OREANDA-NEWS. February 08, 2010. The new lighting facilities is commissioned on February 4, in Besovets airport. Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Karelia Pavel Chernov will take part in the solemn ceremony.

Besovets airport is one of the main elements of the largest transport unit of the Northwest region. Located on the main-line directions, it connects central, west, and north regions of Russia, the Baltic countries and Scandinavia. Being the only international air gate on the huge space between Murmansk and St.-Petersburg, the airport has favourable and perspective value for air service development.

Since 1990 Besovets international airport is included in the list of the 110 most important airports of Russia. In the uniform system of air communication it is considered as an alternate airfield of Pulkovo airport of St.-Petersburg. Up to December, 2009 it was equipped with the Luch-4U lighting system which today is taken out of service for reception of civil aircrafts. The airport operated without lighting facilities during the past six years that allowed to receive civil aircrafts only in daytime.

Within the scope of the Modernization of Transport System of Russia in 2002-2010 federal target program there has been developed a project of replacement of lighting facilities of the runway and the new lighting facilities were purchased to provide around-the-clock work of the airport. From September to December, 2009 there have been replaced the lighting facilities, patrol road was constructed along with fencing of a part of territory of the air station with establishing of two stationary security stations. Total amount of investments from the federal budget invested in the object in the period from 2007 to 2009 has made 139,2 million roubles.

Replacement of lighting facilities will allow to increase the level of safety of flights and will enable to serve aircrafts with observance of the Russian and international standards all-the-year-round and 24 hours a day.

The developed program on increase of airport traffic in 2009-2010 as well as agreements with a number of airlines will create an opportunity to open new regular flights on local and inter-regional directions. Organization of flights to Kostomuksha, St.-Petersburg, Moscow, Anapa and Sochi is planned, international flights to the CIS countries and beyond will receive further development. Thus, on results of negotiations with the Consul General of Turkey in St.-Petersburg held at the end of the last year in Petrozavodsk there has been revealed mutual interest in continuation of seasonal flights from Petrozavodsk to Antalia.

Besides, completion of reconstruction of the airport will allow to use it as an alternate airfield for reception of flights to St.-Petersburg, Murmansk, Arkhangelsk and other airports of the Northwest of Russia in case of adverse weather conditions or under other circumstances.

At a later stage it is planned to launch significant for the republic project of reconstruction of engineering constructions of Besovets airport complex. The project provides reconstruction of a paved runway, a platform, taxitracks inside of airfield roads, patrol road and fencing of the air station, as well as organization of drainage facilities. All this will allow to increase volumes of aviatransportations, to improve quality of services rendered to aircrafts, passengers, luggage and cargoes. Within the scope of the project for 2011 from the budget of the Russian Federation its is planned to invest more than 300 million roubles.