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Aviation has been a part of Moldovan society since the early 20th century.
Contents
History
On June 1, 1922 the first aircraft (de Havilland DH.9) started on a 410 kilometres (250 mi) long line: Bucharest – Galaţi – Chişinău.
The first scheduled flights to Chişinău started on 24 June 1926, on the route Bucharest – Galaţi – Chişinău and Iaşi. The flights were operated by Compagnie Franco-Roumaine de Navigation Aérienne - CFRNA, later LARES. The airport was near Chişinău, at Bulgarica-Ialoveni. This first flight Chişinău-Bucharest was marked by the launch of a postal stamps. At the Chişinău International Airport, at the visitors terrace in the second floor (opened in December 2006), there is a sign remembering the first flight on June 24, 1926.
A 10-passenger Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar-powered Farman F.168Bn4 started in May 1928 to operate the domestic air service Bucharest – Galaţi – Chişinău. In that years, planes were used for passenger, newspapers and mail.
In 1936, Nadia Russo (1901–1988), from Chişinău, was one of the first women from Romania to obtain a flying licence. In 1937, she bought her Bücker Bü 131, half of price was paid by the Romanian Ministry of Air and the other half by public subscription in Chişinău.
In 1937 there was an air service Bucharest - Cetatea Albă - Chişinău.
On June 28, 1938 in Chişinău was held an air rally.
During the year 1940, LARES operated daily the route Chişinău - Iaşi - Galaţi - Bucharest (the air service number 2116).
In the interwar period, among the pilots serving on flights from Chişinău to Bucharest was Constantin Bâzu Cantacuzino.
Moldavian branch of Aeroflot
On 19 September 1944, the first unit of Po-2 transport aircraft arrived in Chişinău and the Moldovan Squadron of Aeroflot was established. Aside from fifteen aircraft of the Po-2 type operating domestic flights and serving in agriculture, there were also two Li-2, which were used on flights to Moscow, some Ukrainian cities and to Black Sea and Caucasus summer resorts. A new airport in Chişinău able to accommodate gas turbine aircraft opened early in the 1960s. The enterprise received status of Civil Aviation Administration in 1965 and new An-10, An-12, and An-24 aircraft expanded its fleet. Regular flights to many cities in the USSR were begun and the transportation of fruits and vegetables grown in Moldovan SSR to the largest industrial centers of the USSR was established.
The first jet aircraft, an Tu-134, began service in Moldova in 1971 and became the main aircraft of the enterprise, increasing in number until at one point 26 of them were in use. In Chişinău there was even an USSR test basis for aircraft of this type. The fleet was further enlarged in 1972 with the Yak-42 regional aircraft and in 1974 with the An-26 cargo aircraft. In the middle of the 1980s, Moldovan operations received ten Tu-154 aircraft. At that time Moldovan aircraft flew to 73 cities in the USSR and carried over 1,000,000 passengers per year. In 1990 the first international route between Chişinău and Frankfurt am Main was opened.
The most important accident was the 1979 Ukraine Aeroflot mid-air collision.
Air Moldova
Air Moldova was established after the independence of Moldova and started operations in 1992 on the basis of the local Aeroflot unit. It is wholly owned by the Republic of Moldova and on 13 July 2004, Air Moldova became an IATA member.
Airlines of Moldova
Defunct airlines of Moldova
Airports
The main terminal of the Chişinău International Airport was built in the 1970s with a capacity of 1,200,000 passengers per year. On 31 May 1995 Chişinău Airport was awarded the status of an international airport.
Chişinău International Airport has commercial flights (approximately 20 destinations and 688,000 passengers in 2007).
Airports - with paved runways
total: 7
over 3,047 m (9,997 ft): 1
2,438 to 3,047 m (7,999 to 9,997 ft): 2
1,524 to 2,437 m (5,000 to 7,995 ft): 2
under 914 m (2,999 ft): 1 (2006 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 6
914 to 1,523 m (2,999 to 4,997 ft): 3
under 914 m (2,999 ft): 3 (2006 est.)
Civil Aviation Administration
The State Civil Aviation Administration of Moldova is the central specialized, executive, coordinating and control body of the Public Administration in the field of civil aviation, founded by the Government of the Republic of Moldova. The Administration takes decisions of administrative character, approves regulations, norms, instructions and other normative acts obligatory for natural and legal persons who perform their activity in the field of civil aviation.
Moldovan Air Force
The Moldovan Air Force is the national air force of Moldova. It was formed following Moldova's independence from the Soviet Union in August 1991 and is part of the Military of Moldova.