The new terminal of the Kharkiv airport is opened, but the work is not over yet. The director for the construction of the airport, Aleksandr Sivalnev told what remains to be done in the territory of Kharkiv airport and when will all the work end.
- Aleksandr, the terminal is fully completed or there`s something to finish?
- Yes, there is still work. Gates needs to be done (or "sleeves", as they say) - exits from the terminal. There will be three gates, but they will appear next year. These are expensive systems, but they are provided in this building. IT-technology, the system of airport activity are also to be installed, but the terminal is already operating. First, it opened up for internal lines, but in October-November, foreign lines will start working. Number of regular flights will increase. The aeroforum, which took place in early summer, helped this, several contracts were signed.
In addition, we have the task - the construction of the temporary terminal, because we must take a large number of passengers in 2012. It is also planned the reconstruction of the old terminal, it is an architectural monument of the early 50's.
- At what stage the reconstruction of the old building of the airport?
- Today the project of reconstruction and restoration is being designed. I have already said that this is a monument of Stalin's times. There is a ceiling and wall murals, they have to be fully recovered, we have obligations to the city. I think that this work will continue the next year. The old terminal will become a pearl. The building is likely to be white – so that it looked like good the stone on the ring on that at the place where it is. As I have said, half of the terminal area is for VIP-guests, the second part takes the restored restaurant of the airport, the restaurant, which operated during the Soviet era.
- What is happening now in the airfield area?
- There are underground works on the new runway, there is a fiber fill. The two lower layers were already placed, but the top layer of concrete has not yet filled. Concerning the platform, there are three main layers. The soil was removed and compacted, it has been stabilized with lime to get rid of moisture. Then put a layer of soil with cement, then the so-called lean concrete and the upper layer - a heavy concrete. This technology allows you to receive without a problem almost all the main civilian aircrafts.
- When will the work be finished, and what will happen to the old runway?
- A new runway will be commissioned in late autumn of 2011. After putting into operation, an old runway will be closed, but at the time of Euro-2012 it will work along with a new one. It is estimated that we will need to take 100-120 aircrafts for 5-6 hours - it's about 25 thousand people. The old runway will be a kind of help during the championship - not just for making and sending planes, but also to accommodate them.
- How the construction of the runway is currently funded?
- Currently there was already invested nearly UAH 300 million. Until the end of the year, I think we`ll get the funding that we were promised, and that is almost half of what is generally scheduled for the construction and development of the airfield area. Total sum planned UAH 1 billion 70 million, UAH 500 million-something we should receive.
- Aleksandr Yaroslavskyy announced the amount of investment in the airport. This is about 80 million dollars. What is the profitability of this business?
- Big investments were directed here. It is all thanks to the investor. You understand that the airport is not a supermarket. Money invested in a supermarket, return in 2-3 years. Money invested in the development of the terminal area, airport land, purchase of the equipment that will service the technics would be returned the earliest in 15-17 years.
Marina PILIPENKO
Novosti Kharkiv
