1990
August. The constituent conference of the Volga-Dnepr Company takes place. Alexey Ivanovich Isaikin has been elected Chairman of the Board of the newly created air company. The main shareholders of the air company are:
- OAO Aviastar, a major aircraft-maker in Russia, manufacturer of the aircraft that are the mainstay of the Volga-Dnepr fleet, that is An-124-100 Ruslan and passenger Tu-204 airliner;
- ZMKB Progress Design Bureau, Zaporozhie, Ukraine, aircraft engine manufacturer;
Antonov Aeronautical Scientific Technical Complex, Kiev, Ukraine, designer of various type of aircraft;
- AO Aviant, Kiev, Ukraine.
August. The Volga-Dnepr joint stock company was registered in Ulyanovsk, Russia, with the registration number 1.
1991
The first Il-76 aircraft arrived at the air company in the beginning of 1991, and the first An-124 Ruslan arrived in August. The disintegration of the Soviet Union and rapidly crumbling economic ties between the former USSR republics couldn’t affect to any significant extent the strategically sound and well-substantiated idea of the air company business. One can safely assume that the move to establish the Volga-Dnepr air company, the efforts by its management and many years of experience geared toward operation of this outstanding freighter allowed to turn An-124 from a dazzling achievement of the defense and industrial sector into a major factor in the development of Russian and world transportation aviation.
The HeavyLift-VolgaDnepr joint venture was set up with the British Heavy-Lift Cargo on September 17 in order to promote the unique capabilities offered by An-124-100 Ruslan on the international market. The joint venture is headquartered at the London-based Stansted airport.
The Volga-Dnepr air company was registered with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on December 4, and the VOLGA-DNEPR code was issued to the company.
1992
March. The Volga-Dnepr Company begins to operate international flights under its own flag. The inaugural international flight was made from the base airport Ulyanovsk-Vostochny from Ulyanovsk, Russia to Sofia, Bulgaria.
Volga-Dnepr accedes the International Air Transport Association (IATA) as an associated member.
1993
The air company obtains over 70 licenses to charter flights in different parts of the world.
According to the Decree by the Russian Government, Volga-Dnepr becomes designated air carrier between the USA and Russia, China and Russia.
The Russian Transportation Ministry Air Transport Department issues a certificate to the air company entitling it to conduct primary training and refresher courses for the international flight crews.
Volga-Dnepr is the first ever Russian air freight company to become member of the International Air Cargo Association (TIACA), which is a non-profit industry organization bringing together companies involved in the air freight business. TIACA conducts air freight forums every other year, which is a major international event in the area of air freight transportation, conducts training programs within the industry, and performs analytical and research activities.
Alexey Isaikin, the air company’s General Director, is on the Association’s Board of Trustees.
The Volga-Dnepr air company acting in compliance with the US aviation authorities began transporting unique and oversize cargo within the US territory.
1994
A cooperation agreement has been signed with the leading Japanese trade company Mitsui, whereby Mitsui represents Volga-Dnepr on the Japanese market.
The Chinese Main Civil Aviation Authority confirmed its go-ahead to the Volga-Dnepr Company to operate charter and regular flights to the People’s Republic of China under its flag. The air company opens a representative office in Beijing. Volga-Dnepr obtains and renews licenses to fly under its own flag in more than 110 countries. The company started operating flights under its own flag to Italy, Israel, Hong Kong, and other countries.
April. The Company establishes its Motor Trucking Department to provide door-to-door deliveries to its customers.
June. The Motor Trucking Department opens international warehouse facilities for temporary cargo storage. The first international flight to Germany has been made.
August. An agreement was signed to renew operations of the joint venture with the Heavy Lift Airlines for the next five years.
October. Volga-Dnepr received authorization from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to regular flights between the USA and Russia.
December. The company begins regular IL-76TD flights from Moscow to Tientsin, China.
Alexey Isaikin, President of the Air Company, was declared Man of the Year in the category Entrepreneurs and Financiers in accordance with the findings of the expert commission of the Russian Biographical Institute and the Who is Who newspaper.
1995
March. The Volga-Dnepr aviation equipment base has been certified by the Department of Air Transport to perform the entire range of maintenance services for An-124-100, Il-76, An-12, and An-32. The Volga-Dnepr aviation equipment base has become second in Russia after the Sheremetyevo international complex to obtain such rights.
April. Volga-Dnepr conducts the First Aircraft Performance Conference on An-124-100 aircraft. During the conference, Volga-Dnepr called on the aircraft operators, developers and makers bring their efforts together in order to develop and implement programs to improve the An-124-100 aircraft.
June. The Russian Transportation Ministry Air Transport Department acting in accordance with the Russian-Chinese intergovernmental agreement issues certificates to the Volga-Dnepr Airlines for regular Ulyanovsk-Tientsin, Ulyanovsk-Shenzhen flights using An-124-100 and Il-76 aircraft, and Ulyanovsk-Dalian, Ulyanovsk-Shenzhen flights using Il-76. June. Volga-Dnepr receives the customs carrier certificate within the Russian territory becoming the first Russian air company enjoying such a status.
1996
September. The Volga-Dnepr Airlines become the official carrier for Master Rally-97 Marathon Paris-Moscow-Baikonur-Ulan-Bator. Acting as part of the project, Volga-Dnepr delivered the jeeps, trucks and motorcycles of the participants from Paris to Ulyanovsk. Volga-Dnepr used proprietary technical developments, including special equipment for transporting jeeps, using which An-124-100 can accommodate 40 motor vehicles weighing 2.5 tonnes and measuring 5.5 x 2.0 x 2.0 each.
November. Volga-Dnepr began making regular Ulyanovsk-Moscow flights to the Vnukovo Airport using YaK-40 with the capacity of 32 passengers. A maintenance line station has been opened in Sharjah Airport, UAE. The Volga-Dnepr aviation equipment base has been certified by the Federal Aviation Service of the Russian Federation to perform maintenance services for An-124-100, An-12, An-32, Il-76 and YaK-40. A similar maintenance line station has been opened in Shannon, Ireland at the end of the year to service An-124-100 aircraft operated both by Volga-Dnepr and third-party operators.
1997
A Strategic Development Department has been set up within the Volga-Dnepr Airlines. Yearly strategic sessions, which are attended by top managers an shareholders of the Volga-Dnepr Group, within the framework of the company strategic development program are becoming a regular event. Such sessions are used to scrutinize business development strategies and implementation of the strategic targets pursued by the air company.
A maintenance station opened at Shannon, Ireland in 1996 has been certified.
The Association of Cargo Airlines has been established upon the Volga-Dnepr initiative.
Volga-Dnepr was awarded an honor diploma by the International Flight Safety Foundation for its over five years of accident-free work.
Aircraft Fleet: 7 of An-124-100, 3 of Il-76TD, 1 An-32, and 1 YaK-40
Personnel numbers 873 employees.
Gross revenue $100.9 mln.
Sales by An-124 and Il-96 amounts to $99.7 mln.
1998
February. The Volga-Dnepr Company wins the national prize Wings of Russia – 97 in the category Domestic and International Cargo Carrier.
February. The Federal Aviation Service of Russia appoints Volga-Dnepr leading aviation enterprise operating An-124-100 Ruslan. Therefore, Volga-Dnepr became a leader bringing together efforts of the Russian operators and makers of freight aircraft and parts to implement the Ruslan upgrading program.
September. Volga-Dnepr initiates the establishment of a TIACA subdivision for Russia and the CIS countries. Alexey Isaikin, General Director of the Volga-Dnepr Airlines is elected TIACA Chairman for Russia and the CIS countries.
December. The General Director of the Volga-Dnepr Airlines was elected member of the TIACA Executive Council during the forum of the Association in Miami, Florida.
Aircraft Fleet: 7 of An-124-100, 3 of Il-76TD, 3 of YaK-40
Personnel numbers 720 employees.
Sales by An-124 and Il-96 amount to $86.1 mln.
1999
March. The Volga-Dnepr Airlines wins the national prize Wings of Russia – 98 in the category Domestic and International Cargo Carrier for the second time.
April. During its visit to the Volga-Dnepr Ulyanovsk base, a delegation of the UK Civil Aviation Authority confirms that Volga-Dnepr fully complies with the international requirements by ICAO to the air transporters.
May. The Russian Air Transport Federal Service issued a certificate to the Volga-Dnepr air company regarding compliance of the An-124-100 aircraft with the requirements of Chapter III Appendix 16 to the Chicago Local Noise Convention.
July. Documents have been signed regarding the sale of shares in ZAO Air Company Volga-Dnepr owned by OAO Aviastar. The Volga-Dnepr subsidiary, NIK insurance company, acquired 34% of the shares.
November. An investment loan in the amount of $6 mln has been received from the Russian Sberbank for financing completion of a new An-124-100 Ruslan aircraft.
December. The company sets a record in flight hours. For the first time over the air company’s business operations, the monthly flight time by An-124-100 Ruslan exceeded 1,200 hrs.
As of the end of 1999, the sales volume of goods transported by the Volga-Dnepr An-124-100 aircraft exceeded $104 mln. The share of the company on the market of extra-heavy and oversize cargo amounted to 53.4%.
The Volga-Dnepr Airlines won the national airlines competition Wings of Russia for 1999.
Aircraft Fleet: 9 of An-124-100, 3 of Il-76TD, 3 of YaK-40
Personnel numbers 790 employees.
Sales by An-124 and Il-96 amounts to $109.6 mln.
2000
March. The Volga-Dnepr Airlines wins for the third time the national prize Wings of Russia-99 in the category Domestic and International Cargo Carrier.
June. Volga-Dnepr opens a new scheduled passenger flight connecting Moscow and the Black Sea resort Gelendzhik.
June. The complex scheduled inspection of the airlines conducted by the Russian Air Transport Federal Service confirmed its full compliance with the new Federal Aviation Rules thereby extending the Volga-Dnepr operator certificate for the next two years.
August. A state registration certificate for the 10th Ruslan aircraft operated by Volga-Dnepr was received. The new Ruslan was financed through a loan by the Russian Sberbank, as well as the funds owned by the Volga-Dnepr Company.
August. The Russian Sberbank and the Volga-Dnepr air company signed a deal for opening a credit line by the airlines in the amount of $10 mln for the duration of 4.5 years. The loan by Sberbank will be used to purchase another An-124-100 Ruslan and upgrade the Volga-Dnepr aircraft fleet.
As of the end of the year 2000, the Volga-Dnepr aircraft have made over 70 flights to deliver equipment and gear for the UN peacekeepers across the globe, thus becoming the largest Russian supplier of transportation services for this organization.
Aircraft Fleet: 10 of An-124-100, 4 of Il-76TD, 3 of YaK-40
Personnel numbers 873 employees.
Sales by An-124 and Il-96 amounts to $135 mln.
2001
Beginning February 1, the joint Russian-British venture HeavyLift-VolgaDnepr LTD established on September 17, 1991 to represent the outstanding An-124-100 freighter on the international market, terminates its operations. Beginning this date, the Volga-Dnepr Airlines will work on the An-124-100 market on its own. The main reason behind the decision by Volga-Dnepr to terminate the joint venture was the inability to attract sizable investment to further expand the An-124-100 fleet and increase the legal and financial liability regarding its customers because of the type of the organization.
February. Volga-Dnepr is awarded a prize by the American Air Transport World magazine in the category Cargo Air Transport Development.
March. The Volga-Dnepr aircraft Il-76TD delivered a humanitarian cargo to Afghanistan. At that moment an embargo imposed by a UN Security Council resolution was in place regarding the Taliban movement. Exclusions were provided in each specific case by the decision of the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee or inclusion of a flight freighter-organizer on the approved list of organizations engaged in the humanitarian activities in Afghanistan. This humanitarian mission has been implemented as a good will gesture by the Government of Japan, which sponsored acquisition of the needed equipment, as well as the aircraft freight.
June. The Passenger Operations subsidiary, which is part of the Volga-Dnepr Group of Companies opens additional flights, including Ulyanovsk – Moscow, Moscow – Gelendzhik and Moscow – Nikolayev, Ukraine.
September. The Volga-Dnepr Company has appointed a senior management person in charge of the Quality Management System in accordance with the ISO 9000 international standards requirements.
September. The Il-76TD aircraft has successfully passed the field inspection at the airport in Abakan, Russia. The inspection took place as part of the overall inspection of the Russian cargo air companies by the Russian Civil Aviation National Service to check compliance with the loading rules during charter and scheduled flights from China, Southeast Asia, and Middle East. The inspection did not reveal any violations, which might have precluded further operation of the flight.
October. The air company has been inspected by the ICAO expert commission as part of the complex inspection of the Russian civil aviation to check its compliance with the requirements by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the Chicago Convention. The flight safety and flight accident issues have been analyzed by the experts, as well as the air company’s aircraft flight capability maintenance systems, flight work organization, and professional training of the flight crews. The air company got all positive feedback, and a number of proprietary solutions have been recommended for use as basic standards for other Russian air companies.
Aircraft Fleet: 9 of An-124-100, 4 of Il-76TD, 4 of YaK-40
Personnel numbers 987 employees.
Sales by all aircraft amounts to $99.5 mln.
2002
In January, the company’s aircraft fulfilled a program to deliver humanitarian aid and equipment for the peacekeepers in Afghanistan. Volga-Dnepr has become the first civil aviation company to operate flights to Afghanistan.
May. The Intergovernmental Aviation Committee’s Aviation Register has decided during the meeting dedicated to the on-going validation of the certificate of type An-124-100 Ruslan in accordance with the UK CAA, that application would be filed to the CAA regarding validation of the aircraft and the engine with the deadline set for December 2003.
June. The Board of Directors meeting, which was held right after the general shareholders’ meeting, elected Alexey Isaikin as Chairman of the Board. Vladimir Davydov was appointed new General Director of ZAO Air Company Volga-Dnepr.
July. An agreement has been signed between the Volga-Dnepr Airlines and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to extend a loan to the company in the amount of $29.9 mln to complete the An-124-100 construction.
Aircraft Fleet: 9 of An-124-100, 4 of Il-76TD, 6 of YaK-40
Personnel numbers 1,149 employees.
Sales by all aircraft amount to $193.6 mln.
2003
The Volga-Dnepr Group of Companies opens the Industry University, which provides for the establishment of an industry educational facility to train and conduct advanced training for the new-generation managers for air companies, air enterprises, and the Russian aviation industry as a whole. The project has been backed by the Russian Civil Aviation National Service and the Association of Air Transport Operators senior management and recommended for adoption by other Russian airlines.
The Volga-Dnepr Company received the Aerospace Laurels-2002 prize awarded by the prestigious American Aviation Week & Space Technology weekly in the category Commercial Air Transport.
The Volga-Dnepr Group won the prestigious award by the UK-based Air Finance Journal in the category Eastern European Deal of the Year for entering into a loan agreement with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in 2002.
The Volga-Dnepr International Group of Companies won the Grand Prix of the national award For Success in Personnel Management.
The authoritative Russian Expert magazine summed up the annual ratings of the companies from different industries, and recognized the Volga-Dnepr Group of Companies as the company with the best business standing in the category Civil Aviation.
A decision was made to send the most experienced Volga-Dnepr managers to the ZAO Aviastar-SP management team during the joint meeting of the Aviastar-SP and the Volga-Dnepr Group of Companies management. Alexey Isaikin, President of the Volga-Dnepr Group of Companies, was elected member of the Aviastar-SP aircraft makers’ Board of Directors.
In a collaborative effort with the Ilyushin Aviation Complex, the Volga-Dnepr Group of Companies commenced implementation of the program to upgrade the Il-76 aircraft. During the joint meeting between the air companies members of the Russian Association of Freight Air Companies, the flight council, and the leading aviation industry enterprises with the participation of the Russian Air and Space Committee and the Russian Civil Aviation National Service, a decision was made to set up a working group named ‘National Project – Il-76 Upgrading’. The Volga-Dnepr Group of Companies was the first among all An-124-100 operators to complete overhaul of the aircraft No. 82045, which achieved a record-breaking flight time in the amount of 12,000 hours.
A decision has been made within the framework of the program to launch the Volga-Dnepr Group of Companies on the international market of scheduled cargo transportation to implement the project Scheduled Cargo Transportation, an international team was built headed by Stanley Wright, Project Managing Director, and Peter Yup, Sales and Marketing Director for Asia and the Pacific. Two Boeing-747 freighters have been purchased from Alitalia airlines. The new air company was established as part of implementation of the scheduled cargo transportation project and was named Air Bridge Cargo.
Aircraft Fleet: 9 of An-124-100, 4 of Il-76TD, 5 of YaK-40
Personnel numbers 1,325 employees.
Sales by all aircraft amount to $253.9 mln.
2004
March. The Volga-Dnepr Group won the Aerospace Industry Awards established by the Flight Aerospace Industry Award magazine in the category Corporate Strategy.
March. The Ulyanovsk-based Aviastar-SP aircraft makers completes construction of a new super-heavy duty An-124-100 Ruslan aircraft for the Volga-Dnepr Group of Companies. The new Ruslan is an anniversary one for Volga-Dnepr, being the 10th in the air company’s fleet. The construction of a new An-124 version was financed by the Volga-Dnepr Group of Companies through the IFC loan and own company funds.
April. At the invitation of the Ulyanovsk-based insurance company NIK, the following leaders in the European insurance business visited the Volga-Dnepr Airlines, some of which, like AIG, GAUM, Liberty Mutual, XL Brockbank, Swiss Re already have a stake in the Volga-Dnepr insurance policy, while others, like the German Munich Re, may become the Volga-Dnepr insurance partner in the future.
The Western insurance companies gave a positive feedback about the visit, and have praised the work of the Group of Companies regarding organization and conduct of cargo transportation around the world. The implementation of the ambitious company project for scheduled cargo transportation received special attention. Work with the leading Western insurers is conducted in accordance with the strategic development of the Volga-Dnepr Group of Companies, using basic operational principles, such as openness and transparency, responsibility and dependability, which allows to obtain the best partners available all over the world.
April. Acting in line with implementation of the development strategy geared toward strengthening of the leading positions on the world market of air transportation using outstanding Russian An-124-100 and Il-76 aircraft, the Volga-Dnepr Group of Companies came up with an offer to Anthony Bockham, an authoritative and experienced manager in the air cargo industry, to take office of the Sales and Marketing Director in the Volga-Dnepr Group of Companies.
May. The Volga-Dnepr Group enters the international market of scheduled cargo air transportation. The AirBridge Cargo Company that had been established as a scheduled cargo transportation international market operator, started out with four scheduled flights per week, two from Shanghai and two from Beijing to Luxembourg via Moscow and Novosibirsk. The first commercial flight was made on May 13, 2004 from Beijing to Luxembourg. Today’s company fleet includes two cargo Boeing-747-200 aircraft acquired by the Volga-Dnepr Group from the Italian Alitalia airlines.
May. Alexander Khloponin, Governor of the Krasnoyarsk Krai, Alexey Isaikin, President of the Volga-Dnepr Group of Companies and Boris Abramovich, General Director of the Krasair airlines have entered into a three-way agreement to build a multi-modal logistic transportation hub on the basis of the Krasnoyarsk airport.
June. The HSBC Group signed an agreement to extend a loan to Volga-Dnepr Group of Companies in the amount of $14 mln. The loan will be used to replenish the park of the first Russian air company specializing in scheduled cargo transportations named AirBridge Cargo. The new airlines will operate both Russian and Western freighters. One cargo Boeing-747-200 has already been put into operation, while the other one will enter into service before July this year. Talks are under way to finance leasing of Il-76 and Tu-204 freighters.
July. The Volga-Dnepr air company obtained an official certificate of membership in the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which finalized the Volga-Dnepr Company accession to this organization.
Aircraft Fleet: 10 of An-124-100, 3 of Il-76TD, 6 of YaK-40, 2 of Boeing-747
Personnel (as of January 1, 2004) includes 1,565 employees.
2005
January. Over 1,300 tonnes of humanitarian aid commissioned by UN and the International Red Cross have been delivered to the areas in Southeast Asia that have been hit hard by tsunami.
The Volga-Dnepr Group of Companies was nominated Company of 2004 by the Economic Strategies Institute and the Economic Strategies magazine.
Transportation of Sony PlayStation-2, which lasted 14 weeks, has been completed, and became one of the largest logistics programs in the history of commercial freight aviation.
March. Volga-Dnepr was named the Best Charter Freight Air Company in 2004 by the Macao airport management.
First cargo was delivered from Frankfurt, Germany to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia. Boeing-747-200 ABC uses scheduled flights to deliver cargo to Krasnoyarsk, Russia, and then Il-76 operated by KrasAir takes it to the final consumers.
Volga-Dnepr signed long-term strategic partnership agreements with the leading higher educational institutions based in Ulyanovsk, namely, Ulyanovsk State University and Ulyanovsk State Technological University.
Volga-Dnepr International Learning passed the test for ATEEL compliance. ATEEL is a professional Association of language schools in Eastern Europe and CIS countries.
Volga-Dnepr has become the Air Company of the year for the fourth time winning the national prize Wings of Russia -99 in the category Domestic and International Cargo Carrier.
YaK-40 has taken members of the Russian State Council and the elite Russian cultural activists from Moscow to Kostroma for participation in an out-of-town meeting to discuss issues of culture and art under the mediation of President Putin of Russia.
The joint Russian-Ukrainian meeting approved business plan to restore mass production and phased-in upgrading of An-124-100 aircraft at the enterprises in Russian and Ukraine.
April. Gennady Alexandrovich Pivovarov has been approved as General Director of ZAO Air Company Volga-Dnepr.
May. The ISO 9000:2001 compliance certificate was received from IQNet.
June. The flight training center has begun theoretical refresher courses for flight crew members to operate Boeing-747-200.
During the international air and space Salon at Le Bourget, France, Volga-Dnepr and Ilyushin Finans leasing company signed a lease contract for two Il-96-400T aircraft for operation on scheduled cargo air lines. The first aircraft is scheduled to arrive in 2006.
July. New ZAO Aviastar-SP Board of Directors Chairman has been elected. The new Chairman is Alexey Isaikin, President of the Volga-Dnepr Group of Companies.
August. An-124-150M and Il-76TD-90VOLGA-DNEPR are revealed to the public for the first time ever during MAKS air show. A number of important documents have been signed, too.
Volga-Dnepr and Vneshekonombank have signed an agreement for long-term cooperation in financing the resumption of An-124-100 mass production and Il-76TD upgrading.
Volga-Dnepr and Polyot air companies have signed a preliminary agreement with ZASO Aviastar-SP for ordering and delivery of An-124-100M-150 aircraft (five for each company). The beginning of supplies is scheduled for 2008.
The Intergovernmental Aviation Committee’s Aviation Register handed over an addition to the certificate, which confirms the possibility to operate An-124-100 aircraft with a payload capacity of up to 150 tonnes.
On August 22, the 15th anniversary of the company, the Volga-Dnepr personnel received well-deserved prizes for their achievements and many years of honest work from the Russian Transportation Ministry, Legislative Assembly, the Ulyanovsk Oblast administration, and, certainly, from their own air company.
The opening ceremony for the elementary author school named Istochnik founded by the Volga-Dnepr airlines has been held.
September. Volga-Dnepr made several flights to deliver humanitarian aid to the victims of hurricane Katrina, which slammed the southeastern US coast at the end of August.
The following meritorious titles have been awarded by President Putin’s decree for achievements in operating the aviation equipment, high professional qualifications and many years of honest work to the following people: Merited Pilot of the Russian Federation, to Vladimir Struyev, deputy chief pilot of the An-124-100 flight group in charge of flight work, and Merited Navigator of the Russian Federation, to Viktor Popov, senior navigator of the flight service.
October. AirBridge Cargo commissioned its 3rd aircraft, Boeing 747-300 SF, which made its first flight from Beijing to Amsterdam.
Volga-Dnepr and Boeing signed a deal to buy two new Boeing 747-400 ERF for scheduled flights.
Nippon Cargo Airlines and AirBridge Cargo airlines signed a cooperation agreement. Two flights per week are scheduled for opening from Japan to Europe and back beginning in January 2006.
Volga-Dnepr received an award from Expert RA rating agency based on the outcome of the Rating EXPERT-200/400 Agency in the category Industry Leader.
The World Intellectual Property Organization issued to Volga-Dnepr an international registration certificate entitling it to use the trademark.
December. The Volga-Dnepr air company received a certificate of quality from the Russian Register Association and the IQNet international certification bodies network.
Volga-Dnepr Gulf (UAE) began the construction of a new building for modular repairs. The facility is located within the free economic zone at the Sharjah airport.
The year 2005 became one of the most successful years in the history of the company. The sales numbers hit $470 mln, and the market share of air transportation of unique and breakbulk cargo grew to 56% from 51%.
2006
January. The Il-76TD-90VOLGA-DNEPR aircraft received a local noise certificate saying that the standard aircraft design complies with requirements of ICAO Chapter 4, Appendix 16.
The first ever joint flight by AirBridge Cargo and Nippon Cargo Airlines was made from Frankfurt to Krasnoyarsk, and then to Nagoya, Japan.
March. AirBridge Cargo and Emirates Sky Cargo signed a cooperation agreement. The agreement will allow ABC to fly to destinations in the Middle East, India and African countries using the advantages offered by the Emirates route network.
The inauguration ceremony for the cargo transportation project involving the EU and NATO countries in connection with the official SALIS project start was held at the Leipzig-Halle airport, Germany. An-124-100 was chosen as a freighter at the end of the biddings. This aircraft was offered by RUSLAN SALIS GmbH, which made a joint offer on behalf of the Volga-Dnepr Group of Companies and Antonov Aeronautical Scientific Technical Complex.
