NW Avia is an airline based at Sands (airport) in Petrozavodsk. It is the only air company in the Republic of Karelia. Its main purpose is aerial fire-fighting (for which it is licensed, it is part of Avialesookhrana) although it does perform other typical aerial services (including pipeline and forest patrols, medical flights and search-and-rescue), scheduled and charter passenger flights (commenced in 2009) and charter cargo services. NW Avia is currently undergoing reorganization with massive debts (~10 million rubles, it peaked at ~22 million rubles) and is the largest debtor in the Republic of Karelia.