Shirak Airport
Encyclopedia
Shirak International Airport is an international
airport serving Gyumri
and the province of Shirak. It is located about 5 km from the center of Gyumri. The airport was inaugurated in 1961, and is the second largest airport in the country, after Yerevan's Zvartnots International Airport
. Currently, the airport has scheduled flights to Moscow
, Rostov-on-Don
and Sochi
.
At the start of 2006, Armenia felt the importance of having a second international airport, when adverse weather conditions meant that many flights had to be diverted from Yerevan’s Zvartnots International Airport
into Gyumri’s Shirak Airport. New traffic control equipment has now been put into operation at the airport, which allows identification of planes within a 400 km radius. The equipment is a newly developed system and according to the Czech company that implemented it, this is the first time it has been installed at an airport in a mountainous location, and the experience from its installation will serve as a model for its future installation in other regions. Runway 02 is equipped with an ILS CAT I, enabling aircraft operations in low ceiling
(60 meters) and visibility (800 meters).
. Armenia International Airports CJSC is owned by Corporacion America, an Argentine
company which operates several airports across South America, which is owned in turn by Eduardo Eurnekian
.
According to Artem Movsisian, head of the General Department of Civil Aviation of Armenia
, Corporacion America will have to turn the airport in Gyumri into a first-class airport. He also said the company has pledged to invest $10 million in 2007 to start modernization programme and within the upcoming years it will invest more to make the airport comply with international standards. Among other commitments is to provide free landing and take-off services to the Armenian Military
.
Shirak Airport was closed for renovations from June 20 until October 20, 2007, during which time the runway was repaved and work was done on the airport lighting and the main terminal.
International
----International mostly means something that involves more than one country. The term international as a word means involvement of, interaction between or encompassing more than one nation, or generally beyond national boundaries...
airport serving Gyumri
Gyumri
Gyumri is the capital and largest city of the Shirak Province in northwest Armenia. It is located about 120 km from the capital Yerevan, and, with a population of 168,918 , is the second-largest city in Armenia.The name of the city has been changed many times in history...
and the province of Shirak. It is located about 5 km from the center of Gyumri. The airport was inaugurated in 1961, and is the second largest airport in the country, after Yerevan's Zvartnots International Airport
Zvartnots International Airport
Zvartnots International Airport is located near Zvartnots, west of Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia. The airport was built in 1961. It is now the busiest airport in Armenia and the Caucasus. The draftsmen of the airport included architects M. Khachikyan, A. Tarkhanyan, J. Sheqhlyan, L....
. Currently, the airport has scheduled flights to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Rostov-on-Don
Rostov-on-Don
-History:The mouth of the Don River has been of great commercial and cultural importance since the ancient times. It was the site of the Greek colony Tanais, of the Genoese fort Tana, and of the Turkish fortress Azak...
and Sochi
Sochi
Sochi is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated just north of Russia's border with the de facto independent republic of Abkhazia, on the Black Sea coast. Greater Sochi sprawls for along the shores of the Black Sea near the Caucasus Mountains...
.
At the start of 2006, Armenia felt the importance of having a second international airport, when adverse weather conditions meant that many flights had to be diverted from Yerevan’s Zvartnots International Airport
Zvartnots International Airport
Zvartnots International Airport is located near Zvartnots, west of Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia. The airport was built in 1961. It is now the busiest airport in Armenia and the Caucasus. The draftsmen of the airport included architects M. Khachikyan, A. Tarkhanyan, J. Sheqhlyan, L....
into Gyumri’s Shirak Airport. New traffic control equipment has now been put into operation at the airport, which allows identification of planes within a 400 km radius. The equipment is a newly developed system and according to the Czech company that implemented it, this is the first time it has been installed at an airport in a mountainous location, and the experience from its installation will serve as a model for its future installation in other regions. Runway 02 is equipped with an ILS CAT I, enabling aircraft operations in low ceiling
Ceiling (aeronautics)
With respect to aircraft, a ceiling is the maximum density altitude an aircraft can reach under a set of conditions.The word ceiling can also refer to the height of the lowest obscuring cloud layer above the ground.-Service ceiling:...
(60 meters) and visibility (800 meters).
New ownership
On August 3, 2007, the government of Armenia announced that it had agreed to include the management of operations at Armenia's second largest airport (Shirak) in the 30-year concession agreement that it signed with Armenia International Airports CJSC in December 2001 to take over operations at Zvartnots International AirportZvartnots International Airport
Zvartnots International Airport is located near Zvartnots, west of Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia. The airport was built in 1961. It is now the busiest airport in Armenia and the Caucasus. The draftsmen of the airport included architects M. Khachikyan, A. Tarkhanyan, J. Sheqhlyan, L....
. Armenia International Airports CJSC is owned by Corporacion America, an Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
company which operates several airports across South America, which is owned in turn by Eduardo Eurnekian
Eduardo Eurnekian
Eduardo Eurnekian is an Argentinian businessman.-Rise to prominence:Eduardo Eurnekian was born to immigrants from Armenia, in 1932...
.
According to Artem Movsisian, head of the General Department of Civil Aviation of Armenia
General Department of Civil Aviation of Armenia
-Brief History of Armenian Aviation:Although the Department of Civil Aviation was commissioned in 2003, Armenia's aviation history dates back to 1933 when Armenian independent air detachment under Soviet Union, started regular flights to Tbilisi from Southern Airfield .During Soviet Union Times,...
, Corporacion America will have to turn the airport in Gyumri into a first-class airport. He also said the company has pledged to invest $10 million in 2007 to start modernization programme and within the upcoming years it will invest more to make the airport comply with international standards. Among other commitments is to provide free landing and take-off services to the Armenian Military
Armed Forces of Armenia
The Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia comprise two services: the Army, and the Air Force and Air Defense . It was partially formed out of the former Soviet Army forces stationed in the Armenian SSR...
.
Shirak Airport was closed for renovations from June 20 until October 20, 2007, during which time the runway was repaved and work was done on the airport lighting and the main terminal.
Statistics
| Year | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Departing Passenger Traffic | 18,800 | 24,011 | 11,339 | 12,911 | 11,018 |
| Arriving Passenger Traffic | 27,300 | 22,399 | 7,291 | 9357 | 9089 |
| Total Passenger Traffic | 46,100 | 46,410 | 18,630 | 22,268 | 20,107 |
| Exported freight (tons) | 20 | 3.1 | N/A | 2.0 | 0.13 |
| Imported freight (tons) | 126 | 15 | 6.2 | 62.6 | 2.43 |
| Total freight (tons) | 146 | 18.1 | 6.2 | 64.5 | 2.56 |
| Aircraft movements (departure or landing) | 472 | 355 | 166 | 144 | 172 |
Airlines and destinations
See also
- Zvartnots International AirportZvartnots International AirportZvartnots International Airport is located near Zvartnots, west of Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia. The airport was built in 1961. It is now the busiest airport in Armenia and the Caucasus. The draftsmen of the airport included architects M. Khachikyan, A. Tarkhanyan, J. Sheqhlyan, L....
- List of airports in Armenia
- Transport in ArmeniaTransport in ArmeniaThis article considers transport in Armenia. For Soviet transportation, see Transport in the Soviet Union.-Total: in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines-Broad gauge:825 km of gauge...