Irkutsk International Airport (
Russian
Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including:
*Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries
*Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
: Международный Аэропорт Иркутск) is an international airport on the outskirts of
Irkutsk
Irkutsk ( ; rus, Иркутск, p=ɪrˈkutsk; Buryat language, Buryat and mn, Эрхүү, ''Erhüü'', ) is the largest city and administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia. With a population of 617,473 as of the 2010 Census, Irkutsk is ...
,
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
, at a distance of 60 kilometers (37 miles) from Lake Baikal.
Operations
The airport has daily domestic flights to
Moscow
Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
, Vladivostok,
Krasnoyarsk
Krasnoyarsk ( ; rus, Красноя́рск, a=Ru-Красноярск2.ogg, p=krəsnɐˈjarsk) (in semantic translation - Red Ravine City) is the largest city and administrative center of Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia. It is situated along the Yeni ...
, Novosibirsk,
Yakutsk
Yakutsk (russian: Якутск, p=jɪˈkutsk; sah, Дьокуускай, translit=Djokuuskay, ) is the capital city of the Sakha Republic, Russia, located about south of the Arctic Circle. Fueled by the mining industry, Yakutsk has become one of ...
, Saint Petersburg,
Yekaterinburg
Yekaterinburg ( ; rus, Екатеринбург, p=jɪkətʲɪrʲɪnˈburk), alternatively romanized as Ekaterinburg and formerly known as Sverdlovsk ( rus, Свердло́вск, , svʲɪrˈdlofsk, 1924–1991), is a city and the administra ...
, and Sochi. It has regional daily flights to
Ust-Kut
Ust-Kut (russian: Усть-Кут) is a town and the administrative center of Ust-Kutsky District in Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, located from Irkutsk, the administrative center of the oblast. Located on a western loop of the Lena River, the town s ...
, Bratsk,
Bodaybo
Bodaybo ( rus, Бодайбо, p=bədɐjˈbo) is a town and the administrative center of Bodaybinsky District in Irkutsk Oblast, Russia. It is located from Irkutsk, the administrative center of the oblast.
Geography
The town is located in the ...
, Kirensk and other Russian cities.
Due to its proximity to the
Angara
The Angara ( Buryat and mn, Ангар, ''Angar'', "Cleft"; russian: Ангара́, ''Angará'') is a major river in Siberia, which traces a course through Russia's Irkutsk Oblast and Krasnoyarsk Krai. It drains out of Lake Baikal and is ...
Reservoir, the airport is subject to a
microclimate
A microclimate (or micro-climate) is a local set of atmospheric conditions that differ from those in the surrounding areas, often with a slight difference but sometimes with a substantial one. The term may refer to areas as small as a few squ ...
of foggy weather. When the airport is closed due to bad weather conditions,
Bratsk Airport, Ulan-Ude Airport,
Irkutsk Northwest Airport
Irkutsk Northwest Airport is an airport in Russia located 11 km northwest of Irkutsk. It is a flyaway airfield for the Irkutsk Aviation Plant, and has no parallel taxiways. It is also known as ''Irkutsk II'' airport, and occasionally serves ...
, and Belaya (air base) serve as diversion airports.
History
1920s to 1930s
The Irkutsk Airport opened on 24 June 1925. Six aircraft from Moscow landed at the airport as part of a flight to Beijing. Of these six planes, four were domestic and two were foreign. This flight was headed by captain I.P. Shmidt. The event was the beginning of aviation service in Siberia.
On 10–13 August 1928 the first postal/passenger flight on the Irkutsk–
Bodaybo
Bodaybo ( rus, Бодайбо, p=bədɐjˈbo) is a town and the administrative center of Bodaybinsky District in Irkutsk Oblast, Russia. It is located from Irkutsk, the administrative center of the oblast.
Geography
The town is located in the ...
seaplane route arrived. It was a
Junkers F 13
The Junkers F 13 was the world's first all-metal transport aircraft, developed in Germany at the end of World War I. It was an advanced cantilever-wing monoplane, with enclosed accommodation for four passengers. 322 planes of the type were manufa ...
named Mossovet. In August 1932 the air route from Moscow to Vladivostok opened with a stop in Irkutsk. Irkutsk aviators started to fly the Irkutsk to
Mogocha
Mogocha ( rus, Могоча, p=mɐˈgotɕə) is a town and the administrative center of Mogochinsky District in Zabaykalsky Krai, Russia, located northeast of Chita, the administrative center of the krai. Population:
Etymology
The name "Mogoch ...
route.
1940s to 1960s
In January 1948, daily flights on the Irkutsk–Moscow, Irkutsk–Bodaybo–Yakutsk air routes were started. On December 30, 1954, Irkutsk Airport was elevated to international status.
On September 15, 1956, the
Tupolev Tu-104
The Tupolev Tu-104 (NATO reporting name: Camel) is a retired twinjet, medium-range, narrow-body turbojet-powered Soviet airliner. It was the second to enter regular service, behind the British de Havilland Comet, and was the only jetliner operat ...
first arrived in Irkutsk by tech-flight from Beijing. The Moscow–Irkutsk route initiated that day marked the first Soviet jet-airliner-operated passenger route. The flight was performed by a Moscow crew headed by captain E.P. Barabash.
1970s to 1990s
On March 7, 1975, the first
Tupolev Tu-154
The Tupolev Tu-154 (russian: Tyполев Ту-154; NATO reporting name: "Careless") is a three-engined, medium-range, narrow-body airliner designed in the mid-1960s and manufactured by Tupolev. A workhorse of Soviet and (subsequently) Russian ...
jets landed in Irkutsk. On April 4, 1975, the first flight to Moscow on Tupolev Tu-154 was performed.
On November 11, 1980, the first
Il-76
The Ilyushin Il-76 (russian: Илью́шин Ил-76; NATO reporting name: Candid) is a multi-purpose, fixed-wing, four-engine turbofan strategic airlifter designed by the Soviet Union's Ilyushin design bureau. It was first planned as a commer ...
CCCP-76525 arrived in Irkutsk. The crew consisted of: flight instructor МГА Mr. M. V. Ptitsyn, the commander УТО Mr. V. F. Podshivalov, captain-probationer A.V. Bobylkov and other flying experts. On December 19, 1980, the first flight was performed on the route Irkutsk–
Polyarnyi using the Il-76. It was headed by air detachment commander Mr. v. I. Sviridov.
On April 1, 1992, according to order No. 238 d.d. 30 March, Irkutsk United Air Group was reorganized. There were Irkutsk Airport State Enterprise (SE "Irkutsk Airport") and Air company Baikal Public Corporation.
On October 28, 1994, certificate No. 045-А-М from the
Intergovernmental Aviation Committee for accordance with certification requirements was given. The airport was accepted as suitable for international flights.
On December 16, 1994, the acting terminal of international flights was put into commission.
2000s
On April 12, 2002, the aerodrome operator changed its name to Irkutsk Airport
Federal State Unitary Enterprise
A unitary enterprise (russian: унитарное предприятие) is a government-owned corporation in Russia and some other post-Soviet states. Unitary enterprises are business entities that have no ownership rights to the assets that t ...
.
On July 14, 2004, the aerodrome received its certificate to accept international flights and landing-minimum 1 category
ICAO
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO, ) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that coordinates the principles and techniques of international air navigation, and fosters the planning and development of international a ...
60.
On October 14, 2008, the work for lengthening the runway (400 m towards
Lake Baikal
Lake Baikal (, russian: Oзеро Байкал, Ozero Baykal ); mn, Байгал нуур, Baigal nuur) is a rift lake in Russia. It is situated in southern Siberia, between the federal subjects of Irkutsk Oblast to the northwest and the Repu ...
) was completed.
The domestic terminal was re-opened on April 10, 2009, after reconstruction. The terminal is called Crystal Gate.
Irkutsk International Airport held its first aircraft spotting session on November 13, 2009, becoming the third large city in Russia (after Moscow and Novosibirsk). The event has become a tradition.
On July 2, 2010, Irkutsk Airport celebrated its 85th anniversary.
On March 1, 2011, Federal State Unitary Enterprise Irkutsk Airport became the open
joint-stock company
A joint-stock company is a business entity in which shares of the company's capital stock, stock can be bought and sold by shareholders. Each shareholder owns company stock in proportion, evidenced by their share (finance), shares (certificates ...
International airport Irkutsk.
Technical characteristics
![Vehicles at Irkutsk Airport](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2c/Vehicles_at_Irkutsk_Airport.jpg)
Irkutsk International Airport has a rather unusual layout, with the passenger terminals being off the western end of the airfield's only runway, at an exact 270° heading. The airport's runway is coated with a substance known as , but is also rather steep, featuring a 30-metre vertical drop between the west and east runway ends. The total capacity of the two passenger terminals is 1450 passengers per hour. For loads up to 30 tons, the cargo terminal has at its disposal diesel forklifts, hoists, a container platform, and electronic/mechanical weigh scales. The airport complex also includes the Air Harbour airport hotel, a service of aviation service (board food workshop) repair facility and medical services. There is a VIP lounge in the international terminal building.
Passenger capacity:
* Domestic terminal: 800 passengers/hour
* International terminal: 650 passengers/hour
Cargo terminal: area = 2.2 hectares with a capacity of 150 tonnes per day.
Fire fighting equipment: cat VIII
Runway characteristics
The class of the artificial landing strip - B (according to the length of the landing strip), corresponding to the first category of
ICAO
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO, ) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that coordinates the principles and techniques of international air navigation, and fosters the planning and development of international a ...
.
ETOPS Diversion airport
Irkutsk airport serves as a
diversion airport Diversion airports are airports capable of handling a particular ETOPS
ETOPS () is an acronym for ''Extended-range Twin-engine Operations Performance Standards''—a special part of flight rules for one-engine-inoperative flight conditions. The I ...
for transcontinental flights and
Polar route
A polar route is an aircraft route across the uninhabited polar ice cap regions. The term "polar route" was originally applied to great circle navigation routes between Europe and the west coast of North America in the 1950s.
The Arctic Early ye ...
2.
[Boeing-conducted Airport safety and operational assessments](_blank)
/ref>
Airlines and destinations
Passenger
![Boeing 767-300ER S7 Airlines in IKT 01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/Boeing_767-300ER_S7_Airlines_in_IKT_01.jpg)
Cargo
Statistics
Ground transport
The airport is located within the city limits. At the airport there are two paid parking areas: 180 spaces (near the international terminal) and 80 spaces (near the domestic airline terminal).
The air terminals are equipped with three stops for complex urban public transport. In addition, shuttle bus number 306 has a route to Angarsk
Angarsk ( rus, Ангарск, p=ɐnˈgarsk) is a city and the administrative center of Angarsky District of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, located on the Kitoy River, from Irkutsk, the administrative center of the oblast. Population:
History
It was ...
which runs three times a day (2010 data).
Periodical literature
The airport publishes its own regional industry newspaper, ''Irkutsk Sky'', dedicated to civil aviation in the Irkutsk region. The publication contains interviews with the heads of airlines, an airline news column, and analytical materials. The newspaper is published bimonthly and distributed free in the airport terminals and the airlines' offices in Irkutsk.
Accidents and incidents
* On 25 July 1971, Aeroflot Flight 1912
Aeroflot Flight 1912 ( ''Reys 1912 Aeroflota'') was a scheduled domestic Aeroflot passenger flight on the Odessa-Kyiv-Chelyabinsk-Novosibirsk-Irkutsk-Khabarovsk-Vladivostok route that crashed on 25 July 1971, making a hard landing at Irkutsk Air ...
crashed after it touched down short of the runway. 97 of the 118 people on board perished in the crash. Of the 126 people on board the aircraft, 29 survived.
* On 9 February 1976, Aeroflot Flight 3739 crashed shortly after takeoff. Of the 115 people on board, 24 perished in the accident.
* On 4 July 2001, Vladivostok Air Flight 352
Vladivostok Air Flight 352 was a scheduled passenger flight from Yekaterinburg, Russia to Vladivostok via Irkutsk. On 4 July 2001, the aircraft operating the flight, a Tupolev Tu-154M with tail number RA-85845, lost control, stalled, and cras ...
rolled sharply, stalled and crashed whilst on approach into Irkutsk. All 145 people on board were killed.
* On 9 July 2006, S7 Airlines Flight 778
S7 Airlines Flight 778 (S7778/SBI778) was a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Moscow to Irkutsk, Russia. On 9 July 2006, at 06:44 local time (8 July, 22:44 UTC), the Airbus A310-324 aircraft operating the route overran the runway duri ...
overshot the runway, and crashed through a concrete barricade, hit a group of private garages and burst into flames, killing 125 out 203 people on board. The only runway had to be closed, and incoming planes were diverted to the runway of the nearby Irkut aviation plant, where Sukhoi
The JSC Sukhoi Company (russian: ПАО «Компания „Сухой“», ) is a Russian aircraft manufacturer (formerly Soviet), headquartered in Begovoy District, Northern Administrative Okrug, Moscow, that designs both civilian and milita ...
fighters and the Beriev Be-200 are produced.
* On 1 July 2016, an IL-76 belonging to the Ministry of Emergency Situations (EMERCOM) of the Russian Federation, which took off from Irkutsk International airport, crashed
"Crashed" is the third U.S. rock Single (music), single, (the fifth overall), from the band Daughtry (band), Daughtry's debut album. It was released only to U.S. rock stations on September 5, 2007. Upon its release the song got adds at those stat ...
in the early morning near Lake Baikal on its way to fight a forest fire in the area. All ten people on board were members of EMERCOM, and there were no survivors.
See also
*List of the busiest airports in Russia
This is a list of the busiest airports in Russia, using data from the Federal Air Transport Agency.
Overview
Russia's busiest airports by passenger traffic in 2019 (provisional)
Includes airports with total traffic over 100,000 passengers. Sou ...
*List of the busiest airports in the former USSR
A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to:
People
* List (surname)
Organizations
* List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
* SC Germania List, German rugby union ...
References
External links
Official Website International Airport Irkutsk
*
*
*
{{authority control
Airports built in the Soviet Union
Airports in Irkutsk Oblast
Airports established in 1925