I used to work for a ground-handling company that was run by the Swiss and we had many Russian customers. I have spent lots of time loading and off-loading the remains of the Aeroflot (or Aero-Flop as we called it) fleet. I have dealt with Ilyushins, Antanovs, Tupolevs, Yakovlevs and Mi helicopters. The stories we have about them are un-speakable. You can change the maximum take-off weight (say + 3 tons) of an IL-76 only for $50 with in seconds. I remember many times tearing the load-sheet that I prepared and had a new one prepared and signed by the captain because I didn't want to take the responsibilty. I also remember once we were only able to move the tail-jack of an AN-12 with a tractor as it was over loaded although the weight figures given to me by the captain said the aircraft was around 1 ton underload.

What makes me sad is that these men and women are mostly well educated people who likes literature and listens classical music. But they had to survive. When CCCP went down they all came here selling what ever they have in markets sleeping in cars etc. That was a big frustration for all of us who reads Dostoyevsky!

Burak