Rumors that the Zhukovsky airport will be reconstructed and begin to work for civil aviation have appeared relatively recently. Almost five years of work of several large companies - and already before the summer it is expected that Moscow will have another, fourth in a row, major transport hub that accepts international flights.
History
It appeared in 1941 and was originally intended exclusively for military-space needs. Then it was called Ramenskoye and served for test flights. Later it was from this site that Burana cargo planes were taken to Baikonur. So, until 1991 it was here that test flights of almost all domestic helicopters and other aircraft were carried out. Formally, it is today called Ramensky, although several sources from time to time report plans to adopt as an official name the one that has been used in everyday life almost from the moment it appeared - Zhukovsky - by the name of a neighboring city.
Opportunities
On the territory of 950 hectares there are 2 runways, one of which is the longest in Russia and Europe. In addition, there are parking lots for aircraft, hangars, warehouses, various technical buildings designed for a variety of needs. Ramensky has no restrictions on the types of aircraft received or take-off mass.
Nevertheless, until recently, undeveloped infrastructure and relatively poor transport accessibility did not allow us to consider Zhukovsky airport as the fourth air harbor serving the needs of the capital. Everything changed in 2014, when investors were found who were ready to invest over 10 billion rubles in the development of Ramensky.
Modern use
Since 1992, every two years, Zhukovsky Airport has hosted the famous MAKS air show, which gathers a huge number in a week - more than a million viewers who want to admire demonstration flights, look at old aircraft, and go on an excursion. In addition, specialists and representatives of large companies in the industry come here, of course, to evaluate new products and, possibly, conclude contracts.
Since 2010, a forum dedicated to domestic engineering has also been held here every two years, which so far enjoys less popularity compared to MAKS, but has fairly good prospects.
However, Zhukovsky Airport for ten years - from 1991 to 2001 - was used for its intended purpose, although not for a wide audience. A large number of commercial cargo flights departed from here , transit aircraft refueled here.
At some point, it became obvious that the capital's airports were loaded to the limit and simply could not cope with the load. And then, in addition to a partial reconstruction of the existing harbors, it was decided to put into operation another one.
Location
So, Zhukovsky airport - how to get to this air hub? It is located 20 kilometers southeast of the capital. It is expected that the road from the Kazan station to the airport on the so-called air express will take no more than an hour. Zhukovsky International Airport will also be able to receive motorists; several parking lots with a total capacity of more than 10 thousand parking spaces are provided on its territory. Transport accessibility will also be ensured through the reconstruction of the Novoryazanskoye highway, which will become wider, which will provide greater throughput and reduce traffic jams.
Immediate prospects
The first passenger terminal could open its doors back in 2015, partially unloading the remaining airports. However, due to the fact that the Dobrolet, which was planned to be relocated here, ceased to exist due to Western sanctions, the start of operation was postponed indefinitely. Now we are talking about the fact that basically the airport will use a subsidiary of Aeroflot called Victory, which also positions itself on the market as a low-cost airline. In addition, some formalities have not yet been resolved, for example, a government decree authorizing flights from the new air harbor has not been issued.
Now it is said that Zhukovsky Airport, whose photo is flashed in all newspapers, will be the first to receive passengers before the end of May 2016. It is expected that already in this calendar period he will be able to serve the flow of almost 2 million people, slightly reducing the load on the remaining aircraft harbors. It is entirely possible that Zhukovsky will become the home base of the so-called low-cost airlines, which, due to the need for an increased turnover of funds, need to quickly service their ships and minimize the time between landing and new take-off.
Future plans
Already, the reconstruction of Zhukovsky is planned until 2021. Within its framework, two passenger terminals with a total area of about 60 thousand square meters will be built. By the time the construction is completed, the maximum throughput is expected to be 12 million passengers per year. Also, it is not always necessary to decide how to get to the Zhukovsky airport, because with connecting flights it will be possible to spend the night in a local hotel, and not lose time on the road. Office buildings, a large aircraft maintenance center, etc. will appear on its territory. In addition to the obvious advantages, this will give local residents jobs.