Background
Igor Volk was born on April 12,1937.
Igor Volk was born on April 12,1937.
He studied at a seven-year school № 1 of the city of Zmiev and secondary school № 14 of the city of Voroshilov (now - Ussuriisk) of the Primorye Territory of the RSFSR (now Russian Federation). In 1954 he graduated from secondary school № 5 in the city of Kursk. Simultaneously with studying at school he studied at the Kursk Aeroclub, where he got the first skills of flying an airplane. He made his first flight in April 1954. In 1969 he graduated from the evening department of the Zhukovsky branch of the Moscow Sergo Ordzhonikidze’s Aviation Institute, majoring in mechanical engineering.In 1963 he started attending the Test Pilot School of the Flight Research Institute (LII) of the Ministry of Aviation Industry (MAP), graduated in 1965.
Since 1965, on flight test work in the Flight Test Center (LIC) LII MAP. Flied on all types of modern domestic fighter aircraft, military transport and bomber aircraft. Carried out a series of works on the development of various systems of automatic flight control, as well as development of experimental and modified power units. He tested the aircraft on a tailspin and at large angles of attack, on inertial interaction, strength, aerodynamics and flight dynamics. Conducted research on the refueling of fighters in the air. Carried out a whole complex of important and complex tests and experiments, including tests on Su-27 and Su-27U. On August 10, 1981, by order No. 26 of the head of the LII was enlisted in the detachment of test cosmonauts created in the LII MAP. On February 12, 1982, after passing all the tests for general space preparation, by the MVKC decision him was granted the "test-cosmonaut" qualification. Participated in atmospheric tests of an air and space aircraft, developed under the program "Spiral". On July 12, 1977, by order No. 630 of the head of the LII, he was included in the special training group for the Buran program. On August 3, 1978 he received a positive feedback from the Main Medical Commission (MMC). At the end of 1978 he was assigned as a commander of the detachment of test pilots No. 1 of the "A" complex of the Flight Test Center. On February 1, 1979, by order No. 34 of the Ministry of Aviation Industry (MAP), he was enlisted in the lead group for training on the topic 11F35 (Buran). From April 1979 to December 1980 he underwent general space training at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center by the method of assembly. On July 30, 1980, by decision of the GMPC was recommended for inclusion in the group of research cosmonauts. September 26, 1980 by the order of the MOM No. 345 was included in the squad of the cosmonauts-researchers (without indicating the name of the detachment).From September 1982 to May 1983 he was preparing for a space flight as a part of the main crew with Leonid Kizim and Vladimir Soloviev. He was withdrawn from the crew due to a change in the program of flights to the DOS Salyut-7. Since December 26, 1983 he was directly trained for the flight to the Soyuz T spacecraft under the visiting expedition program, together with Vladimir Dzhanibekov and Svetlana Savitskaya.