Moscow Aviation Institute

Moscow Aviation Institute Overview

The Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI) is one of the largest engineering and technical universities in Russia, training students to become professionals in aviation and cosmonautics and in other related technical disiplines. There are nine colleges or departments to the Institute, all with an applied technology orientation. Faculty (2000) and staff research scientists (6500) include those at associated facilities at Baikonur and elsewhere throughout the country.

There are nearly 20,000 students at the Institute: approximately 11,000 day students, and 9000 in evening classes. Admission is by competitive examination which typically eliminates three out of four applicants. Admission is based on testing in physics, mathematics, and Russian. Students who compete for entry have usually completed the standard 11 years of primary and secondary education, as well as two years of evening technical courses. Students who complete the courses of instruction graduate in five and a half years with a degree, equivalent to an American engineering master's degree.

Professors, in addition to their instructional responsibilities, do practical research, publish, and have connections with other institutes that are more research orientated, such as the Central Institute for Aero and Hydrodynamic Research (TsAGI). The staff will typically publish 900 books per year.

MAI was founded by a number of famous academicians, and aeronautical bureau heads such as A. I. Mikoyan, A. N. Tupolev, B. N. Yuriev, and A. S. Yakovlev. Virtually all of the major former Soviet airframe designers were educated at MAI. Graduates include many of Russia's leading aerospace engineers and scientists as well as a number of cosmonauts and test pilots.

MAI maintains exhibit areas for student inspection and use in design and drafting exercises. Many complete aircraft are available for study including: a MiG-23, an Su-27, a Yak-38, and the cockpit of an American F-111. The cosmonautics section includes a number of boosters and engines, and automatic as well as piloted spacecraft including components from the manned lunar program.

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