The book recreates the process of formation of the Russian Air Fleet under the leadership of Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich and presents the once famous, but undeservedly forgotten aeronauts and pilots of the early 20th century. Compiled by S.V. Gribanov, a fighter pilot, a member of the Writers' Union of Russia, the book includes manifestos and open letters from representatives of the Tsar's family, fragments of chronicles from periodicals of the beginning of the last century, memoirs and letters of aviators (E.V. Rudneva, V.M. Tkacheva, P.N. . Nesterov), as well as essays and stories by professional writers (Vl. Gilyarovsky, A. Kuprin, A. Tolstoy). The book is the 66th in a book series published by the Tsentrpoligraf publishing house together with the Russian Noble Assembly under the title “Russia”. forgotten and unknown.” The book, like the entire “Forgotten and Unknown Russia” series, is intended for a wide range of readers, especially those related to aviation, as well as historians, scientists, government and socio-political figures involved in the formation of new spiritual values of the reviving Russia.