THE SIGHT & THE SOUND 3/11 : Flight onboard Grodno Avia AN-30 EW-281CN from Minsk to Grodno (GNA)

Daniel’s Travel Vlog

FLIGHT #3/11 GRODNO AVIA AN-30R EW-281CN MINSK (MSQ) - GRODNO (GNA), OCTOBER 8, 2016

This video has been remastered and significantly improved in Sight & Sound and replaces the initial version, published in 2016.

Being tempted by the idea to join the final scheduled flight of Belavia's legendary TU-154M on a rotation from Minsk to St. Petersburg and back, it just made sense to change my usual access to Belarus from a direct flight from Frankfurt to a Motor Sich Airlines flight from Zaporizhia, Ukraine.

Especially, because a YAK-40 and an AN-140 have been planned for scenic flights out of Minsk, the possibility was likely to get a two hour YAK-40 and a two hour AN-140 ride in and out of Minsk for 150 EUR.

Once in Zaporizhia, I could not resist the idea to explore once again the network of this very unusual and unique fine little airline, operating solely aircraft of Soviet and Ukrainian production, equipped with engines developed and manufactured by the Motor Sich Engine Plant.

It was a tough decision whether or whether not to join a very tempting ferry flight back from Minsk to Grodno airport close to the Polish border on board Grodno Avia's AN-30 right after arrival from Zaporizhia.

Weather forecast for Minsk on this Saturday could not be worse, ground visibility of Zero forecasted.

However, the low pressure zone accompanied by a gigantic rain front moved forward slower than expected and was not to reach Minsk before Sunday night.

So, it was a quick decision to spend money and jump on board my very first flight on board AN-30 with a passenger load on only two !

The crew was very accomodating and understanding and provided all possible seats including cockpit for filming on this 47 minute ride.

This flight on board AN-30 was the third flight of total eleven on this tour.

History of Antonov 30R EW-281CN

Airframe 1402 was manufactured on February 14, 1978 at the Aviant Plant 473 in Kiev-Svyatoshino, delivered to the Division of Central Regions of Aeroflot on March 27, 1978 and based at Myachkovo (UUBM), registered CCCP-30001.

CCCP-30001 was converted to version AN-30R in Myachkovo on August 16, 1984.

CCCP-30001 was registered RA-30001 on September 23, 1993 and transferred to Myachkovo Air Services on August 23, 1994.

RA-30001 was sold to Geodynamika, based at Myachkovo on August 7, 2002.

RA-30001 was sold to Grodno Aviakompania, based at Grodno (GNA), Belarus on September 26, 2011 and registered EW-281CN on October 16, the same year.

EW-281CN was acquired by Abakan Air on April 25, 2019 and based at Yakutsk with her former registration RA-30001.

RA-30001 is reported stored in Yakutsk.

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Flight details

Flight : GRX 3003
Date : Saturday, October 8, 2016
Aircraft : AN-30R
Registration : EW-281CN
Previous registrations :
- CCCP-30001 (Aeroflot)
- RA-30001 (Geodynamika)
Later registration :
- RA-30001 (Abakan Air)
Built : 1978
From : Minsk (MSQ)
To : Grodno (GNA)
Take off : 16.16 h (1316 UTC)
Touch down : 17.03 h (1403 UTC)
Flying time : 47 minutes
Flying distance : 264 km
Altitude : 10.000 ft
Speed : 390 km/h
Flight Captain : Trushkin
First Officer : Larin
Flight Engineer : Deun
Navigator : Kachalov, Oleg Vladimirovich
Technician : Zayac
Technician : Chuchel