Moscow Sheremetyevo airport has won certificate confirming its capability to conduct ICAO Cat.III operations until December 2015.

The certificate is issued by the CIS civil aviation authority, the Interstate Aviation Committee, Russian acronym MAK. Thorough inspections of navigational, radio and lighting equipment were carried out by MAK specialists before issuing the document.

The certificate permits Sheremetyevo to conduct landing operations in heavy weather conditions using two runways when direct vision is only 200m.

The Russian government supports infrastructure improvement efforts in Sheremetyevo . The Federal Purpose Program “Development of Russian transportation system in 2010-2015” calls for a large volume of work to be carried out in this airport. Some of the work was done in 2010. Sheremetyevo has received new runway surveillance radar sets and modern lighting equipment. A new control-and-dispatcher post shall soon become operational.

The Runway 01 won ICAO Cat. IIIA approval back in 2002, and was one of the kind in Russia that time. The Runway 02 reopened after overhaul on 5 March 2008. This runway also holds Cat.IIIA approval.

Sheremetyevo is Russia’s largest airport by the number of passengers travelling on international flights. During January – November 2010 the airport served 17.9 million passengers, 32% more than same period previous year.