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Helicopter
and Volcanos (2006) |
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Text: |
Guido E. Bühlmann |
Pictures: |
Guido E. Bühlmann |
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The
Airport of Petropawlowsk-Kamchatsky |
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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. |
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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)
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MIL-8 parked at the Airport
(Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) |
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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) |
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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) |
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The Helicopters |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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MIL-8MTV (RF-31354) Sea Rescue
(Picture courtesy Guido Bühlmann) |
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Vulcano Koryaskaya Sopka |
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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! |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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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