1919-2014
Twice Hero of Socialist Labor (26.04.1971, 23.12.1982), aircraft designer, Doctor of Technical Sciences (19.01.1973), Professor. Laureate of the Lenin Prize (1972), the Stalin Prize of the 1st degree (1952), the USSR State Prize (1988).
He was born on March 4, 1919 in the city of Murom, now the Vladimir region, in the family of accountant Apollos Andreevich (1892-1970) and peasant Anna Nikolaevna (1895-1924). Russian. He graduated from high school in 1936. After graduating from the Ordzhonikidze Moscow Aviation Institute in 1941 (on the basis of the order of the USSR Council of People’s Commissars of November 3, 1941, he was awarded the qualification of a mechanical engineer in aircraft construction), he was sent to Aviakhim Aircraft Factory No. 1 in the Special Design Department (OKO) of Chief designer Artyom Ivanovich Mikoyan (later the Special Design Bureau OKB-155).
The young specialist started working in August 1941 as a designer in the armament department. Later, he was transferred to the chassis and control brigade, where he was assigned an important task – the development of wing mechanization tools. In October 1941, together with the OKO plant, it was evacuated to the city of Kuibyshev (since 1991 – Samara). In connection with the organization of an independent pilot plant No. 155 (OKB-155) headed by A.I.Mikoyan, in March 1942 Belyakov was transferred to a new enterprise as a design engineer of the 2nd category. Since October 1943, he has been a design engineer of the 1st category.
Shortly after the end of the Great Patriotic War, in July 1945, Belyakov was appointed deputy head of the chassis sector. In April 1946, he headed the specified sector, and from February 1947 he led the chassis brigade. He showed creative initiative in his work, studied the experience of foreign and domestic specialists, skillfully using it in his practical work. He had an exceptional ability to accumulate information about designs developed both in the USSR and abroad. The ability to critically evaluate and competently implement the research results in the newly created design allowed him to keep the technical culture of the landing gear of new machines at a high technical level. He did not abandon the units he had already developed, but painstakingly brought them up and improved them.
In August 1952, Belyakov was appointed lead designer – head of the brigade. In February 1955, he headed the General Types brigade in the same position. During his fifteen years of work at OKB-155, he became a major specialist in control systems and landing aids of aircraft, took an active part in the creation of MiG-3, MiG-9, MiG-15, MiG-17, MiG-19, MiG-21 fighters and their many modifications, a number of experimental aircraft, as well as cruise missiles.
By order of the MAP dated June 15, 1957, Belyakov was appointed Deputy chief Designer for control systems. Since July of the same year, he has been Deputy Chief Designer and head of the Management Department. In a new capacity, he solved problems related to the creation of reliable control systems for modern supersonic fighters. On his initiative and under his direct supervision, a laboratory complex for research and pre-flight resource testing of control systems was created. In addition, extensive bench and laboratory testing of these systems was organized in a serial factory, which significantly increased the reliability and trouble-free operation of aircraft. Under his leadership, the small-sized CAP-2 and CAP-3 autopilots were created, which, after successful tests, were introduced into mass production.
On March 9, 1962, Belyakov was appointed First Deputy General Designer by order of the SCAT. In his new position, he led the development of complex aviation complexes for various purposes, solved issues of research and creation of modern aircraft at a high scientific and technical level, coordinated and supervised the work of large research and design teams of co-developers. He is one of the authors of the MiG–21, MiG-23, MiG-25 aircraft and their on-board complexes, as well as a direct participant and supervisor of their construction, testing and fine-tuning. He became the initiator and organizer of many works on their improvement, modernization and further expansion of the field of combat use. He took an active part in organizing the development of new products in mass production and ensuring state joint tests.
Due to the serious illness of A.I.Mikoyan, Belyakov has been acting as General Designer since 1969. By the order of the MAP dated August 10, 1970, he was awarded the 2nd degree of chief designer. After the death of A.I.Mikoyan, he continued the business he started. By a resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR dated March 5, 1971, he was confirmed as General Designer. And by the order of the MAP dated March 12, 1971, they awarded the 1st degree of chief designer. In the same year, Belyakov was awarded a personalized watch for performing a special task on behalf of the Central Committee of the CPSU, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the Council of Ministers of the USSR.
On November 26, 1974, he was elected a corresponding member, and on December 29, 1981, a full member (academician) of the USSR Academy of Sciences.
For a long time, he successfully led one of the largest creative teams, strengthened the Design Bureau and the pilot plant with highly qualified personnel and expanded the scientific and production base. Under his leadership, the company’s team has risen to a new level in the development and creation of combat aviation complexes that meet modern requirements. In just 25 years of work as a General Designer, under the leadership of Belyakov and with his direct participation, a number of experimental, experimental aircraft and serial aviation complexes for various purposes were created. These include MiG-21bis fighters, followed by MiG-21-93, MiG-23ML (P, MLD), MiG-27 family, MiG-25PD (PDS and RB), MiG-29, MiG-31, MiG-AT, their modifications and upgraded versions.
The aircraft developed under his leadership have high flight performance and combat effectiveness and have been adopted by the domestic Air Force and air defense aviation, as well as supplied to the air forces of more than 50 foreign countries. Along with this, several fundamentally new experimental aircraft were created, including the experimental fighter of the 5th generation MFI.
In connection with the reorganization of the Mikoyan Aviation Scientific and Industrial Complex MiG and the Moscow Aviation Production Association, in accordance with the decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated May 6, 1995, Belyakov was appointed General Designer of MAPO MiG. After the reorganization of MAPO MiG into a State Unitary Enterprise, as well as for health reasons, in September 1997, he was transferred to the position of adviser to the General Designer of ANPK MiG named after A.I.Mikoyan. In his new capacity, he was also Chairman of the Scientific and Technical Council of the A.I.Mikoyan MiG ANPC. With his participation, constructive solutions were developed and implemented for the modernization of the MiG-29 front-line fighter (MiG-29SMT and MiG-29UBT), technical issues related to the development and flight tests of the MiG-AT training aircraft, as well as design work on the MiG-110 cargo and passenger aircraft.
For his long-term and fruitful work in the aviation industry, in April 1999 he was awarded the title of “Honorary General Designer of MiG aircraft”. He is also the Honorary President of the Russian Academy of Aviation and Aeronautics, an Honorary Member of the Royal Society of Aeronautics (Great Britain), an Honorary Professor at the Moscow Aviation Institute and Peking University.
Belyakov made a significant contribution to the creation of new types of aircraft structures, including large-size welded steel, aluminum-lithium alloys and composite materials. As a result of Belyakov’s work, gas dynamics, power plants, avionics, aviation armament, on-board mathematical support, aircraft systems, including remote control of the aircraft and power plant, automation of control processes, modern methods of training and training of flight personnel, the introduction of new materials and technologies were further developed.
Over the years of his career, Belyakov has made a fundamental contribution to solving problems and developing such areas as the general design of aircraft, their control systems, take-off and landing devices, aerodynamics, stability and controllability, strength, power plants, equipment and weapons complexes, aviation materials and technological processes, flight reliability and safety, increased resources planes. He solved important problems in the field of creating aircraft structures operating under conditions of significant aerodynamic heating, the use of a wing with variable sweep in flight, control systems for supersonic aircraft, and increasing aircraft maneuverability. Belyakov has made a lot of efforts to enhance the role and status of the Institute of General Designers as a key element in creating complex scientific and technical complexes and organizing the work of a large number of related organizations.
During his studies at the institute, he was fond of skiing, especially mountain skiing, and ski jumping: he was the USSR record holder in jumping and became the USSR champion in downhill four times. In 1940, he went down on skis from the eastern slopes of Mount Elbrus, whose height exceeds 5,600 m. In addition, in the period from November 1936 to June 1941, he worked at the DFC of the Krylia Sovetov Society as a ski coach.
In 1974-1989, he was elected a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.
He lived in Moscow. He died on February 28, 2014. He was buried at the Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow.
He was awarded four Soviet Orders of Lenin (including 22.07.1966, 26.04.1971, 02.02.1982), the Order of the October Revolution, the Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd degree, the Order of the Red Banner of Labor, the Order of the Red Star, the Order of the Badge of Honor, the Russian Order of Merit for the Fatherland, 2nd degree (27.12.1999), medals, including the A.N.Tupolev Gold Medal of the USSR Academy of Sciences (1987).
In commemoration of the award of the title of twice Hero of Socialist Labor, a bronze bust was installed in his homeland in the city of Murom, Vladimir region.
His name is stamped in gold letters on the wall of the Hall of Fame of the United States Aerospace Museum.