Senior MiG-29 aviation technician Mariia spoke about preparing fighter jets for combat sorties and the responsibility for a pilot’s life.

Mariia says she wanted to become a soldier since childhood — just like her father. She recalls that at first she did not fully understand what her path would be, but during cadet training she flew in a helicopter for the first time and then finally realized she wanted to connect her service with aviation.

“During that flight, I fell in love with the sky, I fell in love with aviation technology. And I realized that I had chosen the right path”, — Mariia said.

Today she is responsible for the technical condition of the MiG-29 fighter jet: she maintains documentation, monitors the aircraft’s systems, and participates in preparing the aircraft for combat missions.

According to Mariia, an aviation technician is the person to whom the pilot essentially entrusts their life.

“A technician is the second person after the pilot. It is a huge amount of work, a huge effort to prepare an aircraft for combat operations, to make sure everything is fine for the pilot and that he returns”, — the servicemember says.

Mariia still remembers her first independent aircraft launch. There was anxiety, a great deal of responsibility, and an understanding that mistakes are unacceptable here.

She explains that a technician must not only prepare the aircraft but also quickly navigate communications with the pilot if a malfunction or another technical situation arises.

“You simply have to know a lot of information. If some malfunction occurs during communications, you must say what needs to be done. You have to process all of that very quickly in your head”, — Mariia explains.

The hardest part of her job, she says, is waiting for the aircraft to return from a combat sortie.

“The hardest part is waiting for the pilot to come back”, — says the technician.

Every aviation technician has their own traditions before takeoff. Mariia always runs her hand along the aircraft’s wing as it taxis for takeoff.

She says this is her small ritual and her belief that the aircraft will definitely return.

One of the aircraft she calls her “little bird”. It was the very aircraft Mariia first independently launched and later welcomed back after a flight.

“I am proud to be part of the ‘Ghosts of Kyiv’ team. For me, it is a great honor”, — Mariia noted.