Siversky aerodrome, Leningrad region: perspectives and photos

Once Siversky airport was considered elite, and absolutely deserved. In the 1940s, fierce battles with Hitler's troops were conducted in its environs. The airfield Siversky was the place of service of the famous cosmonaut German Titov. And in the spring of 1981 an incident occurred here, forever glorifying Major Nesterov. It was he who, at the cost of his life, took away the aircraft after its ignition.

Today, the elitism of the flying part, once based in the village of Siversky (Gatchina district, Leningrad region), recalls only the pedestal of a sky-rushing aircraft and a monument to eminent cosmonaut German Titov.

Unfortunately, at present the airplane is empty, and the residents of the neighboring houses are forced to endure inconveniences, because in winter their apartment is terribly cold and there is no hot water.

Historical digression

The airfield Siversky was erected in the second half of the 1930s for military purposes. Initially, the project of the aerial platform did not provide for asphalt covering, the take-off strip was ground. But this fact did not interfere with the work of the I-16 and I-153 fighters.

In the fall of 1941, the airfield of Siversky was captured by the Germans. Three years later, when Hitler's army retreated, the airfield was mined, but after a while our troops were able to restore the runway. Between 1950 and 1960, its territory increased significantly. It was based on the legendary SU-7 fighter. In the late 60's Siversky military airfield became the main place of concentration of fighter-bombers. Soon, on the aerial platform, arched shelters for air craft were constructed, and in 1977 another runway with an artificial canvas appeared.

In the early 90's the navigators of the Siversky airfield began to retrain flying to the SU-24 M. After a while the pilots learned to refuel the fuel in the sky. In 2006, the aircraft of the Siversky airdrome provided security for the G8 summit, which was held in the city on the Neva. The pilots participated in joint exercises of the CIS air defense forces. Some may ask a perfectly reasonable question: "And whose airfield is Siversky?" Until 2009, it belonged to the 6th Army Air Force and Air Defense, and then was disbanded.

Scope of the problem

As in many Russian regions, the current state of Siversky's airfield can not be called deplorable. Many military towns are no longer on the balance of the Ministry of Defense, and local authorities often do not care about their fate. Naturally, there is no money for the improvement of military towns in the municipal treasury.

A depressing picture is immediately visible: garbage, stone pedestals with simple metalwork, performing the function of the gate, a rickety watchtower behind the fence. There are no planes in the hangars for a long time. One garage for aircraft does not have a gate at all. The only object that is guarded at the airport is a fleet of backup cars, and that one is not immune to rain and wind.

Local residents argue that cars have not been in operation for many years. In the abandoned hangars, the wind blows. In some garages, the doors are ajar, and you can see mountains of trash and garbage inside. In one hangar there was still one "military" props, which symbolizes the state of affairs in towns like Siversky - a metal suitcase. The wires on the electrical panels are damaged.

Non-flying band

Leaving much to be desired and the life of local residents. There is no heating in the apartments. There is no hot water, cold pours a thin stream, and its smell simply dislikes. Electricity is often cut off. Officials get rid of unsubscribes to numerous appeals of citizens who do not want to pay for disastrously expensive housing and communal services, as a result they are threatened with eviction. But they have no other housing. And the number of Siversky is 4 000 people. And the residents are well aware of how officials report at the top about the socio-economic development of their settlement. They complain that not only the airport Siversky, whose photo is horrified and depressing, but also the military town are de facto ownerless.

Nobody cares…

Engineering communications, boiler houses and houses are legally located on the territory belonging to the military department.

At the same time, when there are breakdowns with electricity and lack of heating, there is a heated debate among residents about who is to blame and what to do. Naturally, in parallel there are disputes about who will repair and repair. Appeals to the bodies that oversee the housing and utilities sector have no effect. Even the history of the name of the street where the houses are built is striking for the residents. It was named in honor of the pilot Kupriyanov, and in honor of the German city of Brandenburg. And then it was renamed into the Military Town Street, which turned out to be a complete surprise for the residents. One of them said in a doomed way: "All our lives are without electricity and" for later ". Thickens the picture and a dilapidated, low building, in the past busy under the laundry. But today nobody erases here.

Local residents say that a few years ago they wanted to acquire a range of business representatives, and even planned flights of small aircraft and air communication with the northern capital. Residents were cheered up and already morally began to prepare for a better life. But after a while this information was not confirmed, and business in the town became even worse than before.

The reaction of the authorities

Numerous complaints of residents of the military town on the monstrous conditions of residence did not correct the situation. Moreover, the appeals were sent to representatives of various levels of government, who ultimately "closed" the issue with unsubscribes.

Military towns are in terrible times. First, with great delays, the government's decision to transfer settlements to the balance of municipalities is being implemented. Then, if this still happens, local officials state that the accumulated problems can not be solved. In the military department people are "disowned" because military towns belong to regional authorities, they say, ask them.

Contents of bureaucratic notices

Problems with heat supply, according to people, occurred due to the fact that boiler # 5 was connected. Such a measure was taken because houses and schools were removed from boiler # 3.

And here is how the representative of the municipality explains the situation: "In 2003, the heating system was repaired in the gymnasium of the school, after which the temperature regime significantly decreased in several classes. To solve this problem, a circulating pump was installed in the thermal unit of the school, but this only aggravated the situation. " Why it has worsened - the inhabitants do not understand. And the authorities say that in order to warm the house and hot water from the tap, it is necessary to repair the heating network and modernize the source of heat supply.

And the officials recommend turning to the investment program of OAO Gatchina District Communal Systems for Reconstruction of the Heat Supply System in the Gatchina Municipal District, where a new boiler room is planned.

Is there a future near the runway?

And, of course, until recently it was unclear what future the Siversky airport was waiting for. Will they restore him?

To date, it is already known that officials from the military department are not yet ready to provide an unused take-off strip for the needs of civil aviation. The authorities still hope that in the near future the airplane will be a place for the provision of passenger transportation services. For this, a whole batch of low-costers will be purchased. Officials want to advance in solving the problem and revive the airfield in Siversky. Prospects for the development of the runway theoretically exist. They want to make the transportation of passengers cheap, so that people can travel inside the country without any special material costs.

The problem of project financing

However, for the reconstruction of the facility and the purchase of aircraft, financial costs are required, and considerable. It's not the first year that rumors have been circulating that the project will be financed by Eurosib, which as early as 2014 announced to regional officials that it was ready to cooperate. And the governor of the Leningrad Region, of course, understood the need for the reconstruction of the once-elite airport, but the project contains many controversial points, so he recommended not to rush things, but carefully weigh the pros and cons.

Federal officials see an obstacle

However, despite the readiness of local authorities to consider the question of reviving the take-off site in Siversky, this initiative is not yet supported by the Federal Ministry of Transport. Head of the department Maxim Sokolov said that, according to the agreement on GKCH Pulkovo, within a radius of four hundred kilometers no runway can be built. The official stressed that this would only complicate the functioning of the Russian air complex.

Moreover, he added that the taboo on the construction of runways in certain cases is a normal international practice, otherwise large air terminals will experience financial difficulties due to the fact that new competitors have appeared on the market. But the head of the Leningrad region holds a different point of view. In his view, the new take-off strip a priori will not become a competitor for Pulkovo.

Yes or no?

So will the Siversky airfield be reconstructed? 2016 can theoretically be considered as a starting point in solving the problem. The fact is that in the autumn the governor of the Leningrad region Alexander Drozdenko and the head of the DOSAAF structure have agreed in writing that the legendary runway at Gatchina will still carry out civil air transportation. However, experts believe that such a document is not legally valid, since the Siversky aerodrome (Leningrad region) is the property of the military department. As a result, the issue can be delayed for an indefinite period.