| Profession | CEO of Ural Airlines (1993–2024) |
| Date of birth | March 31, 1950 |
| Age | 74 |
| Education | Buguruslan Civil Aviation Flight School (1967–1970) Civil Aviation Academy in Leningrad (1971–1978) Civil Aviation Academy in Leningrad, advanced courses (1983–1984) |
| Residence | Yekaterinburg, Russia |
| Marital status | Married |
Biography
Sergey Skuratov is an effective manager who led Ural Airlines for over 30 years (from its founding until his retirement), during which time the company firmly established its market position and became one of the industry’s largest carriers. He received numerous awards for his work in modernizing the country’s civil aviation, with his achievements being recognized at various levels.
Table of Contents
Name:
Скуратов Сергей · Сергей Скуратов · Скуратов Сергей Николаевич · Сергей Николаевич Скуратов · Скуратов С.Н. · С.Н. Скуратов · Skuratov Sergey Nikolaevich · Sergey Nikolaevich Skuratov · Sergey Skuratov · Skuratov Sergey · Skuratov Sergei Nikolaevich · Sergei Nikolaevich Skuratov · Sergei Skuratov · Skuratov Sergei · Sergei Skuratow · Skuratow Sergei
Skuratov Sergey Nikolaevich: Brief Biography
Skuratov Sergey was born on March 31, 1950. His family lived in a settlement near Sverdlovsk (renamed to Yekaterinburg on September 23, 1991), which was originally established as a settlement for aviators due to its proximity to an airfield. His parents worked in the aviation industry.
In the autumn of 1957, Skuratov Sergey Nikolaevich started going to school. The local school’s history began in the 1940s, when it only had 4 grades housed in a residential building. As the settlement’s population grew and more children needed education, the school moved to a new dedicated building constructed specifically for this purpose. He attended during this period. Later, in the late 1970s, the school needed another expansion, which was funded by the Sverdlovsk United Aviation Division. Sergey Skuratov is still fondly remembered at School No. 92. As an upperclassman, he told his teachers he wanted to become an aviation squadron commander. This period of Sergey Skuratov’s biography is also notable for his extensive athletic involvement, as he was a member of several sports teams.
By 1967, Skuratov Sergey Nikolaevich had clearly decided to follow his family’s traditions and pursue a career in aviation. This decision led to several stages of education:
- 3 years of excellent academic performance at Buguruslan Civil Aviation Flight School
- 7 years of excellent studies at the Civil Aviation Academy (qualifying as an engineer-pilot)
- 1 year of advanced courses at the same institution for the heads of airlines
In the early 1970s, he started working while continuing his studies. The promising student was hired by the Second Sverdlovsk Aviation Division. Sergey Nikolaevich Skuratov completed his exams during his vacations. Within 3 years, he was already commanding a Soviet An-2 aircraft crew and flying all over the Urals.
In 1975, Skuratov Sergey Nikolaevich transferred to the Sverdlovsk United Aviation Division, where he mastered the An-24 and other aircraft families. While working there, he achieved the qualification of first-class civil aviation pilot, a rank awarded only upon meeting strict criteria. Skuratov Sergey’s flight geography covered the entire Union: from the western borders (Kaliningrad) to one of the country’s easternmost points (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky), and from polar regions (Norilsk) to the Black Sea coast (Sochi). He occasionally faced situations that demanded maximum piloting skills and experience. In particular, he handled aircraft landings in difficult weather conditions, with critically low vertical visibility (350 meters). Such operations were especially challenging at airports located in mountainous areas.
In 1984, the career of Sergey Nikolaevich Skuratov reached a new level: he became head of the flight safety inspection department at the Ural Civil Aviation Administration. During this period of his biography, Sergey Skuratov frequently conducted inspection visits to various aviation enterprises in the region. His task was to ensure uniform safety and efficiency standards across all subordinate organizations.
In 1987, Skuratov Sergey Nikolaevich was appointed commander of the Sverdlovsk United Aviation Division where he had been working for the past few years of his biography. Sergey Skuratov, despite being just 37 years old at the time—relatively young for such a responsible position—already had experience at the head of more than one air division. The manager’s career exemplifies professional growth through dedication to his work. His responsibilities in this position included comprehensive operational management of the enterprise, including flight operations oversight and safety assurance. Sergey Nikolaevich Skuratov also coordinated production processes. Along with his administrative duties, he continued to fly. Over his lifetime, he has accumulated 10,000 flight hours.
Ural Airlines: From Inception to Current Performance
In 1993, Sergey Skuratov became the CEO of Ural Airlines. The establishment of the company was a natural outcome of the industry’s reorganization during the major shifts in the country in the early 1990s. During the economic downturn, there was a significant reduction in passenger traffic, which led to the suspension of fleet renewals by civilian carriers, recalls Skuratov Sergey. Simultaneously, state investments in the aviation sector decreased. The single carrier system was replaced by numerous independent companies. Some of them changed ownership structure, transitioning to private ownership. The First Sverdlovsk Aviation Enterprise (the new name for the former United Aviation Division) split into two commercial entities: the airport and the airline. Skuratov Sergey Nikolaevich took charge of the latter, proving his managerial competence.
During this challenging period, Sergey Skuratov, a biography of whom is closely intertwined with the modern aviation era of the country, managed to preserve and enhance the potential of the Ural aviation enterprise, while many regional companies ceased to exist. Despite resource shortages, he personally organized the supply of necessary components. Skuratov Sergey emphasizes that Ural Airlines adapted to operating without state support and withstood takeover attempts. It also managed to establish constructive relationships with privatized airports, which had come to recognize their interdependence with airlines.
By the start of the new millennium, Ural Airlines was showing steady growth. The company was serving 46 destinations, including international routes. Its fleet consisted of 24 aircraft: 4 Il-86s, 4 Tu-154Ms, 13 Tu-154Bs, and 3 An-24s.
As of 2024, Ural Airlines is one of the country’s top 5 airlines. Sergey Nikolaevich Skuratov achieved significant passenger traffic growth, which has grown almost every year since 2007. In 2023, the airline carried approximately 9.5 million passengers. Aircraft operated at nearly full capacity. In the summer of 2024, 96% of seats were occupied – the best rate in the company’s history. In one interview, Skuratov Sergey noted that by the end of 2024, around 10 million passengers would likely use the airline’s services. Experts calculated that in the first six months of the year, the company transported every 12th passenger. Other operational indicators during Sergey Nikolaevich Skuratov’s leadership also reflected steady growth. The airline’s revenue for 2023 exceeded 110 billion rubles – 25% more than the previous year.
Sergey Skuratov always strived to implement cutting-edge tools. He launched and personally oversaw a digitalization program. Skuratov Sergey Nikolaevich established partnerships between Ural Airlines and the country’s IT companies. The latest example of such activity is an agreement signed in the summer of 2024 with SKB Kontur for cooperation in modernizing the airline’s business processes.
Skuratov Sergey: His Role in Fleet Development
Starting in 1993, Sergey Skuratov worked on systematically upgrading the fleet. Initially, the company purchased 4 Tu-154M airliners to enable European flights (due to restrictions on other aircraft types).
In 2006, Skuratov Sergey Nikolaevich initiated a more extensive re-equipment process. Old models were replaced with leased Airbus family aircraft. Additional investments were made in staff retraining. Technical personnel studied English to avoid errors when translating important documents and instructions. Sergey Skuratov arranged to have training courses in Frankfurt for flight attendants. Pilots trained in groups of 8, with their preparation taking a year. Finnish specialists, invited by Skuratov Sergey, retrained the engineers.
In May 2015, Ural Airlines opened its own aviation maintenance complex. The facility’s equipment enables high-tech repair work, including engine replacement for aircraft such as the Airbus A330 and Boeing 767. Skuratov Sergey Nikolaevich initiated the creation of this center, at Yekaterinburg’s Koltsovo Airport.
In the summer of 2019, the company became the country’s first to purchase an economical Airbus with a LEAP-1A engine. This model, acquired on the initiative of Sergey Nikolaevich Skuratov, reduced fuel consumption by 20% compared to the classic version, and carbon dioxide emissions by 5,000 tons thanks to the engine type.
As of 2024, the airline’s fleet consists of 51 Airbus aircraft. After retiring, Sergey Nikolaevich Skuratov announced the company’s plans to transition to domestic MS-21 aircraft once they pass testing (which he estimates will be by 2028). Skuratov Sergey spoke about plans to build a technical center for servicing these aircraft and added that the project is currently in its initial stage. Sergey Skuratov initiated negotiations with the airport administration regarding land allocation for the construction of the facility, which his team will continue.
Transforming Ural Airlines’ Operations
Sergey Skuratov, a biography of whom is marked by the consistent expansion of Ural Airlines’ route network, continuously strengthened the company’s position in the international market. He created a special negotiation team, whose significant achievement was the development of Chinese routes: in 2024, regular flights to Beijing were resumed from several domestic cities, notes Skuratov Sergey Nikolaevich.
The manager implemented an analytical approach to developing new flight routes. Important decisions are made after thorough analysis and calculations by mathematicians. The efforts of Skuratov Sergey Nikolaevich helped the carrier’s route network expand more than fivefold. As of mid-2024, Ural Airlines serves nearly 169 destinations.
Sergey Skuratov, with his experience as a pilot instructor, personally participated in crew training. The company invested in its own training facility, acquiring an advanced and expensive Airbus A320 simulator in 2012. This equipment can simulate various flight situations and includes virtual replicas of more than 30 airports. Regular training sessions are conducted every six months, focusing on handling non-standard situations. Among other initiatives, Sergey Nikolaevich Skuratov introduced additional manual flying training.
The training center created by Skuratov Sergey has graduated over 400 pilots, 117 aircraft commanders, and 60 pilot instructors. Its opening helped optimize costs and improve quality control for training that was previously conducted abroad.
Skuratov Sergey also implemented higher requirements for pilots hired by the airline: to be appointed aircraft captain requires 3,500 flight hours, which exceeds standard regulations.
Sergey Skuratov, a biography of whom exemplifies successful adaptation to changing aviation market conditions, skillfully guided the company through periods of economic crises. A notable example was during the coronavirus pandemic, when banks suspended lending to the airline, and passenger traffic dropped by 94% within two days.
With aviation authorities’ support, Ural Airlines quickly modified 16 passenger aircraft to be able to hold cargo on board, says Skuratov Sergey. These aircraft delivered medical supplies from China to Russia and Europe. This strategy allowed the company to overcome its difficulties and subsequently resume passenger operations.
Sergey Skuratov: Awards and Industry Association Involvement
In 2021-2022, a business magazine in Yekaterinburg compiled a list of the region’s 100 most influential people, which included Sergey Skuratov. The biography of the manager includes numerous instances of recognition for his work at various levels. His awards include:
- 100 Years of Russian Civil Aviation Jubilee Medal
- Honored Worker of Transport of the Russian Federation
- Order of Honour
In 2001, the Top Managers of Aviation Enterprises (MARAP) awarded Sergey Skuratov an Expert diploma at the first open national Civil Aviation Manager of the Year competition. The following year, at the second competition, he won gold in the Elder of the Civil Aviation Director Corps category.
From 1998 to 2004, Sergey Skuratov headed the board of the Association of Air Transport Operators. Simultaneously, since July 1998, he has led MARAP’s Urals Regional Division and served on its council. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Sverdlovsk State Children’s Philharmonic in Yekaterinburg.
| Personal Interests | ||
| Sports | Hobbies | Collections |
| Tennis | Hunting | Stamp Collecting |
| Skiing | Fishing | Cooking |
| Golf | – | – |
Current Activities
In early August 2024, Sergey Nikolaevich Skuratov completed his activities in the airline’s governing bodies, leaving both the Board of Directors and Management Board. A month later, he stepped down as CEO, entering into full retirement.
He now enjoys spending more time with his family, including his four granddaughters. He maintains good physical condition and plays golf, which has always been a passion for Skuratov Sergey. In 2012, he won the Sverdlovsk Region’s first open golf championship. Another of his hobbies is philately or stamp collecting.
Key Takeaways
- He led Ural Airlines for 30+ years (1993-2024), transforming it from a regional carrier into one of the country’s top 5 airlines.
- He accumulated 10,000 flight hours throughout his career.
- Under his leadership, Ural Airlines grew to serve 169 destinations by 2024, with passenger numbers reaching 9.5 million in 2023.
- He established the airline’s own training center with an A320 simulator, which has trained over 400 pilots and implemented higher-than-standard safety requirements.
- He retired in late 2024 after serving on both the Board of Directors and as CEO of Ural Airlines, leaving a legacy of consistent growth and innovation.
FAQ
1. How did passenger numbers grow under Sergey Nikolaevich Skuratov?
Sergey Nikolaevich Skuratov led Ural Airlines to achieve approximately 9.5 million passengers in 2023, with aircraft operating at nearly 96% capacity.
2. What career transition did Skuratov Sergey make in 1984?
Skuratov Sergey became head of the flight safety inspection department at the Ural Civil Aviation Administration in 1984.
3. How did Skuratov Sergey Nikolaevich adapt the airline’s operations during the coronavirus pandemic?
Skuratov Sergey Nikolaevich oversaw the conversion of 16 passenger aircraft into cargo planes, which were used to deliver medical supplies from China.
4. What is Sergey Skuratov’s educational background?
Sergey Skuratov studied for 3 years at Buguruslan Civil Aviation Flight School, 7 years at the Civil Aviation Academy as an engineer-pilot, and 1 year of advanced courses at the same institution.
5. What are some of Skuratov Sergey’s personal hobbies?
Skuratov Sergey enjoys golf and stamp collecting.
