Andrzej Błasik
Encyclopedia
Andrzej Eugeniusz Błasik (11 October 1962 – 10 April 2010) was a Lieutenant General
in the Polish Armed Forces
and a Commander
of the Polish Air Force
.
Błasik was born in Poddębice
, People's Republic of Poland
. He died in the Tu-154 crash
near Smolensk
, Russia
.
. Afterwards he joined the 'School of Eaglets', gaining in 1985 the military rank of second lieutenant in the group of pilots of the passenger aviation corps.
In the period from 1993 to 1995 he studied at the National Defence University in Warsaw, after completing the diploma and he became a certified officer. He was also a graduate of the Netherlands Defence Academy in The Hague
in 1998 and the Air War College
in Montgomery, Alabama
, United States
(2005).
In 2001 he became Head of Training 2 Tactical Air Brigade in Poznań
, and in 2002 became commander of the 31st Air Base in Poznań. He commanded a military unit in 2003 received the "Mark of Honour of the Polish Armed Forces" for the protection of international maneuvers in "NATO Air Meet 2003". Since 2004, he was head of the Combat Applications Division at Headquarters Air Force, while in 2005–2007 he commanded the 2nd Tactical Air Brigade. On 15 August 2005 he was promoted to Brigadier General. After a short time, he served as commander-rector of the School Officers of the Air Force. On 19 April 2007 he was appointed commander of the Air Force and was promoted to Major General.
On 15 August 2007 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General.
As a pilot he had 1,300 hours total flying time. As an instructor he had the power to train in all weather conditions on airplanes Su-22 and PZL TS-11 Iskra
. He also piloted the Lim-6.
, in which the President of Poland Lech Kaczyński
also died. Subsequent investigation points to Błasik's presence in the cockpit as a possible contributing factor of the crash.
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
in the Polish Armed Forces
Polish Armed Forces
Siły Zbrojne Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej are the national defense forces of Poland...
and a Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
of the Polish Air Force
Polish Air Force
The Polish Air Force is the military Air Force wing of the Polish Armed Forces. Until July 2004 it was officially known as Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej...
.
Błasik was born in Poddębice
Poddebice
Poddębice is a town in Poland, in Łódź Voivodeship, about 40 km northwest of Łódź. It is the capital of Poddębice County. Population is 7,898 ....
, People's Republic of Poland
People's Republic of Poland
The People's Republic of Poland was the official name of Poland from 1952 to 1990. Although the Soviet Union took control of the country immediately after the liberation from Nazi Germany in 1944, the name of the state was not changed until eight years later...
. He died in the Tu-154 crash
2010 Polish Air Force Tu-154 crash
The 2010 Polish Air Force Tu-154 crash occurred on 10 April 2010, when a Tupolev Tu-154M aircraft of the Polish Air Force crashed near the city of Smolensk, Russia, killing all 96 people on board...
near Smolensk
Smolensk
Smolensk is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River. Situated west-southwest of Moscow, this walled city was destroyed several times throughout its long history since it was on the invasion routes of both Napoleon and Hitler. Today, Smolensk...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
Education
During 1977–1981 Błasik was educated at Aviation High School at the University Officers' School of Aviation in DeblinDeblin
Dęblin is a town, population 19,500 , at the confluence of Vistula and Wieprz rivers, in Lublin Voivodeship, Poland. Dęblin is the part of the agglomeration with adjacent towns of Ryki and Puławy, which altogether has over 100 000 inhabitants....
. Afterwards he joined the 'School of Eaglets', gaining in 1985 the military rank of second lieutenant in the group of pilots of the passenger aviation corps.
In the period from 1993 to 1995 he studied at the National Defence University in Warsaw, after completing the diploma and he became a certified officer. He was also a graduate of the Netherlands Defence Academy in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
in 1998 and the Air War College
Air War College
The Air War College is a part of the United States Air Force's Air University, headquartered at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama. Air University's higher headquarters is Air Education and Training Command headquartered at Randolph Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. The Air War...
in Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(2005).
Military service
At the first grade – a pilot – he was sent to 8 Regiment Fighter-Bomber in Mirosławiec. In 1987 he was transferred to 40 Regiment Fighter-Bomber in Świdwin, where he was a senior pilot, commander of a key officer of the squadron navigator, squadron commander and deputy commander of the squadron. Since 1995, he served in the Air Force Command Szefostwie Air Force and Air Defence [2] in Warsaw. He was successively chief inspector duties Navigation Division, Senior Inspector Department of Training and Operations Branch chief specialist.In 2001 he became Head of Training 2 Tactical Air Brigade in Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
, and in 2002 became commander of the 31st Air Base in Poznań. He commanded a military unit in 2003 received the "Mark of Honour of the Polish Armed Forces" for the protection of international maneuvers in "NATO Air Meet 2003". Since 2004, he was head of the Combat Applications Division at Headquarters Air Force, while in 2005–2007 he commanded the 2nd Tactical Air Brigade. On 15 August 2005 he was promoted to Brigadier General. After a short time, he served as commander-rector of the School Officers of the Air Force. On 19 April 2007 he was appointed commander of the Air Force and was promoted to Major General.
On 15 August 2007 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General.
As a pilot he had 1,300 hours total flying time. As an instructor he had the power to train in all weather conditions on airplanes Su-22 and PZL TS-11 Iskra
PZL TS-11 Iskra
|-See also:-References:*"Poland's Veteran Spark". Air International, March 1979, Vol 16 No. 3. Bromley, UK:Fine Scroll Publishing. pp. 126–131....
. He also piloted the Lim-6.
Death
Błasik was killed in a plane crash near SmolenskSmolensk
Smolensk is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River. Situated west-southwest of Moscow, this walled city was destroyed several times throughout its long history since it was on the invasion routes of both Napoleon and Hitler. Today, Smolensk...
, in which the President of Poland Lech Kaczyński
Lech Kaczynski
Lech Aleksander Kaczyński was Polish lawyer and politician who served as the President of Poland from 2005 until 2010 and as Mayor of Warsaw from 2002 until 22 December 2005. Before he became a president, he was also a member of the party Prawo i Sprawiedliwość...
also died. Subsequent investigation points to Błasik's presence in the cockpit as a possible contributing factor of the crash.
Awards
- Commander's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta – 2010, posthumously
- Silver Cross of Merit (2006)
- Bronze Cross of Merit (1998)
- Silver Medal Armed Forces in Service for the Country
- Bronze Medal Armed Forces in Service for the Country
- Gold Medal for Merit for Country Defense
- Legion of MeritLegion of MeritThe Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
Commander – 2009, "for his outstanding accomplishments as the leader of the Polish Air Force". - Grand Officer of the Order of Merit (2008, Portugal)
External links
- Lt. Gen. Andrzej BŁASIK, on the Polish Air Force website.