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Helicopter and Volcanos

 
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Text:

Guido E. Bühlmann

Pictures:

Guido E. Bühlmann

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The Airport of Petropawlowsk-Kamchatsky

Only since 1990, the Kamtchatka Peninsula is accessible to foreigners. More than 50 years she was a closed military zone, from where the former Soviet Union was spying the United States on the opposite coast of the pacific. Even soviet citizens required a special permit, if they wanted to travel to Kamchatka. 

From Moscow you can reach by plane the 200,000 inhabitants and his capital town Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, in little more than 9 hours flying time and you are still in Russia. Kamchatka is 370.00 square kilometers (41 293 Switzerland), the largest peninsula in East Asia and lies between the Bering Strait and the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, Sakhalin. 

(In 1983 the Russian air force shot down, with a SU-15, a Boeing 747-200 from the Korean Airlines, because they sort it was a U.S. espionage mission. 269 ​​passengers lost their lives!) (by wings-aviation.ch).  

It extends from eastern Siberia to the south, and its continuation in the direction of Japan, are the Kuril Island chain. Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is located on the Avacha Bay, one of the largest natural harbors in the world. The peninsula measures 1,200 km in length and 450 km in width.

On it are a total of 160 volcanoes, 26 of them are still active. This unique landscape shaped the whole peninsula. Every year, about 6 volcanoes erupt. The highest elevation is the Volcano Kljutschewskaya-Sopka with 4,750 meters above sea level. 

The Kamchatka Peninsula was discovered by the Cossacks on their expeditions in the Russian Far East in the year of 1697. As there were many sable, the area was annexed shortly thereafter by the Russians. 

The Dane Vitus Bering, after whom the strait between Siberia and Alaska is named, had undertaken in the years 1725 to 1743 several large expeditions to the area. The main industries include shipbuilding, fisheries and timber industries. Other industries are coal and gold mining. An increasingly important role does tourism, especially in the volcanic and Geysers regions, which includes since 1996 a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Antonov AN-2 Aeroflot Sibiria (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) Antonov AN-2 Aeroflot Sibiria (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) AN-28 Aeroflot Sibiria RA-28954  (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) MIL-8 parked at the Airport (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann)
MIL-8 parked at the Airport (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) MIL-8 parked at the Airport (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) MIL-8 parked at the Airport (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) MIL-8 parked at the Airport (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann)
MIL-2 Hopelite RF-00890 (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) Yakolev YAK-52 (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) Yakolev YAK-52 (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) Foodstands made in Sibiria (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann)

The Helicopters

MIL-2 Hopelite (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) MIL-2 Hopelite (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) MIL-2 Hopelite (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) MIL-2 Hopelite (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann)
MIL-8MTV (RF-31354) by FGUAP MChS, ROSSII (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) MIL-8MTV (RF-31354) by FGUAP MChS, ROSSII (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) MIL-8MTV (RF-31354) by FGUAP MChS, ROSSII (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) MIL-8MTV-1 (RF-14420) by Russian Customs (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann)
 MIL-8T (RA-22863) Kamchatka Airlines (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) View from Helicopter over Sibiria (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) MIL-8MTV (RF-31354) by FGUAP MChS, ROSSII (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann)
    MIL-8MTV (RF-31354) Sea Rescue (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann)

Vulcano Koryaskaya Sopka

Aviation on the Kamchatka Peninsula

In the 1930s came to Kamchatka on a modest scale a Polikarpov Po-2 aircraft in passenger use. After the Second World War more Lisunov Li-2 (a replica of the DC-3) where used by local companies. In subsequent years, the older Li-2 has been replaced by Ilyushin IL-12 and IL-14. The LI-2 flew still up to the 1980s, mainly in freight traffic. 

With the availability of helicopters for air travel (Mil Mi-1, Mi-2, Mi-4 and Mi-8) a quick recovery took place and replaced the aging Antonov AN-2, step by step. Thanks to the many and large helicopters Mil Mi-8 it was possible to improve significantly the range of products for our tourists. 

All those trips to the volcanoes and geysers are only accessible through the helicopters in a reasonable time. Some Mi-8/17 companies offer, if the weather permits, daily flights to the most attractive sights on. Prices for memorable and unique excursions range from 400-600 Euros and take with the respective stays 6-8 hours. 

The two volcanoes Koryakskaya Sopka (3456 m.) and the Avachinskaya Spoka (2741m.) dominate the view from the airport, by showing the  massive and impressive scenery, which is probably unique in the world: if not covered by massive clouds, what’s happen most of the days through the year!

MIL-8MTV-1 (RF-14420) by Russian Customs (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) MIL-8T (RA-22863) Kamchatka Airlines (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) MIL-2 Hopeliet (RF-01168) (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) MIL-8T (RA-24703) by Bel Kam Tur (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann)
Beautiful Vulcano view from Helicopter (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) Beautiful Vulcano view from Helicopter (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) Airport of Petropawlowsk-Kamchatsky (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) View from Helicopter over Sibiria (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann)
Vulcano Koryaskaya Sopka & Avachinskaya Sopka (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) Vulcano Koryaskaya Sopka & Avachinskaya Sopka (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) Vulcano Koryaskaya Sopka & Avachinskaya Sopka (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) Vulcano Koryaskaya Sopka & Avachinskaya Sopka (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann)
MIL-8MTV (RF-31354) by FGUAP MChS, ROSSII (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) MIL-8MTV (RF-31354) by FGUAP MChS, ROSSII (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) MIL-8MTV (RF-31354) by FGUAP MChS, ROSSII (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann)

Vulcano Koryaskaya Sopka (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann)

MIL-8MTV (RF-31354) by FGUAP MChS, ROSSII (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) MIL-8MTV (RF-31354) by FGUAP MChS, ROSSII (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) MIL-8MTV (RF-31354) by FGUAP MChS, ROSSII (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) MIL-8MTV (RF-31354) by FGUAP MChS, ROSSII (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann)
Outbreak of Vulcano Koryaskaya Sopka (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) Outbreak of Vulcano Koryaskaya Sopka (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) Vulcano craterlake by air. (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) View from distance of Vulcano Koryaskaya Sopka (Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann)

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last update 2. May 2012

written  1. January 2012

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