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On December 18, 2014 the first test flight landed in Kaluga International Airport. A B737 flying from Vnukovo airport, Moscow, landed safely in the new airport. This was an important milestone in the history of the Russian air transportation industry and a crucial point for Kaluga region development. Anatoly Artamonov, Kaluga Region Governor, greeted the  airplane crew and the acceptance commission headed by Oleg Storchevoy, deputy head of the Federal Agency for Air Transport.

The runway as well as taxiways and an apron have been fully reconstructed in mere five months.  The runway dimensions are the following:  2,200 m (length) by 45 m (width). All modern standards have been taken into consideration when the airport was designed and the most modern materials and technologies have been used in the course of its construction. Modern passenger airplanes like А319 (64 t) and B737 are able to land in Kaluga International Airport. The airport runway was reconstructed by Petro Hehua OOO, China.  

Kaluga airport passenger capacity after its commissioning equals  100,000 passengers per annum.  The passenger flow is to reach 500,000 passengers per annum by 2030.

The passenger terminal is to be commissioned in spring 2015. The airport is to serve routes connecting Kaluga with Russian airports as well as airports in Europe, Asia and Africa.

Oleg Storchevoy congratulated all project participants for the successful test flight and mentioned that the construction had been completed in a record-breaking period of time. He said: “Only active support provided by Kaluga Region Government could make this happen”.

Anatoly Artamonov, Kaluga Region Governor, awarded the airplane crew and the project participants. He also voiced his confidence that other works would be completed on time.  

Anatoly Artamonov said: “To start an air service is an important stage in the region’s development. This opens new opportunities for the residents of Kaluga Region and neighboring regions. Our investors will also enjoy new logistics opportunities”.   

Note:

Grabtsevo (Kaluga) airport was commissioned in 1970. It was used by small agricultural aviation as well as a stop-over point for Aeroflot regular flights.  The first passenger flight landed in Kaluga in 1978. For 20 years destinations in Russia, Ukraine, Moldavia, the Baltic states and Crimea were  served from the airport. In 1993 it was one of the first Russian airports to become a joint stock company. In 2001 the airport was closed for lack of funds.  In 2008 it was excluded from the state registry of Russian commercial airports pursuant to the instruction of the Federal Agency for Air Transport. In 2009 the airport property was transferred to Kaluga Region Government pursuant to the instruction of the Russian Government  for its reconstruction.   In 2013 state experts provided an authorization for the airport reconstruction and a permit to commence works.