Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Silk Avia received an air operator certificate and, on 20 April, began technical flights to commission the airline’s crews by ATR instructors. As part of the first flight, the plane made two circles over the Tashkent airport and went to land. The training flight was attended by Minister of Transport Ilkhom Makhkamov, Director of the Civil Aviation Agency Tokhir Nazarov and Chairman of the Board of Uzbekistan Airports Rano Juraeva.

The second flight, which lasted about two hours, was successfully completed on the route Tashkent - Nukus. According to the established tradition, at the Nukus airport, the plane was met with a water arch. Then the aircraft continued its flight along the Nukus-Navoi / Navoi-Tashkent routes. 

Today, at the helm of the plane is ATR Training Center instructor Olivier Arnaud, whose task is to introduce another instructor, Liudas Ganusauskas, into the flights. Starting tomorrow, instructors will begin commissioning pilots, familiarizing the crews with specific routes and regional airports.

“We are very pleased that for the first time the aviation of Uzbekistan is starting to use our ATR 72-600 type aircraft. For us, as a manufacturer, Silk Avia is a very important partner - the first Uzbek airline that has chosen our aircraft. Understanding the important role the regional airline will play in developing domestic tourism and stimulating the economy of Uzbekistan, we are ready to provide maximum support for the commissioning of crews and the start of Silk Avia flights,” commented ATR Training Center instructor Olivier Arnault.

Six hours of theory and three practical flights without passengers (Ferry Flight) for each pilot is an international commissioning practice and an additional safety measure recommended by the aircraft manufacturer ATR, which was supported by Silk Avia and Uzbekistan Airports.