Abandoned airport near Yelabuga (Republic of Tatarstan)

Abandoned airport near Yelabuga (Republic of Tatarstan)

Under the USSR, Yelabuga had a small airfield that accepted only AN-2 class aircraft. It was located in the area of today's racetrack.

By 1973, an airport was built between Yelabuga and the whole of Bekhterevo, which was very large by those standards, with a capital building. Not only "cornhuskers", but also AN-24 class aircraft could already land on such a strip. Later, when the runway was increased by another 100 meters, even YAK-40 class aircraft began to arrive here.

The heyday was in the 1970s. At that time, the staff of the Yelabuga airport consisted of 40 people. There was a private gangway, a buffet. Four flights to Kazan were made from here every day. At that time, an IL-14 class aircraft was flying. The planes did not fly empty, tickets were in constant short supply. They were sold in the city. Passengers traveled from the city to the airport by regular buses.

The golden age of local aviation lasted until 1976, and then the recession began. By 1983, the volume of traffic had decreased to such a level that the airport staff had to be reduced. The YAK-40 class jet aircraft stopped entering Yelabuga, and the IL-14 class aircraft were replaced by small L-410 class aircraft. Flights had to be reduced to one. But the airport has been operating for many years. The last flights were made shortly before the collapse of the USSR. Now there is a large logistics center on the territory of the runway. Currently, aviation model festivals and championships are held at the airport, in which pilots from all over the country take part. In addition, the lane is used by motorcyclists and motorists.