Marat Alykov

Marat Raviliyevich Alykov
Born	(1959-08-20) August 20, 1959 Kapustin Yar, Vladimirovskaya District, Astrakhan Oblast, Russia
Occupation(s)	Aviator, test pilot, general director
Years active	1976–present
Known for	Test pilot of Mikoyan aircraft; Hero of the Russian Federation

Template:Infobox military person Marat Raviliyevich Alykov (Russian: Марат Равильевич Алыков; born 20 August 1959) is a distinguished Russian aviator.

Alykov, belonging to the Tatar ethnic group, was born on 20 August 1959 in Kapustin Yar, located within the Vladimirovskaya District of Astrakhan Oblast. Originating from a military lineage, he enlisted in the Soviet Army in 1976. He completed his studies at the Kachinsk Military Aviation School in 1980. During his military tenure from 1983 to 1984, Alykov piloted the Sukhoi Su-17 in the context of the Soviet–Afghan War, earning the Order of the Red Star for his service. Upon leaving active duty, he graduated from Test Pilot School and subsequently served as a test pilot for Mikoyan aircraft. In recognition of his contributions to aircraft testing, he received the title of Hero of the Russian Federation in 1998. Currently, Alykov holds the position of general director at the International Center of Business Aviation, a company specializing in aviation maintenance.

Early life and military service

Born into a military family on 20 August 1959 in Kapustin Yar, Alykov was conscripted into the Soviet Army in 1976. He graduated from the prestigious Kachinsk Military Aviation School in 1980 and served within combat units of the Soviet Air Force. Between May 1983 and October 1984, he operated as a pilot and flight commander flying the Su-17M3 during missions over Afghanistan, completing a total of 214 sorties. Alykov concluded his military career in 1985, retiring with the rank of Major.

Awards

Marat Raviliyevich holds the honorary designation of Test Pilot of the Russian Federation. His commendations include the Order For Personal Courage and the Order of the Red Star, alongside multiple other medals.

Civilian life

Following his military career, Alykov graduated from the Fedotov Test Pilot School in 1987. From that year until 2005, he was employed as a test pilot at Mikoyan. In 1990, alongside navigator Yuri Bramkov, he flew a MiG-29UB to Canada to participate in the National Capital Air Show. During the summer of 1991, Alykov performed flights with an MiG-29 at both the Cleveland National Air Show and Harrisburg Air Show as part of the "Soviet MiG-29 Friendship Tour '91." In November 1997, he piloted the maiden flight of the Mikoyan MiG-29SM. His test pilot duties also encompassed aircraft such as the MiG-29SMT, MiG-29UBT, MiG-31, and MiG-AT. For his exemplary work in this capacity, Alykov was honored with the title Hero of the Russian Federation on 31 May 1998. On 26 September 2001, together with fellow test pilot Pavel Vlasov, he conducted the inaugural flight of the MiG-29M2. In recognition of his career achievements, he was awarded the title Honoured Test Pilot of the Russian Federation in 2003. Alykov earned a PhD in economics from the Russian Academy of Public Administration in 2006 and relocated from Moscow to Zhukovsky that same year. By 2014, he had assumed leadership as general director at International Center of Business Aviation, a firm focused on business aviation maintenance.

He is also affiliated with the Club of Heroes comprising recipients of titles such as Hero of the Soviet Union, Hero of the Russian Federation, and Full Cavaliers of the Order of Glory.

See also

• List of Heroes of the Russian Federation