambique in 1992, and to the later period of private contract work in Angola and Rwanda, and are interesting because they trace the formation of psychological and ethnocultural aspects of business and personal contacts with the employers, local residents and co-workers.