Second Runway

January 30, 2009
own information

Almaty International Airport JSC is a recognized leader in Central-Asian region in respect of air transportation management and handling. For the last years Almaty airport has achieved considerable positive changes. It has obtained status of an international hub oriented for bringing in main cargo and passenger traffic between Asia and Europe. In recent years passenger and cargo traffic, and transit flights, operated via our country by leading world airlines (КLМ, Lufthansa, FEDEX, Aeroflot Cargo, UPS, Cargolux, and many others) on heavy-duty aircraft such as B-747-400, MD-11, An-124, have increased significantly.

Existing runway of Almaty airport was constructed in 1968. After the runway had been intensively operated by the latest heavy-duty aircraft, instrumental and visual observation as earlier as 1989 found a number of significant defects in surface. In this connection limits for rate of IL-62 and IL-86-types aircraft operation were imposed. In 1989 the runway in fact was used-up.
In spite of necessity in heavy repair the runway was operated by heavy-duty aircraft. In 1991 Cabinet of Ministers of Kazakh SSR adopted a resolution dd. December 03, 1991, # 759 “On expeditious measures for development of Alma-Ata airport” where construction of the second runway with subsequent reconstruction of existing one at the expense of Republican budget was foreseen. In 1992 building preparation for the second runway under a project of Aeoroproject Moscow Institute and its Kazaeroproject affiliate. However due to collapse of USSR and other objective cause construction was closed down. Existing runway was operated within the whole 1997 when problem on immediate reconstruction of it was especially acute. In 1998 under the project of Aeoroproject Moscow Institute reconstruction of runway and lighting was carried out bringing to ICAO category II. Reconstruction was carried out in asphalt-concrete version under conditions of operating airport. Moreover existing runway was lean-to which worsen conditions of flight regularity when it was bad weather. Frequency of heavy repair of flexible (asphalt concrete) pavement by standards is 5 – 7 years and operating life of the existing (the first) runway after reconstruction was more than 9 years with pressure of heavy-duty aircraft which resulted in sever asphalt concrete pavement damage. As is evident from the foregoing there was an urgent problem concerning resumption of construction of the second runway which had to be resolved without delay. In this connection Almaty airport management took decision to resume construction of the second runway improving its load bearing capacity characteristics for operation of heavy-duty aircraft and bringing to ICAO category III under low visibility conditions as per project of Kazaeroproject Institute. This work was performed for the period of 2006-2008. Construction was carried out at the expense of own means of Almaty International Airport JSC and borrowings. Total cost of construction of the second runway came to $87 million, $ 50 million of which was borrowed funds and $37 million was own funds. During construction materials and equipment meeting world standard were used. Lighting of “Siemens” company, meteorological and air traffic control equipments, which allow to produce the landing of aircrafts under conditions of limited visibility not less than 200 m across and 15 m down (vertical line), have been installed. The restricted visibility situation is being redoubled by private sector, which is situated on terminal area. During the autumn and winter period people of that region use different types of fuel, which have bad influence upon visibility.

At the same time, into account must be taken the fact, that a crew team should have an appropriate minimum, and the aircraft should be supplied with appropriate equipment for landing in conditions III category of the International Civil Aviation organization.

The first runway allowed producing the landing of aircrafts in conditions of low visibility with the help of high intensity lights, the intensity of which had been not less than 350 meters across and 35 meters down. Consequently, a new runway has been constructed at the airport, the technical characteristics of which twofold exceed the characteristics of the first runway.

By the comparison of characteristics of the period between October 1, 2007 and January 26, 2008, where 18 days of intense fog was observed and 49 regular passenger flights (8 out of them due to the absence of minimum in crew) were dispatched to alternate airports, and the characteristics of the period between October 1, 2008 and January 26, 2009, where 26 days of intense fog was observed and 57 regular passenger flights (20 out of them due to the absence of minimum in crew) were dispatched to alternate airports, it can be seen that the commissioning of the new runway has made it available to reduce, twofold, the number of flights to alternate airports.

The number of dispatched flights to alternate aerodromes has composed 0,1% from total quantity of flights per year. There is a complex of works, assisting to safe flights, wherein participate jointly: the “Kazaeronovigation” RGP, which controls an aircraft during a flight until the very landing, the Airline, which runs the aircraft, “Kazaeroservice” JSC, which makes a weather forecast for the coming period, and the Airport, which provides the acceptance and operating of the aircraft. The airport can not to take up aircrafts due to low cohesion coefficient only, that does not provide the safe landing of an aircraft in conditions of heavy snow-fall and glaze frost. In all cases of take-off and landing operations the decision remains after the aircraft commander.

The Almaty Airport often serves as alternate airport for airports of Tashkent, Bishkek, Urumchi, Astana, Karaganda and other cities. For instance, in 2007 the Almaty Airport was used as an alternate airport 28 times, and in 2008 – 42 times.

Alena Kochneva
PR assistant to the President
Almaty International Airport