MINSK, 3 November (BelTA) – Foreign air carriers will start offering regular flights from the oblast capitals soon, BelTA learned from Director of the Aviation Department of the Belarusian Transport and Communications Ministry Artyom Sikorsky at a press conference on 3 November.
According to Artyom Sikorsky, work is in progress to keep the regional airports in Belarus busy. “Despite the difficult last year we didn't stop charter flights from the oblast airports. This year we intend to get down to the second part of the airports' development strategy and start organizing regular flights from the oblast capitals. A number of foreign air carriers will begin regular flights from the oblast airports soon,” he said.
“We are accelerating all the air carrier accreditation procedures in order to enable flights from the oblast airports,” the official said.
Artyom Sikorsky noted that considerable work is in progress to develop infrastructure in the Minsk National Airport. “Approaches towards the reconstruction of the first runway are being worked out. The architecture and construction design has been developed. The relevant implementation stages are being identified,” he said.
The construction of a new passenger terminal will be an important project. “The existing terminal was designed in the Soviet time. It does not exactly live up to the modern technologies for catering to transit passengers. And we focus heavily on servicing such passengers,” Artyom Sikorsky stressed. “The project's importance is also emphasized by the need to fulfill the head of state's instructions to offer long-range flights.”
Work to develop an aircraft repair plant continues. “They are mastering the maintenance of foreign aircraft. At present this plant services Boeing Airbus aircraft. On the whole, the enterprise develops very fast,” Artyom Sikorsky noted.
The use of unmanned aerial vehicles needs attention. “In 2018 we developed a concept for operating such vehicles and integrating them into the common air space. Aviation rules were developed,” the official said. “Work on amending the Air Laws and Regulations is nearing completion. Once the amendments are introduced, we suggest registering drones weighing up to 30kg, which will greatly facilitate their usage.” In his words, they are working with the Defense Ministry taking a closer look at air space usage in order to organize procedures in a way as to allow users to operate their unmanned aerial vehicles legally and observing all the rules.
The opening of a flying specialization in the Belarusian State Aviation Academy was an important event of the year 2021. “Apart from pilot training work continues on introducing new flying specializations such as civil aviation navigators, flight radio operators, and flight engineers. We will soon begin implementing a project to build a new education wing where modern simulators will be installed for specialist training,” Artyom Sikorsky summarized.
