Okadama Airport

Okadama Airport
Sapporo Okadama Airport
札幌丘珠空港
Sapporo Okadama Kūkō
Okadama airport01.JPG
IATA: OKDICAO: RJCO
Summary
Airport type Public
Operator Japan Defense Agency, Ministry of Transport
Serves Sapporo
Location Higashi-ku, Sapporo
Elevation AMSL 26 ft / 8 m
Coordinates 43°07′03″N 141°22′53″E / 43.1175°N 141.38139°E / 43.1175; 141.38139Coordinates: 43°07′03″N 141°22′53″E / 43.1175°N 141.38139°E / 43.1175; 141.38139
Website www.okadama-airport.co.jp
Map
RJCO is located in Japan
RJCO
Location in Japan
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
14/32 1,500 4,921 Asphalt
Statistics (2006)
Passengers 384,183
Source: Japanese AIP at AIS Japan[1]

Sapporo Okadama Airport (札幌丘珠空港 Sapporo Okadama Kūkō?) (IATA: OKDICAO: RJCO) is an airport located in Okadamachō, Higashi-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 4 NM (7.4 km; 4.6 mi) north[1] of the city center of Sapporo. Its scheduled airline service is limited to turboprop flights to other cities in Hokkaidō: larger aircraft use New Chitose Airport, 45 km (28 mi) south of the city. The airport is also used by the Japan Self-Defense Forces and by corporate and general aviation operators: an adjacent facility houses the air traffic control center for Hokkaido and the Tohoku region.

Contents

History

Okadama was constructed between 1942 and 1944 as an airfield for the Imperial Japanese Army. Following Japan's surrender to the United States in 1945, ending World War II, the United States Army Air Force took over the airfield, holding it until the end of the US occupation in 1952. Following the occupation, the field reverted to the Japan Self-Defense Forces.

Civilian passenger operations began in 1956. Toa Domestic Airlines (later Japan Air System) and All Nippon Airways operated propeller service at the airport through the mid-1970s, chiefly using NAMC YS-11 turboprops, but gradually transferred domestic operations to New Chitose Airport which was better equipped to handle larger jet aircraft. In 1974, Toa ceased operations at Okadama and ANA established a new subsidiary, Air Nippon, to handle YS-11 flights at the airport. ANA later replaced its YS-11s with quieter Bombardier Dash 8 turboprops.

ANA ceased Okadama operations in 2010, leaving JAL affiliate Hokkaido Air System as the airport's only scheduled carrier. HAS continues to serve the airport using Saab 340 turboprops.

Other facilities

The headquarters of Hokkaido Air System is located on the property of Okadama Airport.[2] Previously the airline was headquartered in the New Chitose Airport terminal in Chitose.[3]

Airlines and destinations

Airlines Destinations
Hokkaidō Air System Hakodate, Kushiro, Memanbetsu, Rishiri

JGSDF units

  • Northern Air Corps Headquarters (Beechcraft King Air 350)
  • Northern Helicopter Corps (H-6, UH-1)
  • No. 7 Division Airborne
  • No. 11 Division Airborne

Ground transportation

  • Hokuto Kotsu Bus
  • Hokkaidō Chūō Bus

References

  1. ^ a b AIS Japan
  2. ^ "会社概要." Hokkaido Air System. Retrieved on August 30, 2011. "〒007-0880 札幌市東区丘珠町 丘珠空港内"
  3. ^ "会社概要." Hokkaido Air System. Retrieved on May 19, 2009. "本社事務所 : 千歳市美々新千歳空港ターミナルビル内"

External links