A proposal to establish a dedicated campus for training polar aviation specialists has been put forward for the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). The initiative was announced by Pyotr Ammosov, a member of the State Duma Committee on Transport and Transport Infrastructure Development, during the Arctic: Today and the Future forum in St. Petersburg.

The deputy, who spoke at a working session, Moving Upwards: Affordable Air Connectivity in the Arctic and the Far East, argued that training pilots directly in the region is far more effective than retraining pilots from other areas to adapt to the extreme Arctic conditions.

“Flying for seven months in temperatures of -50°C is a formidable challenge. We need specialists who are specifically trained for this environment right here in the region,” he emphasized.

He noted that the region is currently facing a critical shortage of qualified aviation personnel. To address this, the regional government has already discussed the creation of an aviation school campus with Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, and all necessary documentation has been prepared. Now, the region is looking for concrete action and practical results, Pyotr Ammosov stressed.

Once operational, the new campus is projected to graduate up to 350 specialists annually.