Svetlana Yeroshina, Director of the Department of Aerodromes and Ground Handling at Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan.

Svetlana has worked in aviation since 2008. She began her career in the Flight Safety Inspection at Karaganda Airport. This experience allowed her to observe the takeoffs and landings not only of large aircraft such as the Boeing 747, but also the legendary Antonov An-225 “Mriya”, as well as military fighter jets and even recovery operations of space missions searching for and retrieving Roscosmos cosmonauts and NASA astronauts.

Svetlana also took part in the certification of the Turkestan International Airport, the first airport built in Kazakhstan during the years of independence.

In 2026, she was awarded the honorary title “Qurmetti Aviator” (Honoured Aviator).

Kymbat Artykbay, First Officer at Air Astana.

She graduated from the Civil Aviation Academy with a degree in Air Traffic Control. For two years, she worked as an air traffic controller, gaining valuable experience that contributed to her further professional development.

In 2018, she completed Air Astana’s Ab-Initio Pilot Training Program. Her first flight as a pilot was on the Astana–Almaty route. The longest flight in her career so far has been Almaty–London (9 hours 11 minutes), while the shortest has been Almaty–Bishkek (24 minutes).

Akerke Shopatayeva, helicopter pilot at Kazaviaspas.

She graduated from the Civil Aviation Academy and has been working as a helicopter pilot for over 17 years. As a rescue pilot, she has taken part in numerous emergency operations, including the evacuation of injured people and firefighting missions in the Abai Region.

Akerke is also a mother of four children. In her work, she is able to maintain complete focus on the mission. Precision, dedication, and strong coordination within the crew are essential conditions for a successful flight.

Akerke Shopatayeva, was honored “Eren enbegi ushin” for distinguished labour.

Zhanaiym Adil, Aircraft Mechanic at Air Astana.

Zhanaiym holds three diplomas from the Civil Aviation Academy, including a Master’s degree in Technical Sciences. She also holds a European EASA Part-66 certificate and a B1 maintenance license issued by the Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan.

She chose a career in aviation following in the footsteps of her grandfather, Talgat Laikov, who worked as an engineer. Interestingly, before starting her studies she suffered from aerophobia, which she managed to overcome after her first flight in the cockpit with the flight crew.

Sholpan Khusinova, Flight Attendant at SunAir.

She began her aviation career in 1990 as a flight attendant with the Guryev United Aviation Squadron. In the same year, she was awarded the Second-Class Civil Aviation Specialist qualification.

In 2000, she completed the Initial Training Course for Flight Attendant Instructors at the Ulyanovsk Higher Civil Aviation School (Russia). That same year, she was appointed Head of the Flight Attendant Service at KazAir West JSC.

In 2007, she was awarded the First-Class Civil Aviation Specialist qualification. Over the course of her career, she has trained and mentored several generations of flight attendants.

She also holds a certificate from the Higher School of Flight Attendants in Moscow.

Saltanat Aralbayeva, Head of the Production and Dispatch Service at Aktau International Airport.

She began her career at Aktau Airport in 2010 as an announcer at the Information and Assistance Desk. In 2011, she was transferred to the position of operator in the Production and Dispatch Service, which she later headed in 2018.

Her work in the service has provided her with extensive experience in organizing ground handling operations for aircraft. She actively participated in organizing operations for the 2018 summit held in Aktau, as well as in emergency response efforts following an aircraft accident.

She has been awarded letters of appreciation from the Akim (Governor) of the region for her professional contribution.