"MOSFILM" "Second Artistic Association" "AIR CREW" "Screenplay by Yu." "DUNSKY, V. FRID, A. MITTA with participation of B. URINOVSKY" "Directed by Alexander MITTA" "Director of Photography Valery SHUVALOV" "Production Designer Anatoly KUZNETSOV" "Music by A. SCHNITTKE Conductor M. ERMLER" "Sound by Ye." "POPOVA, V. KARASYOV" "English Subtitles by Tatiana Kameneva" "Starring" "Georgy ZHZHENOV as Timchenko Anatoly VASSILIEV as Nenarokov" "Leonid FILATOV as Skvortsov Alexandra YAKOVLEVA as Tamara" "Also starring" "Irina AKULOVA as Alia Yuri GOROBETS as Misha" "Yekaterina VASSILIEVA as Timchenko's wife" "Alexander PAVLOV as Navigator Galina GLADKOVA as Natasha" "Roma MONIN as Alick" "Special Appearance by Kurikhara KOMAKI" " Please, let's separate." " Alia, you're not serious." "I am serious!" "You've spoiled my vacation." " I could say the same about you." " Fine." "Let's have a divorce." "Alia, stop being so nervous." " Nenarokov!" "Valentin!" "Hi!" " Hi!" "And who is this, eh?" " What's your name?" " That's our Alick." " Hello." " Hello." "Alia, this is my old friend." "We used to fly together." " Alevtina Fyodorovna." " Nice meeting you." "What a big guy you've grown!" " Well, it seems you too..." " Oh no!" " I know you." " That's just..." " Have you been transferred?" " No, I still fly around Russia." "Is Vassiliev mad at me?" "At first he was furious." "Not any more." " Well, give him my regards." " I certainly will." "We went sightseeing in Moscow." " I've got a car." "Get in." " Thanks." "We can't really." "We've got to book our tickets, baggage..." "Well, as you wish." "I've got to run." "Take care." " Goodbye." " Goodbye." "If you change your mind..." "We flew the IL-18 together." "Capital fellow." "A first-rate stud horse." "Andrei Vassilievich Timchenko was our captain then." "Another fine fellow." " How was your flight?" " Normal." " I've been hearing it 20 years." " Because it's always been normal." " Should it be otherwise?" " God forbid." "You'd better tell me how you're doing here." "Everything is normal." "Yegor phoned." "Wanted to know when you're coming back." " And how is Natasha?" " Natasha is like Natasha." "I've got a patient with Cardiac Heterotaxia..." " Is that her?" " Yeah." "Daddy!" " Hi!" " Hi!" " How are things with you?" " I'm two tests ahead of schedule." "You didn't get married yet, did you?" "I haven't seen you for 3 days." "Well, I'm off to study." "Don't expect me for dinner." "Let your mother and me know when you decide to get married." "Sure, if there's a telephone around." " Rim... ood..." " Rim!" "Anks." "Enough of this birdlike language!" "You're spoiling the child." "Let him speak as he likes." " Why force him?" " Enough of your sermons!" " Does the child have to hear that?" " I'm fed up with it." "If you pay attention to it, his stammering may persist." " Who is a teacher here?" " Of course you are, honey." "Aunt Marina?" "Did the doctor come?" "I've just got back from a flight." "How is Uncle Boris?" "Tell Sasha that I've brought what he wanted." " That's all." "Like it?" " Wow!" "My handiwork." "But why on the ceiling?" "You might break your neck." "I usually watch it lying down." "The best way." "Andrei, did Natasha tell you anything?" "No." "Why?" "Please, don't get upset." "She's got pregnant." "Wait, it makes no sense." "I asked her this morning:" ""You didn't get married, did you?"" "She answered:" ""I'm not planning to for now."" "And she was so casual." " And who is the fellow?" " Kostya." "She says he's been here." "Louder!" "Louder!" "You with the book, go out!" "And you wait." "You'd better listen good and proper." "What do you think you're doing, you scoundrel?" "Natasha's pregnant and you're sweet-talking another dupe here?" "What Natasha?" " You are Kostya, right?" " I'm Kostya." "Him." " You?" " Yes." "And this is my sister." "This is not right." "Go and get married." "Andrei Vassilievich, I'd love to, but she wouldn't." "Don't humiliate yourself!" "She isn't worthy of tying your shoelaces!" "I called her, I sent her telegrams, but she wouldn't listen." " Maybe you can persuade her." " Kostya, don't apologize." "Help me, Andrei Vassilievich!" "But why?" "Can you explain it to me?" "Dad, he has no personality." "Do you understand?" "I don't need him." "And you and mom don't either." "We'll never be able to live together anyway." "He's got enough personality to make a baby, but not to marry." "You've made a mess of your life, don't you see?" "Dad, try and please see that you see nothing at all." "Don't go out without your hat, don't play in the rain, don't produce babies..." "But I shall!" "You'd better worry about yourself." "You've nearly done your flying career." "You're near retirement." "You'll need some work, like playing with your grandson." "You'll like that, won't you, granddad?" " Andrei!" " Petrovich!" " Of all the places to meet!" " That's a great surprise!" "Tamara, this is my friend, a super class pilot." " Timchenko." " Tamara." "Tamara, there's a bottle cooling in the stream." "My granddaughter, Czarina Tamara." "She wanted to be an actress, but didn't pass the auditions." "Now she thinks, the poor girl, that her life's a complete failure." " Is she married?" " No." " Single mother?" " Why did you say that?" "I was thinking of someone else..." "You know, Andrei, she's a clever girl." "I got her a job as an air hostess." "She's been flying for a year now." "Do me a favor, please take her under your wing." "Sure, no problems." "She knows English, can both speak and sing in it." "I'm not sure about singing, but speak she will have to." " Do you like your work?" " No." "This is 26-120, circling over the flooded area." "No marooned people in sight." " 26-120, return to base." " Roger." "We didn't have enough time in Moscow to see a speech therapist." "Is his stammering that bad?" "I'm afraid it is." "He's clever, though." "If a word is difficult, he uses a part of it." "For chocolate, "Chu", for sugar, "Shu", for cookies, "Ku"." " He's made a lingo of his own." " That's interesting." "And my wife shouts at him." "She makes him say everything right." " Your Alia is quite a shrew." " Don't say that, she's just nervous." "We all get nervous." "But we don't scare the life out of people." "This is 16-120." "Flight is over." "No marooned people in sight." "Hello!" "I had to warm your dinner three times." "Where have you been?" " Got delayed at work." " You could have telephoned." "I'm a nervous wreck!" "Now warm it up yourself and eat!" "I also work!" "Alia, don't get mad." "You've got such a wonderful man!" "Maybe you should find yourself someone to make you happy?" "When my husband is alive?" "Never!" "Others may do that." " Then bear with him." " That's exactly what I'm doing." "The only thing I've been doing." "For five years already." " We're on course, on glide path." " You're on course, on glide path." "Deviation 6, course 214." " Thank you, Tamara." " Thank you." "Hello, dad?" "How are you?" "Did the doctor come to see Aunt Marina?" "What does he say?" "You should have telephoned." "Of course, I'll get it." "No problem." "Sergei, how was your flight?" "There's something I want you to do." "Write it down." ""Miredin". "M" as in Michael, Irene, Robert, Eve, Doris, Irene, Nick." "That's an Indian medicine." "When are you flying to India?" "Sure, I'll fix it." "All right, see you on Wednesday." "Take care!" "I've made some coffee." "You take coffee in the morning?" "Yes!" "You ought to eat the skin, too." "All the vitamins are in there." "I don't feel like eating." "You'd better lie down, Natasha." " All right, mom." " And get a warm blanket." "You're cooing like two girlfriends." "Natalya got what she asked for." "Let her take it." "You won't even speak to her, and in her condition..." "In her condition." "Blind actions have their price." "This is 26-120." "Have delivered fertilizers to the farm." "26-120, return to base." "Altitude 400, deviation 8." "Reverse gear's on." "Coming in for landing!" " Have you paid the rent?" " I have." " And the electricity bill?" " This too." "Alick, baby, come here." "Give mommy a kiss." "Alick, do you hear me?" "Mother, he needs a haircut." " Right now?" " When then?" "When he develops a plica?" "Alick, come here." "Sit down!" "I said, sit down!" "Now don't take it out on the poor child." "Stop crying." "See what I've brought you." "Mou..." "Mou..." "No, not a mouse." "It's a nutria." "From the breeding farm." "Remove this rat from the table, this moment!" "Not proper really." "A rat on the table." "But why, just when I'm busy with my child, he has to produce a rat?" "Just to make me mad..." "Stop it, will you?" "Oh, hell!" "You don't like it here?" "Go then!" "Let's divorce and get done with it!" "I'm sick and tired of that!" ".." "Alia!" " Have you got a vacation?" " I'm offering you my heart and hand." " What madness!" " Let's get married at once." "I'm still a student." "I'm not free to go for two years yet." "You don't have to be free." "I've come to you myself, forever." " Sheer madness." " We're in love with each other." "We'll be happy together." "I'll take a job in a domestic airline." "Not everyone flies international, you know." "Have a bite." "Delicious, the meat jelly." "Alia, perhaps you're right." "Let's get a divorce." "Divorce?" "Just because of a rat?" "I'm serious..." "You know, there are men who enter wedlock and stay there till their demise." "And there are those who never get caught." "I'm one of them." "Of course I've been in love." "Head over heels." "Not just once." "But I never gave my word to anybody." "I knew I was not a family man." "No, not me." "I never promised anything." "So I never hurt anybody." "That's what I admire in you." "Your sophistication." "Your independence." "Just a second." "Hello?" "Ah, pretty well." "No, I can't." "I have to go on a long voyage." "For a long time." "Half a year." "All right, all right." "Bye." "Our relationship is just for half a year?" "What could I have said to an old friend?" "That I was going on a lifelong voyage?" "Are you jealous?" "Jealousy is for those with an inferiority complex." "I have other complexes." "Come on, stop it." "We just had a little serious talk." "It's incredible!" "Look, in our land, men and women have the same rights, yes?" "So, why do you spurn your privileges?" "Why do you have such an abysmal, senseless, atavistic desire for marriage?" "For what?" "It beats me!" "Why are you staring at me?" "Am I not right?" " Of course, you're right." " Sure I'm right." "I can understand that long ago, there lived those... troglodytes." "The male hunted mammoths, the woman waited by the fire." "Quite obviously, no husband, no mammoth, no food." "That is solid logic." "She had to stick to somebody to survive." "And where's she today?" "Today she's a Ph.D., earns a fat lot." "She's better off than any man, because she doesn't drink." "And yet she has to cling to some creep, because a husband is a must, so is a family." " Utter bilge, isn't it?" " Bilge!" " What's going on there?" " Terrorists." "They hijacked an aircraft, and have landed here for refueling." "The terrorists have agreed to release just one woman." "A Japanese, Kumiku Marimitsu." "There're 67 people on the craft, 14 of them are women." " What do they want?" " Not clear as yet." "Ransom, perhaps." "Oh yes, they demand release of four of their comrades." "Her husband is among the hostages, architect Marimitsu." "Her friends await her, and some people from the Japanese embassy." "She just wants to leave the child." "She leaves her child and returns to the plane." " But why?" " Her husband is on board." "She turned around only once to look at her child." "Oh, blast and damn it!" "Hi!" "There's an ambulance downstairs." "Has it come to us?" "Yes." "It is Natalya, poor thing." " What's wrong?" " Toxic fever." "Spasms, nausea." "She is really bad." "How is it, Natasha?" "Bad?" "Mommy, I can't bear it any more." "Take me to a hospital." "I'm willing." "Will you?" "Yes, my child." "You'll be all right." " Has he come?" " Yes." "You did want the baby, didn't you?" "I didn't want to lose it." "Mommy knows that." "I bore it, till the end of my patience." "Can bear it no more." "You always did as you pleased." "So, I won't stop you now." "But remember: if you do anything against your will, just succumbing to pain or fear, or some other pressure, you may regret it tomorrow." "However, it will be too late." "Be brave, you'll get a second wind, you'll feel better." "A human being is a very tenacious mechanism, it can stand anything." "I thought you didn't want me to have this baby." "The Court will now hear the case of Valentin Georgievich Nenarokov against Alevtina Fedorovna Nenarokova about custody of child." "Secretary, announce the parties concerned." "The Petitioner, the Respondent, Witness, Inspector of Schools." "Why is the child here?" "He's not required." "Take him away." " Respondent, you wish to contest?" " I contest his advocate." "I have no advocate, but he has one." "The law does not permit you to object to his advocate's presence." "You too are at liberty to appoint an advocate." "I'm the mother." "Nobody can take my child away." "Alick, don't do that here." "It's not allowed." "Want a drink?" "I understand it's not good for a child to be without his father." "Without mother, it is even worse." "I don't know what Valentin Georgievich is hoping for." "He flies, often gets delayed." "He has no time to look after the boy." "He's always busy!" "Don't you also work?" "Yes, but I have my mother, a pensioner, who's in good health." "Valentin Georgievich too has a retired mother and a sister." "But these two are as good as strangers to Alick." "And my mother has always taken care of him." "And what did you, on your part, do for the child?" "I'm not on trial here." "Find out about your client first!" "He is a good man." "He has good references." "Respected by colleagues, morals above board, a doting father." "Pardon me, but all this is big news to me." "I'm the only one who can tell what kind of man he is!" "What kind of a father he is, and about his moral codes!" "He slept out for three nights, nobody knows where!" "And as a father, he is nothing!" "He didn't give his son any education!" "I'm a teacher in a primary school." "And who is he?" "He scolded his son, even beat the child." "Alick started stammering because of that." "I'm surprised how that kind of man can work in our aviation." "Why, he'd even go to his work completely drunk." "He could have mucked up both machine and people." "Can anyone trust such a man with a child?" "Alevtina spoke the truth." "And how do you know what exactly she did say?" "Those are the absolute facts." "I saw it all with my own eyes." "The child must remain with his mother." "You say you saw with your own eyes." "Did you see the boy beaten?" "Beaten?" "Oh, how's that possible?" "Sometimes, our Alia boxed his ears." "You know, she's a bit nervy." "I see." "One more question." "Tell us please if you saw your former son-in-law drunk regularly?" "No, never." "How's that?" "Peg after peg, but he never got plastered?" "He never drinks!" "Well, a few pegs on special days." "Maybe I'm a little confused." "You'd better ask Alia." "Thank you." "That's all." "The Court is in session." "In the name of the Russian Socialist Federal Republic..." "As a matter of fact, the law provides for it." "Exactly equal rights for both parents in such cases." "But let's be practical." "You're a pilot." "Can you sit the whole day with your son?" "Suppose you remarry." "What's the guarantee your new wife will treat the boy well?" "There he has grandma, mother, even though she's a bitch..." "Even though she won't allow you to see your son..." "Igor, you asleep?" " Are you asleep?" " No, not asleep." "I'm going to draw your portrait." "Low forehead, smooth skin." "Aha, the fellow has no mind, no suffering." "The nose is gristly, cunning." "Soft, shapely mouth." "Not cruel." "Oh, thanks." "Why do women love you?" "For what?" "Igor, don't leave me." "Will you?" "Don't leave me." "Don't ever leave me." "You don't know loneliness, and what it can mean to me." "Ust-Kamenogorsk." "Where's that?" "Eastern Kazakhstan." "It's a job like any other." "I've got a few days off, so I came here." "I feel this pressing need to see my son." "He's in the nursery." " Alia, won't you come out?" " I have a headache." "Yevdokiya Petrovna, you could've done better." "He shouldn't be in the nursery." "It may hamper his growth." "It can't be so bad anywhere as with you." "I can't be with him all day." "You've left us and my mother is ill." "Since you're here, you can see Alick." "But only for half an hour and in our presence." "Why in your presence?" "This is not a prison, and I'm not meeting a prisoner." "So that you won't poison his mind against us." "All together now!" "As we baked a cake..." "Alick!" "Sonny!" "My darling." "Pa... pa... pa..." "Nenarokov!" "Where are you?" "Come here, Nenarokov!" "Announcing the arrival of Flight 2326 from Arkhangelsk." "Announcing the arrival of Flight 1222 from Mineralnyie Vody." "Announcing the arrival of Flight 1222 from Mineralnyie Vody." "Flight 1768 from Kiev is expected at..." "There he is!" "What have you done with the child?" "Where's Alick?" "Over there, asleep." "Alick!" "My darling!" "Officer, arrest this man!" "Why?" "It's a family affair." "Sort it out between yourselves." "Right, Valentin Georgievich?" "So beautifully asleep." "Let him be." "Are you hungry?" "I don't know." "Well, perhaps a bit." "Why the police intervention?" "Some spectacle." "Just to make it more painful?" "Why have you always made it so unbearable for me?" "You never could see beyond your own nose." " I have never loved you." " That's a lot of nonsense." "What about our all night kissing, talking, endless smooching." "What's there in smooching?" "I was young and stupid, and you, a pilot from Moscow." "You gave up a lot for me:" "job, prospects, Moscow." "I saw you were in love with me deeply." "I married you mostly out of pity." "I shouldn't have done that." "You poor creature." "That was the one good thing you did, and you couldn't forgive me that." "And how about me, eh?" "I used to fly a different sky!" "Whenever I see a passenger plane, I think of all my lost opportunities." "I'd be flying IL-62's by now!" "Of course, you're good, and I'm bad." "You dropped me and the child because you're so good?" "Who needs me now?" "Alick, honey, wake up." "Wake up, mommy has come for you." "Where did you come from?" "From Leningrad, naturally." "Aren't you glad to see me?" "Oh, I'm glad." "Then don't conceal it, show it." "Pick up my bag." "You don't care very much." "Just one post-card in a whole year." "But I'm different." "I didn't ring up because I'm passing through." "Just three hours between trains, but I had to drop by." "I had to see you, even if it is only for an hour." " Won't you be late?" " I have three hours." "Hey, what's happening here?" "Are you expecting somebody?" "No, not really." "I mean somebody might come." "Something is happening in my life." "There have been changes." "Has somebody crawled into your life?" "What do you mean, crawled?" "Cockroaches crawl, not beloveds..." "As a matter of fact, yes." "What is this?" "Come on, please!" "Stop it!" "I beg you." "Compose yourself." "Now please turn to me." "It's ridiculous!" "You're like a baby." "Would you like a cup of coffee?" " You want me to stay?" " Of course, I do." "Only let us have it understood." "It will be our farewell." "If the phone rings, don't pick it up." "Something wrong?" "Why is she wearing my slippers?" "Sorry." "They're three sizes too big for me." " Igor, I'm going." " Go." "Your mission is accomplished." "Bye!" " Toma, wait!" " Leave me alone!" " I'll explain everything." " No explanations are necessary." " Listen to me!" " Let me go!" "It's a misunderstanding." "Please, Toma!" "Remember our agreement, Toma?" "We have an understanding." "Full independence, no obligations." "Now remember, these were your own words..." ""I'm a modern woman." "I know what I do."" "I said it because that's what you wanted to hear." "Listen, you've had many women." "Don't you know that all girls want to get married, they want children and a lifetime companion!" "You and your modernity, your independence!" "What's in it for me?" "I was faithful to you." "Come on." "A friend came just to collect some music records." "And you make a scandal, get hysterical..." "Yes, I'm hysterical, because I..." "Iove you so much." "You don't bother." "Not a bit." "It makes no difference to you whether I exist or not." "You know, I'm glad this has happened." "Otherwise I would have sunk deep into this mess." "Forever lost." "I feel I'm saved." "I too am saved." "You can't imagine my relief." "Salute!" " Bring us some coffee." " Coffee again?" "The medical check-up is near." "Heart and all that." "Yes, you veterans should bother." "Bother or no bother, they'll find some reason to put you away." "In the past, such matters upset me, not now." "I suppose it's time for a change of job." "An obsolete profession." "On IL-86, there's no more need for navigators." "Valery Pavlovich, do you plan to fly till you're a hundred?" "You will certainly stay around for another twenty years." "All right, enough of this bullshit." "Is it a funeral?" " Here's your carotene." " No, Anyuta, that's it." "Tomorrow I'm going to hospital." "Annual medical check-up." "As usual." "You give just one day's notice." "What's the difference?" "It is not a jail term." "Just a month's rest." "Nothing to worry about." "I know how you're not worrying." "You're in excellent shape, I tell you that as a doctor." "Only cognac improves with age." " Keep flying." " Thanks." "I will!" " Keep flying." " Thank you." "Goodbye." "Well, Professor, is it time to remove my harness?" "Pardon?" "When a horse had done its work, and has to be sent to slaughter, they remove its harness and put it out to pasture." "Ah, no." "You're as fit as a fiddle." "Keep flying." "Andrei Vassilievich, what is it?" "..." "I'm grounded." "How can it be?" "It's absurd!" "I'm eight years younger than you!" "What can I say to you..." "You now, I next." "There's work on the ground, too." "You're still in aviation, huh?" "They will see you're happy." "Let's have a drink." "Come on, come on, forget about it all..." "Hello?" "Ah, it's you." "No, Galka, not possible." "I'm going on a voyage." "For how long?" "For a whole life!" "Toma!" "Tamara!" "I'll call you up in the evening." "Please don't go." "Let's go some place we can talk." "We have nothing to talk about." "As you wish." "We can talk here." "I miss you, and you miss me too, I know." "I don't miss you at all, that's why you're running after me." "If I were to cry and to phone you, you wouldn't think of coming to me." "I'm sure you do cry and wish to phone me." "Only you're an actress, playing a role to torture me." " Who told you that?" " Long experience, you know." "All right, if you're such an idiot, I'll make you a proposal." " What proposal?" " As if you don't know." "Please marry me." "That's the proposal." "I too have to make a proposal." "Leave me alone, and never approach me again." "26-120, you'll join the group looking for cosmonauts." "Your sector is 26-D." "Maintain contact." " What's up?" " Look out for cosmonauts." "Roger." "Seeing cosmonauts!" "Descending!" "Soviet Pilot Spots Cosmonauts." "Look, Nenarokov has made the bourgeois press." "It's a pity he left us needlessly." " It's I'amour." " Not quite." "Total marital catastrophe." " How do you know?" " From personal correspondence." " She turned out a perfect bitch." " Is it that bad?" "She wouldn't let him see the child, sent a complaint to the Minister." "You have influence." "Maybe you can put in a word for him." "All right, my lawyer friend." "Valentin!" "You're here!" "Alick will be home any minute." "Come on in." "Tolya!" "Valentin is here!" "Do come and meet my husband." " Anatoly." " Valentin." "Alia, fix us something to eat." "Come on, take off your coat." "Feel at home." "She's a great hostess, and always cheerful." "Yes, I should know." "Nothing for me." "I'm full." " Have a drink at least!" " If only one glass." "I can't make you out." "How could you give up such a woman?" "Incredible!" "Your kid is so sweet." "Calls me dad, you know." "He even stammers less." "He's seeing a speech therapist." "Maybe you'd like to be alone with him?" "Mommy and I will go out to the movies." "You stay here." "Do you want to go for a walk?" "Alick, go... wo..." "Alick, do you remember?" "Go...wo..." " Let's go for a walk." " Let's go!" "Uncle, let's go to the park, to the merry-go-round." "I'm not your uncle." "I'm your dad." "You've forgotten so soon?" "No, not forgotten." "My new dad is Tolya." "And a boy cannot have two dads." " And who am I then?" " You're not dad, you're uncle." " Who told you that, your mom?" " Yes." "Be-er..." "Vi-no..." "Tof-fee..." "Ca-fe..." "Fo-to..." "Have you had a good walk?" "Fine." "Alick, come here." " Are you tired?" " No." "Let's talk about you a bit." "How's everything?" "I went to Moscow for my medical." "Passed conversion course." "Now I'll be flying a TU-154." "So all is well professionally." "How is your private life?" "Found anyone?" "No." "And what if we were to start all over again?" "You and I..." "Would you agree?" "I would agree." "And I wouldn't!" "Only now I understood what it means to live." "I go to bed happy, I wake up singing." "I just asked." "I wanted to make sure if you had changed at all." "I haven't changed." "You haven't either." "Not a bit." "Oh, all right." "Goodbye." "Alick, come, daddy's waiting." "Uncle, I love you." " Igor!" " Yes, Andrei Vassilievich." "What is it between you and Tamara?" "You better explain." " Is it anything of your concern?" " Yes, because she's weeping." "If her life's ruined by a playboy, it's everyone's concern." "That's what I thought." "Her grandfather was a pilot, an old friend." "So what?" "I overlooked your misdemeanors." "Not any more!" "That's your last flight with me, I'm warning you." "Do you think you're being wise?" "Psychologically?" "You're upsetting my nervous equilibrium just before a flight." "I'm shaking in my shoes." "What if I should make a mistake?" "Those like you couldn't lose their poise." "Your kind can upset anyone." "Behave or you'll lose your job!" " How're you, Valentin?" "Flying?" " Flying, Andrei Vassilievich!" "Your interview!" "Well, you carried tales to uncle." "Happy now?" "He's promised to throw me out." "85-131, proceed to Bidri with medicines and food for the victims." "Bidri reports another shock wave." "Critical situation in the mountains." "You have to pick up families of the workers and the injured." " Expedite return flight." " Roger." "They changed our task." "In Bidri, the situation has worsened." "There's been another aftershock." "More destruction." "As soon as we've handed over all food and medicines, we fly back." "We'll carry the builders' wives and children, and the injured." "An uninviting place." "Yes." "There may be absolutely unforeseen eventualities." "Everyone has to be on the alert." " Is that full of gold?" " Careful, it's money." "That's no eggs, we won't break it." "I told you everything will be all right." "Anyway, the worst is over." "I was sure about that!" " Hi!" "What's the latest?" " Another shock wave last night." "Take-off should be within an hour." "The sooner the better." "The construction workers will stay." "Their families will fly with you." "Why can't you come with us?" "Don't panic." "I'll follow as soon as we have restored the plant." "Calm down, or I'll be worried too." "My dear child!" "If you only knew how we waited for you." "If you only knew what we have been through!" "It was plain hell!" "We're so tired!" " Do we fly soon?" " We'll load the food and take off." "Comrades, carry the injured to the plane!" "Tamara!" "Toma!" "Tamara!" "Why are you sitting here?" "I've looked everywhere for you!" "Careful." "Hush, stop crying, baby!" " When do we fly?" " We've been through hell here." " There're women, children here." " What are you waiting for?" "Maybe they'll clear the flight?" "There will never be ideal conditions." "Get in touch with the controller." "All flights are cancelled." "There's a fissure on the tarmac." "Now please, no need to panic." "We'll find a way." "May we send the injured to the city?" "It would do no good." "The hospital is ruined." "I'm afraid they won't allow us to take off." "We must ask for small planes to rescue the injured." " What's that rumble?" " Something is falling." " Is that where the town is?" " No, it's over there." "Anyway it doesn't sound too close." "The lava is rushing down the mountain." " Towards us?" " Don't know." "They don't say." "In 1925, half the town was gutted by such a flood." "The deluge is approaching." "Rock and fire at high speed." "It's still about 40 km away, but above us is the refinery." "What do you say?" "Take-off now?" " No." " Doesn't seem possible." "Andrei Vassilievich, I can't say." "I don't know either." "Really, I don't." "Look, a plane is taking off." "That means we can too." "Well, that does it, we can't take off." " I can't leave!" " Calm down." "I said, calm down!" "Tell us please, can we take off or not?" "Might as well tell me clearly." "I have to pacify others." "Wait till we've assessed the position." "Captain will decide any moment." "Is there nobody responsible among you?" "Of course, we're going to take off." "Just go and calm all the others." "Valentin, we must take people to the hills." "There's no other way." "What about the injured?" "We can't wait till we're drowned like kittens here!" "You're men, do something!" "Take-off is impossible." "If we stay, we perish." "The bottom line, we take off!" " How do we do it?" " By free taxiing." " A short stretch." " We'll measure it in Moscow." " Drop the cello!" " It's a Guarnerius!" "Comrades, where are you going?" "Bachula!" "Bachula!" "Where's my child?" "Mommy!" "Slowly, please." "There's a cello here." "Bachula!" "I'm going to kill you, Bachula!" "I'm going to kill myself!" "Mommy!" " Flight recorder." " On." "NOT READY FOR TAKE-OFF" " Fuel on board?" " Thirty nine tons." " Hydraulic pumps?" " Checked." " Emergency exits lights?" " Off." " Hydraulic quantity panel?" " Checked and set." "NOT READY FOR TAKE-OFF" " Take-off readiness?" " Ready for take-off." "Crew, take-off!" "Hundred forty, hundred eighty..." "The decision-taking speed!" "Two twenty, two sixty!" "Lift off!" " Oh, I was so frightened!" " It's all right now." "Scalpel." "Clamp." "Another clamp." "Clamp." "Scalpel!" "Oh, blast!" "My eyeglasses." " Tampon." "Stitches." " Here." "Quick!" "Clamp!" "More!" " His jaw is broken?" " Not broken." "Dislocated." "Sit down." "Hold him." " That's it!" " Is it already over?" "The thing to do is to remove your hands quickly to save your fingers." "Bless you, doctor." "You know, it was hell!" "This is 85-131." "I've taken off." "Altitude 1200." "No proper elevation control." "Maybe some damage during take-off." "Continuing ascent." " Mommy, my ears." " Now, now, my little one." "Now, honey, calm down." "It will be over soon." "Yes, Dima, a little wait..." "There's some sound in the second cabin." "The temperature's down." "I'll go and see, all right?" "Smile." "Bring me a scalpel from the surgeon." "It's money!" "Please sit down." "Calm down, please!" "Gentleman, please sit down." " Let me go!" " Calm down, please." "The passengers are restless." "It's cold in the cabin." "What shall I do?" "Do what?" "Do what?" "Here's what you do." "Bring us some coffee." "Coffee now?" "Yes, coffee now." "And please, don't worry so much and don't panic." "We're descending." "It'll soon be easier to breathe." "Descending to three thousand." "The aircraft is depressurized." "There's a crack in the fuselage of the tail section." "Where are you going?" "Come, sit down." "This cello was made by an old master." "It's valuable." "It shouldn't get cold." "Must keep it warm." "Well, aces, think, what do we do?" "We can't fly far in this damaged aircraft." "Nor can we land without elevators." "Therefore, I propose that we cut through to the tail section, pass the air-intake channel, get to the breach or crack, and pull the torn skin back into place." "This is the only way which can prevent the crack from growing." "The task is risky, though not impossible." "And the most vital thing to do is to free the elevators." "But I'll come to that after we've fixed the crack." "Your opinion?" "Theoretically viable, but no one has ever tried it." "Now that there's no other way, we must try." "Agreed." "Go ahead, Valentin." "Why him?" "It is my idea." "Moreover, it is my job as an engineer." " Go, Valentin." " He won't know how!" "He'll be blown off, and you'll be responsible." "This is no time for sympathy or antipathy." "Yes, Nenarokov is a better officer." "He's more experienced, more level-headed." "He'll be in command." "You go with him and help him all you can." "Ladies and gentlemen!" "Does anyone have a warm jacket?" "It is needed by the crew badly." "I'm sure that nothing more can happen to me." "Hook yourself safely, so that we can drag you back." "Don't worry." " Repeat it." " I'm safely hooked." "I'll reduce speed." "But I can't go below 400." "Don't curse me if the wind buffets you a little." "What's going on?" "Why is it so cold?" "It's all right." "All is as it should be." "If all the air escapes, we'll suffocate?" "You frighten yourself, and you frighten other people too." " Why are you so quiet?" "Speak up." " I'm getting fastened." "Keep talking." "Tell me whatever you're doing." "It'll make it easier for you, and I won't have to worry." "Mommy!" "Mommy!" "Mommy, it's good in there." "Warmer." " Are you cold?" "Hungry?" " No." " I missed you so much." " I missed you too." "Now wait a bit." "There's no pain." "I know when there's pain." "I can cause pain myself." "Nenarokov has cut his hands to the bone, and is frost-bitten." "He can't go on any more." " Eyes all right?" " Yes, eyes all right." "You have to let me go." "Go, Igor." "And put a lot of grease on your face." "Didn't I tell you everything will be all right?" "After my car accident, the doctor told me I'd live to be a hundred." "The base and crown of my skull were fractured, my spleen removed, my left kidney ruptured, my both ankles wrecked, and ten ribs broken." "Please, my dear, would you be so kind and shut up." "Yes, I understand." "Beginning the repair of elevators." "The engineer will enter the tail cone, go up and try to remove the obstruction." " Pardon me, d'you believe in God?" " Stop bleating like a goat!" "We should have trekked to the hills." "With the instrument?" " How is it going, Igor?" " I got a grapnel." "I'm trying to catch it." "I've caught a fish!" "I'm pulling it out!" "Everything normal?" "How's it now?" "Everything is fine, Igor!" "Oh God!" "Easy." "I believe I've broken my ribs." "Easy, easy..." "Relax..." "Just relax." "85-131, Kiev is unsafe for landing." "Thunderstorm, 200 km front." "We're examining alternatives." "How's the crack?" "The crack will not grow, but might yield to greater stress." "We're proceeding to Moscow." "Shall land at Sheremetyevo, our home port." "What's the forecast?" "Wouldn't like any turbulence with our tail." "Moscow alerted to receive you, but the storm's moving faster." " Alerting Riga and Leningrad." " I don't have enough fuel." "Alert Moscow!" "I had made plans to go to the Medical College." "If I had done it, I wouldn't be flying now." "I finished the Medical College, and I'm flying." "You won't cheat Fate." "It is growing, isn't it?" "Andrei Vassilievich, it is certainly growing!" "This is 85-131, the crack is growing bigger." "Rain, turbulence." "I am descending." " Toma, go to the front cabin." " I was told to stay here." "Go to the front cabin." "Commander's order." " Will we crash?" " Not at all." "Remove all sharp jewelry." "Toma, go." "Ladies and gentlemen," "please fasten your seat belts, remove all pointed and sharp-edged objects," "put your heads between your knees, cover heads with blankets and hold them in your hands like this." "In Sheremetyevo it's pouring." "The runway is wet." "Slush two centimeters deep." "Reverse thrust impossible." "We'll try to land without it." " Without reverse thrust?" " It may tear off the tail." "Wake up, please." "Wake up." "On course." "On glide path." "Alert fire engines." "Dima!" "Where's my child?" "I saw a boy going to the tail section." " The brakes!" " The brakes are not working!" " Use reverse thrust!" "Do it!" " The tail will break off!" " Mommy, we've arrived, yes?" " Yes, yes." "I told you everything would be perfect." "Nobody believed me." "Only I knew all would be well!" "I'm alive!" "I'm alive!" "Alive!" "Toma, you have curious reflexes." "You should have cried before." "Now you should be happy." "Go away!" "Don't ever touch me!" " I hate you!" " You've had a shock." "Yes, I've had a shock because of you!" "You betrayed me!" "You were different an hour ago." "I thought we were going to die." "Forgive me for not plunging to my death." "Andrei!" "I was so worried." " How was the flight?" " Normal." "So why the delay?" "Bad weather in Bidri." "Give me a spot of cognac." "Well, Professor, time to remove the gear?" "Andrei Vassilievich, you can't fly for a while." "The cardiogram positively says your heart needs rest." "I'll get even with those quacks, you'll see." "A fellow strong as a bull, sent to his grave." "They will give you a job!" "I'll take my case to a Ministerial Commission!" "They'll give you any other job!" "Men can work on the ground too." "Come on, Anyuta." "I've myself said it a thousand times to others." "I don't need any other job." "I need to fly." " I'm strong, you know that!" " Andrei, don't get excited!" "He looks great, younger than we do." "The sanatorium has done you good." "You are glowing!" "Oh, I missed you so much!" "Well, I can see it now." "Might as well submit." "Now I realize that the shouting, demanding respect for myself was stupid egoism." "Valentin, be careful, you might drop her." "Nonsense!" "A pilot's granddaughter!" "She'd rather fly!" "Better men, by far, have retired." "I'm not the first, won't be the last." "So ends my gypsy life." "I return home." "Andrei Vassilievich, tomorrow I go to the altar... to surrender." "There's time though." "I still may change my mind." "She would be lucky if you did." "We'll find her a better man." "His kind of men are hard to tame." " The first 10 years won't be easy." " That's my luck." "There's a wedding?" "That calls for celebration." " I brought it." " Put it away!" "Come on." "How beautiful!" "Well, Andrei Vassilievich..." "I wish you the best." "Let's drink to that." "Oh, it's strong." "Like drops of blood." "The bullfinches will like it." "Good morning, ladies and gentlemen!" "Our captain," "Valentin Georgievich Nenarokov, and the crew welcome you on board our Aeroflot flight..." "The End"