Sevastopol International Airport

"Belbek" Sevastopol International Airport Міжнародний аеропорт "Бельбек"
IATA: UKSUKS/BQB – ICAO: UKFB
Summary
Airport type		Public, Military
Owner		The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine
Operator		Ltd. "Aeroport Belbek"
Serves		Sevastopol
Location		9 km (5.6 mi) N of Sevastopol
Coordinates		44°41′N 33°35′E
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
	ft	m
07L/25R	9,863	3,007	Concrete
Sevastopol Location of airport in the Crimea

"Belbek" Sevastopol International Airport (Ukrainian: Міжнародний аеропорт "Бельбек"; Russian: Международный аэропорт "Бельбек", г.Севастополь) (IATA: UKS, ICAO: UKFB) is AN airport in Belbek, near Sevastopol, Ukraine.

History

The airfield was first constructed in June 1941, during the first year of World War II. Initially it housed a military fighter aviation unit. Constructed without a hardened runway, after the war the airfield received a concrete runway, but remained exclusively in use by the military. During the second half of the 1980s, after Mikhail Gorbachev came to power, the airfield was significantly increased and improved, as the airfield was to be used by him when travelling to the presidential dacha on the southern coast of the Crimea, near the cape of Foros. Subsequently it was also allowed to use the airfield for civilian purposes.

The original name of the airport comes from the Belbek river, in the south-west of Crimea. The airfield is located next to the coast, in the Nakhimovsky area of Sevastopol, north of the city center, close to the adjacent neighborhood Lyubimovka.

Since July 2002, the airfield has been in use also for civil aviation. In December 2002, the airport received a license for international flights. Between 2002 and 2007 over 2,500 flights were carried out, which transported about 25 thousand passengers.

During 2007, civil flights were suspended again. However, during spring 2009 it was announced that resumption of air links was to commence in the near future. To date, the civil service has not started yet.

MiG-29s stationed at Belbek

Military use of airport continues to this day, being a military fighter airbase. During 1996, the Su-15TM's were replaced by the Su-27, and currently the based 204th Tactical Aviation Brigade flies the MiG-29.

Specifications

The runway of Belbek airport has a size of 3007 × 48 m, class - B, and is designed to receive aircraft of all types. The maximum takeoff weight of an aircraft is unlimited. The classification of coverings - 34/R/A/X/T. Magnetic course landing is 065/245. Lighting - "Luch-2MU.

Transportation

The airport is located 2.5 km. from the "Belbek Airport" interchange on the Simferopol - Sevastopol/Yalta motorway, near Fruktovoe Village on territorial of Nakhimovsky area. The distance to the south of Sevastopol is 20 km and 9 km from Zaharova Square (main square of the north side of Sevastopol. The distance to the Simferopol is 50 km and is about 110 km. from Yalta. To get to airport from the center of Sevastopol by public transport, it is necessary to cross Sevastopol Bay on the boat from the Grafskaya harbor to the Zaharova Square (north side of Sevastopol). Then the bus following the route number 36 "North side - Kacha Village" to get to the bus stop "Belbek - Sevastopol International Airport". The fare on the boat is 2.50 UAH and is 5 UAH - the fare on the bus. Length of the road in about 40–50 minutes. The city plans to carry a railroad Sevastopol-Simferopol slightly west, closer to the airport.

Airlines and destinations

Airlines	Destinations
Dniproavia	Kiev-Boryspil, Moscow-Vnukovo