At the end of last year, the Federal State Unitary Enterprise “Administration of Civil Airports (Aerodromes)” in collaboration with the Volga Federal Air Transport Agency inspected the repair work on the facilities of the Penza Airport.
During the inspection, the commission examined 23 facilities operated by the Municipal Budgetary Institution Airport of Penza“.
Inspectors found that the Penza Airport operator failed to fulfill its obligations for ongoing repairs (allocated ₽2.8 million last year), leading to a deterioration in the condition of the facilities. Compared to 2022, the signal assessment of the runway pavement decreased by 25%. The crack network increased by 405%, and erosion by 1976%. Additionally, the airport operator allowed the use of pavement with potholes exceeding 50 mm in diameter and 25 mm in depth on the runway, taxiways, and apron.
Furthermore, the commission compared the inspection reports of the runway provided by the Penza Airport operator with their findings. As a result, a significant underreporting of pavement defects was identified (crack network – nearly 70 times, erosion – 137 times).
The aerodrome operator also ignored directives to remedy defects and provided inaccurate data in the inspection reports, creating a risk of damage to federally leased property entrusted to the Municipal Budgetary Institution Airport of Penza and posing a threat to flight safety. The findings raise concerns about the overall condition of the airport infrastructure and the need for prompt corrective actions to ensure the safety of air travel in the region.
