Leyla Mammadbeyova

Leyla Alasgar qizi Mammadbeyova, née Zeynalova (Azerbaijani: Leyla Məmmədbəyova; 1909, Baku – 1989, Baku), wis the first Azerbaijani female aviator. She wis the first female pilot in Caucasus, Soothren Europe an in Wastren Aisie an aw.

Career

Mammadbeyova's faither Alasgar Zeynalov wis the cousin o ane o Azerbaijan's pioneer film actors Huseyn Arablinski. Her faimily wis airts-orientit, so as a teenager, the futur aviator coud play the piano an the tar. At age 14, she marriet umwhile laundawner Bahram Mammadbeyov o Kurdakhany, who wad go on tae become chief o the Profeesional Unions Bank in Baku.

Mammadbeyova wis trained as a profeesional aviator at the Baku Airclub and performed her first flicht in 1931. She continued her education at an aviators schuil in Moscow in 1932. On 17 Mairch 1933, Mammadbeyova became the seicont parachutist wumman in the Soviet Union (efter Nina Kamneva) haein jumpit aff the Polikarpov Po-2 plane at Moscow's Tushino Airfield. In 1934 she wan the parachute jump competition held amang representatives o the Sooth Caucasus naitions. Bi 1941 she wis Squadron Leader o the Soviet Airmy.

Mammadbeyova continued her career as a pilot an instructor at the Baku Airclub. She wis refused tae fecht in Warld War II as at the time she wis raisin fower childer (she haed sax oweraw). Despite the Baku Airclub closin doun due tae war condeetions, Mammadbeyova managit tae launch glider an parachutist courses o her awn, whaur she trained hunders o combat pilots an aroond 4,000 paratroopers. Twa ofher students later became Heroes o the Soviet Union. Mammadbeyova performit her last flicht in 1949 an wirkit as Vice-Chair of the DOSAAF's Baku branch till 1961.

Mammadbeyova's elder son Firudin focht in Warld War II, an her younger son Khanlar teuk pairt in the Nagorno-Karabakh War, baith as combat pilots.

Leyla Mammadbeyova became a livin icon while still in her twinties. Her courage an skills wur celebratit throu media an the airts. Her character inspired the literary wirks o Mikayil Mushfig (Afshan, 1933 an Shoyla, 1934) an Samad Vurgun (Leyla, 1935), as well as the movie Ismat (dir. Mikayil Mikayilov, 1934). In the latter, Mammadbeyova appeared as a stuntwumman, haein performit in plane operatin scenes. In 1995 a documentar on Mammadbeyova's life an career entitled Leyla an directit bi Nazim Rza Israfiloglu wis released bi Azerbaijantelefilm.