Pressure Points

True professionalism saved lives in the balance

Damir Yusupov grew up in Igarka, a small Russian town whose population had decreased over the years to fewer than 7,000. Just prior to becoming a teenager he found the move with his family to the much larger town of Syzran, with a population of over 178,000, and access to a significant river port, a very dynamic experience. Aside from the differences in size, both towns provided access to local airports and aviation.

Heavily influenced by his father who was the captain of a helicopter crew, Yusupov was always drawn to aviation. He would have to wait a few years to nurture his passion. When the young Yusupov initially applied to flight school, he didn’t pass the medical exam and decided to go to law school instead. While initially finishing his studies and entering a dedicated career within local government, he was very fortunate in his early 30s to be selected to start flight training and make the career change he had always wanted.