The Russian republic of Tatarstan is to build a dedicated fixed-base operation at Kazan airport in a move preceding the creation of a countrywide network of FBOs.
The facility will cost 125 million ($172 million) and consist of a passenger terminal with several hangars and expanded support infrastructure. It is due for completion within nine months of the ground-breaking in September.
Vladimir Lebedev, president of Russia's business aviation association, which has masterminded the project, says it is the first of 10 FBOs to be established throughout the country to meet growing demand for corporate travel and general aviation services.
He identifies Barnaul, Irkutsk, Krasnodar, Moscow region, Salekhard, St Petersburg, Vladivostok, Yakutsk and Yekaterinburg, where local authorities have already agreed to back the programme financially. As it has gained national importance, the federal investment fund will provide a portion of finance.
"Under the plan, all FBO facilities will form a single uniformly managed operational and information system," says Lebedev. "We've decided to start with Kazan because it is almost equidistant from major industrial cities in European Russia and within non-stop reach for business jets from western Europe."
Citing a boom in corporate jet industry, he expects investment in the Kazan FBO to be recouped in seven to eight years. The Tatarstan government will have a stake in the venture through a specially created company. Other key shareholders will be Commerzbank of Germany and two Russian investment banks.
Germany-based TUL International, which specialises in building aerodrome logistic complexes, has been chosen as a lead manager for the project.
Source: Flight International
