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Where there is no law, but every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty
Henry M. Robert

Boryspil Airport to be Rebuilt. Can we afford it?

13 November, 2012 - 00:00

Boryspil Airport won a contest for the best CIS airport of the year. Next July 7, the first commercial flight will take off from a new concrete runway which can rightfully be considered Europe's best according to every international standard.

In fact, it is unmatched in the CIS (4 km. long, compared to the usual 3-3.5 km.). This record length is required for planes to apply afterburners on takeoff. If the crew decides to save time the noise detectors in the runway will immediately notify the control tower, and the plane’s owner will be fined.

The runway is 60 meters in width, and the concrete is 75 cm. thick, which is also in keeping with international standards and progressive aircraft design. These parameters secure landing in poor weather conditions and allow the airport to receive practically every type of aircraft, as required by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

Ukrainian construction firms started work on the runway in 1995, but then stopped for lack of funds. By then the first 30 km. of concrete had been laid, and cement mills appeared in the airport vicinity, capable of handling 60 carloads of gravel daily. Railroad junctions had appeared and a most modern concrete placing combine was purchased. At the time construction costs were staggering, but there was no alternative. To leave the runway unfinished for too long would mean ruining it.

The Cabinet issued guarantees and received loans from a consortium of foreign banks headed by German KfW. The tender was won by Daimler-Benz Aerospace AG (Germany). Of course, concessions had to be made to come to terms with German bankers: $125 million was allocated for construction, subject to the condition that the remaining construction works would be done by German companies. Concrete pavement would be done by Dasa, which arrived along with two cement plants and all the required equipment. Ukrainian workers were assigned the harder and lower-paid jobs.

Now the runway is laid, but there is still nothing to write home about, says Boryspil Airport Director Mykola Shmatko, because much has been done to make it ready: making taxiways, assembling landing lights (6 luminance levels). Of the $125 million loan $65 million has been implemented to date, but to finish the project at least $65 million more will be needed.

Photo:

SOON BORYSPIL WILL BE ABLE TO ACCOMODATE ALL TYPES OF AIRCRAFT

 

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