Extreme (airport)

The extreme class B airfield, has one runway , is capable of receiving IL-76 airplanes (with restrictions on aircraft weight and number of takeoffs and landings per day), Tu-154 , Airbus A310 , A320 and ever lighter, as well as helicopters all types ^[2] .

Classification number ( PCN ) of runway 53 / F / C / X / T ^[3] (up to 2015, it was 21 / R / B / X / T). The width of taxiway number 3 - 18 m. Taxi number 1, 2, 4, 5 temporarily (until their reconstruction) are not used.

To the north of the airfield runs from west to east the railway Arys I - Kandagach; the nearest stations are Tyuratam , 7 km north-east of the airfield and Discharge No. 103, 5 km north of the airfield. In western historical and geographical sources, the Extreme is designated as Tyuratam or Tyuratam1 (after the name of the nearest railway station Tyuratam ).

In the northern part of the Baikonur Cosmodrome , 40 km north-north-west of the city of Baikonur, there is an experimental airfield Jubilee .

5 km east of the airfield, on the western outskirts of the city of Baikonur , there is a helipad on which the special purpose aviation squad of the Ministry of the Interior of the Russian Federation ( Robinson R44 helicopters ), created in July 2004, is based.

There is also a helipad on the territory of Hospital No. 1 of the Federal State Medical Institution FGUZ MSCh-1 of the FMBA of the Russian Federation in the city of Baikonur (a former military hospital).

From the 1970s, flight number 565/566 from Moscow ( Vnukovo airport ) was regularly operated on Kraiynyi airport on Tu-154 aircraft (three times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays). After the collapse of the USSR, this flight remained, it was operated by Vnukovo Airlines until 1999 (on Tuesdays and Saturdays, from 1995 - on Tuesdays).

Until the beginning of the 1990s, there was a regular postal flight (daily, except Monday) of Kzyl-Orda -Krayniy-Kzyl-Orda, on the An-2 plane of the Kzyl-Orda joint aviation detachment.

From 1995 to the beginning of the 2000s, Karat Airlines operated flights from Moscow ( Vnukovo Airport ) on a Yak-42 aircraft 1-2 times a week.

Since the beginning of the 2000s, for several years, Domodedovo Airlines has operated flights from Moscow ( Domodedovo Airport ) on a Tu-134 aircraft 2 times a week.

Until July 2011, Ural Airlines operated regular flights from Moscow ( Domodedovo Airport ) on Tu-154 aircraft 2 times a week (on Tuesdays and Fridays). ^[four]

From July 11, 2011 to December 2014, the flight Moscow ( Domodedovo ) - Baikonur (Extreme) - Moscow (Domodedovo) was operated by Tulpar-AIR on Yak-42D aircraft : from July to September 2011 and 2012, 4 times a week ( monday, tuesday, thursday, friday), in the other months 3 times a week (monday, wednesday, friday).

From January to March 2015, there was a flight Moscow ( Domodedovo ) - Baikonur (Extreme) - Moscow (Domodedovo) with ALROSA : on Tuesdays by CRJ200 aircraft , on Fridays by Tu-154 M. From April 2015 to February 2016 in connection with the reconstruction of the WFP airfield at the Extreme, this flight was operated by ALROSA from Domodedovo to the airport of the regional center Kyzylorda (on a Boeing 737-800) on Tuesdays (from October 30 to Tuesdays and Fridays).

From March 4, 2016, flights Moscow ( Domodedovo ) - Baikonur (Extreme) - Moscow (Domodedovo) have been resumed. They are performed on Tuesdays by the RusLine airline on a CRJ200 aircraft and on Fridays by the ALROSA airline on Tu-154 M aircraft (including the RA-85684 aircraft reinstated in 2011 after an emergency landing in Izhme until August 2018).

From December 2018, regular flights to the Extreme Airport are temporarily suspended. Aviation access to the cosmodrome is carried out through Kyzylorda Airport , where Aeroflot carries out flights from Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport 4 times a week.

The 6th separate aviation unit (commander, Senior Lieutenant N. N. Lubnin) ^[5] of the research site No. 5 of the USSR Ministry of Defense (now Baikonur Cosmodrome ) was formed on December 5, 1955 ^[6] and was based at Dzhusaly airport .

In the summer of 1956, a temporary airfield was established near the weather station on site 6 with a narrow unpaved runway for light Yak-12 aircraft. ^[7]

On June 20, 1956, the construction of the Lastochka airfield ( ) was completed at the site 15 3 km to the north -West from the village of Dawn (the current city of Baikonur ). The airfield operated from March 1957 ^[6] to 1966 (the Yak-12 and Li-2 aircraft were based here). ^[8] The airfield had an artificial runway (since 1957, a metal team, later an asphalt one) with dimensions of 1200 × 35 m (for IL-14 , Li-2 , etc.) and a ground runway with dimensions of 2000 × 70 m (for An-10 , An-12 aircraft, etc.).

In June 1957, the aviation link was reformed into the 286th separate mixed aviation squadron. ^[5] To ensure flights, the 86th Separate Aviation Commandant's Office (military unit 25813) was formed on April 25, 1959, and was headed by Major I. Fenogh. ^[6]

On March 17, 1960, on the basis of the 286th OSAE, the 99th Separate Mixed Aviation Regiment began to form (military unit 43009). The first commander of the regiment was appointed the participant of the Great Patriotic War, the combat pilot of the 1st class, Colonel A. Ye. Zhukov. ^{[9] [5]}

On April 10, 1962, on the basis of the 86th commandant's office of the aviation garrison, the 7th separate battalion of aerodrome technical support was formed (military unit 25813). ^[five]

In 1964, construction was completed and a new airfield of the 1st class Extreme was put into operation with a concrete runway with a length of 3,100 meters, which allows it to receive modern turbojet aircraft. On August 25, 1964, on the basis of a communications company and radio engineering support of military unit 25813, the 336th separate communications and radio engineering support department was formed. ^[6]

In the mid-1960s, a Su-9 fighter-interceptor link (the fastest and highest-altitude combat aircraft in the USSR at that period) was on duty at the airfield to provide anti-aircraft defense of the cosmodrome (later the cosmodrome was provided with anti-aircraft missile systems and the need for fighters disappeared) . One of these planes is mounted on a pedestal as a monument at the entrance to the airport.

As of 1966, Mi-4 and Mi-6 helicopters and Li-2 and An-2 aircraft were based at the aerodrome. ^[eight]

In the 1970-1980s, the main types of aircraft operated at the Extreme were the An-12 , An-26 and Il-14 transport aircraft, the Mi-8 helicopters . In addition, in 1976–1989, IL-20RT aircraft were based at the aerodrome — aircraft measuring points (CIP) ^[10] . In 1974, an aviation fuel storage (central filling station) was built at the aerodrome. On August 1, 1981, the 336th separate communications and radio communications support division was reorganized into a separate battalion (military unit 02460). ^[6]

Initially, the runway and taxiways of the airfield were built of concrete slabs. ^[8] In 1983, an average aerodrome repair was carried out, during which a layer of asphalt was laid over the concrete with the addition of granite chips, as a result of which the runway and taxiways of the aerodrome received a specific reddish color.

Until the end of the 1980s, three dirt runways for piston airplanes ( An-2 , Il-14 ) were operated at the airfield: 10/28 (dimensions 600x100 m), 17/35 (1000x100 m), 05/23 (3100x100 m).

In the 1980s, the airfield was actively used for transport and research flights associated with the experimental design work under the Energy - Buran program (along with the Jubilee airfield) ^[11] .

In 1982, the Main Space Directorate (GUUKOS) was removed from the Strategic Missile Forces and subordinated directly to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the USSR. Together with GUKOS, the Baikonur Cosmodrome , which included the 99th OSAP (military unit 43009), the 7th OBATO (military unit 25813) and the 336th separate communications and radio engineering division (military unit 02460), was transferred. ^[five]

In 1990-1993, the IL-14 aircraft were decommissioned and disposed of; they were replaced by modern An-72 cargo-passenger aircraft.

Krayny airfield is one of the memorable places of the Baikonur cosmodrome ; during visits to the cosmodrome, prominent politicians and leaders of Russian cosmonautics, all Soviet and Russian cosmonauts, repeatedly arrived here. In particular, S. P. Korolev , V. P. Barmin , V. P. Glushko , L. I. Brezhnev , R. Ya. Malinovsky , A. A. Grechko , D. F. Ustinov have been here .

Since December 1999, the air regiment was reorganized into a separate mixed aviation squadron consisting of one detachment, two units of aircraft and a helicopter link (the military unit retained the number 43009). Since February 2000, a separate communications and radio engineering battalion of flights (military unit 02460) and the 7th separate aerodrome technical support battalion (military unit 25813) were disbanded, and the 533rd aviation commandant's office (military unit 25813) was created instead.

Until December 2008 , when military units 43009 and 25813 were disbanded, the An-12 , An-72 , An-26 aircraft and Mi-8 helicopters were based at the airfield.

In 2008, at Baikonur , the process of disbanding military units that were part of the fifth state test cosmodrome of the Russian Defense Ministry was completed , and their transfer to facilities of the Russian rocket and space industry. In December, the airport Baikonur Extreme was transferred to the FSUE " TsENKI ". Specialists of the organization determined the list of necessary works for certification of the airfield in Rosaeronavigation . ^{[12] [13]}

Since 2009, there has been a phased reconstruction of the airfield. After the completion of the reconstruction, the airfield will be able to receive most of the modern types of aircraft: the An-124 Ruslan, Boeing 747 and the increasingly light ones.

In August — November 2009, an average repair of the runway was carried out ^[14] .

Since July 10, 2010, the Krainiy airfield has been included in the State Register of Civil Airfields of the Russian Federation.

By 2012, radio engineering and lighting equipment was replaced at the aerodrome. On September 15, 2012, the reconstruction of the control tower was completed and the grand opening of the new air terminal took place. ^{[15] [16]}

In 2012, FGUP TsENKI acquired two six-seat helicopters, which, since 2013, are based at the Extreme aerodrome and are used for pre-launch flyby of a space launch vehicle, as well as in training pilots for relocation and evacuation of foreign specialists under the ISS program. ^[17]

Since April 2015, the airport "Extreme" was closed for the reconstruction of the runway. The airport resumed operations on February 26, 2016.

In 2016, it was supposed to perform work on the reconstruction of the taxiways and lighting equipment, and in 2017 - the reconstruction of the apron . ^[18]

Relief: a slightly undulating plain (absolute marks 95–105 m). Plant zone: wormwood-boylychy (northern) desert. Soils: brown desert-steppe.

2.5 km to the south and 4 km to the south-west, the Syrdarya river bends around the airfield, on its right bank there is an ancient Kazakh cemetery “Akzhar”. The waterline of the Syr Darya is located at about 85 m above sea level, the width of the river is 120–200 m, the depth is 1–4 m. The banks of the river are steep, 5–10 m high.

See climate description in Baikonur article (city)

• Baikonur (city)
• Baikonur
• Jubilee (airport)

• Aviation of Baikonur and Kazakhstan
• Repair runway airport "Extreme", August 2009 (video)
• Airport "Extreme" on Wikimapia
• Airport "Swallow" on Wikimapia
• Baikonur Air Gate Astronautics TV Program , 2012