S7 Airlines Takes Drastic Action After Too Many Hard Landings
Russia's S7 Airlines has introduced one of the most unusual pilot policies seen in commercial aviation in recent memory. The carrier has effectively banned its first officers from performing landings at the vast majority of airports it serves, restricting that critical duty almost exclusively to captains. The rule, which is in place through at least October 1, 2026, was triggered by a troubling pattern of hard landing incidents that have been causing measurable damage to the airline's aircraft. The move raises serious questions about both the quality of pilot training at the airline and the overall condition of its aging fleet.
How Commercial Airline Cockpits Normally Work
To understand why this policy is so unusual, it helps to understand how a standard commercial flight crew operates. On virtually every commercial flight around the world, there are two fully qualified pilots in the cockpit: a captain and a first officer, sometimes called a co-pilot. While the captain holds overall command responsibility for the aircraft, both individuals are certified and trained to perform all phases of flight, including takeoff, cruise, approach, and landing.
Standard practice across most airlines involves alternating flying duties between the two pilots on a leg-by-leg basis. On one flight, the captain might be the "pilot flying," handling the controls while the first officer manages radio communications and reads checklists. On the very next flight, the roles reverse. This approach ensures that both pilots accumulate balanced flight experience, remain sharp across all maneuvers, and stay proficient in every phase of operations — including landing, which is arguably the most technically demanding part of any flight.
That balanced rotation is precisely what S7 Airlines is now disrupting for a significant portion of its network.
The New S7 Airlines Rule Explained
Under the newly implemented policy, S7 Airlines first officers are permitted to perform landings at only four of the carrier's stations. Those airports are Irkutsk (IKT), Moscow Domodedovo (DME), Novosibirsk (OVB), and Vladivostok (VVO). At every other airport in the S7 network, the captain must be the one to land the aircraft — no exceptions.
The restriction was first flagged by the aviation news outlet aeroTELEGRAPH and was initially reported by the Russian aviation channel Aviatorshina. According to those reports, the policy was introduced as a direct response to a series of hard landing incidents that have been occurring with concerning frequency. Hard landings — in which an aircraft contacts the runway with excessive vertical speed or force — are not merely uncomfortable for passengers. They can cause structural stress to the airframe, require mandatory engineering inspections, and in more serious cases, result in aircraft being temporarily or permanently taken out of service.
The four airports where first officers are still permitted to land are among the largest and most heavily trafficked stations in S7's network. It is likely that the airline made an exception for these locations based on operational necessity, given how frequently flights operate to and from these hubs. Restricting all landings exclusively to captains at major hubs like Moscow Domodedovo would create serious scheduling and operational complications.
Why Are Hard Landings Happening So Frequently?
The uncomfortable question hanging over this policy is: why are there so many hard landings in the first place? There are two plausible and potentially overlapping explanations.
Pilot Training and Experience Gaps
The first explanation points to deficiencies in pilot training or experience. Hard landings can result from improper technique during the flare — the nose-up maneuver pilots perform just before touchdown to reduce the aircraft's descent rate. They can also result from poor energy management on approach, misjudgment of height above the runway, or inadequate response to changing wind conditions.
If S7 Airlines is seeing a disproportionate number of hard landings from first officers specifically, that may indicate that the airline's co-pilots are not getting adequate training, mentorship, or supervision to consistently execute quality landings across the variety of airports in the network. Some airports present significantly greater challenges than others due to shorter runways, unusual terrain, unpredictable local weather patterns, or instrument approach limitations — factors that require experienced and well-prepared pilots.
The State of Russia's Aviation Fleet
The second explanation, and perhaps the more systemic one, relates to the well-documented struggles of Russian airlines to maintain their fleets following international sanctions imposed after the invasion of Ukraine. S7 Airlines was a member of the oneworld airline alliance until Russia's conflict with Ukraine effectively severed those commercial ties.
Since then, Russian carriers have been cut off from Western aircraft manufacturers, spare parts suppliers, and maintenance networks. Airlines like S7, which historically operated modern Western jets from Airbus and Boeing, have found it increasingly difficult to keep those aircraft in peak airworthy condition. Aircraft that are not properly maintained may have landing gear, shock absorber, or structural components that perform differently than they should — potentially making hard landings more likely or more damaging even when pilot technique is sound.
What This Policy Means for Passengers and Operations
For passengers, the practical impact of this policy may be minimal in terms of day-to-day experience. Flights will still operate, and captains are more than capable of handling all landings in the network. However, the policy does point to underlying issues that should give travelers pause. An airline that is experiencing enough hard landings to warrant a formal operational restriction is signaling that something within its standard processes is not functioning as it should.
For first officers at S7, the implications are more significant. Landing practice is fundamental to maintaining and developing pilot proficiency. Restricting first officers from performing landings at most airports could actually worsen the very problem the airline is trying to address, as these pilots will accumulate less hands-on landing experience over time.
A Symptom of Deeper Problems in Russian Aviation
S7 Airlines' hard landing policy is unusual, but it may be best understood as a symptom of broader challenges facing Russian commercial aviation. Isolation from the global aviation supply chain, strained maintenance resources, and evolving training environments have placed real pressure on Russian carriers. Whether this specific policy proves effective remains to be seen, but it underscores just how significantly the landscape has shifted for one of Russia's most prominent airlines.