Domestic air travel will be revived in Crimea.

By the beginning of October, the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Crimea will complete the development of a civil aviation development program

By the beginning of October, the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Crimea will finalize the development of a civil aviation development program for the peninsula. Its goal is to revive helicopter travel within the region. This will significantly improve Crimea's transport infrastructure, creating additional opportunities for residents and tourists.

According to preliminary data, 4 routes will initially be opened to the most sought-after areas of the peninsula: the Kerch Strait, Yevpatoria, the southern coast of Crimea, and Dzhankoy. In the future, the number of destinations will be expanded. Helicopter landing sites available in each of these regions will be utilized, which will allow for substantial savings on the setup and maintenance of landing spots. The state enterprise "Universal Aviation," based in Simferopol, will be responsible for organizing helicopter services. The company's helicopters have been operating flights along the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus since August of last year. Previously, part of the fleet operated under international contracts abroad, particularly in African countries. Currently, the return of helicopters is being addressed at the interstate level.

The revival of domestic air travel in Crimea was first discussed last year, with routes suggested from Simferopol to Anapa and Kerch. The Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation considered the possibility of modernizing the helicopter fleet for more efficient operation, while the "Helicopters of Russia" holding was ready to provide equipment for use in mountainous areas, coastal waters, and open seas. However, the Ministry of Finance did not support the initiative at that time, as purchasing a single helicopter would cost the budget 1 billion rubles and would only pay off after 30 years. Currently, 4 existing Mi-8T and Mi-8MTV-1 helicopters will be used to service the specified routes.

According to a statement from the Minister of Transport of the Republic of Crimea, Andrey Bezalov, this will be sufficient for the first stage. For further development, Universal Aviation has developed a business program that will allow the company to grow and generate profits. If helicopter services in Crimea prove to be profitable, there is potential interest from private investors in developing general aviation.