West End Airport

Last updated
West End Airport
Aerial view of West End Airport, Grand Bahama.jpg
Summary
Airport typePrivate
Owner/OperatorOld Bahama Bay Resort
Serves West End, Grand Bahama
Location West End, Bahamas
Elevation  AMSL 5 ft / 2 m
Coordinates 26°41′07″N078°58′30″W / 26.68528°N 78.97500°W / 26.68528; -78.97500
Websitewww.oldbahamabayresorts.com
Map
Bahamas location map.svg
Airplane silhouette.svg
MYGW
Location in the Bahamas
Runways
Direction LengthSurface
mft
n/a2,4387,999n/a
11/292,4387,999n/a
Source: Great Circle Mapper [1]

West End Airport( IATA : WTD, ICAO : MYGW) is an airport that serves West End, Grand Bahama. [2] While smaller than the other airport on the island located in Freeport, this airport has a paved runway 7,999 feet in length as well as onsite customs and immigration. This airport currently serves private planes and charters. The airport features the westernmost runway in the entire Bahamian archipelago.

History

Mackey Airlines DC-6 at West End Airport in 1965 Douglas DC-6, Mackey Airlines JP5930439.jpg
Mackey Airlines DC-6 at West End Airport in 1965

The airport was constructed as part of an ambitious plan to construct a 1000-guest resort at West End in the late 1940s by the British firm Butlin's. The partially-constructed resort operated for a single season in 1950 before Butlin's ran out of money. A small part of the resort was brought back into operation in 1955 before being more fundamentally redeveloped in 1960.

In 1963, the airport was renamed Jack Tar International Airport in connection with the redevelopment of the Butlin's site into Jack Tar Village. [3] West End Airport was the main airport for Grand Bahama until Freeport's overshadowed it.

According to its route map, in 1971 Northeast Airlines was operating scheduled passenger jet service nonstop between Boston (BOS) and the airport. [4] [5]

References

  1. ↑ Airport information for MYGW at Great Circle Mapper.
  2. ↑ Airport guide
  3. ↑ "West End Opens Jack Tar Airport". Fort Lauderdale News and Sun-Sentinel: 8C. 25 August 1963. ISSN   0744-8147.
  4. ↑ "Northeast Airlines August 1971 Route Map". www.departedflights.com. Retrieved 2024-01-23.
  5. ↑ "First Flight from Boston to West End, Grand Bahama - Special Cover Signed co-signed by: Captain H. A. Cook | HistoryForSale Item 287859".



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