A Glimpse of Kazakhstan

[KC Sim 2]

This is a re-loaded version as the original post was lost in the recent database crash.

 

On a recent trip to Kazakhstan, I had the opportunity to spend about 20 minutes on the ramp at Almaty Airport (ALA). This is pure heaven for those who love Russian-built airliners . . . as far as one could see, there were dozens of Ilyushin 62s, TU-154s, TU-134s and Yak40s/42s . . . plus a few IL-86s and IL-76s. The entire Russian airplane-scape was only punctuated by the odd presence of an odd European type or a few more American-built ones. There seems to be a few resident biz jets (including a Global Express wearing a beautiful gold coloured livery) and even a Boeing BBJ.

 

Here are some that I have managed to photographed . . . beginning with the odd American and European. This Boeing 737-200F wears a red tail and is otherwise just plain with EX-050 registration. The ramp staff very kindly offered me a vertical ride of about 10m in a cherry picker for these shots.

 

Another odd one is this BAC One Eleven, a rare plane in almost any airport anywhere. This one is registered UN-B1110 and has East Wing titles.

 

One could go on yakking and yakking away at Almaty Airport, for there are Yaks everywhere. This Yakolev Yak-40 of Berkut Air wears a livery that seems to have been inspired by Vietnam Airlines.

 

This plain Jane Yak-40 seems rather unremarkable in contrast . . .

 

And then there is the Yak-40 of Euro Asia Air . . .

 

A pair of Ilyushin IL-86s and a Delta Airlines B737-200 (N378DL) are parked on one side of the airfield . . . all these seem to have been jobless for some time already.

 

A pair of Ilyushin IL-76s of Sayakhat Airlines - painted differently - await the next load of cargo.

 

And my favourite is this IL-62 that wears the basic Interflug livery and deta air titles.

 

More shots to come as I continue processing the shots.

 

KC Sim

[TK 0]

KC...Terima kasih.

 

Beautiful classics ruskies...

[Gavin Andrew David 6]

Many thanks for uploading again KC

[Simon 3]

Thanks for the effort KC.

[Jonathan Kong 0]

KC, thanks for your kind effort of re-uploading all these rare and exclusive pictures from Kazakhstan. Keep them coming :drinks:

 

[Ibrahim 0]

Fuuuh~!!! Fuhhh~!!! Russian Plane

[Ian Lim 0]

wat an exotic place. very very rare for us to see them

 

[Samuel Chy 0]

thanks a lot for the shots, KC... keep 'em coming... :drinks:

[Ignatius 4]

Nice nice, rare and first class treatment as well,... as usual before the BIG BANG,... i was asking KC.. " What the heck are you doing in Kazakhstan???" hehehe

[KC Sim 2]

I was in Kazakhstan to conduct some interviews with the management of Air Astana and officials from the Ministry of Tourism . . . so in the end, it was meeting after meeting after meeting with no time for sightseeing. We did however visit a ski facility in the mountains on the fringe of Almaty - it is here that Kazakhstan will host the Asian Winter Games in 2010.

 

On the Air Astana B767 departing Almaty Airport to Astana Airport, I was lucky to catch this Kazakh Government TU-154.

 

Seems like another two members of the government fleet . . . an MI-8 helicopter and an Antonov AN-70 (or -72 or -74 . . . never know what is the difference anyway).

 

Astana Airport is not big by any measure . . . but taxying towards the terminal after arriving from Almaty, I saw this TU-154M looking rather lonely.

 

Also saw a trio of AN-24s from Scat Airlines . . .

 

This TU-134 belonging to the government of Azerbaijan is awaiting its load of departing Azerbaijani VIPs . . . on the port side of the aircraft, a guard of honour was in place awaiting the VIPs.

 

Finally, a shot of Astana Airport seen through the windows of Air Astana's B767-300 (ex-KLM machines). This airport is supposedly managed by Malaysian Airports Berhad!!!

 

I did manage a bit of night photography in Astana after my meetings . . . still processing the shots.

 

KC Sim

 

 

[Jonathan Kong 0]

AN-24, TU-154, TU-134.... so many Russian planes!!! :drinks:

 

 

[Chaity 1]

KC Sim, exclusive photos

 

The airport shoots look very nice !

[Andrew Hunt 0]

Amazing Shots KC....thanks for sharing. Love that IL62!

 

Andrew

[Ignatius 4]

KC, .. thanks for the answer hehehe.. can sleep well now kakakka.... i thought i read nite photography at astana... want see want see!!!!

[Louis L. 2]

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b104/avi...Cr-NoseOn-R.jpg

 

 

looks like this aircraft carry 4 cannon ...jkjk....

 

 

awesome pictures from u KC Sim ,

 

thanks for sharing

[Izanee 0]

kc sim...nice shots. brings back the old memories of Subang airport with the IL62s of Aeroflot, Czechoslovakian airlines and LOT. good ol' days.

 

what about this air astana meeting...its not about flying to malaysia or singapore is it? we used to have kyrgystan airlines and air kazakhstan before they became 'extinct' ...

Edited December 6, 2007 by Izanee

[KC Sim 2]

Kuala Lumpur was previously announced as a potential destination for Air Astana.

 

During the course of the meetings I had with Air Astana, two new Asian destinations were mentioned as candidates for the airline's network in 2009: Hong Kong, and Singapore using Boeing 767s.

 

Air Astana is also close to announcing an order for new wide-body jets . . . a tussle between the Dreamliner and the Airbus A350. Scaled models of one of these type was seen in many locations throughout the Air Astana head office and another was seen in the office of an even higher authority. I better not say any more before I unknowingly say more than I should.

 

In the Asia Pacific region, Air Astana now serves Seoul-Incheon, Beijing, Bangkok and New Delhi.

 

KC Sim

[Greg Wood 3]

Hi KC,

 

Fantastic images. Interested to know if you recordred a log of all the aircraft you saw whilst on your visit. Curious to know also if this country and it's airport would be plane-spotter / photographer friendly.

 

Regards and great pictures.

 

Greg

[KC Sim 2]

Hi Greg,

 

I had very little time to look across the ramp and was therefore not at liberty to log registrations. Suffice to say that there were about a dozen or more of each type : IL-62s, TU-154s, TU-134s, Yak-40/42s plus a liberal scattering of AN-24/26s, some IL-18s . . . and a small number of western types and biz jets.

 

Judging from the relatively small number of images available on A.net, I don't think the hobby of aviation photography is particularly welcomed there. I was fortunate to be accompanied for just about 20mins on the ramp (ostensibly enroute to view Air Astana's new 2-bay hangar nearing completion at Almaty Airport).

 

In Almaty Airport's waiting lounges, one would have to contend with two layers of glass . . . only when boarding can one access the corridor leading to the aerobridges and therefore could shoot through one layer of glass. I am not sure if photography during boarding is tolerated as I did not venture to do it (out of respect for my host).

 

Same situation at Astana Airport - which seems very nice. For anyone who is faintly keen on Russian planes, Almaty is pure heaven and one is likely to faint within minutes of visually scanning the ramp. I must have "fainted" many times each time I pass the windows of Air Astana's head office building.

 

KC Sim

 

[TK 0]

Nice KC..

 

Good trip/work for you there.

 

you fainted...i think many times already!!

 

[Pieter C. 5]

K C,

 

Just stumbled on these fantastic shots, while having some spare time in SGN and after founding an Internet shop (to check my email)...!!!

 

WOW, what can I say: being a vivid Russian aircraft lover, these shots are HEAVEN !!!

 

Those mountains as a backdrop and the extra water-pool make your shots extra "loveable"

 

If you have some more, please, do share them here

 

(Good to see Astana Dutch Ladies still active there)...

 

Thanks a lot, again, for sharing: excellent pictures !!!