Narsarsuaq Airport

Last updated

Narsarsuaq Airport

Mittarfik Narsarsuaq

Narsarsuaq Lufthavn
Narsarsuaq-airport-terminal-from-tarmac.jpg
Summary
Airport typePublic
Operator Greenland Airport Authority
(Mittarfeqarfiit)
Serves Narsarsuaq
Elevation  AMSL 112 ft / 34 m
Coordinates 61°09′39″N45°25′32″W / 61.16083°N 45.42556°W / 61.16083; -45.42556 Coordinates: 61°09′39″N45°25′32″W / 61.16083°N 45.42556°W / 61.16083; -45.42556
Website Narsarsuaq Airport
Map
Greenland edcp location map.svg
Airplane silhouette.svg
BGBW
Location in Greenland
Runways
Direction LengthSurface
mft
07/251,8306,004Concrete
Statistics (2012)
Passengers26,284
Source: Danish AIS [1]

Narsarsuaq Airport (Greenlandic : Mittarfik Narsarsuaq) ( IATA : UAK, ICAO : BGBW) is an airport located in Narsarsuaq, a settlement in the Kujalleq municipality in southern Greenland. Along with Kangerlussuaq Airport, it is one of two airports in Greenland capable of serving large airliners. It is also the only international airport in southern Greenland. The settlement it serves is small, with the airport primarily functioning as a transfer point for passengers heading for the helicopter hubs of Air Greenland in Qaqortoq and Nanortalik. The airport is to be closed in 2025 when Qaqortoq Airport is scheduled to open. [2]

Contents

History

Terminal at Narsarsuaq Airport Narsarsuaq-airport-terminal.jpg
Terminal at Narsarsuaq Airport

World War II

The airfield at Narsarsuaq was first built by the United States Department of War (now the Department of Defense) as an army airbase, its construction beginning in July 1941 [3] and the first aircraft landing in January 1942. During World War II the airbase−codenamed Bluie West One −hosted squadrons of PBY Catalina flying boats and B-25 Mitchell bombers with the assignment to escort allied convoys and track and destroy German submarines.

A military hospital with 250 beds was completed in 1943. [4] Approximately 4,000 people were stationed at the base during the war. [3] It is estimated that during that time more than 10,000 aircraft were ferried through the airbase. On 6 July 1942 the supply ship SS Montrose was wrecked on a cliff in the Tunulliarfik Fjord southwest of the airbase. [5] The first aircraft from the Danish Air Force stationed at Narsarsuaq was a PBY Catalina in 1947 and a B-17 Flying Fortress in 1948. [5]

After the war

Air Greenland served all primary heliports in southern Greenland with a Sikorsky S-61N helicopter until the mid 2010s. Narsarsuaq-airport-sikorsky-s61n.jpg
Air Greenland served all primary heliports in southern Greenland with a Sikorsky S-61N helicopter until the mid 2010s.
Looking southwest over Narsarsuaq Airport and Tunugdliafik (Eriks Fjord) in November 2020 Narsarsuaq Airport Overview looking SW.jpg
Looking southwest over Narsarsuaq Airport and Tunugdliafik (Eriks Fjord) in November 2020

Civil air traffic began in 1949 with Douglas DC-4 propliners operated by Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) and Icelandair. US and Denmark signed The Agreement related to the defense of Greenland on 27 April 1951, with both countries agreeing to share the Bluie West One airbase. In 1952, the Danish Air Force stationed Airgroup West with a PBY Catalina at the airport.

The US Air Force left Bluie West One in November 1958, [5] and the airbase was closed. In January 1959, M/S Hans Hedtoft of Denmark and all on board were lost near the southern tip of Greenland. The Danish Authorities decided to reopen the airport soon after. From November 1959, the Danish Air Force had three PBY Catalinas stationed at Narsarsuaq with the assignment to make ice-observations along the coast of Greenland, and these observations were broadcast to ships in the area.

In the 1960s and 1970s, Greenlandair and SAS both served Narsarsuaq with Douglas DC-6 propliners [6] while Icelandair operated Boeing 727 jets. During the 1980s, SAS operated Douglas DC-8 jets at Narsarsuaq. Since 1 January 1988, the airport has been operated by Mittarfeqarfiit, the Greenland Airport Administration. Ice-observations are still based at Narsarsuaq and carried out with the AS350 Eurocopter aircraft.

Decline

The airport served as a regional focus city for Air Greenland until the late 2000s, when tough economic conditions forced the airline to raise the low season prices several times. [7] [8] In 2009 the airline announced the sale of Kunuunnguaq, [9] a Boeing 757-200, one of two airliners in the fleet, serving the Narsarsuaq-Copenhagen route. Later the same year, the airline announced the acquisition of two new STOL aircraft, being de Havilland Canada Dash-8 200 turboprops, one of which would serve the newly opened triangular route between Narsarsuaq, Nuuk, and Reykjavík-Keflavík. [10]

The new route was closed before the first flights could commence, adding to resentment amongst businesses and the community of South Greenland. [11] The declared demand for the direct connection with Iceland was not reflected in ticket sales numbers, which contributed to the pullout decision. [12]

With the Boeing airliner sold on 26 April 2010, [13] the entire Kujalleq municipality, and southern Greenland in general remains without prospects for a direct connection to continental Europe. [14] The financial crisis of 2008–2010 and the air travel disruption after the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption both contributed to lower passenger demand, while competition from Air Iceland on the route to Iceland rendered the prospected Air Greenland route to Denmark unprofitable, leading directly to the decline in traffic in southern Greenland. Re-establishment of a direct route to continental Europe was unlikely to happen in 2011. [14] In 2012, flights to/from Copenhagen started in the summer by chartering a separate operator.

Future

The new airport in Qaqortoq is currently under construction and is scheduled to open in 2025. This eliminates the need for Narsarsuaq as a domestic and Iceland-bound gateway to South Greenland. In 2022 the Greenlandic government decided that Narsarsuaq will be downscaled to a heliport, losing the runway. [15] General aviation, historic planes and ferry flights crossing the North Atlantic ocean must use alternative airports for refuelling. Narsarsuaq village will remain inhabited, though the loss of the airport function is already having its toll. [16]

The first Greenland Air Trophy took place at Narsarsuaq Airport, 30 June 2019. The winning pilot was Rene Petersen of Greenland, second and third places both taken by French pilots.

Facilities

In the terminal there is a simple cafeteria, a duty-free 'Nanoq' shop, [17] as well as a small tourist office, which helps coordinate general aviation activities at the airport.

Airlines and destinations

AirlinesDestinations
Air Greenland Alluitsup Paa, Kangerlussuaq, Nanortalik, Narsaq, Nuuk, Paamiut, Qaqortoq [18]
Seasonal: Copenhagen
Icelandair Seasonal: Reykjavík–Keflavík [19]

Accidents and incidents

Ground transport

Transfers to local settlements are normally done by boat or helicopter flights. Diskoline sells tickets to boats to Narsaq and Qaqortoq. Boats require a bus transfer since the port is around 2.5 km (1.5 mi) from the terminal. [22]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transport in Greenland</span>

The transportation system in Greenland is very unusual in that Greenland has no railways, no inland waterways, and virtually no roads between towns. Historically the major means of transportation has been by boat around the coast in summer and by dog sled in winter, particularly in the north and east. Nowadays air travel, by helicopter or other aircraft, is the main way of travel.

Icelandair is the flag carrier airline of Iceland, with its corporate head office on the property of Reykjavík Airport in the capital city Reykjavik. It is part of the Icelandair Group and operates to destinations on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean from its main hub at Keflavík International Airport. The geographical position of Iceland is convenient for one-stop transatlantic flights, which is one pillar of the airline's business strategy, along with traffic to, from, and within the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Narsarsuaq</span> Place in Greenland, Kingdom of Denmark

Narsarsuaq is a settlement in the Kujalleq municipality in southern Greenland. It had 123 inhabitants in 2020. There is a thriving tourism industry in and around Narsarsuaq, whose attractions include a great diversity of wildlife, gemstones, tours to glaciers, and an airfield museum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vágar Airport</span> Airport in the Faroe Islands

Vágar Airport is the only airport in the Faroe Islands, and is located 1 NM east of the village of Sørvágur, on the island of Vágar. Due to the Faroe Islands' status as a self-governing territory, the airport is not subject to the rules of the European Union. It is the main operating base for Faroese national airline Atlantic Airways and, for a brief period during 2006, was also the base for the low-cost airline FaroeJet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air Greenland</span> Flag carrier airline of Greenland

Air Greenland A/S, also known as Greenlandair, is the flag carrier airline of Greenland, owned by the Greenlandic Government. It operates a fleet of 28 aircraft, including 2 airliners used for transatlantic and charter flights, 8 fixed-wing aircraft primarily serving the domestic network, and 18 helicopters feeding passengers from the smaller communities into the domestic airport network. Flights to heliports in the remote settlements are operated on contract with the government of Greenland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Narsarsuaq Air Base</span> Airport in Narsarsuaq, near the southern tip of Greenland

Bluie West One, later known as Narsarsuaq Air Base and Narsarsuaq Airport, was built on a glacial moraine at what is now the village of Narsarsuaq, near the southern tip of Greenland. Construction by the United States Army began in June 1941. The first aircraft landed there in January 1942, as a link in the North Atlantic air ferry route in World War II. The base had a peak population of about 4,000 American servicemen, and it is estimated that some 10,000 aircraft landed there en route to the war in Europe and North Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nuuk Airport</span> Airport in Nuuk, Greenland

Nuuk Airport is an airport serving Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. The airport is a technical base and focus city for Air Greenland, the flag carrier airline of Greenland, linking the capital with several towns in western and south-western part of the country, including the airline hub at Kangerlussuaq Airport. With connections to Iceland, Nuuk Airport is also one of six international airports in Greenland but serves only destinations within Greenland and Iceland. International connections are made with flights to either Keflavík International Airport in Iceland or Kangerlussuaq Airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Narsaq</span> Place in Greenland, Kingdom of Denmark

Narsaq is a town in the Kujalleq municipality in southern Greenland. The name Narsaq is Kalaallisut for "Plain", referring to the shore of Tunulliarfik Fjord where the town is located.

Qaqortoq, formerly Julianehåb, is a city in the Kujalleq municipality in southern Greenland, located near Cape Thorvaldsen. With a population of 3,050 in 2020, it is the most populous town and the municipal capital in southern Greenland and the fourth or fifth-largest town on the island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kangerlussuaq Airport</span> Main international airport in Greenland

Kangerlussuaq Airport is an airport in Kangerlussuaq, a settlement in the Qeqqata municipality in central-western Greenland. Alongside Narsarsuaq Airport, it is one of only two civilian airports in Greenland large enough to handle large airliners. It is located away from the coast and hence less prone to fog and wind in comparison with other airports in Greenland. Kangerlussuaq Airport is the international hub for Air Greenland. The Kangerlussuaq area has very few inhabitants, so few passengers have their origin or destination here; most passengers change planes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saarloq</span> Place in Greenland, Kingdom of Denmark

Saarloq is a settlement in the Kujalleq municipality in southern Greenland. Its population was 21 in 2020. It is located on a small island with the same name off the Labrador Sea coast, at the mouth of the Qaqortoq Fjord, west of Alluitsup Paa and 20 km south of Qaqortoq.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Akureyri Airport</span> Airport

Akureyri Airport is a single-runway international airport in Akureyri, Iceland, 3 kilometres south of the town centre. Icelandair and Norlandair link the airport with several domestic locations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kulusuk Airport</span> Airport

Kulusuk Airport is an airport in Kulusuk, a settlement on an island of the same name off the shore of the North Atlantic in the Sermersooq municipality in southeastern Greenland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greenland Airport Authority</span>

The Greenland Airports is the national airport operator of the airports in Greenland, in charge of airport upgrades and associated fees and taxes in all airports in Greenland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sondrestrom Air Base</span>

Sondrestrom Air Base, originally Bluie West-8, was a United States Air Force base in central Greenland. The site is located 60 mi (97 km) north of the Arctic Circle and 90 mi (140 km) from the northeast end of Kangerlussuaq Fjord. The base is approximately 11 mi (18 km) west-northwest of Ravneklippen and 80 mi (130 km) east of Sisimiut.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Qaqortoq Heliport</span> Airport

Qaqortoq Heliport is a heliport in the southern part of Qaqortoq, a town in the Kujalleq municipality in southern Greenland. The distance to Narsarsuaq Airport, the only airport with flights from Qaqortoq, is 59 kilometres (37 mi).

Tunulliarfik Fjord is a fjord near Qaqortoq in the Kujalleq municipality in southern Greenland. It is the inner section of Skovfjord (Skovfjorden). In times of the Norse settlement in southern Greenland, it was known as Eiriksfjord.

Sky Greenland was a virtual airline headquartered in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, which started operations in June 2014, using a sole Fokker 100 leased from Denim Air ACMI.

References

  1. ↑ Greenland AIP for BGBW – Narsarsuaq Airport from Naviair
  2. ↑ Veirum, Thomas Munk (31 March 2022). "Borgerne har fået besked om Narsarsuaq - den lukkes for fly". SermitsiaqAG. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  3. 1 2 warbirdforum.com
  4. ↑ "warbirdforum.com". Archived from the original on 3 July 2009. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
  5. 1 2 3 warbirdforum.com
  6. ↑ Air Greenland, 50th anniversary website Archived 28 May 2010 at the Wayback Machine (in Danish)
  7. ↑ "Air Greenland: Kritikken holder ikke". Sermitsiaq (in Danish). 30 December 2008. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  8. ↑ "Simon Simonsen ikke tilfreds". Sermitsiaq (in Danish). 6 October 2009. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  9. ↑ "Air Greenland sælger Kunuunnguaq i 2010". Sermitsiaq (in Danish). 6 October 2009. Archived from the original on 3 May 2010. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  10. ↑ "Flere sydgrønlandske flyafgange". Sermitsiaq (in Danish). 6 October 2009. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  11. ↑ "Erhvervsliv raser mod Air Greenland". Sermitsiaq (in Danish). 14 April 2010. Archived from the original on 15 April 2010. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  12. ↑ Air Greenland News Archive Archived 19 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine (in Danish)
  13. ↑ "Farvel til Kunuunnguaq". Sermitsiaq (in Danish). 26 April 2010. Archived from the original on 30 April 2010. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  14. 1 2 "Sermitsiaq mener: Farvel til atlantruten". Sermitsiaq (in Danish). 3 May 2010. Archived from the original on 25 May 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  15. ↑ Veirum, Thomas Munk (31 March 2022). "Borgerne har fået besked om Narsarsuaq - den lukkes for fly". SermitsiaqAG. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  16. ↑ Møller Andersen, Nina-Vivi (4 April 2022). "Borgere i Narsarsuaq: Folk er begyndt at flytte". SermitsiaqAG. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  17. ↑ greennet.gl
  18. ↑ "Booking system". Air Greenland. Archived from the original on 22 April 2010. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  19. ↑ "Icelandair NS23 Operation Changes – 23NOV22". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  20. ↑ "N68736 Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  21. ↑ "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  22. ↑ The distance is seen on images such as Google Maps. The operator Blue Ice mentions a car, but it's more likely a minibus because of the boat size.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.