Russia to build first ice airstrip on Franz Josef Land - ministry
MOSCOW. April 8 (Interfax-AVN) - A temporary seasonal airfield covered with ice will be built on the Alexandra Land of the Franz Josef Land archipelago for landing Russian Air Force transport military aircraft, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
"The length of the runway is 2,500 meters, the airfield is designed to deliver personnel and cargo to the Arctic region," an Air Force spokesperson said in a statement obtained by Interfax-AVN on Wednesday.
"Snow clearing operations are underway to ready the airfield for taking in aircraft," the spokesperson said. One crew "has started practicing takeoffs and landings at its permanent base under near-Arctic conditions, the ministry said.
"Military transport aircraft crews will be landing under difficult geographic conditions, considering the hills and rocky surface of the island. During landing, pilots will rely on marker beacons with mandatory runway visual control and only in visual flight weather conditions," the spokesperson said.
