For the first time of its history, Volga-Dnepr Airlines takes part in the Paris Air Show, "Le Bourget".

Le Bourget, France (June 18, 2001) - Volga-Dnepr Airlines, the world's leader in the market of super heavy and oversize air cargo operations, for the first time of its history presents its exposition at the Paris Air Show, one of the world most famous aerospace exhibitions, taking place from June 16 to June 24, 2001.

The exposition of Volga-Dnepr Airlines, the world first-rate operator of the largest cargo An-124-100 "Ruslan" cargo aircraft, will be arranged in the exhibition hall of the leading Russian Space Company, State Space Scientific and Production Center (GKNPC) named after Khrunitchev.

Volga-Dnepr Airlines is a transport service provider of this space scientific and production center, regularly delivering Russian and foreign spacecrafts from their assembly sights to their launching pads.

The decision to participate in the aerospace exhibition was taken on the basis of the growth of the aerospace cargo share in the total volume of cargo operations of Volga-Dnepr Airlines. According to the air cargo traffic summary of 2000, this share has exceeded 30%.

"The logic of development of the cargo operations utilizing the heavy cargo An-124-100 lifter indicates that the future of this market is based upon the integration of the unique services of the Company into the logistic infrastructure of international cooperation in the domain of heavy, extractive and high-tech industries. We, as Volga-Dnepr, are working for the environment, where more and more industrial companies would look at our services as an essential component of their logistics system", - says Alexei Isaikin, Director General of Volga-Dnepr Airlines.

Within the last five years, the total tonnage of the "aerospace" cargo services of "Volga-Dnepr" has amounted to 17 000 tonnes, including rocket carriers, in-orbit satellites, fixed wing and rotor wing aircraft, componentry, aero engines and simulators.

Among the customers of Volga-Dnepr Airlines are the world largest manufactures of space-system engineering as Space Systems/Loral, Lockheed Martin, Aerospatiale, Matra Marconi, Alenia, Alcatel, State Scientific and Production Center named after Khrunichev, Scientific and Production Association "Energiya", Scientific and Production Association named after Lavochkin, Scientific and Production Association "Molniya". Volga-Dnepr Airlines operated the "space" cargo flights to all space-vehicle launching sites, including: Baikonur (Kazakhstan), Cape Canaveral (USA), Cayenne (French Guiana), Kashoshima (Japan), Xichang (China).

The company experts have acquired a great experience in delivery of aeronautical engineering, helicopters, light and fighter aircraft, flight simulators, aero engines, as well as the parts and components of airliners to the final assembly facilities. Volga-Dnepr operated the flights, ordered by such leading aerospace manufacturers as Boeing, GE Aircraft Engines, Bombardier Aerospace, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., British Aerospace, Rolls Royce Commercial Aero Engines, Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, Ericsson Sky Crane, the Kazan Helicopter Production Plant and Rosvertol.

In the framework of a long-term cooperation program between Volga-Dnepr Airlines and the State Scientific and Production Center named after Khrunichev, providing for establishing of the unified logistics technology required for transportation and launching of satellites into orbit, Volga-Dnepr Airlines operated the flight to bring the reusable booster of the second stage "Baikal", a new development of the Khrunichev Center, to the Le Bourget Airport as a part of Russian aerospace exposition at the Paris Air Show.

Volga-Dnepr Airlines, established in 1990, is the leader in the market of super heavy and oversize air cargo operations utilizing the fleet of 9 An-124-100 "Ruslan" aircraft, over 43% of the world fleet of this type.

For three years running (1997, 1998 and 1999), Volga-Dnepr Airlines was awarded the "Wings of Russia", a national prize for air companies in the nomination "International and domestic air cargo operator". In February 2001, Volga-Dnepr Airlines was awarded the prestigious prize of Air Transport World (USA), one of the most competent aviation magazines, in the nomination "For development of air cargo traffic".

For further information, please contact:

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Volga-Dnepr Airlines

Phone: +7 095 245-57-93

Fax: +7 095 244-28-79

E-mail: Leon@msk.vda.ru