Iliya Elenski

Iliya Yordanov Elenski is a Bulgarian war pilot, lieutenant colonel and president of the metodical council. He dedicated more than 30 years of his life to the aviation. During his war service he was commander of unit, deputy commander and deputy squadron commander. In 1957 he became the first Bulgarian pilot to catapult from a supersonic plain MiG-15C.

Childhood

Iliya Yordanov Elenski was born 17.07.1926 in a small village near Pleven - Komarevo. He had two younger sisters and to older brothers. His father Yordan Ivanov Elenski was a gardner.

Education

Education in Bulgaria

He finished primary school in Komarevo and high school – in Dolni Dabnik. In 1948 he was admitted in the military school Georgi Benkovski, Dolna Mitropolia and finished successfully in 1950. Afterwards he started his first job in the military unit in the city of Yambol, where he became lieutenant.

Education in the Soviet Union

In 1950 after a medical examination 80 Bulgarian pilots went to the city of Sarotov, Soviet Union for an education. One of them was Iliya Elenski. He was sent to the center of Razboishtina.

Career

After returning from the Soviet Union Elenski started working in Graf Ignatievo military base. He was the methodical council representative, defining the rules of flying. He made a few changes in the education of the young pilots, regarding their actions during a flight. Some of his duties were also supervising the flights in Graf Ignatievo airport. In 1957 he ejected from a Mig 19 C, during training in the Soviet union. In 1954 he took of a plane, breaking into the Bulgarian airspace.