Graduated from Higher Military Pilot School, Armavir, 1976, from Soviet Air Force Test Pilot School in Akhtubinsk, 1985 and from Moscow Aviation Institute, 1989; was selected as cosmonaut for Buran flights on 25.01.1989 (GKNII-3); OKP (cosmonaut basic training): 3/89 - 4/91; returned later to the Test Pilot School in Akhtubinsk; in 1997 he retired from active military duty; from 1998 to 1999 he served as a pilot for “Transaero-Airline”; later he worked for "Transevropskiye Avialinii“-Airline; was chief pilot of Sukhoi Civil Aircraft. On 19.05.2008 he made the first flight of the Superjet 100; died in the crash of Sukhoi Superjet 100 (RA-97004) during a demonstration flight at the volcano Mount Salak / Indonesia.