In civil aviation of the CIS countries, Uzbekistan occupies a special place. Transport communications of the Republic are limited by a lack of sea and river routes, direct rail link with the countries of far abroad. After the formation of Uzbekistan as an independent state it became evident that the intensive development of air transport, and the Republic’s leadership has paid this area of the economy seriously, which puts air transport of Uzbekistan in a special position compared to many countries in the former Soviet Union.
In January 1992, was created a single airline, named “Uzbekistan Airways” (or, as often referred to it in the Republic, the NAC is the national airline), which combines almost the entire civil aviation of Uzbekistan. To it covers a fairly extensive air transport system (12 airports, a fleet of nearly one hundred haul and medium – haul aircraft) and aircraft repair plant.
The Republic has also a full-fledged aircraft manufacturing (Tashkent aviation-production Association. V. P. Chkalov, TAPOiCh), producing transport aircraft Il-76 of different modifications and a modern turboprop passenger aircraft Il-114.