Published: 8/21/1998

ATu-204-100 airliner belonging to Tupolev-Aviatrans air company, an operator specialising in the commercial use of aircraft belonging to the Tupolev design bureau, has begun regular flights on the route from Moscow to Anadyr, the biggest city in the Chukotka region, on the Pacific coast. Low fuel consumption and larger fuel tanks enable the Tu-204 to fly the route non-stop: the same route (with a stop-over in Irkutsk) will also be flown by a Tu-154, owned by Mals airline, which is being transferred to Chukot-Avia, the largest operator in Chukotka. It is also planned to fly this aircraft on Pevek-Anadyr-Khabarovsk route. Also, the regional administration of Chukotka plans to acquire two Yak-42s and one more Tu-204, as well as several An-38s, for Chukot-Avia. In August, the operator acquired an An-74 freighter from VostSibAero airline under a long-term lease agreement. This replaces old An-24s and, partly, Mi-8 helicopters on domestic routes. The Chukotka administration has recently approved the recon-struction of runways at Keperveyem, Pevek, Cape of Schmidt and Anadyr airports.(IN898.4) (VK)

Article ID: 244