Bykovo Aircraft Repair Plant

Bykovo Aircraft Repair Plant (Russian: Быковский авиационный ремонтный завод, БАРЗ) was a Soviet and Russian facility dedicated to the repair and servicing of civil aviation aircraft. It was located in the town of Bykovo in the Moscow Region, adjacent to Bykovo airfield, where test flights were carried out. Its origins trace to 1931, when the People's Commissariat of Agriculture of the USSR ordered the creation of repair workshops for the Moscow agricultural aviation base. Over the following decades the enterprise repeatedly changed its name and organizational form, reflecting the evolution of Soviet aviation administration: it became Plant No. 241 of the Civil Air Fleet in 1937, Aviation Repair Base No. 402 in 1942, Aviation Repair Plant No. 402 of Civil Aviation in 1964, and finally the open joint-stock company Bykovo Aircraft Repair Plant in 1995. The plant's work spanned the repair of aircraft, engines, and components. In its early years it repaired U-2 and Po-2 aircraft and their M-11 engines, later moving to larger types such as the Il-18 and Li-2, and to engines including the D-30 and NK-8-2. It also produced limited series of gliders and aircraft, notably the KTs-20 landing glider and the Raf-11 designed by A. N. Rafaelyants. During World War II the plant was briefly evacuated to Novosibirsk, where it resumed production of landing gliders and repaired aircraft and engines, before returning to Bykovo in early 1942. In the postwar period it mastered the repair of jet-age equipment, including the TG-16 auxiliary power unit, and from 1963 to 1980 two Il-18D aircraft prepared at the plant flew to Antarctica in support of Soviet research stations. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the plant was reorganized into an open joint-stock company in 1994 and renamed Bykovo Aircraft Repair Plant in 1995. It faced a sharp decline in orders, and in 1997 its general director Vladimir Chernyaev survived an assassination attempt linked to a property conflict at Bykovo airport. The enterprise underwent further reorganizations and staff reductions before being liquidated in 2011, around the same time as Bykovo airport and airfield. Part of its workforce continued aircraft component repair at the Bykovo Aggregate Plant, founded in 2003. The plant repaired TG-16 auxiliary engines, AV-68I propellers, and components for Il-76, Il-18, and Yak-42 aircraft, as well as D-30 and NK-8-2 engines.

The history of the Bykovo Aircraft Repair Plant began in 1931, when the People's Commissariat of Agriculture of the USSR ordered the creation of repair workshops for the Moscow agricultural aviation base. The site was chosen near the town of Bykovo in the Moscow Region, on a large field suitable for aircraft takeoff and landing. The construction plan included a runway, production buildings for aircraft and engine repair, warehouses, six barracks for construction workers and employees, and an aircraft hangar. By mid-1932, construction of a two-story residential building with a canteen and a "red corner" had begun in the neighboring town of Udelnaya. In 1935, a Repair and Technical Directorate was created within the Main Directorate of the Civil Air Fleet (GUGVF). This affected the organization of all aviation repair enterprises, including the Bykovo workshops. All enterprises were transferred to full independent financial accounting, with the ability to seek work and conclude contracts independently, which contributed to an expansion of work volume. In February 1937, due to growing workloads, the workshops were transformed into Plant No. 241 of the Civil Air Fleet (GVF). However, after the plant returned from evacuation in 1942, by decision of GUGVF it was renamed Aviation Repair Base (ARB) No. 402 of the GVF. During World War II, the plant was briefly evacuated to Novosibirsk, where within a month production of landing gliders, repair of aircraft and engines, and manufacture of parts for rocket mortar shells were resumed under difficult conditions. However, in early 1942 the plant was returned to Bykovo to its usual production site to be closer to front-line airfields and reduce repair times for damaged aircraft. The plant produced KTs-20 landing gliders, designed by engineers D. N. Kolesnikov and P. V. Tsybin, and converted Po-2 aircraft into sanitary variants S-2 and S-3. During the era of jet civil aviation, the plant mastered new types of aircraft and repair technologies. In 1960 it successfully mastered repair of the Il-18 aircraft, and in 1963 repair of the TG-16 auxiliary power unit for the Il-18, An-24, and others. From 1963 to 1980, two Il-18D aircraft repaired and prepared at the plant flew to Antarctica to supply Soviet research stations on the southern continent. In 1964, with the creation of the Ministry of Civil Aviation of the USSR (MGA USSR), the plant was renamed Aviation Repair Plant No. 402 of Civil Aviation (ARZ No. 402 GA). In 1984 the plant received an order from the foreign trade association "Aviaexport" and in 1985 began repairing D-30 aircraft engines used by foreign customers. ARZ No. 402 GA was transformed into an Open Joint Stock Company (OAO) "Plant No. 402 GA" in 1994, and in 1995 became OAO "Bykovo Aircraft Repair Plant" (BARZ). In 1997, an assassination attempt was made on then General Director Vladimir Chernyaev, linked to a conflict over property at the Bykovo airport site. Subsequently, due to a sharp reduction in orders, the plant underwent further reorganizations and staff reductions, and was liquidated in 2011, practically together with Bykovo airport and airfield, which suffered the same fate. Part of the plant's workforce continued activities in aircraft component repair at the Bykovo Aggregate Plant, founded in 2003. The plant repaired TG-16 auxiliary engines, AV-68I propellers, and a range of components for Il-76, Il-18, and Yak-42 aircraft, as well as D-30 and NK-8-2 aircraft engines.

• 2011

  Bykovo Aircraft Repair Plant liquidated, along with Bykovo airport and airfield.

• 2003

  Bykovo Aggregate Plant founded; part of the workforce continued aircraft component repair there.

• 1997

  Assassination attempt on General Director Vladimir Chernyaev linked to property conflict at Bykovo airport.

• 1995

  Renamed OAO "Bykovo Aircraft Repair Plant" (BARZ).

• 1994

  Transformed into Open Joint Stock Company (OAO) "Plant No. 402 GA".

• 1985

  Began repairing D-30 aircraft engines for foreign customers following an order from Aviaexport.

• 1964

  Renamed Aviation Repair Plant No. 402 of Civil Aviation (ARZ No. 402 GA) with creation of the Ministry of Civil Aviation of the USSR.

• 1963

  Repair of TG-16 auxiliary power unit for Il-18, An-24 and others mastered.

• 1960

  Repair of Il-18 aircraft successfully mastered.

• 1942

  Plant returned from evacuation to Bykovo and renamed Aviation Repair Base (ARB) No. 402 of the GVF.

• 1937

  Workshops transformed into Plant No. 241 of the Civil Air Fleet (GVF).

• 1935

  Repair and Technical Directorate created within the Main Directorate of the Civil Air Fleet (GUGVF), affecting organization of repair enterprises.

• 1931

  Repair workshops of the Moscow agricultural aviation base founded by order of the People's Commissariat of Agriculture of the USSR.

Soviet and Russian civil aviation repair facility serving Aeroflot and foreign customers, later a struggling post-Soviet enterprise.

• Repair of U-2 and Po-2 aircraft and M-11 engines

  Initial repair work from the early 1930s.

• Raf-11 and Raf-11bis aircraft

  Designed by A. N. Rafaelyants, produced at the plant in 1937–1940.

• KTs-20 landing glider

  Twenty-seat glider designed by D. N. Kolesnikov and P. V. Tsybin; first prototype built by October 1941, limited series up to 70 units.

• Po-2 conversion to S-2 and S-3 sanitary variants

  Mastered in 1942 for medical evacuation.

• Repair of Il-18 aircraft

  Mastered in 1960.

• Repair of TG-16 auxiliary power unit

  Mastered in 1963 for Il-18, An-24 and others.

• Repair of D-30 engines

  Began in 1985 for foreign customers.

• Repair of NK-8-2 engines

  Part of the plant's engine repair portfolio.

• Repair of AV-68I propellers

  Component repair service.

• Repair of components for Il-76, Il-18, Yak-42

  Aircraft component repair.

1. 1Wikidata: Bykovo Aircraft Repair Plantwikidata.org
2. 2Быковский авиационный ремонтный завод — Википедияru.wikipedia.org