In preparation for the return to Earth from the International Space Station of the Soyuz Space Capsule, Clintondale Aviation was requested by NASA to supply a helicopter to assist in the recovery of the three astronauts. KazAir West, Clintondale Aviation's affiliated company in Kazakhstan, provided a Mi 8PS-9 which was placed on standby in Astana from 3 May 2003 and on readiness for the Soyuz return, 4 May. Manning the aircraft were NASA doctors with state-of-the-art equipment to meet many of the medical demands and contingencies that may be necessary to aid the astronauts after their landing and after spending more than five months in space.

American astronauts, Ken Bowersox and Don Pettit, and Russian astronaut, Nikolai Budarin, landed 250 miles away from the designated target area but were subsequently found by search aircraft. Following on-site medical checks, the astronauts were flown to Astana and then on to Space City, Moscow, for more extensive medical review.

Pilot-Cosmonaut Talgat Musabaev, Kazakhstan's foremost astronaut, who is also the President of KazAir West, was also in attendance at Astana to follow the events and to welcome the return of the Soyuz astronauts, particularly Nikolai Budarin who is his personal friend.

On 5 May, after the accomplishment of its mission, Mil 8PS-9 helicopter returned to KazAir West's base in Atyrau.

As history was completed with the first return from space of NASA astronauts in a Russian spaceship, our history was also written with Kazair West being a part of that operation.