Pilot Nikolay Kalaydzhiev Sets New World Record with 1,021 Take-offs and Landings

Pilot Nikolay Kalaydzhiev, who set a new world record by completing 1,021 take-offs and landings in 14 hours and 28 minutes, spoke on the 'Day Begins' programme about the team behind the achievement, the discipline required for success, and his ambitions beyond Earth’s atmosphere. Although this is the fifth time a world record has been improved, he said the true value of the achievement lies not in the numbers.

“In reality, I am the one who carried out the flights, but this success is the result of the work of more than 50 people over a period of around six months. When the efforts of such a large team rest on your shoulders, the responsibility is enormous. For me, the number of world records is not the most important thing. More important is the message we are sending – to motivate young people, inspire them to take flight, believe in their abilities and understand that when they have clear goals, things can happen,” said Nikolay Kalaydzhiev.

He stressed that aviation is not simply a profession but a way of life that demands complete dedication.

“For me, the sky is my office. It has given me a huge part of the joy I have experienced in life. Apart from my family, my other great source of happiness comes from everything we do in the air. But to be good in aviation, you have to be fully committed. I am grateful to my wife and family for their patience, because preparation, professional work and training require a great deal of time.”

According to Kalaydzhiev, the first and most important step is overcoming the fear of the first flight.

“When a person overcomes themselves and takes off for the first time, they have already taken the first step. After that come perseverance, sacrifice and dedication. Everything is the result of hard work. Desire alone is not enough – discipline and consistency are essential.”

Physical preparation proved crucial to achieving the record. During the attempt, cockpit temperatures reached 38°C, and the pilot used ice baths during brief breaks to cope with the heat. He explained that the challenge was not only the number of take-offs and landings but also the precision required for each one.

“We are the first people in the world to dare attempt one thousand take-offs and landings. Under the rules, there is a designated zone of 20 metres, and a landing only counts if it is completed within specific limits. You cannot simply land anywhere. You have to be exceptionally precise because these are the most critical stages of flight. Everything had to be smooth and accurate.”

To illustrate the magnitude of the achievement, Kalaydzhiev compared it with his previous flying experience.

“I have been a licensed pilot since 2017. In nearly nine years, I had accumulated around 680 landings in total. This time, we completed 1,021 in just 14 hours and 28 minutes. That alone shows the scale of what was achieved.”

The pilot believes the next logical step is space exploration.

“A representative of SpaceX from Los Angeles attended the event specifically to observe the attempt. For some time now, they have been following me and our team very closely. There will be significant news on this front very soon.”

The record was set using an Italian-built ultralight aircraft. Throughout the entire challenge, neither the aircraft nor its tyres were changed. In addition to their aviation activities, Kalaydzhiev and his team also work actively with school pupils across Bulgaria.