On 19 September 1944 there was founded the Moldavian independent squadron. Thus this day became the official date of the Civil Aviation Foundation in Moldova.
Moldavian aviators started their flights on 15 airplanes Po-2 and Li-2, given to the enterprise by the Government of the Ukraine.
The Civil Aviation of Moldova was built up on the ruins of the old Chisinau airport, situated in Riscani district,which nowadays is one of the biggest districts of the capital.
It should be mentioned that virtually there was no airdrome. On the airfield, after the Chisinau liberation from fascism occupation, there were left five crashed airplanes, a lot of shell, bomb and mine holes.
In September 1944 this airdrome, 17 hectares of neighboring land for auxiliary economy and also the building of the former house for disabled veterans of the First World War were consolidated to the squadron, where as a result, the airport building and other squadron and airport services were placed. There were provided 50 apartments for the coming specialists as well.
What did the squadron look like in first years of its activity? It included:
- Íeadquarter of the squadron;
- Flight service, which dealt with the flying work;
- Engineering-aeronautical service, which provided technical service and maintenance of the aeronautical mashinery;
- Communication service, which was providing necessary communication facilities to the airports of the republic;
- Transportation section;
- Combustive- lubricating service;
- Economic section;
- Medical unit;
- Auxiliary economy.
During the first years of the development of the transport aviation of the republic, the flights to Moscow, Sankt-Petersburg and to Caucasusand Crimeahealth resorts were made with a lot of landings in Kiev, Minsk, Odessa, Simpheropol, Krasnodarin order to load additionally the airplane.
In 1965 the Moldavian individual squadron, by the order of the Minister of the Civil Aviation, was reorganized into Civil Aviation Administration of Moldova.
Today the Airport is equipped with the modernized techniques that comply with a contemporary airport. A contemporary airport is a complicated economy. It includes dozens of different services, which more or less take part in the technological process of the Civil Aviation. The flight security depends on the well-organized and co-ordinated work. It starts on the land.
The actual airport Chisinau was founded in 1960. The new building of the airport was built during the works of modernization of the airport in 1974 and the artificial-surface runway – in 1987. The peak of the transportation has reached the capacity of 1 million passengers per year in 1987.
The 1st of June 1995 is the date of constitution of the State Enterprise “International Airport Chisinau”.
The airport is situated at a distance of 14 km from the center of the city and spreads over a territory of 330 hectares. The aerodrome, the airport and the engineer infrastructure of the airport represent an indivisible technological complex that assures the around-the-clock reception and service of all types of aircraft, as well as of passengers, cargoes, and mail. This complex unites the aerodrome with a II class airway with the dimensions 3590x45 meters. It connects by taxi tracks the aircraft parking places, the passengers’ and freight platforms, the airport complex with arrivals-departures hall, the VIP Hall and the Hall of Official Delegations.
The airport is connected with the capital by a highway. More than ten airlines, three of which local (Air Moldova, Air Moldova International, Moldavian Airlines) operate many outward flights and also make jointing flights with leading airlines.
Europe, CIS countries and Near Eastdirections are the most frequently taken up by passenger flights.
Nowadays the airport is connected by thousands of links with Moldavian and foreign organizations. These are airlines, the main partners of any airport, as well as organizations and enterprises, involved in the same technological process: customs, frontier service, refrigerator and cargo complexes, the board catering service, etc.
The State Enterprise “MoldATSA” exercises the control over the airspace and the air traffic.
The advantageous geographical position, the vicinity of the sea-port in Odessa, as well as important railway junctions and highways are a good premise for the creation of a transit airport and for the prospective development of “International Airport Chisinau”.
By the decision of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, there was allocated a territory for the development of the free-commerce zone. It is planned to reinforce the zone with additional and concomitant enterprises and manufactures.
It is forecasted to increase the passenger flow up to 625 hundred passengers per year by 2010. One of the main directions in the activity of the airport is the security service of air transport, according to international standards.
According to independent experts, the airport has large perspectives for its developments and it is quite attractive for the investors.
In may 2000 there was finished the reconstruction of the airport building in the framework of credit transaction between the Government of the Republic Moldova and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The total cost of the project amounts 12 mln. USD. The consulting company “Halcrow” (England) controlled the project and the main executor was the Turkish Company “Akfen-Summa”.
The State Enterprise “International Airport Chisinau”, starting with 1 June 1995, performs its activity according to the Law of the Republic of Moldova“About State Enterprises” and “About entrepreneurs and their activity”. It is a legal person, disposes of individual property, is in right to obtain patrimonial and personal non-patrimonial rights and to take up responsibilities, as well as to conclude contracts and agreement, and to be plaintiff and defendant in the court of justice and in arbitration.
The State Enterprise “International Airport Chisinau” is the main and the largest airport in Moldova. It is the sole international airport of Moldova, which offers services of passengers, mail and cargo transportation.
The airport is situated at 15 km from the downtown and at 2 km from the railway station “Revaca”.
The reconstructed airport building was put in exploitation in June 2000. It broadens the possibilities of the enterprise in the sphere of air transportation, as well as in the sphere of navigational activity.
The main activity of the airport is the opportune dispatch and registration of passengers, mail and cargo and the complete guarantee of security and regularity of the flights.
“The International Airport Chisinau ” is fit out with technical equipment for the examination of passengers and cargo, as well as for mail and cargo handling service. The terminal has a capacity of up to 400 passengers per hour.
There are 250 passengers per year using the services of the airport. About 30 airlines operate flights from Chisinau to more than 18 countries of the world.
The aerodrome is equipped with a light system of high efficiency (type "Light -3") and by radio-technical means for landing, ruling and taking off in conditions of bad visibility during the day and night time.
Since the independence of the Republic of Moldova, the structure and characteristic of air transportation market have changed. Air transportation services are not limited any more by boarders of the former Soviet Union; the creation of the independent company “airport Chisinau” opens new possibilities for using its geographical location. It is located at the cross-road of air routes from Western Europe and CIS countries, China, Indian and Far East. In direction from North to South the airport is able to connect Northern Europe with Turkey, Nearest East and Africa.
The main competitors of the airport in terms of geographical location are Borispol (Kiev), Otopeni (Bucharest), and Odessa. In terms of air routes an important competitor is the airport Ferhegy (Budapest).
The level of services in airports Otopeni and Borispol is much higher than the level of similar services in airport "Chisinau", that is why even the lower prices for services do not increase the competitiveness of airport "Chisinau". Airport Odessa is not so dangerous in terms market, because the technical characteristics of the runway do not allow to land/take off aircraft with maximal taking off weight (MTOW) more than 100 ton .
As the solvency of the population of our republic had decreased, the air transportation user contingent has changed. Nowadays the main categories of clients are businessmen and tourists. But a positive factor is the increase of international air transportation and of the demand for airport services from foreign agents.As it can be seen from the information given above, there is a stringent need for increasing the quality level of passenger servicing, for purchasing equipment for the airport and for choosing a right policy for future development.
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