The Department of Aeromechanics and Flight Engineering, the DAFE (Russian: Факультет аэромеханики и летательной техники, ФАЛТ, FALT) is one of the departments (faculties) of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. It is located in Zhukovsky a suburb south-east of Moscow. Nearby the Institute there is a dormitory, which has been considerably reconditioned since 2007. The incumbent dean's name is Victor Vyshinsky.[1] Also, there are two deputy deans and each year has its own curator. They are supervising educational process, making a resolve on the size of students' scholarship, and affirm orders of expulsion.[2]
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The department was established in 1965 for preparing young specialists able to solve complex problems in the aircraft industry under the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (TSAGI) in Zhukovsky city. The founders of this faculty were academicians S. Khristianovich, A. Dorodnitsin, O. Belotserkovsky, ministers of education and aircraft industry V. Stoletov and P. Dementyev, chief designer V. Myasishev. At the base of the DAFE there is Zhukovsky's school, one of the oldest Russian scientific schools. Before the establishment of the department there was the Aeromechanics Department of MIPT, which has divided into the DAFE and the Department of Aerophysics and Space Research (ФАКИ). Among the other departments of Phystech the DAFE has its own number six.
The department is located separately from the others, therefore it is not very popular among school leavers. Practically, most of those who are going to enter it have been interested in aviation in their schooldays. The DAFE has the lowest pass mark throughout MIPT, and to enter it is rather easier.[6] The highest percent of foreign students of MIPT is here.
Till year 2005 there were 2630 students, including 249 girls (9.5% of all) graduated here.[7]
Unlike the other departments based in Dolgoprudny this one is situated in Zhukovsky, in a result of this the functioning of the department and its traditions are different. Particularly, the faculty has an independent general physics subdepartment and an independent subdepartment of foreign languages. Except the English language there are German, French and Spanish also available to study in the senior years.
The most notable of the local traditions are following. In November students celebrate passing the state exams. During this event the rule is to hang a propeller on the monument of MiG-21 and to erect a top hat on Zhukovsky's statue. Moreover, in their third year students banquet the 1001st night under the roof of the Institute signifying this occasion with burning an effigy of Botan («nerd»).[8][9]
Since November 2008 students publish an in-house newspaper «Free Flier» («Свободный полёт»)[10]