Dobrolyot

A poster calling on citizens to buy stock in Dobrolyot.

For other uses, see Dobrolyot (disambiguation).

Dobrolyot, or sometimes Dobrolet, is an initialism for Russian: Российское общество Добровольного воздушного флота - 'Добролёт' (The Russian Society of Voluntary Air Fleet), an early Soviet Union air transport organisation, which was formed in 1923 and existed throughout the remainder of 1920s. It was formed in imitation of the Russian Merchant Navy Volunteer Fleet (Dobroflot), which had previously been formed back in 1878.^[1]

History

The Dobrolyot society was created in the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic on March 17, 1923^[2][3] to contribute to the development of the country's air fleet. A capital of two million gold rubles was authorised. The basic objectives were the organisation of airmail, cargo and passenger lines, aviation related solutions of national economic problems (for example, aerial photography of localities) and also the development of the domestic aircraft industry. Territorially, activity of this organisation covered Russia and Central Asia.

In 1929, Dobrolyot and the similar organisations of other Soviet republics Ukrvozdukhput (Ukrainian Airways) and Zakavia (a Georgian Airline) were incorporated into Dobrolyot USSR.

On October 29, 1930, Dobrolyot was abolished, forming the basis for the Central administration of the Civil air fleet (GU GVF), later becoming Aeroflot. Up until that time, the society's airlines had flown 26,000 km, transporting 47,000 passengers and 408 tonnes of cargo.

In 1932, all civil aviation activities were consolidated under the name of Grazhdansky Vozdushny Flot (Civil Air Fleet), known as Aeroflot.

In 1993, in Russia, the Dobrolyot Aviation Company JSC was created.

See also

• Dobroflot

References

1. ^ The Military Writings of Leon Trotsky Volume 5: 1921-1923
2. ^ US Centennial of Flight Commission: The Beginnings of Soviet Civil Aviation
3. ^ Uzbekistani Reference document detailing the history of civil aviation in Central Asia

Further reading

• Aircraft. Encyclopedia. M.: Large Russian Encyclopedia. 1994. p. 736. ISBN 5-85270-086-X.