That same year she graduated from the Orenburg Military Aviation School of Pilots before being deployed to Zhytomyr, where she flew I-5, DI-6 and I-16 fighters.

[2][3] In July 1940 Rusakova flew as navigator in a flight crew composed of pilot-in-command Mariya Nesterenko and co-pilot Mariya Mikhaileva that attempted to break the distance world record for a straight-line women's flight, which had been previously established by Valentina Grizodubova, Polina Osipenko, and Marina Raskova in 1938.

The team flew nonstop for 22 hours and 32 minutes, but the attempt gained less publicity and was quickly forgotten.

[4] In 1940 Rusakova began her career as a test pilot at the State Red Banner Air Force Research Institute.

She reached the rank of colonel in 1955 and in 1959 she was awarded an honorary title "Merited Test Pilot of the USSR".