Russian hardware
Enjoy the pics and captions
by Jan Koppen
As the number of active russian aircraft were dwindling a decade ago, I took the opportunity to visit the Moscow airports in September 2009.
I left Amsterdam for Moscow o/b KL0903/14sep.
Pratt & Whitney JT-9D powered Boeing 747-300 of Transaero at Sheremetyevo September 14. External electrical power is plugged in, the catering truck is busy at the forward and aft galleys, bags on the belt loader behind the right wing are being handled and the lav service truck behind the left wing is doing what it does.
VP-BGU, started flying with Japan Airlines on April 15, 1986 and is listed stored at Domodedovo since June 5, 2013.
VP-BGU looking rather shabby at SVO Terminal 2.
Baltic Classic-500, YL-BBM, has just arrived from Riga.
YL-BBM, started flying with United Airlines on November 2, 1992 and is presently working for KlasJet as LY-JMS.
Here, Czech Airlines A319 taxies to the stand after arriving at Sheremetyevo airport on an summer afternoon in 2009.
After only ten years of service, OK-OER, stored was at Greenwood, Mississippi, most probably for part-out and scrap.
I stumbled upon, 1997 built, Border Guard Service Antonov An-72, RF-72011, taxiing out for a mission.
Aeroflot Cargo MD11F, VP-BDR, loads late in the afternoon.
VP-BDR, started flying with Garuda Indonesia as PK-GII on October 28, 1993 and is listed stored at Victorville since July 6, 2013.
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Moscow-Sheremetyevo Terminal 2.
The entrance to Sheremetyevo Terminal 1 was guarded by this great looking Aeroflot IL-18V, CCCP-75554. Unfortunately she was scrapped in May 2013.
The exhibits of the Moscow State Technical University of Civil Aviation are guarded by mean looking watch-dogs.
RA-76460, started flying with Aeroflot on September 4, 1981 and is the latest addition of the Moscow University of Civil Aviation.
Aeroflot IL-86 CCCP-86003, serial 0001, still with her Le Bourget display number '348', started flying with Aeroflot on May 15, 1979 and is listed stored at Sheremetyevo since March 1990.
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Aeroflot IL-86 RA-86103, started flying with Aeroflot on May 6, 1989 and is listed stored at Sheremetyevo since January 15, 2009.
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IL-62M CCCP-86500, was a pre-production and development airframe which never saw commercial service and straightforwardly took up a residence at the School of Aeronautics. She was listed scrapped since March 2012.
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Tu-154B-2 CCCP-85327, crash-landed near Moscow Domodedovo airport on May 21, 1986 without causing any casualties. She was transported to SVO for use by the technical school. The B2 is listed scrapped since August 2012.
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Red square.
As the number of active russian aircraft were dwindling a decade ago, I took the oportunity to visit Moscow, Domodedovo airport in September 2009.
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UTair Boeing 737-500, VQ-BAC, awaits a new batch of passengers at Domodedovo, September 16, 2009.
Yamal Airlines Boeing 737-500, VP-BRV, having another busy day.
Yamal Airlines Boeing 737-500, VP-BRV, fueling-up at Domodedovo.
VP-BRV, started flying with Air France on August 28, 1991 and is listed as scrapped by Air Salvage International at Kemble airfield during April 2015.
Kyrgyzstan Boeing 737-200, EX-25004, taxies to its gate at Domodedovo in September 2009.
EX-25004, started flying with Delta Airlines on August 4, 19869 and is listed stored at Nairobi, Kenya, for several years.
Aviast Air Ltd. was a cargo airline based in Moscow, Russia. It operated scheduled and chartered services throughout Russia and the CIS mainly out of Domodedovo International Airport or, to a lesser extent, Yaroslavl Airport. The company was founded in 1992 and liquidated in 2011.
RA-11756, started flying with MAP Kuibyshed APO on July 7, 1964 and is listed stored at Domodedovo since 2013.
RA-11756 is a very scruffy and weathered An-12.
This An-12 shows signs of fretting along the blue cowl panels.
RA-11756 in terrible shape at Domodedovo.
Air Union Boeing 737-300, EI-DNH, languish in a corner of Dodomedovo airport in September 2009.
EI-DNH, started flying with Air Malta on April 30, 1993 and is presently working as a freighter for Bulgarian CargoAir.
AiRUnion was a Russian airline alliance. It was the first airline alliance ever established in Russia. It included KrasAir, Domodedovo Airlines, Omskavia, Samara Airlines and SibaviatransMember airlines and their affiliates enjoyed a high degree of co-operation in scheduling, ticketing, code sharing, flight transfer operations, frequent flyer program benefits, shared airport lounges, reducing costs, and sharing best practices. The airline and member carriers have since gone bankrupt in 2008.
Domodedovo Airlines IL-62M, RA-86521, is seen here amongst the weeds.
RA-86521, started flying with Aeroflot on April 4, 1982 and is listed as scrapped at Domodedovo several months after I took this picture.
A ramp, packed with An-12's on a lazy, hot summer afternoon.
What a beautiful day!
The An-12 is an Ivchenko AI-20M turboprop engine powered beast.
RA-11868 enjoys the sunshine.
RA-11868, started flying with the Ministry of General Machine Building during May 1969 and is since June 2015 operated by the Siberian Aeronautical Research Institute.
RA-12990, RA-93913 and RA-11868 receiving some TLC on the ATRAN ramp.
Parked in a remote corner of Domodedovo airport I found this three lackluster Antonovs.
RA-93913, started flying with Soviet Air Force during December 1964 and is since June 2015 operated by the Siberian Aeronautical Research Institute.
Below the pilot's windows, gray water streaks flowed towards the belly.
Around any of the liquid fill up points, there will be staining of the paint work, in addition to chipped and worn paint work around the filler caps.
Yamal Airlines Tu-134A-3, RA-65906, blasting out of Domodedovo.
RA-65906, started flying with the USSR Ministry of Radio Technology on December 29, 1987. During June 2012 she was sold to Center South Airlines. I presume, she is stored at Nizhny Novgorod.
Armavia A320, EK-32008, 'cleans-up' its undercarriage as it departs sunny Moscow, on a return rotation to Yeravan.
EK-32008, started flying with Ansett Australia on April 8, 1992 and is listed stored since November 2020.
Three thousand pounds of hydraulic pressure have been used to retract the undercarriage and aerodynamically clean-up Moskovia Airlines Boeing 737-500, VQ-BDI, as it accelerates towards a climb-out speed
VQ-BDI, started flying with Ansett Worldwide on March 22, 1999 and is listed stored at Kemble airfield since March 2020.
Donbassaero Yak-42, UR-42327, resting at Moscow-Domodedovo.
UR-42327, started flying with Aeroflot during July 1987 and is listed as stored at Donesk but I doubt she survived the russian onslaught during the fight for Donesk airport in 2014.
Tajik Air Tu-154M, EY-85692, pushing back at Domodedovo in September 2009.
EY-85692, started flying with Abakan Avia during February 1992.
Tatarstan Airlines Yak-42D, RA-42433, noses-up to the gate at Domodedovo airport in September 2009.
RA-42433, started flying with Aeroflot during April 1993 and is listed scrapped at Kazan airport during May 2013.
Like many other communist members of the Soviet’s block, both Tatarstan Airlines and Volga Air purchased their share of Yak-42's.
Sibir Boeing 737-800, VP-BNG, rests with a company Airbus at the Domodedovo Terminal, September 16, 2009.
VP-BNG, started flying with American Trans Air during December 2001 and is presently illegally re-registrated, RA-73409, following the flight ban for russian airlines.
Boeing 737-500 VP-BYT seen here shortly after arriving back at her home base on September 16, 2009.
It was a warm and beautiful September 2009 morning when I photographed this Transaero Boeing 737-500, VP-BYT, taxiing to its gate in DME.
VP-BYT, started flying with Continental Airlines on October 19, 1998 and is listed stored since Transaero ceased operations on October 26, 2015.
Geriatric jet hulks were an increasingly familiar sight at Domodedovo in 2009.
Volga Air Yak-42D, RA-42384, is pushed back in bright sunshine at Domodedovo airport at the start of its journey to Volgograd, Russia.
RA-42384, started flying with Aeroflot during March 1990. In April 2013 she was sold to Izhavia.
Transaero Tu-214, RA-64509, on push-back at Domodedovo.
RA-64509, started flying with KAPO Avia during November 2006 and is listed stored at Domodedovo since October 25, 2015, when Transaero ceased operations on October 26, 2015.
Turan Air Tu-154M, 4K-727, parked at the satellite.
Turan Air was an airline based in Baku, Azerbaijan. As well as operating domestically, the airline offered services to several cities in Russia. Turan Air ceased operations in 2013.
Turan Air, Tupolev Tu-154M, being backed out its Domodedovo gate.
4K-727, started flying with LOT Polish Airlines as SP-LCA during February 2012 and is listed withdrawn from use since February 2012.
Turan Air pushing back at Moscow-Domodedovo for its departure back down to Baku, Azerbaijan.
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Transaero Boeing 747-300, tail VP-BGX, Domodedov Airport, September 2009, pushing back possibly for another sun charter.
VP-BGX, started flying with Japan Asia on October 18, 1988 and is listed stored at Bruntingthorpe since December 2012.
SU-GBL has just arrived from Cairo.
SU-GBL, started flying with Egyptair on May 8, 1992 and is listed stored at Cairo.
Lots of metal parked in Domodedovo, sad to see.
There were a growing number of aircraft in various stages of dismantle including a large number of IL-62's.
It doesn't look as though these IL-62's are going far when I saw them at Domodedovo in 2009.
Their carcasses were being used to supply spares for the survivors and now await the cutter’s torch.
Siber Tu-154M, RA-85615, gets some attention.
A weather-beaten Armavia IL-86, lurks in the background.
Russian hardware final resting place on the Domodedovo scrap heap.
Behind the tail of the Vim Air Boeing 757, sits Libya Government IL-62M, 5A-DKT.
In the background, looking worn, but complete sits an IL-18.
Rossiya Airlines-owned Tupolev Tu-154M, RA-85658, noses up to the gate 38 at Domodedovo airport in September 2009.
Rossiya Tupolev Tu-154M - RA-85658 pulling into the gate at DME - September 16, 2009.
Rossiya Airlines is one of the oldest and largest air carriers of the Russian Federation. It was founded on May 7, 1934. It is a part of Aeroflot Group. Rossiya is the largest and the base carrier of Pulkovo Airport (Saint Petersburg). In November 2006 it was announced that a merger with Pulkovo Aviation Enterprise had been completed and Rossiya Airlines was registered in Saint Petersburg on October 9, 2006.
In 2014, the commercial management of Rossiya Airlines JSC was transferred to the parent company Aeroflot. Since the spring-summer schedule, flights of Rossiya Airlines have been operated under a single code for the Aeroflot Group of companies.
In December 2015 Aeroflot Group announced the unification of its regional airline affiliates Rossiya, Donavia, Orenair. The consolidation excluded Aurora, a small airline headquartered in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Rossiya, Donavia and Orenair served 48 domestic and 42 international destinations; the new Rossiya will add some destinations served by Transaero Airlines prior to its collapse in October. As of end of February 2016 the merger of the three airlines was completed and joined flights of three airlines started on 27 March of the same year. On March 27, 2016, Rossiya Airlines, Donavia and Orenair, which are other subsidiaries of Aeroflot, were integrated under the brand of Rossiya.
In 2014, the commercial management of Rossiya Airlines JSC was transferred to the parent company Aeroflot. Since the spring-summer schedule, flights of Rossiya Airlines have been operated under a single code for the Aeroflot Group of companies.
In December 2015 Aeroflot Group announced the unification of its regional airline affiliates Rossiya, Donavia, Orenair. The consolidation excluded Aurora, a small airline headquartered in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Rossiya, Donavia and Orenair served 48 domestic and 42 international destinations; the new Rossiya will add some destinations served by Transaero Airlines prior to its collapse in October. As of end of February 2016 the merger of the three airlines was completed and joined flights of three airlines started on 27 March of the same year. On March 27, 2016, Rossiya Airlines, Donavia and Orenair, which are other subsidiaries of Aeroflot, were integrated under the brand of Rossiya.
An Elbrus-Avia Yak-42D at DME in September 2009 and in a few minutes he'll be heading for Nalchik.
RA-42422 poses for your photographer.
Elbrus Avia was a passenger airline company based in Nalchik, Russia. The airline offered scheduled flights to Moscow. It was the only airline flying to Kabardino-Balkaria where Mount Elbrus, the highest peak of Europe, is its namesake. Founded in 1998, the airline had its licence cancelled by the Federal Air Transport Agency on April 15, 2009.
Rolls Royce RB211-500 powered Transaero Boeing 747-200, VP-BQC, is awaiting things to come.
Transaero was a Russian airline that operated scheduled and charter flights to over 150 domestic and international destinations. Transaero's main hubs were Moscow Vnukovo Airport and Saint Petersburg Airport with further bases throughout Russia. For much of its history the head office was at Domodedovo International Airport, and towards the end its head office was in Saint Petersburg. Transaero filed for bankruptcy on October 1, 2015 and announced that it would cease all operations by December 15, the same year. However, Russian authorities revoked its operating license on October 25, 2015.
VIM Airlines was established by Viktor Ivanovich Merkulov (hence the name of the company) and started operations in 2000, with the stored Ilyushin Il-62M in above picture.
Here, Izhavia Yak-42D, RA-42370, taxies to the stand after arriving from Izhevsk on a summer morning in 2009.
Izhavia; - The airline was formed in 1992 from the Aeroflot Izhevsk Division and was originally known as Izhevsk Air Enterprise.
Region Avia flight '9717' taxis out for another departure to Kursk.
Region Avia was registered in Moscow in 2005. It received its Air Operator's Certificate on 19 August 2006. The last scheduled flight took place on 31 December 2010, and the company was dissolved in early 2011.
Good morning all, this a nice shot of VQ-BAC resting between flights.
Siber Airlines A310 pulling-up to the gate at Domodedovo on September 16, 2009.
S7 on blocks after its early morning flight from Rostov.
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Rossiya '192' ready to depart from gate 38 with another load of St. Petersburg bound passengers.
Domodedovo, September 16, 2009.
Domodedovo, September 16, 2009.
On September 16, 2009, I boarded Rossiya flight FV192 from Domodedovo to St. Petersburg.
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Saratov Airlines Yak-42, RA-42389, imminent departure, from gate 31, back to Saratov as flight '759'.
Saratov Airlines was a Russian airline headquartered in Saratov and based at Saratov Tsentralny Airport. The company ceased operating on May 30, 2018 after the Russian aviation authority refused to renew its operating certificate.
Rossiya flight '192', was soon heading purposefully towards Domodedovo runway 32R.
Service vehicles move out to meet ‘X-ray November’, with hundred or so happy sun-tanned holidaymakers seated within.
Morning departure to Kazan as flight U9/369.
On Monday, June 20, 2011, Tupolev 134A-3, registered RA-65691, was destroyed in an accident near Petrozavodsk Airport (PES), Russia. Forty-seven occupants died in the accident; five survived. RusAir Flight 9605 had departed Moscow-Domodedovo (DME) at 22:24 on a domestic service to Petrozavodsk. The flight was operated by RusAir on behalf of RusLine. Flight RLU-243 could not be operated by RusLine's Canadair Regional Jets because it lacked the seating capacity needed for the service between Domodedovo and Petrozavodsk.Therefor RusAir was chartered to operate the flight using a Tu-134. The Tupolev struck trees and crash-landed on a highway while on final approach to runway 01. It broke up and came to rest about 390 metres to the right of the runway's extended centreline and 570 m short of the runway threshold.
The airplane flew an approach in conditions worse than weather minimums for the airfield and the crew failed decide to go-around. Instead the airplane descended below the minimum safe altitude in the absence of visual contact with approaching lighting and landmarks, which led to contact with trees and the ground in controlled flight.
The airplane flew an approach in conditions worse than weather minimums for the airfield and the crew failed decide to go-around. Instead the airplane descended below the minimum safe altitude in the absence of visual contact with approaching lighting and landmarks, which led to contact with trees and the ground in controlled flight.
The mess from the engine exhaust has to come out somewhere.
Tatarstan Airlines started flights in 1999. It operated scheduled flights to destinations in Russia and abroad including seasonal charter flights to holiday destinations. In November 2013 the crash of Tatarstan Airlines Flight 363 claimed the lives of all 50 passengers and crew. Russia's air transport regulator recommended that Tatarstan Airlines' operating license be withdrawn after air incident investigators concluded that the crash was due to overworked and inadequately trained crew. The airline's operating license was revoked on December 31, 2013.
RA-65102, was initially built for Aeroflot. The Tupolev passed through a succession of owners, including Astrakhan Airlines and Tatarstan Aircompany, before ending up with and Tsentr-Yug Aviakompania.
A KrasAir '154M' at DME in September 2009 and in an hour or so she was heading for Larnaca, Cyprus.
KrasAir or Krasnoyarsk Airlines was a Russian airline with its head office on the grounds of Krasnoyarsk Yemelyanovo Airport in Krasnoyarsk. It operated scheduled regional and international passenger services, freight transport, cargo handling and charter services from the main base is Krasnoyarsk Yemelyanovo Airport, as part of AiRUnion alliance. In 2008 Krasair suffered a liquidity crisis, and after a string of operational shutdowns, administrative and strikes, the company ceased operations in October 2008.
Three Tu-154M’s at DME, laying over between flights.
This VIM Airlines 757 is ready to begin her day’s work.
VIM Airlines was a Russian charter airline headquartered in Moscow based at Domodedovo International Airport. It offered international scheduled and charter operations for both passengers and cargo as well as wet lease services. Its licence was revoked by November 4, 2017 after its operations were suspended a few weeks earlier.
From left to right; - Kyrgyzstan Airlines Tu-154M EX-00001, Kras Air Tu-154M RA-85704, UTair Tu-154M RA-85056 and VIM B.757 RA-73014.
Orenair 737-500 at Domodedovo before departing for Orenburg in September 2009.
From left to right; - a Moskovia Boeing 737, Izhavia An-24, Transaero 737 and an Orenair 737.
Orenair was formed from the Aeroflot Orenburg Division, which was established in 1932. On May 26, 2016 the airline's air operator's certificate was revoked after integration into Rossiya.
Domodedovo Airlines IL-62M, RA-86494, glinting in the sun.
Behind RA-86494, we percieve the colorful tail section of Inter Avia IL-62M, RA-86575.
Domodedovo Airlines was an airline with its head office on the grounds of Domodedovo International Airport in Domodedovsky District, Moscow Oblast, Russia. It operated scheduled flights within Russia and the CIS, with a focus on flights to the Russian Far East.
RA-86530, rolled-off Russia’s Ilyushin Aviation production-line in 1982. She was withdrawn from use in 2008 and the following year the airplane was pieced-out until finally it was scrapped.
The Il-62 has tricycle landing gear with an additional lightweight gear strut at the rear of the fuselage which extends when the aircraft reaches its parking position.
RA-85658, is slowly taxiing out for take-off at Domodedovo on September 16, 2009.
Domodedovo Airlines IL-62M, RA-86509, enjoying the morining sun.
RA-86509 was delivered new to Aeroflot on August 6, 1980 and got chopped-up in February 2010.
Not much time left for this Tu-154B-2.
RA-85851 provided yeoman service with the Malev 15 years before being cancelled from Hungarian register. The aircraft was picked-up by Abakan-Avia and registrated RA-85851. After she changed hands a couple of times, she finally was acquired by Moskovia. During that time she was still flying around in her basic Malev uniform.
Moskovia was established on October 4, 1995. In August 2014, Rosaviatsia suspended the Moskovias's air operator's certificate (AOC) following the carrier's CEO stating the carrier could no longer operate due to financial difficulties. The AOC was finally cancelled in December 2014.
In the background one can see AirUnion Tupolev Tu-134A-3, RA-65694 and the IL-62, with the red tail, is Alpha Airlines IL-62M, RA-86520.
Most of these aircraft were cannibalized and scrapped in order to return their valuable materials to the cycle, since their market value does not allow any other option also due to lack of demand.
Siber 'S7' Airlines Tu-154M RA-85619 is the closest to the lens.
In April 2007, S7 announced that it had set up a new division, called Globus. (One of there 154's is seen stored behind the green colored Siber jet). This division was to focus on charter flights for tourists to foreign holiday destinations.
Flight Rossiya '192', trundles past the stored Russian Sky IL-76TD, RA-76786.
Russian Sky Airlines was an airline with its head office on the grounds of Domodedovo International Airport in Moscow, Russia. Its main base was Domodedovo International Airport. In late 2014 the airline announced it was filing for bankruptcy, and its license was revoked by Russian aviation authorities on December 24, 2014.
The last in line was this veteran Kazan Aviation Enterprise IL-86, RA-86143, still wearing her Tatarstan uniform.
RA-86143, started flying with China Xinjiang Airlines during 1993 and is listed as scrapped in September 2013.
On September 16, 2009, I boarded UTair flight UT370 in St. Petersburg destination, Vnukovo airport, Moscow.
Samara Tupolev 154M, RA-85057, rests with a company Tu-154M, an Inter Avia Yak-42 and an Atlant Soyuz Tu-154B-2 at the Vnukovo ramp, September 2009.
RA-85057, started flying with Samara Airlines in December 2007 and was sold to UTair in March 2012.
Atlant Soyuz, RA-86136, parked in a remote corner of Vnukovo airport.
Aviaton Yak-40, RA-88304, on a disused road of Vnukovo airport. September 16, 2009.
RA-88304, started flying with Aeroflot in February 1975 and is listed stored in Polet Flight colors.
The wing fences of UTair Tu-154M,RA-85788, are clearly visible in this picture.
Vnukovo, September 2009; - Atlant Soyuz Airlines base with two of its company Boeing 737’s awaiting their next duty.
Such a svelte fuselage. A wonderful airplane for its time from a technological standpoint. Pity that the economics didn't work out.
RA-85837, started flying with Abakan-Avia in August 1991.
RA-86777, chocked at Vnukovo, Moscow.
RA-85777, started flying with Aeroflot in August 1994 and the last operator was Kosmos who acquired the ‘ Tup’ in April 2014.