Khrabrovo Airport Explained

Khrabrovo Kaliningrad Airport
Image2-Width:250
Iata:KGD
Icao:UMKK
Pushpin Map:Russia Kaliningrad Oblast#European Russia#Baltic Sea
Pushpin Map Caption:Location of the airport in Kaliningrad##Location in Russia##Location in the Baltic Sea Region
Pushpin Label:KGD
Pushpin Label Position:bottom
Type:Public/military
Owner:Roman Trotsenko through Novaport
Operator:Khrabrovo airport (JSC)
City-Served:Kaliningrad
Location:Kaliningrad, Russia
Elevation-F:42
Elevation-M:13
Website:kgd.aero
R1-Number:06/24
R1-Length-F:10,990
R1-Length-M:3,350
R1-Surface:Concrete
Stat-Year:2021
Stat1-Header:Passengers
Stat1-Data:3,910,846 [1]
Stat2-Header:Passenger change 17-18
Stat2-Data:20.13%
Footnotes:Source: Kaliningrad International Airport[2]

Khrabrovo Airport (Russian: Аэропорт Храброво), also appearing in historical documents as Powunden Airfield,[3] is the airport of Kaliningrad, located 24km (15miles) north of the city near the village of Khrabrovo. While it mostly serves scheduled domestic destinations, part of it is still a military base of the Russian Navy.

The base is home to the 398th Independent Air Transport Squadron of the 132nd Composite Aviation Division of the Baltic Fleet[4] along with the Special Purpose Aviation Detachment Kaliningrad of the Russian National Guard.[5]

History

In 1922, the joint Russian–German joint venture Deruluft started flights on the first scheduled international route, from Königsberg (Devau airport) to Moscow. During World War II, the airfield was taken over for military use. After the war, the airport was transferred to the Civil Air Fleet of the USSR in 1945, but military aircraft continued to be based at the airfield.

In the 1950s, Khrabrovo was a major operating location for Ilyushin Il-28 (Beagle) tactical bombers, and at least one MiG-15 (Fagot) was observed at the airfield. At this time it was known as Kaliningrad/Powunden Airfield.

By the 1960s, the airfield was regaining its use for civil air transport, and a Joint Air Squadron was formed in 1961. The use of "Kaliningrad/Powunden" by Western intelligence ceased after July 1962 and the airfield became known as "Khrabrovo". At that time, the runway was listed as having a length of 1,920 m (6,290 ft) with alert aprons and 20 hardstands, but no aircraft were observed.[6]

In 1977, the first Tupolev Tu-134 operations began, followed by the construction of a passenger terminal in 1979. Tupolev Tu-154 service began in 1988.

In 1992, the enterprise separated from Vnukovo Production association and became an independent entity. The following year, the first scheduled international flights began. The air enterprise was renamed "Kaliningrad Avia" in 1997, but fell into receivership in 2001. The airport changed ownership the following year and became a joint stock company. In 2004, the runway, apron, and navigation facilities were rebuilt. The new air enterprise was renamed KD Avia in 2005, with the new terminal opened in 2007. In 2009, KD Avia airlines ceased operation.

FIFA-2018 re-construction

In July 2016, Novaport bought the Khrabrovo Airport from Aeroinvest.[7] As part of Russia's preparations to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup, in July 2017, a new terminal was put into operation. In addition, the airport infrastructure was modernized and this included the lengthening and reinforcement of the runway, the installation of new radiotechnical, lighting, and weather forecast equipment and construction of new aircraft parking spaces and a high-speed taxiway.[8]

The reconstruction of the passenger terminal and the runway enlargement were officially finished on 27 April 2018.[9] [10]

Statistics

Annual traffic

Annual passenger traffic[11] [12] ! Year! Passengers! % change
20101,024,000
20111,229,017 20%
20121,188,422 3.3%
20131,314,046 10.6%
20141,460,054 11.1%
20151,542,360 5.6%
20161,570,854 1.8%
20171,780,000 13.9%
20182,149,413 20.13%

Ground transportation

The bus line No. 244э connects the airport with the Kaliningrad Main Bus/Railway Station.[13]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://kgd.aero/mediacenter/news/5187748/ По итогам 2021 года аэропорт Калининград (Храброво) обслужил более 3,9 млн человек.
  2. Web site: Report on 2018 passenger traffic data from Kaliningrad International Airport website. Khrabrovo International Airport. 18 January 2019. 13 June 2019.
  3. AIRFIELD ACTIVITY IN THE USSR AND SATELLITES (BASED ON(Sanitized)PHOTOGRAPHY), October 1957, CREST: CIA-RDP78T04753A000300040010-6, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC.
  4. Web site: Russian Naval Aviation - Kaliningrad/Khrabrovo (UMKK). Scramble.nl. 6 December 2022.
  5. Web site: Russian National Guard - Kaliningrad/Khrabrovo (UMKK). Scramble.nl. 6 December 2022.
  6. MCI MISSION 9040 28-31 JULY 1962, April 1963, CREST: CIA-RDP78B04560A000700010048-9, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC.
  7. Web site: Businessman Roman Trotsenko bought two Russian airport. Sevendaynews.com. 6 July 2016. 9 May 2017. 3 March 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180303105942/http://sevendaynews.com/2016/07/06/businessman-roman-trotsenko-bought-two-russian-airport/. dead.
  8. Web site: Kaliningrad airport's new terminal put in operation. Russian Aviation Insider. 26 July 2017. 2 March 2018.
  9. Web site: Калининградский аэропорт Храброво открылся после реконструкции. aif.ru. 27 April 2018.
  10. Web site: В Калининграде торжественно открыли аэропорт "Храброво". 5-tv.ru. 27 April 2018.
  11. Web site: Названо число туристов . приехавших в Калининград на новогодние каникулы . РБК. 10 January 2018 .
  12. Web site: UMKK . News . eng.kgd.aero.
  13. Web site: Расписание автобусов Калининград - Аэропорт "Храброво" .