Elizaveta Shahkhatuni
Building confidence in flight through calculation and testing
Elizaveta Shahkhatuni was an Armenian aeronautical engineer and a leading specialist in aircraft structural strength. Born in Yerevan in 1911, she studied at Yerevan University before transferring to the Moscow Aviation Institute, from which she graduated in 1935.
Her long career became closely connected with Oleg Antonov’s design team. She led calculations and research assessing how aircraft structures withstand the loads of flight and service. Her work extended from the An-2 to large transport aircraft, including the An-22.
Shahkhatuni placed great importance on experimental testing and the training of young engineers. Her contribution demonstrates how aviation depends on detailed investigation of structural behaviour. She died in Kyiv in 2011, leaving an important school of strength analysis and engineering education.