Mys Shmidta Airport

Mys Shmidta

Location of airport in Chukotka

Mys Shmidta Airport (Russian: Аэропорт Мыс Шмидта) (ICAO: UHMI), also known as Cape Shmidt Airport, is a former military airbase in the Iultinsky District of Chukotka, Russia. It is located 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) southeast of Mys Shmidta. It is a major airfield with a 2,450 by 60 metres (8,038 ft × 197 ft) concrete tarmac. It was built in 1954^[2] as an Arctic staging base for intercontinental bomber flights, with caretaker services provided by OGA (Arctic Control Group). The gravel overrun suggests that the runway was to eventually be extended to 3000 m. Unlike airports such as the Provideniya Bay Airport, which has always been a civilian airport, or the Iultin Airport, which was constructed specifically to serve the needs of the remote mine nearby, the Mys Shmidta airport was initially part of the ring of forward staging bases used by the Arctic Control Group (OGA) prior to intercontinental ballistic missiles gaining favour as the primary means of long-range defense.^[3]

Airlines and Destinations

Gallery

• 
  Mys Shmidta Airport, 1960. The first recovered image from the Corona spy satellite (North is roughly toward the bottom of the picture).
• 
  Ilyushin 18c taking off from Cape Schmidt Airport.

See also

• Chekurovka, abandoned Arctic staging base
• Ostrov Bolshevik, abandoned Arctic staging base
• Tiksi North, abandoned Arctic staging base
• Tiksi West, abandoned Arctic staging base
• Dresba, abandoned Arctic staging base

References

External links

• Visit to the area
• Accident history for UHMI at Aviation Safety Network

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