OREANDA-NEWS. Completion of the preparatory stage for redevelopment and construction works at the Yermolino Airport in the Kaluga Region was announced on February 13 at an ITAR-TASS press conference. The conference was attended by the Kaluga Region governor Anatoly Artamonov, UTair Aviation General Director Andrey Martirosov, Commander-in-Chief of Russian Interior Troops, army general Nikolai Rogozhkin and General Director of the Yermolino International Airport management company Salavat Kutushev.

Reconstruction works are scheduled to be launched in QIII 2014. With total apron area of 250,000 m2 and 40 planned parking areas, the airport complex is expected to facilitate up to 2,400 passengers per hour. In accordance with the project the airport will be granted 4C ICAO category status, allowing it to accommodate all models of modern civil aircraft.

Passenger turnover at the reconstructed airport is expected to reach 6.5 million by 2020.

Renovation of the airport infrastructure is being financed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The airport is scheduled to launch operations in 2017. Investment pool participants have been selected; the construction of a 7 km railway connection to the airport and a new highway junction are expected to improve transport infrastructure.

Taking construction schedules into account, the new Yermolino International Airport could possibly offer transportation services to participants and guests of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which will take place in Russia.

UTair Aviation, the base operator at Yermolino International Airport, has plans to deploy at least 20 aircraft there.