Starting a conversation about the airport of Vitebsk in the modern sense, it is necessary to mention its history and origins.
Airport History
In Vitebsk, the airport was originally located insouthern suburbs. It was built for use by the army air force. The first historical landing of the airplane occurred back in 1914, in May. And now more than a hundred years in Vitebsk airport operates.
During World War II, the airportVitebsk was a strategically important facility. A fighter regiment of Soviet aviation was stationed there. After the war, in peacetime, the airport in Vitebsk became one of the first Soviet airfields with artificial turf.
The main direction of the complexin the postwar period there were sanitary tasks and mail flights. Already at the end of 1945, a regular air line was opened: the flight Minsk-Vitebsk. And in the middle of 1946 a new link appeared. Vitebsk Airport began to carry out agricultural flights.
Since 1948, began to be scheduledflights At first it was “Minsk-Vitebsk-Minsk”, then after a few years the direction to Moscow appeared. Vitebsk Airport can be proud of its history and the people who worked there. At various times, Heroes of the Soviet Union worked at the enterprise:
- Demidov V.A.
- Lyadsky TS
Many workers for selfless work were awarded government awards. Soviet people worked with full dedication to revive their country.
Vitebsk "East": the beginning
В 1977 году начался ввод в эксплуатацию объекта "Vitebsk Airport Vostochny". A year later, the first technical flight to the AN-24 was made. After a couple of years, the Vitebsk airport turned into a large airfield with a large number of flight equipment:
- Helicopters MI-2 - 35 units.
- Aircraft AN-2 - 32 units.
During the first period of its existence, the airport of Vitebsk carried out only technical flights of strategic destination for carrying out various works:
- Processing sanyogodiy and fields.
- Protection of forests.
- Oil pipeline service.
- Sanitary work.
- Mail delivery.
In 1982, the first jointVitebsk Aviation Squad, built the base of mechanization, and the hangar for the repair of aircraft was put into operation. After the commissioning of the radar and radio beacon from Vitebsk Vostochny airport, regular passenger flights began to be performed. The annual number of passengers per year was about 40 thousand people.
From the airport Vitebsk facility, flights were operated in different directions: most often to Moscow, Kiev, Odessa, Minsk, Leningrad, Sochi, Kaliningrad, Sverdlovsk.
In 1993, the first reconstruction of the airport was carried out, with the replacement of the light system and the installation of a second landing strip for receiving and taking off TU-154 and IL-76 aircraft.
Already in mid-1996, the airport of Vitebskreceived international status and from the end of 1998 began to operate charter flights to other countries: the Czech Republic, India, Finland, Turkey, Poland. For this was installed the latest navigation equipment.
At the present stage
Since 2000, the airport of Vitebsk became part of a large state concern "BelAeroNavigatsiya". This reorganization occurred by merging.
At the moment, the airport of Vitebsk -structural unit of the enterprise that performs important work on passenger services, cargo and strategic facilities. One of the important and permanent tasks performed by the Vitebsk airport is serving the guests of the international festival “Slavic Bazaar”. Additionally, the company provides non-core services: storage and transportation of fuels and lubricants, customs storage of goods, rental of vehicles, providing a place for sports and entertainment organized events.
The capacity of the airport Vitebsk is up to150 people in one hour. On the territory of the terminal there is everything necessary for comfortable waiting for a flight and receiving arriving passengers. There is a VIP-room, which created the most convenient conditions at the airport. With the use of business aviation, all actions to check in baggage and air tickets, as well as passing border and customs control, take place separately from the general mass of passengers. In the hall there is a meeting room, internet, fax, telephones, a conference room, a lounge.
For the convenience of passengers with young children there is a free room for mothers and children. For people with disabilities, there are special plumbing fixtures and places of comfortable waiting.
Prospects
Vitebsk "Vostochny" International Airport is readyto mutually beneficial cooperation with different airlines and airlines of the world. Its convenient location - 15 kilometers from the city - makes the partnership of this company with the aviation alliances of the world profitable and promising.
