Hryhorii Khliebnikov

Director of Kharkiv Aviation Institute

1936–1940

He was born in 1888. He started his career as a locksmith, then worked as a machinist-mechanic of the West-Siberian Shipping Company, as a workshop manager at a craft school, and as a turner. He was the head of the auto department of the Reserve Army of the Republic in Kazan and the chairman of the Novosibirsk Provincial Council of the National Economy. In his previous job, he showed organizational skills and was sent to the city of Irkutsk by the head of Prombank (1924).

In 1930, Khlebnikov headed the Samara Mechanical Institute, then he was sent to Moscow to study at the Promacademy, where he received the qualification of engineer-technologist-organizer. In 1936, he was appointed director of KhAI.

What mark did Hryhoriy Khlebnikov leave in the history of Khai? If all the first heads of the institute were not only good organizers, but also enthusiasts of aeronautics, then Hryhoriy Khlebnikov can be called the first professional manager, his path to the top of management was in many ways characteristic of the stormy post-revolutionary years. Being a newcomer in Kharkiv and in aviation technology, he first looked closely at the team, focusing on solving purely managerial tasks: creating an educational and material base and training aviation specialists. He actively promoted the organization of technical groups and defense mass circles in the institute's departments and laboratories. An attentive and benevolent man, he supported morally and materially enthusiastic developers and creators of aviation and rocket technology. At the same time, the jet group under the leadership of Academician Proskura was engaged in the development of powder rockets, jet engines, test and launch devices. In 1936, a group of students and engineers under the leadership of the head of the Neman aircraft building department created high-speed reconnaissance aircraft Khai-5 (R-10) and Khai-6.

It is safe to say that under Khlebnikov, the Kharkiv Aviation Institute was established as a unique educational and scientific institution, the achievements of which brought it all-Union success and fame.