OREANDA-NEWS. UTair Cargo has launched seasonal flight operations to the ice airfield serving the Barneo Research Station of Russian Geographical Society in the North Pole Region.

UTair Cargo's 2013 flight program began on April 6. Flights to the North Pole are operated with An-74 aircraft specially equipped for high latitude flights and landing on drift ice in the Arctic Ocean.

On April 7 participants of the youth polar expedition "To the North Pole on Skis!" were flown from Domodedovo International Airport in Moscow to Naryan-Mar and then to the Barneo Station aboard a TK-100 modification of the An-74 aircraft. The team of seven young members of the Dinamo Society headed by noted travelers Matvey Shparo and Boris Smolin will make their way by ski over more than 100 km of drifting ice in the Arctic Ocean from the Barneo Research Station to the North Pole.

Since 2000 the drifting Barneo Station has recurring seasonal camp constructed at 89 degrees north latitude, approximately 110 km from the North Pole. The yearly settlement is an initiative of the Russian Geographical Society. The station starts functioning every year in April and operates for about a month. April is the most convenient month for conducting Arctic research because at this time of year the temperature does not go below 30?C. UTair Cargo has been the sponsor of air transport for the Arctic Expedition participants and cargo over the past three years.

UTair Cargo, a division of UTair Aviation, has been a successful operator on the international air cargo market since 1997. The division’s fleet consists of 17 passenger and cargo aircraft including different modifications of An-74 and An-2. UTair-Cargo performs charter cargo and passenger flights in Russia and abroad and regular passenger transportation on regional routes.

Barneo is an ice camp drifting every April in the Arctic Ocean region. For the entire month the camp becomes the main scientific and touristic center in the Arctic region. Every year scientists of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, Institute of Oceanology, RAS and specialists from Natonal Science Foundation of the USA.

The sixth all-Russian youth polar expedition "To the North Pole by Ski!" is devoted to the 90th anniversary of the "Dinamo" Society. Following the results of training camp, which took place in March in a Karelian camp "Big Adventure", seven young people went to the conquest of arctic fields. The team consists of teenagers of 16-17 years old from Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Tambov, Udmurtia, Mordovia, Karelia and Bashkortostan.