History of the Airport Technologies department (ATD)

The development of jet aircraft, and as its consequence the complication of the airport infrastructure, in the early 70’s of the twentieth century required the creation in the structure of  the USSR civil aviation training institutions of a separate unit for the training of engineering personnel on the operation of specialized means of mechanization and automation of production processes of airports. Such a unique unit was the Department of Automation and Mechanization of Airports (AMA), which was established in 1970 on the initiative of the Ministry of Civil Aviation of the USSR. By that time the department became a part of the faculty of the airports.
The founder and the first head of the Department of Automation and Mechanization of Airports was Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor Anatoly ALYABYEV, who headed the department from 1970 to 1977.
In the formation and development of the AMA department a significant contribution was made by its first teaching  and engineering staff: I.P. Skopenko, G.M. Geletukha, VS Sukhobrus, VO Strakholis, MM Rozhkov, D.O. Shcherbyna, L.M. Turbonist, VI Rozhkov, AA Vorobyov, MP Koval, V.V. Sapronov.
In the first years of the department’s development, the following disciplines, such as “Special vehicles and means of airport mechanization”, “Automation and mechanization of technological processes at the airports”, “Technical exploitation, repair and the bases of production of machinery and equipment” were supplied and provided with educational-methodical literature, special educational equipment and laboratories. Mechanisms”, ” Construction Machines and Mechanisms “.
Educational laboratories and rooms of the department were located in the main building of the Kyiv Institute of Civil Aviation Engineers. The students carried out practical skills on aerodrome facilities, which were based on the territory of the training aerodrome near the airport “Zhulyany”.
At the initiative of A.Ya. Alyabyev in the structure of the department was created a training column of special vehicles and the design and construction of a special ground for aviation ground equipment was started.
In the department was opened a driver training school, where the students of the Kyiv Institute of Civil Aviation Engineers were trained free-of-charge and received driving licenses to drive cars of “B” and “C” categories. Training of students – graduates of the AMA department was obligatory.
Teachers of the Department were actively engaged in educational and methodological and scientific work. Under the editorship of A.Ya. Alyabyev the monograph “Fretting corrosion of metals” was published, which summarized the scientific developments of the department.
At that time, the department began to actively cooperate with the Department of Ground Structures of the Ministry of Civil Aviation of the USSR. The scientific research carried out at the department then were implemented in a number of sectorial regulatory documents, among them “Instruction on the service provider of transport of civil aviation airports” (NSS GA-76), “Technical maintenance regulations for specialty vehicles of civil aviation airports” (1976), etc.
During this period one doctoral and three candidate’s theses were defended.
In 1971 for achievements in the training of personnel for the national economy and civil aviation, the head of the department of AMA A.Ya. Alyabyev was awarded the Order of the  Labor Red Banner.
In 1977 the department was headed by Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor KANARCHUK Vadym E. Evgenovych.
In the same year, the department received a new name: the department of technical operation of special vehicles and mechanization of airports (TOSVMA).
The staff of the department was reinforced with new highly skilled teachers: І.І. Adamenko V.M. Anpilogov, MM Verkhogliad, M.A. Davidovich, IG Demidovich, KO Keler, V.D. Moroz, VM Prokopov, G.O. Sannikov, VP Stepanenko, Yu.M. Cheremnyh, AD Chygrynets and others.
In 1978, the training and laboratory base of the department was put into operation – a special ground of aviation  equipment. The special ground began to be equipped with the most modern models of aviation ground equipment, diagnostic equipment, equipment for maintenance and repair of special vehicles of airports. A significant contribution to the equipment was made by V.I. Lichik and B.S. Guseltsev
During this period under the editorship of V..E Kanarchuk a reference guide “Special Vehicles of the Airports” was published, which has not lost its relevance today, and a monograph by V.Ye. Kanarchuk  “Durability and wear of engines under dynamic loading conditions” (1978).
Under the supervision of V.E. Kanarchuk  the Department continued to carry out scientific research on important issues of civil aviation and to develop new regulatory and technical documentation regulating the activities of special transport services of airports. In particular, the “Operational requirements for special vehicles for the maintenance of aircraft” (1978), “Manual for the maintenance of special equipment of machines and mechanisms at airports of civil aviation” (1981), “Requirements for labor safety in the services of special transport and airlines and car fleet of the civil aviation” (1985).
In 1983, the department employees received the State Prize of the Ukrainian SSR in the field of science and technology for the creation of aviation mobile electric units APA-4, APA-4G, APA-5, APA-5D, which became widely used in civil and military aviation.
The head of the TOSVMA department V.Ye.Kanarchuk was awarded the title of Honoured master of sciences and engineering of Ukraine, and associate professor V.P. Stepanenko was awarded the title of Honored inventor.
Two staff members of the department defended their candidate’s theses.
In 1984 the department began to work as a part of the Faculty of Fuel and Lubricants (FFL), which then was renamed the Faculty of Aviation Ground Technology (FAGT).
Since 1984 the department was headed by Doctor of Technical Sciences, professor ZAPOROZHETS Volodymyr Vasyliovych.
The department continued to play a significant role in the development of airport ground infrastructure, the introduction of new ground-based airport provision technologies, and the training of aviation specialists.
At this time, the staff of the department was reinforced by V.I. Lichik, O.M. Bilyakovich, V. Kh. Balanin, VV Varyukhno, І.М. Zakiev.
According to the Order of the Ministry of Civil Aviation of the USSR, new regulatory and organizational and organizational documents were developed and introduced at the airports: “Administration of transport services at airports of CA” (NSS GA-87), “Labor safety requirements at CA airlines” (1985), “Technological Technical Service Maps for Special Vehicles “(three parts, 1988),” Guidelines for the organization of work of technical departments of special transport services of airports of CA”(1989).
The department was actively involved in the improvement of the educational process, in particular, the textbooks “Fundamentals of aviation and aviation ground engineering” (1985), “Mechanization of technological processes at airports” (1986), the reference “Aviation ground equipment” (1989) were published.
One of the lines of the scientific activity of the department at that time was the development of a normative and technical basis for the certification of ground services and airport equipment. The result of these works was the preparation of documentation for the certification of ground services of the State International Airport “Boryspil” (1999-2001).
On the initiative of V.V.  Zaporozhets a special detachment of the department was supplemented with new aeronautical ground equipment and an active layout of the Yak-40 aircraft, on which the students worked out the technological processes of ground handling of aircraft.
In 2000, the department was renamed and it was named the Department of Airports Maintenance. By that time the department was a part of the Institute of Transport Technologies.
In 2002, the staff of the Department of fuel and lubricants entered the department and it received a new name – the Department of Airports Technologies and Energy Resources.
Since 2002, the department was headed by the doctor of technical sciences, professor Shchepetov Vitaly Volodymyrovych. Under his guidance, the curricula was substantially adjusted, appeared a specialization on technical maintenance and repair of means of mechanization and automation of airports and the specialization on the technical operation of storage, transportation, refueling and quality control of PMM, which provided training of specialists of the educational qualification level “Bachelor”
Since 2003, four theses have been defended at the department.
Since July 2004, the department is a part of the faculty of aircraft.
In 2008, the department was headed by Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor TAMARGAZIN Olexandr Anatoliyovych.
Today, the Department of Airport Technologies is the basic structural unit of the National Aviation University for the training of specialists in the educational qualification level “Bachelor” and “Master” with a complete higher education in the field of knowledge 0701 “Transport and Transport Infrastructure”, direction 6.070103 “Maintenance of aircraft “, Specialty 7 / 8.07010303” Technologies of works and technological equipment of airports “.
Graduates trained in the department of airport technology have a high level of theoretical and practical knowledge, extensive engineering erudition and hold high managerial positions at airports and airlines, operational and engineering services, work on engineering and technical positions in airlines, fuel filling companies, structural departments for ground-based engineering support for aircraft flights, airfield services and air transportation.