Ruhnu

57°47'02"N 023°15'58"E

Runway: 13/31 -  600x20m - hardened (perforated concrete) grass

Ruhnu airfield (Estonian: Ruhnu lennuväli, ICAO: EERU) is a small airfield on the island of Ruhnu, 200 kilometers sourthwest of Tallinn.
The airfield was already operational in Soviet times, but I could not find when it opened. At the time, it was served by an Aeroflot An-2.


An early photo of an Aeroflot An-2 at Ruhnu in snowy conditions. Notice the differences between this and later colourschemes of Aeroflot and the scimitar shaped propellor blades (militaar.net via Eesti Entsüklopeedia)


Undated photo of a Soviet Aeroflot An-2 in front of the station building at Ruhnu (ruhnu.ee). 

The airfield has a 60m wide perforated concrete reinforced grass landing field, on which a 20m wide runway is laid out. It can handle aircraft up to 7 tonnes MTOW. Between 1996 and 2006 it had services to Küresaare and Pärnu, operated by an Air Livonia An-28. In 2006 both services were taken over by Luftverkehr Friesland Harle (LFH) BN-2 Islanders. On 3 March 2007, after having postponed the flight for severeal days due to the weather, LFH decided to make the flight despite doubts about the weather, because of problems with supplies on the island. The flight resulted in the crash of BN-2B D-ILFB at the airfield when it hit trees in low clouds. Fortunately the pilot and the two passengers walked from the wreck with only minor injuries, but the aircraft was written off.
In 2013 Ruhnu airfield handled over 1200 passengers and 15 tonnes of cargo. The airfield is managed by AS Tallinna Lennujaam Kuressaare lennujaam (Kuressaare Airport).


Undated photo of An-28 YL-KAD (ex RA-28753) of Rigas Aeroklubs at Ruhnu (kultuurimälestiste)



Britten Norman BN-2B Islander D-ILFA of LFH at Ruhnu (Heidi Tooming at Eesti Entsüklopeedia)


Landing and take off at Estonian Ruhnu island in May 2009.


June 2014 aerodrome map of Ruhnu airfield


June 2014 approach chart for Ruhnu airfield