As a young helicopter pilot during the collapse, Lodygin was made a Flight Leader in the 123rd Helicopter Squadron, a unit that had been almost destroyed during the war, and was reduced to less than a dozen men and one working Mi-55 Locust. Lodygin accepted the challenge head-on, and with tremendous effort (and some creative requisitioning), brought his flight back to full strength. The squadron is now one of the best transport units left in the Russian military.