Vadym Kononenko is a bright and original personality, a person of deep knowledge, firm position in life and principled convictions. He was a great teacher! Deep professional knowledge in the field of aircraft-building technologies, the sequence of presentation of the material, the use of technical means allowed the students to learn the scientific material in a high-quality manner. An exciting, creative form of lecturing, general language culture was characteristic of Professor Kononenko. A talented teacher, a great scientist, he gave lectures in many disciplines, among them the most favorite was the course "Assembly and test work in aircraft construction". His original textbook "Technology of aircraft production" is now widely used not only in all aviation universities, it is used at aviation enterprises in preparation for production. Vadym Kononenko was one of the first in the USSR to develop the program of the new course "Fundamentals of methodology and organization of scientific research (creative) work of students" and gave lectures on this topic.

His monograph "Rapid deformation and destruction of materials" was a great scientific contribution to the theory and practice of processing materials by pressure. The organizer and head of the scientific research laboratory of impulse cutting of metal and briquetting of chips in mechanical engineering and metallurgy, which later became the basis for the creation of the state-budget problem laboratory of the KhAI on the use of impulse energy sources in industry. Kononenko was the founder and head of the Kharkiv Scientific School for Deformation and Cutting of Materials by Impact of a Solid Body. Fundamental research of materials, carried out by Vadym Kononenko and his students, made it possible to create new, previously unknown processes and machines for pulse metalworking. Machines and installations for waste-free cutting into measured parts of ingots in conditions of continuous casting with dimensions up to 220x220 mm are being created, which are widely used in the largest metallurgical plants. For the first time in the practice of patent-licensing work of universities of the former USSR in 1970, the license of the company "Demag" (Germany) for the technological process and high-speed equipment for waste-free cutting of ingots was implemented. In 1975, under the leadership of Kononenko, he was awarded the State Prize of the Ukrainian SSR in the field of science and technology for a complex of works on research and implementation of high-production methods and means of cutting metal of large sections.

Under the leadership of Vadym Kononenko, a large team of scientists, graduate students, and teachers successfully worked on the solution of tasks that, according to the decree of the government, the State Committee for Science and Technology of the USSR, the Academy of Sciences of the USSR and Ukrainian SSR, received the category of the most important. Their works were awarded the Republican Komsomol Prize named after Ostrovsky.

Kononenko is the author of more than 350 scientific works, 400 inventions, 88 patents and one implemented license. Under his personal guidance, 82 candidates of sciences were trained, and practical assistance was provided to five doctoral students during their dissertation work.

A gifted teacher and educator, a talented scientist and organizer, he paid a lot of attention to the prospects of the institute's development, the training of scientific and pedagogical personnel, and the development of the scientific and technical base. On the basis of the radio engineering faculty, two new ones were created - the faculty of control systems and the faculty of radio engineering systems of aircraft (1977), the faculty of aircraft was organized (1980).

At this time, the question of using the achievements of science in practice is more acute than ever, and the rector becomes the initiator and organizer of educational-scientific-production associations as part of KAI - Research Institute and OKB. This made it possible to strengthen educational and scientific ties with industry factories and design institutes, to create educational and production bases at leading enterprises of Ukraine, where students successfully combined the educational process with real course and diploma design. Highly qualified industry specialists take an active part in the educational process. Educational-scientific-production bases served as the basis for organizing at the enterprise branches of faculties and departments of Khai Khai, which were organized in Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Dnipropetrovsk.

"As the dean of the aircraft-building faculty, the head of the graduating department, the rector - recalls Professor Kushnarenko, - Kononenko used a modern and perfect curriculum as the basis of training and education of young specialists, which successfully combined the amount of theoretical material and practical work, general engineering and special disciplines along with quite strong humanitarian training. He was an active supporter of individualized education plans for gifted students. Kononenko always sought to involve students in creative research work at all stages of education".

At the same time, the rector does not forget about the life of students and teachers. The construction of dormitory No. 11 has been completed, and the recreation center "Prolisok" on the shore of the Saltiv reservoir has been organized for students and employees of the institute. The construction of an educational and sports building (athletic arena) is being completed, a canteen for 400 seats and a house for young professionals with 98 apartments is being put into operation at the sports and health camp "Ikar" in Crimea, the construction of the assembly hall of the institute with 1,200 seats and student dormitory No. 12 is being completed The "Aviator" sanatorium-prophylactic for employees is put into operation, the construction of the aircraft training building has begun.

Under the leadership of Kononenko, Khai Khai holds a leading position among basic higher education institutions of the USSR and is included in the top ten higher education institutions of the country. Possessing great organizational skills and the ability to mobilize and direct the team under his command to fulfill complex tasks of training qualified specialists and the development of scientific research, Vadym Kononenko ensured KAI universal recognition not only in the USSR, but also beyond its borders. For the successful training of aviation engineers, the development of scientific research, the institute was named after Zhukovsky (1979), the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR awarded the KAI team with the Order of Lenin (1980).

Kononenko also takes an active part in public activities. He was a member of the Committee of the Ukrainian SSR for awarding state prizes in the field of science and technology, the chairman of the regional board of the scientific and technical association "Mashprom", a deputy of the Kharkiv Council of People's Deputies, a responsible editor of scientific collections, a chairman and a member of specialized scientific councils for the defense of candidate and doctoral degrees dissertations.

Kononenko's work and social activities received high marks. He was awarded the State Prize of the Ukrainian SSR, awarded the honorary title of "Honored Scientist of the Ukrainian SSR", awarded the Order of Lenin, medals, two diplomas of honor and five gold medals of the VDNG of the USSR.