تصویر:Illusian Il-76 cargo Aircraft, BIAP (2167325070).jpg

Illusian Il-76 cargo Aircraft, BIAP. Baghdad International Airport, formerly Saddam International Airport, is Iraq's largest airport, located in a suburb about 16 km (10 miles) west of downtown Baghdad. Before the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the airport was named Saddam International Airport after Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. Although the name was changed in the invasion's wake, Baghdad retains its former IATA airport code of SDA (although some airlines use the code BGW). Its ICAO airport code was ORBS, but changed to ORBI in 2003. The airport is referred to as BIAP (buy-ap), while the surrounding military complex is called the Victory Base Complex (VBC) by coalition civil and military authorities. On April 3, 2003, United States forces led by the 3rd Infantry Division seized Saddam International Airport as part of the invasion of Baghdad, and then immediately changed the name to "Baghdad International Airport" (commonly referred to as BIAP by U.S. forces). Also, the "Saddam" signage was removed from the terminal buildings and replaced with "Baghdad". All paintings depicting the former leader have now been removed. By mid-year, the airport had became a small city of tents and trailers housing 10,000 American servicemen. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provided a budget of over $17 million to restore the terminal and airfield to operational status. A make shift Burger King restaurant was established by the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) at the U.S. 1st Armored Division headquarters sector of the airport in June 2003. The Royal Australian Air Force provided an air traffic control capability from May 2003 until late 2004. The airport officially reverted to civilian control on August 25, 2004. Iraqi Airways and Royal Jordanian Airlines currently operate regular flights to Amman, Jordan, and FedEx and DHL operate civilian and military cargo services. However, the airport's perimeter is regularly threatened by Iraqi insurgents; aircraft taking off and landing at the airport use a "corkscrew maneuver," a spiraling pattern of climbing and descending directly over the airport to avoid coming within range of small arms and missiles on the ground. A DHL Airbus cargo plane was hit by a surface to air missile shortly after takeoff from the airport in 2003, in what was later known as the DHL shootdown incident. The aircraft performed a successful emergency landing but suffered serious damage to its left wing. Since July 2003, the civilian areas of the airport have been secured by civilian contractors. From July 2003 to June 2004, an American firm, Custer Battles, secured the airport under a contract from the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA). At the completion of their contract, coinciding with the dissolution of the CPA, the Iraq Ministry of Transportation awarded a contract to the British security firm Global RSL.[2] The terminal area is currently secured by a private force of 500 Iraqi and Gurkha guards. The main road from the airport to downtown Baghdad, nicknamed "Route Irish," is now infamous as one of the most dangerous routes in the world. On November 8, 2004, as part of a general US and Iraqi assault against Fallujah, Iraqi Prime Minister Allawi closed the airport for 48 hours, with the stated reason of preventing insurgents from leaving the country. On April 29, 2005, Air Scotland announced its intentions to begin a Glasgow-London Stansted-Irbil-Baghdad service. Although initial intentions were to begin this route in November 2005 with Tristar jetliners, this service never started and Air Scotland is now defunct.

Illusian Il-76 cargo Aircraft, BIAP

January 04, 2008 at 16:36

jamesdale10

see below