Aviation

Runway excursion for Air Astana Airbus A320 at Astana Airport, left engine damaged

An Air Astana Airbus A320-200, registration P4-KBB performing flight KC-352 from Shymkent to Astana (Kazakhstan) with 97 passengers and 9 crew, landed on Astana’s runway 22 at 13:22L (07:22Z) but went right off the runway temporarily, crossed taxiways B and C and returned onto the center line of the runway. There were no injuries, the aircraft sustained damage to the left hand engine inlet.

Thunderstorms associated with winds gusting up to 49 knots were battering the city at that time causing a building crane to collapse, houses being unroofed and about 20 people on the ground being injured.

Kazakhstan’s Civil Aviation Department reported the aircraft went off the runway during roll out at 13:22L. The aircraft was towed to the apron. The airport was closed for about 40 minutes as result.

Aviation

Aeroflot Buys Used Planes for Spare Parts Amid Sanctions

In the face of ongoing Western sanctions that have severely impacted Russia’s aviation industry, Aeroflot, the country’s largest airline, has devised a strategic plan to bolster its fleet’s spare parts inventory.

The airline is set to acquire five Boeing 737-800BCF freighters from Atran Airlines, a move that will allow it to dismantle the aircraft for critical components. The planes, which will be transferred to Aeroflot’s low-cost subsidiary Pobeda, will not be converted into passenger jets but instead will be stripped for valuable parts to support existing operations.

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Aeroflot’s plan to purchase these Boeing 737-800BCF freighters comes as part of a broader strategy to mitigate the effects of Western sanctions, which have crippled the Russian aviation sector. With the sanctions restricting access to essential aircraft parts and spare components, Aeroflot is exploring alternative ways to maintain and repair its fleet.

Instead of converting the freighters from cargo to passenger planes, a process deemed “unreasonably expensive” under current sanctions, the airline intends to focus on extracting high-value components such as engines, landing gear, avionics, and other essential systems.

The deal will be structured in a way that allows Aeroflot to indirectly purchase the freighters through an insurance settlement with the aircraft’s lessor, AerCap.

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The Russian government’s insurance company will reimburse the aircraft’s value, and the planes will then be leased back to local operators. This method circumvents some of the restrictions imposed by international sanctions while ensuring that the airline gains access to the necessary components to support its fleet.

By dismantling the aircraft for spare parts, Aeroflot aims to secure critical resources for the ongoing maintenance of its existing fleet. Components from the Boeing 737-800BCF freighters, such as engines and avionics, are expected to be reused in other aircraft within Aeroflot’s network, ensuring that the airline can keep its operations running smoothly