Briefing
We had our pre-flight briefing from ALCI at 11 this morning. Our flight was delayed because there has been a bottleneck of people at the ALCI Airbase, several kilometers from the Russian Novo station (see map below). ALCI uses Bassler Turbo 67 airplanes to take people from the Novo area to other bases and into the field (see DOMLAN flight network map below). However, their planes were grounded elsewhere, so the people on the first flight (IL76-D1) were stuck at the airbase. There are more than 70 people scheduled for IL76-D2, my flight, and there wasn't a place for them/us to stay. Thus the delay. The Basslers (or at least one of them) is in action now, so people are leaving the ALCI airbase and there should be room for more people. My group is staying in a recently renovated previously abandoned building half a kilometer from the Russian base, and our gear is stored in another old building and a shipping container nearby. Thus, the "Oasis" is more convenient for us.
Anyway, our flight is currently scheduled to leave tomorrow evening. We'll find out tomorrow after 6 pm for sure. Unfortunately, though, our hotel is fully booked tomorrow night, so we'll have to check out before 11 am. Our plan is to take our things to ALCI in the morning and meet back there at 6 pm. If we don't leave, we'll find another place to stay. The weather report is good through Friday at least.
In any case, we don't have much luggage any more. ALCI picked all the remaining gear up this afternoon except one small carryon and a bag with our cold-weather clothes. The Iljushin doesn't have overhead bins, so all our carryon has to fit under the seat in front of us. We "check" our cold-weather gear, so that bag doesn't have to meet security regulations and can have more than 100 ml of liquids, sharp objects, etc. However, we need access to those bags before the end of the flight. Thus, we go through airport security without it, but then pick it up on the runway when we board our flight. We then stack those bags behind the passenger area (blue area in upper plane diagram on IL78 figure below) and retrieve them an hour before we land. With so many people on the plane, there won't be any private changing space, so I'll be wearing my base layer before boarding.
We can leave a bag of things at ALCI until we return. I'll leave some books, warm weather clothes and my sandals.
Anyway, our flight is currently scheduled to leave tomorrow evening. We'll find out tomorrow after 6 pm for sure. Unfortunately, though, our hotel is fully booked tomorrow night, so we'll have to check out before 11 am. Our plan is to take our things to ALCI in the morning and meet back there at 6 pm. If we don't leave, we'll find another place to stay. The weather report is good through Friday at least.
In any case, we don't have much luggage any more. ALCI picked all the remaining gear up this afternoon except one small carryon and a bag with our cold-weather clothes. The Iljushin doesn't have overhead bins, so all our carryon has to fit under the seat in front of us. We "check" our cold-weather gear, so that bag doesn't have to meet security regulations and can have more than 100 ml of liquids, sharp objects, etc. However, we need access to those bags before the end of the flight. Thus, we go through airport security without it, but then pick it up on the runway when we board our flight. We then stack those bags behind the passenger area (blue area in upper plane diagram on IL78 figure below) and retrieve them an hour before we land. With so many people on the plane, there won't be any private changing space, so I'll be wearing my base layer before boarding.
We can leave a bag of things at ALCI until we return. I'll leave some books, warm weather clothes and my sandals.
