Since the last issue of BIG
NEWS, Volga-Dnepr Group has celebrated its
15 th anniversary, an important milestone in our history.
I wish to take this opportunity to thank all of our customers
all over the world for your support over this period. I hope
we have consistently demonstrated the quality, reliability
and expertise of our people and aircraft fleet.
Whilst our teams in Europe , North America and Asia have
been celebrating our proud achievements over the last 15
years, I am reminded of how far we have come as an organization
that began its commercial life with a single AN-124-100 freighter
aircraft.
Thanks to the unique operating capabilities and reliability
of the AN-124, matched by the knowledge and professionalism
of our employees, we have been able to consistently grow
our business. We have successfully attracted many of the
most skilled people in the world of aviation to work with
us and, of course, we have grown our AN-124 fleet to 10 aircraft
and supported this with IL-76F operations.
In 2004, we achieved another strategic milestone when Volga-Dnepr
Group launched AirBridge Cargo , Russia ’s first international
scheduled cargo airline. We also took delivery of our 10
th AN-124-100 with its improved payload of 150 tonnes.
We look back with pride but it is our future that is most
exciting.
In the first issue of BIG NEWS,
we were able to profile the first test flight of our new
IL-76-TD-90VD freighter that will join our fleet by the end
of 2005. A second version of this enhanced aircraft will
enter service with Volga-Dnepr by mid-2006.
In addition, we will be the launch customer for the IL-96-400T
freighter aircraft. This 92 tonnes capacity aircraft will
be used to support ABC’s growing long-haul network
when the first two IL-96s join our fleet in 2006 and 2007
respectively.
I am pleased to report that in the latest round of negotiations
between the Russian and Chinese aviation authorities, ABC
was awarded additional frequencies to Shanghai and Beijing
as well as traffic rights to further Chinese destinations,
including Guangzhou and Nanjing . We will also extend our
scheduled network to Japan in the New Year with the launch
of operations to Nagoya .
In this issue, you will also see that Volga-Dnepr Group
has signed a delivery agreement with Aviastar-SP for five
new, operationally-enhanced, AN-124-100M-150 freighters.
Deliveries of these aircraft will begin in 2008 as part of
the AN-124 Production Recovery Project.
The pace of development within Volga-Dnepr Group is ever-increasing
as we respond to the opportunities that are open to us. All
the time, however, we recognise that we will only maintain
our progress by continuing to provide customers using our
charter and scheduled operations with the highest levels
of customer service and value that have been our hallmark
for the last 15 years.
On behalf of the directors, shareholders and employees of
Volga-Dnepr Group, thank you for your support so far. We
value our partnership with you and look forward to serving
you for many years to come.
ALEXEY ISAIKIN
Chairman & President
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