"... Only in the morning of my departure from Koktebel, when I accompanied the car, taken away my comrades at the start, only this morning I felt like I find it hard to leave at the time all others still remain. One consolation is that the flights will end on Sunday and I'm actually lose nothing and there is a lot of work in Moscow - we must hurry to Moscow soon.
This year, at the competitions, there are a lot of new experiences and sensations, especially for me. First arrival in Feodosia, where we all met on Thursday, September 24. Then endless transport of our machines that ran from Feodosia on Uzun Syrt - a place of our flights. The first two days are held in the hustle and bustle from the morning and to total darkness in which our puffing truck "AMO" took us from Uzun Syrt to Koktebel. Finally, the first car is ready and the pilot Sergeev sat down in it and buckled. Words of command, and Sergeev "Humayun" took off. All with a joyful sense were watching his flight, and he made along Uzun Syrt, turns and eight.
"Humayun" passes us and our commander Pavlov shouts up, as if he can hear: "Well, Sergeev! Exactly Falcon. "All are excited: flights began ... Sergeev swiftly and smoothly was landing. He sweeped past the tent and put the car in a sharp turn and suddenly ... whether a gust of wind or something else, but "Humayun" soared up immediately up to ten meters per second ... hanging in front of us sprawled wings like a really huge falcon and then with a terrible roar was crashing on the wing. The wings broke off the airplane body in the air. Breaks and folds, like a children's harmonica. Moment ... and on a green hill, over which only moments before it was hovered a proud bird, there is only a pile of debris and dust whirls ...
Everybody froze in awe, and then ... rushed there faster and faster.
From the rubble a staggering figure rose. There was a sigh of relief: alive! We run up ... Sergeev is really alive and even unhurt by some miracle ... He walks unsteadily and automatically sorts out the wreckage with shaking hands ... If so than - all right! The flights start to live again their normal working life. There appeared a new machine. We were five people in helmets and leather coats, stood a small isolated small group ...The people surrounded us like a ring. They surrounded us and our red car on which we must fly for the first time. This little blunt machine rightfully earned the title of the most difficult of all we have available, and we must now try it. We were five people - flight group more than a year of flying together, but now closed together even tighter. Every year before the first flight, I feel fearful excitement, and although I'm not superstitious, but this flight gets some special significance. Finally, everything was ready. I buttoned my coat and sat down smiling. Familiar faces with smiles are all around, but there was a cold emptiness and alertness in me. I was trying the rudders and looking around. The command was short and at once there is just spray icy wind in the face ... I put to one side the car. Far below you can see the black dots of the start and ridiculous swollen mountains interspersed with squares of the fields.
Well, it was really great. Near the tent it was assembled a large, red with blue car. Around there is a swarming people and I feel myself in a strange way, what I'm its designer and all-everything in it to the last bolt, all I thought, taken from anything - from a piece of lined white paper. Sergey (Lyushin) obviously is going through too. He approached and said: "You know – it easier to fly than to build," I agree with him now, but in the soul I cannot overcome all doubt. However, there is no time to ponder ... Our good friend gets in the car and jokingly said: "Well, the designer - worry!" Yes, there is no need to say this, we are making efforts to contain. And then we congratulate the choir and in the evening at the headquarters I listen as commander binds my role of pilot and engineer into one, in his opinion, it is essential combination. However, I agree with him. The next morning the order: I will fly in my car myself. Everything is going great - even better than I expected, and it seems like the first time in my life I feel great satisfaction and I want to shout something into the wind, hugging my face and sending shudders my red bird with a rush ...
And somehow I cannot believe that such a heavy piece of metal and wood can fly. But just enough to take off, as you feel that the car comes to life and flies with a whistle, obedient to every movement of the steering wheel. This is the greatest satisfaction and reward - to fly on his own machine. For this one can forget everything: a string of sleepless nights, days spent in hard work without rest, without respite ... ".
From the book N.S.Koroleva "Father"