"Small Aviation in Russia Has Simply Been Destroyed": The Main Problem of the Industry Has Been Announced

Aviation Expert Patrakov Pointed to the Total Over-Regulation of This Sphere in the Russian Federation

The regulatory system for small aviation in Russia has completely diverged from global practice and has effectively killed the regional transportation sector. This was stated in an interview with "Perviy Technicheskiy" by aviation expert, board member of the Association of Small Aviation Enterprises (MalAP), and founder of the flight safety service RunAvia, Andrey Patrakov.

He recalled that since 2019, Russia has been trying to ease the regulation of the small and light aviation industry, as there is no differentiation in requirements for carriers. For example, the requirements are the same for companies with aircraft with a capacity of 500 people and companies with a couple of An-2 "cornhuskers".

All such small airlines are unprofitable, so in fact, over the past 20 years, all of our small aviation has disappeared. And now regional transportation is starting to be nullified. Remember the movie "Afonya", there is an example of how a "cornhusker" flies from one village to another. This was all in the USSR, where light local aviation was developed. But now it has been destroyed, this is all the result of the Ministry of Transport's policy and excessive regulation.

Andrey Patrakov, founder of the flight safety service RunAvia

Patrakov noted that strict requirements equally affect not only airlines, but also airfields.

We need to build a mini-Sheremetyevo there, but it is economically impractical to maintain it. Although you can simply roll out a strip with a bulldozer for landing a light aircraft, it is quite easy to maintain. This is done in Alaska, for example, for some reason there are no safety problems there.

Andrey Patrakov, founder of the flight safety service RunAvia

The problem directly concerns aircraft certification as well, Patrakov continued. For example, the airline S7 is making its own light manned aircraft. However, its certification alone will cost a billion rubles.

They don't even plan to, although the company is large and quite wealthy, but it cannot afford it.

Andrey Patrakov, founder of the flight safety service RunAvia

Patrakov drew attention to the fact that abroad, the certification of such aircraft is much cheaper. For example, in the United States, a new program was recently launched that significantly simplifies the process.

In Russia, there are manufacturers of light aircraft, they are still alive not thanks to, but in spite of. But they work for abroad, because we have a good school, high-quality products. In the world, these aircraft are recognized in many countries, but they are not certified in the Russian Federation, because it is difficult and expensive. And most importantly - there is no need. Even if you spend a billion, you will never recoup it, because it is impossible to be profitable in the economics of airlines without subsidies. Regional transportation is practically nullified in our country.

Andrey Patrakov, founder of the flight safety service RunAvia

Pilot Alexey Lyubko also stated that Russia's small regional aviation is in a deplorable state due to the obsolescence of equipment.