Andrii Vedmeder
Director of Kharkiv Aviation Institute
1931–1932 рр.
Andrii Vedmeder was born on October 25, 1903 in the village of Topillia (now Sumy region) in a poor peasant family. From the age of 11, he worked as a mechanic at a sugar factory in Sumy, then at the Nizhny Dnipro metalworking plant and carriage workshops in Katerynoslav. In March 1919, he voluntarily joined the ranks of the Red Army. After being wounded, he had to leave the military service.
He worked as a deputy director, then director of the Kiyanytskyi sugar factory, prosecutor of Kryvyi Rih (1927–1928) and Kharkiv (1928–1929). However, Andriy Vedmeder does not feel a vocation to law, since childhood he was attracted by technology. In the spring of 1929, he voluntarily resigned from the post of Kharkiv prosecutor in connection with the start of classes at the preparatory courses of the Kharkiv Institute of Technology. On September 1, 1929, Andriy Vedmeder became a student of the aviation specialty of the mechanical faculty of the Kharkiv Institute of Technology, on the basis of which the Kharkiv Aviation Institute was established in April 1930. From September 1, 1930, Vedmeder was enrolled as a second-year student of the aircraft-building faculty of the KhAI, majoring in aircraft design engineering.
Andriy Vedmeder is elected secretary of the party organization of the institute. Together with the first director of the institute, Petrov (Gorbenko), he participates in the construction of the institute's buildings, in the planning and creation of its material and technical base. How many sleepless nights and stressful days it cost him! It was necessary to repeatedly address the most urgent construction issues to the Government of Ukraine and the Central Committee of the CP(b) of Ukraine.
In December 1931, the first director of the KHAI, Petrov, was transferred to the Radnarkhoz and - an unprecedented fact! - third-year student Vedmeder is appointed director of the institute by order of the All-Union Association of the Aviation Industry.
Legends were made about such unusual people with a good adventurous streak as Andrii Vedmeder. At the age of 16, he commanded a regiment, as a third-year student he managed the institute.
A talented organizer who had extensive experience in state and party work, he managed to pay sufficient attention to construction, economic tasks, the educational process, and research and development. His energy and perseverance are amazing. The construction of the main (educational) and engineering-laboratory (aircraft) buildings, a student dormitory in Pomirky, and two premises is in full swing. With the active participation of students, the design of the Khai-1 and Khai-2 aircraft is underway. In the newspaper "Za aviakadry" dated February 23, 1932, A. Yu. Vedmer talks about the tenacity of students in the implementation of real diploma projects of the Khai-1 and Khai-2 aircraft, in mastering the science of designing new aircraft, in improving the quality of education and singles them out as pioneers real diploma design. A decision is made to build the KHAI-1 passenger plane at the Kharkiv Aviation Plant.
The duties of the director of the institute required intense work throughout the working day. However, Vedmer did not leave his studies. He could not study regularly, he had to selectively attend lectures and practical classes. In the evening, in his free time, together with the students of his study group, he studied the missed lectures, which allowed the director to successfully complete the third year.
From the memories of fellow student Kanevsky: "After Andriy Vedmer, a student of our 301st group, was appointed director of the institute, this group was nicknamed the director's group." Classmate Shuster recalls: "After a long lull, in the construction of the new building of the Khai, from the very beginning of 1932, active work on its construction began. He devoted a lot of time to it. We often saw a new director at the construction site, who delved into all construction, technical and household issues." Students took an active part in the construction. This made it possible to complete the construction of the main building in 1933 and transfer the educational process to the new premises. Having worked as the director of the Khai for six months and 6 days, Vedmeder made an invaluable contribution to the development and formation of the institute.
In May 1933, Andriy Vedmeder, together with the students of his group, went to the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute for pre-diploma practice, and at his personal request, he was relieved of his duties as director. Tupolev offered him a job at the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute. Andriy Vedmer defended his diploma project at the branch of the Moscow Aviation Institute at the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (July 1939).
Finally, he had the opportunity to fully devote himself to scientific and technical creativity. The life of this outstanding person ended tragically - he died during the flight tests of the hydroplane, before he had time to implement his best ideas. However, the monument he created for himself during his lifetime is the main building of the Khai Aviation Institute, in which a part of his beautiful soul is embedded and which preserves the indomitable energy of the first conquerors of air space.