Engles Air Base new home for Saratov Airport (300 words)

Published: 1/25/2001

Valentin Vasiliev, the Minister of Transport and Communications for the Saratov regional administration, has announced that the discussions on the transfer of Saratov airport to the Engels air base near Saratov, are almost complete. The transfer is necessary because the region has a pressing need for a modern airport, but lacks the estimated $10m required to build one. The Engels air base, which is the home of part of the Russian Air Force's complement of Tu-160 strategic bombers, has a 3km runway capable of handling almost any type of aircraft. Given the intense security surrounding the Russian strategic strike capability, the move seems somewhat surprising. Vasiliev explains that the location of the runway, well away from the military facility, allows both to operate independently and, presumably, with the preservation of security. According to the Minister, the region still needs to build taxiways and buildings on the air base's perimeter and to find a method of transporting passengers to the airport. The improbably low estimated cost of $1m is seen as significantly cheaper than a full-scale project to build a new Saratov Airport. Despite low costs cited by Vasiliev for the project, he says that the region still requires external investors for the project.

Article ID: 2319