Fadiko Gogitidze
Fadiko Gogitidze (Georgian: ფადიკო გოგიტიძე; 1916 - 20 October 1940) was a pilot from Adjara, who was the first woman from the region to become a pilot. She died during a test flight in 1940. A statue was later unveiled in her honour and a street in her birthplace was renamed in her honour.
Biography
[edit]Fadiko Gogitidze was born in Kobuleti Municipality in 1916.[1] The Tbilisi Flight School opened in 1934 and Gogitidze graduated from there in 1936,[2] and began working as an instructor at the Batumi Aeroclub.[3] She was the first woman from Adjara to become a pilot, overcoming sexism to enrol for training and to graduate.[2] Her first flight was on 18 August 1936.[4]
Fadiko Gogitidze died while on undertaking a test flight in Batumi on 20 October 1940.[3] She had a three month old son.[4]
Legacy
[edit]A sculpture dedicated to Gogitidze was unveiled at the entrance to Batumi International Airport.[1] The sculpture is an example of Soviet art, depicting a symbolic female pilot, with a small child at her feet.[2] Popov Street in Kobuleti was renamed after her in 2014.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Encyclopaedia Georgia, vol. 2, Tbilisi , 2012., p. 63.
- ^ a b c მოისწრაფიშვილი, ნათია. "ქართული სკულპტურის განვითარების მხატვრული ტენდენციები." [in English: Moipurishvili, Natia. "Artistic trends in the development of Georgian sculpture." PhD diss., 2021, pp.13-14]
- ^ a b Khut︠s︡ishvili, Georgiĭ Iosifovich (1980). The Black Sea Coast of the Caucasus: A Guide. Progress Publishers. p. 179.
- ^ a b ""24 წლის ფადიკო საცდელი ფრენისას გარდაიცვალა, 3 თვის გოგონა დარჩა" - პირველი აჭარელი მფრინავი ქალის ხანმოკლე ცხოვრება". www.allnews.ge (in Georgian). 2023-07-06. Retrieved 2024-12-27.
- ^ კახაბერიძე, ცაგო (2023-07-18). "ქობულეთში სახელს შეუცვლიან პუშკინისა და პოპოვის ქუჩებს და სტალინის უბანს - Batumelebi". Batumelebi.ge (in Georgian). Retrieved 2024-12-27.