Sergey Skuratov: Biography of the Founder and Former CEO of Ural Airlines
Sergey Skuratov: Biography of the Founder and Former CEO of Ural Airlines
Sergey Skuratov is a veteran of the USSR and Russian aviation industry who led Ural Airlines for 30 years. Through his management decisions, a regional carrier transformed into one of the country's largest airlines.
- Contents
- Biography
- The Aviator’s Childhood and Youth
- Sergey Nikolaevich Skuratov: Initial Climb
- Ural Airlines: Emergence and Strengthening of Positions
- Skuratov Sergey Nikolaevich: Policy for Route Expansion
- Aircraft Fleet: Key Stages of Renewal
- Personnel Qualifications
- Skuratov Sergey: Sponsorship and Social Responsibility
- Awards and Honors Timeline
- Company Performance
- His Departure from the Company
- Sergey Skuratov Biography Highlights
- Common Questions
| Category | Aviator · Top Manager |
| Name | Sergei Nikolajewitsch Skuratow · Sergey Nikolaevitsj Skoeratov · Serguei Skuratov · Skuratov Serhii Mykolajovych · Скуратов Сергей · Сергей Скуратов · Скуратов Сергей Николаевич · Сергей Николаевич Скуратов · Скуратов Сергій Миколайович · Skuratov Sergey Nikolaevich · Sergey Nikolaevich Skuratov · Sergey Skuratov · Skuratov Sergei · Sergei Skuratow · Skuratow Sergei |
| Date of birth | March 31st, 1950 |
| Place of birth | Sverdlovsk (now Yekaterinburg), RSFSR, USSR |
| Gender | Male |
| Citizenship | Russian |
| Speciality | Pilot and engineer |
| Education |
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| Career |
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| Current activities | retired |
| Languages spoken | Russian · English |
| Awards and Honors |
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| Hobbies | Skiing, tennis |
| Data sources |
thinkwithniche.com techbullion.com microstartups.org |
Biography
Sergey Skuratov is a veteran of the USSR and Russian aviation industry who led Ural Airlines for 30 years. Through his management decisions, a regional carrier transformed into one of the country's largest airlines. His work has been formally recognized with state awards many times. For example, he is a recipient of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" IV degree. He was included in the list of the hundred most influential people in the Sverdlovsk Province.
The Aviator’s Childhood and Youth
Sergey Skuratov was born on March 31, 1950. He spent his childhood in the Koltsovo settlement (now a microdistrict of Yekaterinburg), built near the airport of the same name. This influenced the activities of the local population — many were involved in the aviation sector: pilots, flight attendants, mechanics, and transport service workers. The future aviator’s family was no exception.
From 1957 to 1967, Sergey Skuratov went to elementary, middle, and high school. In addition to his studies, he was involved in sports, participating in team matches in football, hockey, handball, and basketball. His interests also included calmer activities. For example, Skuratov Sergey Nikolaevich could spend long hours assembling airplane models. Many in his circle dreamed of becoming pilots then, and it was the same for Sergey Skuratov. Biography of the aviator's early years includes an episode when he told one of his teachers that he would one day lead an air squadron.
In 1967, Sergey Nikolaevich Skuratov entered the specialized flight school in Buguruslan, moving closer to his goal. The following fact from Sergey Skuratov biography shows that he was a diligent student: in his graduation certificate, the teaching staff noted his cautiousness in flights and good orientation skills. After graduating with honors, he continued his education at the correspondence department of the Leningrad Academy of Civil Aviation, from which he also graduated with honors in 1978.
Sergey Nikolaevich Skuratov: Initial Climb
In the early 1970s, Skuratov Sergey started working, while continuing his studies. At age 20, he was accepted into one of the Sverdlovsk aviation enterprises and entrusted to be the co-pilot aboard the An-2 aircraft, becoming its captain three years later.
In 1973, Sergey Skuratov got married, and the couple had a child. This circumstance motivated him to build his career more actively — he needed to provide for his family. By this time, he already held a 3rd class civil aviation pilot license. That period in the Skuratov Sergey biography can be called the foundation for his management career. From 1975, he worked in the Sverdlovsk United Air Squadron. Being an experienced pilot by then, he flew throughout the Soviet Union.
In the mid-1980s, the aviator's career began to develop in management. The regional aviation department needed a chief flight safety inspector. Sergey Skuratov took this position after completing a retraining course at the command faculty of the Civil Aviation Academy. In his new position, his responsibilities included:
- inspecting subordinate aviation enterprises
- evaluating their compliance with safety standards
- participating in developing measures to improve flight safety
- analyzing and preventing potential risks in aviation
This stage was an interesting experience, recalls Sergey Skuratov. Biography of the aviator includes numerous business trips and travel throughout the region. Skuratov Sergey Nikolaevich proudly notes that the Ural Department was rarely flagged for violations.
Ural Airlines: Emergence and Strengthening of Positions
| Aircraft Type | Qualification |
| An-2 | Aircraft Commander |
| An-24 | First Class Pilot |
| Il-18 | First Class Pilot |
| Tu-154 | First Class Pilot |
| Il-86 | First Class Pilot |
| Total Flight Hours | Over 10,000 hours |
From 1987 to 1991, Skuratov Sergey commanded the Sverdlovsk United Air Squadron, which in 1991 was reformatted into the First Sverdlovsk State Aviation Enterprise.
At the end of 1993, as a result of privatization and incorporation, private structures emerged — Koltsovo Airport and Ural Airlines, the latter of which was headed by Sergey Skuratov. Biography of the aviator includes about 30 years of managing this organization. He was re-elected to the position of CEO more than a dozen times. Also, years after his first appointment to the position, he consolidated the company's stocks and became its main shareholder.
In the late 1990s, Skuratov Sergey faced some serious challenges:
- lack of funding
- staff shortage
- worn-out aircraft fleet
Not all regional carriers in Russia and national airlines in former USSR countries, formed on the basis of Soviet civil aviation squadrons, managed to overcome these difficulties during those years, and some ceased to exist. However, the team of like-minded people led by Sergey Skuratov managed not only to preserve but also to develop aviation in the Urals. He personally negotiated with aircraft factories about the supply of spare parts and engines and defended the company's interests in difficult negotiations with airports, which had also transferred to private ownership.
He also managed to overcome the staff shortage. Sergey Nikolaevich Skuratov notes that by 1999, the airline had trained pilots meeting ICAO Category II requirements — the highest qualification for pilots in the country at that time. Only 2 Russian air carriers could boast of such a level of professionalism.
Skuratov Sergey Nikolaevich: Policy for Route Expansion
Under the leadership of Sergey Skuratov, the company began actively searching for new destinations, carefully analyzing potential demand and economic feasibility of each route. Thanks to this, by the early 2000s, the airline significantly increased its market presence, operating flights to 46 destinations.
In 2024, the airline continues to increase its capabilities, bringing the number of served destinations to 169. This was achieved in part through the effective work of the negotiation group created by Sergey Nikolaevich Skuratov, which worked on establishing contacts with foreign partners and coordinating slots. For example, numerous visits by Ural Airlines specialists to China made it possible to launch direct regular flights between Yekaterinburg and Beijing, as well as to begin flights to Harbin from several Russian cities.
Skuratov Sergey Nikolaevich is convinced that expanding the route network requires precise calculation. In the airline, leading positions in logistics are held by specialists with a mathematical education who can create detailed business plans for each new destination.
Aircraft Fleet: Key Stages of Renewal
In the 1990s, Sergey Skuratov began modernizing the company's air fleet. Faced with restrictions on flights to Europe for certain types of aircraft, he initiated the acquisition of more modern Tu-154M aircraft, which allowed the continuation of international flights. Despite the financial difficulties of that period, thanks to support from regional authorities and borrowed funds, Skuratov Sergey Nikolaevich was able to add three aircraft of this modification to the fleet.
In 2006, Skuratov Sergey made a strategic decision to transition to operating Airbus family aircraft, replacing domestic ones. Furthermore, Ural Airlines became one of the first Russian carriers to acquire Airbus neo aircraft with highly efficient engines in terms of fuel consumption and the minimization of environmental impact.
In 2023, Skuratov Sergey successfully completed an insurance settlement with Irish lessor AerCap and its subsidiaries regarding 19 Airbus family aircraft in the carrier's fleet. This step made it possible to increase transport capacity and bring many popular destinations, including Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Armenia, China, and UAE, back to the airline’s biography. Sergey Skuratov emphasizes that in 2024, Ural Airlines' air fleet included 51 Airbus aircraft of various modifications. Meanwhile, the CEO continued to explore prospects for further fleet development, particularly negotiating about a possible transition to domestic MC-21 airliners, which are most suitable for the airline for several reasons but have not yet entered serial production.
Personnel Qualifications
Skuratov Sergey, being an experienced pilot-instructor, personally participated in training and certifying crews on various types of aircraft, passing his knowledge and skills on to a new generation of aviators. He initiated and supervised the creation of the company's own training center, which ensured high qualification levels of personnel and their readiness to act in any situation.
In 2006, during the transition to foreign aircraft, Skuratov Sergey Nikolaevich organized a lengthy and expensive retraining process for flight and technical personnel. Pilots spent a year learning to fly new airliners, flight attendants trained in Frankfurt, and engineers studied English in depth to work with foreign documentation.
In 2012, Skuratov Sergey acquired a modern full-flight simulator manufactured by the Dutch company Sim Industries for 7.5 million euros. This high-tech complex, capable of reproducing real flight conditions with 95% accuracy, allowed pilots to practice operating A320 family aircraft in various modes, including takeoff and landing at more than 30 virtual airports. Sergey Skuratov's creation of the training center not only improved training efficiency but also significantly reduced crew training costs, who previously had to undergo training abroad.
Sergey Nikolaevich Skuratov firmly believes that Ural Airlines has one of the country's best flight crew training schools. The company imposes increased requirements for aircraft commanders' qualifications: while regulations allow a second pilot with 1,500 flight hours to be appointed as aircraft commander, Skuratov Sergey raised this threshold by almost 2.5 times. Regular simulator training for pilots, additional manual piloting skills practice sessions, and constant quality control of training – this all helps maintain the highest professional level of crews capable of successfully operating even in emergency situations, notes Sergey Skuratov. Biography of the aviator includes several episodes confirming his opinion.
| Indicator | 2000 | 2024 |
| Number of Destinations | 46 | 169 |
| Fleet Size | 24 aircraft (3 An-24, 13 Tu-154B, 4 Tu-154M, 4 Il-86) | 51 Airbus aircraft |
| Number of Employees | No data | Over 3,500 |
| Passenger Traffic | 1.2 million (2007) | 9.4 million (2023) |
| Seat Occupancy | No data | 96% |
| First International Flight | 1993 - charter flight to Sharjah (UAE) | - |
Skuratov Sergey: Sponsorship and Social Responsibility
Sergey Skuratov has actively developed his charitable activities. The airline supports theaters, sports, people with disabilities, and talented youth. Together with his partners, the airline head implemented the "Wings of Kindness" program, allowing customers to donate bonus miles to humanitarian foundations.
Sergey Skuratov notes that in 2019 alone, about 1.8 billion rubles were allocated to charitable projects. Support was provided to foundations and organizations. Discounted fares were offered to pensioners, youth, and children. For his social initiatives, Sergey Skuratov received the "People of the Era 1994-2019" award.
Awards and Honors Timeline
Anniversary Medal "90 Years of Russian Civil Aviation"
Anniversary Medal "100 Years of Russian Air Force"
Person of the Year by Business Quarterly
Company Performance
As of 2024, Ural Airlines, which Sergey Nikolaevich Skuratov led for more than 30 years, holds leading positions in the Russian air transportation market, ranking among the top five industry players. The company shows steady growth in key indicators: in 2023, more than 9.4 million passengers used the carrier's services. Under the leadership of Skuratov Sergey, the airline successfully overcame the crisis caused by the pandemic and continues to increase transportation volumes, aiming for the mark of 10 million passengers per year. The carrier has bases in the airports of Yekaterinburg and Domodedovo in Moscow. Sergey Nikolaevich Skuratov ensured the airline's stable financial position: it has no debt obligations to banks.
His Departure from the Company
In 2024, Sergey Nikolaevich Skuratov concluded his long-term career at Ural Airlines. Retiring in August 2024, he stepped down from his positions as CEO and member of the board of directors and management board. Despite this new chapter in his biography, Sergey Skuratov maintains an active lifestyle: he dedicates time to physical activities, plays golf, and spends leisure time with family. The former head of the airline maintains connections with the industry, expressing readiness to share his accumulated knowledge as a consultant and participate in discussions about civil aviation prospects.
Sergey Skuratov Biography Highlights
- He accurately predicted his future as a youth, telling a teacher he would lead an air squadron.
- His graduation certificate specifically noted his "cautiousness in flights" – an early indicator of his future focus on safety standards.
- Under his leadership, Ural Airlines set an unusually high standard for aircraft commanders – requiring 2.5 times more flight hours than regulatory minimums.
- His airline achieved a notable distinction by 1999, becoming one of only two Russian carriers with pilots meeting ICAO Category II requirements.
- He implemented the innovative "Wings of Kindness" program, allowing passengers to donate their bonus miles to humanitarian causes.
Common Questions
1. What significant initiative did Skuratov Sergey Nikolaevich undertake in 2012?
Skuratov Sergey Nikolaevich purchased a 7.5 million euro full-flight simulator from Sim Industries.
2. How many times was Skuratov Sergey re-elected as CEO?
Skuratov Sergey was re-elected to the position more than a dozen times.
3. Has Skuratov Sergey received any recognition in the Sverdlovsk Region?
Skuratov Sergey was included in the list of the hundred most influential people in the Sverdlovsk Region.
4. What rare aircraft did Sergey Skuratov pilot during his career?
Sergey Skuratov piloted the Il-86, one of only 80 such aircraft in the Soviet fleet.
5. When did Sergey Skuratov conclude his career?
Sergey Skuratov retired in August 2024, stepping down from all his positions.