International Air Transport Zone, April 22-23, 2011

The first International Air Transport Forum (IATF) has been successfully held in Ulyanovsk on the Airport “Vostochny” grounds. During a year time, the Region of Ulyanovsk has been preparing and waiting for this event to take place, and the outcome has exceeded all most daring expectations as the International Air Transport Forum has won the recognition as a new “showcase of the domestic air transport industry” of the country. The IATF was supported by the Russian Federation Government, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Transport and the “United Russia” (“Edinaya Rossiya”) Party. The Group of Companies “Volga-Dnieper” served as the IATF-2011 title partner.

Ulyanovsk Region Governor Sergey Morozov, Deputy Minister of Transport Velery Okulov, President of the United Aircraft Corporation Michail Pogosyan, and CEOs of the leading Russian and foreign aircraft manufactures, airlines, airports attended the Forum gala opening ceremony.

Business events of the International Congress held within IATF framework on April 22 were attended by around 700 visitors: representatives of the Federal state agencies, CEOs of aviation companies, experts and consultants form 12 countries including guests from the USA, Canada, Czechia, Ukraine, Belorussia, Vietnam, Germany and other countries. At the conferences and round tables, contentious debates of specialists were carried out to solve the issues relating to the development of the passenger and cargo air transport of Russia, matters of renovation of the aircraft fleets of airlines, prospects for the development of the cargo and transportation aviation, aviation equipment maintenance and repair issues, stimulation methods of the regional air services development, and solutions for the problems of aviation personnel training.

At the Exhibition “Innovations in Aviation” that was held during the two days of IATF, the potential of the Ulyanovsk Region aviation cluster enterprises including CJSC “Aviastar-SP”, Group of Companies “Volga-Dnieper”, Ulyanovsk Higher Civil Aviation School, PSEZ, Design Bureau “Utes”  and many others was demonstrated.

During the Forum, the Government of the Ulyanovsk Region signed a range of agreements with Gaspromneft, Gaspromneft-Aero and other companies. A milestone event of this young project was the agreement with the sponsors of MAKS Aviation and Space Salon under which the decision to correlate the timing of these two events were taken whereby, starting from 2012, they will be held alternately: MAKS – on odd years and IATF – on even years.    

On April 24, within IATF framework, a festive air show took place which attracted unprecedented for the Airport “Vostochny” number of spectators – more than 50,000 persons. An exhibition of the aviation equipment and big, small and sports aircraft demonstration flights were arranged to entertain the IATF participants and guests. The World Champion, famous pilot Svetlana Kapanina showed advanced aerobatics on aircraft “EXTRA-330”. The abundant program of modern small aviation aircraft flights was still enriched with the flights of the celebrated veteran – the legendary aircraft of the Great Patriotic War times – PO-2. The culmination of the show was the performance in the air and advanced aerobatics of one of the best in the world aerobatics teams onpiston-engined airplanes Yak-53 under the name “The First Flight” (“Pervy Polyet”). The pride of the homeland aircraft manufacturing industry produced in Ulyanovsk – Tu-204 and An-124 “Ruslan” was presented both in the sky and on the ground. The picturesque aviation festival was concluded by a concert of “BandEros” Goup.

For further information, please, contact IATF Directorate at:

Office 12, Denezny Pereulok, 16

Tel.: +7 (495) 661 99 21

E-mal: info@ul-avia.com