Notodden Airport, Tuven

Notodden Airport, Tuven
IATA: NTB – ICAO: ENNO NTB Location of airport in Norway
Summary
Airport type		Public
Owner		Notodden Municipality
Operator		Notodden Lufthavn AS
Serves		Notodden, Norway
Location		Tuven, Notodden
Elevation AMSL		19 m / 62 ft
Coordinates		59°34′00″N 09°13′00″E / 59.5666667°N 9.2166667°E / 59.5666667; 9.2166667Coordinates: 59°34′00″N 09°13′00″E / 59.5666667°N 9.2166667°E / 59.5666667; 9.2166667
Website		www.notodden-flyplass.no
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
	m	ft
12/30	1,393	4,570	Asphalt
Statistics (2010)
Passengers			3,134
Aircraft movements			3,598

Notodden Airport, Tuven (IATA: NTB, ICAO: ENNO) (Norwegian: Notodden flyplass, Tuven) is a municipal regional airport at Heddal in Notodden, Norway. The airport is mostly used for general aviation, and has extensive sailplane activity. Bergen Air Transport operates the airport's only scheduled route, six times per week to Bergen Airport, Flesland. In 2010, the airport had 3,598 aircraft movements and 3,134 passengers. The airport has a single 1,393-by-40-meter (4,570 by 130 ft) runway with flight information service and instrument landing system. In connection with the airport is a water aerodrome, which uses the lake of Heddalsvatnet for take-off and landing.

The airport was opened in 1955, and the following year Braathens SAFE started services to Oslo and Stavanger. Low patronage forced the airline to abandon the route in 1959. In 1968, the runway was extended and the municipality hoped to establish charter services, but these never came to be. Partnair started flights to Oslo and Stavanger in 1985, but these were terminated less than a year later, again due to low patronage. In 1998, Air Team started flights to Oslo and Stavanger, which were replaced by Bergen Air Transport services to Bergen from 2000.

History

The first plans for an airport serving Notodden were launched i 1954 by Reidar Hedwig-Dahl, who was director of the tourist office. In late 1954 or early 1955, he held a meeting with Ludvig G. Braathen, owner of Braathens SAFE, and representatives for his airline. The airline saw Notodden as a possible gateway to Telemark, and during the meeting, Braathen promised to start flying to an airport serving Notodden, if it was built.^[1] At the time, Braathen had started flying to several smaller airports in Norway, using their de Havilland Heron aircraft. Braathen had been traveling around Norway arguing for municipalities to build regional airports, stating that he wanted more but smaller airports than the central authorities were planning for. He succeeded at having similar airports built in Hamar and Røros.^[2]

The issue was discussed politically for the first time on 23 April 1955. An agreement was reached between the municipalities of Heddal and Notodden about financing and owning the airport, whereby Notodden would own seven elevenths and Heddal four elevenths of the airport.^[1] Construction of the airport cost 200,000 Norwegian krone (NOK), which included a 1,000-by-40-meter (3,300 by 130 ft) runway. This was sufficient for the Herons, but the plans included the possibility to extend it by another 240 meters (790 ft) to allow aircraft such as the Douglas DC-3 to land. Construction took seven and a half months,^[3] 9nd the airport opened on 11 November 1955.^[1] The operating costs were estimated to NOK 17,850 for the first year. This excluded air traffic control, which was covered by the state.^[3]

Braathens SAFE started test flights on 14 March 1956, with the route taking 20 minutes from Oslo Airport, Fornebu. The scheduled service was inaugurated on 21 May.^[3] The service was a stop on Braathens SAFE's route between Oslo and Stavanger Airport, Sola. Passengers could travel twice each day to both airports, with tickets costing NOK 30. The services were seasonal, and were only flown during the summer half of the year.^[4] The airport proved to have too few passengers, so the route was terminated after the end of the 1958 season.^[5] The last year, the service was operated by Thor Solberg on contract with Braathens SAFE. From 1959, Solberg started with a two-month service with six weekly round trips to Fornebu, after securing a NOK 5,000 guarantee from the municipality to cover any losses.^[6] The route was abandoned after the single season.^[7]

The airport gradually increased its general aviation.^[8] In the early 1960s, sailplanes became popular at the airport. The airport is located with good wind and air pressure conditions for sailplane flying, and Oslo Flyklubb stationed two of its planes at Tuven.^[9] In 1966, Ronald Stensrud established a pilot school. The latter was forced to close after he failed to make a profit.^[8]

In 1967, Notodden Municipality granted NOK 900,000 and Telemark County Municipality granted NOK 600,000 for the runway to be extended to 1,400 meters (4,600 ft).^[10] The new section of runway was laid down to the lake of Heddalsvatnet. At the same time, the gravel runway was asphalted. The plan was to allow international charter flights to use the airport, aiming at tourists during winter to the neighboring mountain resorts, and was sufficient to allow Fokker F-27 Friendship and Convair CV-440 Metropolitan to operate. During a time when there was a heated political debate over state grants to airport, Notodden was the only airport which had expanded without and central grants.^[11] The airport never succeeded at attracting any regular charter services.^[12]

The opening was planned for 18 October 1968, but was delayed to the following year after the airport was flooded a week before the scheduled opening.^[13] Construction also ended with a legal dispute between the municipality and the consulting company Norsk Teknisk Byggekontroll. The initial filling of earthwork had proved insufficient, so additional earthwork had to be filled, cost an additional NOK 840,000. The municipality demanded that the consulting company cover NOK 250,000 of the cost.^[14]

In 1979, Det Norske Helikoperskole started Norway's first helicopter pilot school at the airport. This was met with protests from the neighbors, who were affected by noise all day long. The municipality was sued by 600 locals who wanted to prohibit the school from operating.^[12] During an air show in 1983, the airport both received a Boeing 737-200 from Braathens SAFE and General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon from the Royal Norwegian Air Force.^[15]

In March 1985, Partnair was granted concession for scheduled services from Fornebu via Notodden to Stavanger.^[16] The route was started on 15 August using a ten-seat Beechcraft 200 Super King Air. The route was opened following the installation of instrument landing system at the airport,^[17] which, costing NOK 2 million, had been financed by Norsk Hydro. Tinfos paid NOK 100,000 for new landing lights. The route was operated with twice per day, five times per week. The upgrades also included a new terminal, which included a café in the second story and seating for 14 people. Ticket sales and check-in was managed by NSB Reisebyrå, a subsidiary of the Norwegian State Railways.^[7] After five months, Partnair had lost NOK 1.2 million on the route.^[18] In average, they were selling three to four tickets per flight to Stavanger, and one to Oslo.^[19] From March, the leg from Notodden to Oslo was dropped, and the service to Stavanger reduced.^[20] However, the route proved unprofitable and was eventually terminated later in the month.^[21]

As part of the Oslo Airport location controversy, after the new airport was decided located to Gardermoen, there was a public discussion as to what to do with the general aviation which had operated from Fornebu. While some local aircraft owners wanted to keep a small part of Fornebu for general aviation, the authorities decided to close the airport completely. Instead, the general aviation was distributed to various private airports in Eastern Norway, including Notodden.^[22] In May 1998, Air Team started flights from Notodden to Bergen.^[23] Following the closing of Fornebu in 1998, Air Team moved all its operations, including pilot school, to Notodden.^[24] Following the closing of Eornebu in October, the airline experienced a quadrupling of patronage, as Gardermoen had given longer travel time for people in Buskerud and Telemark. In addition to business travel, the airline catered offshore workers who commuter to the North Sea via Bergen. The airline stated that it intended to also open routes to Stavanger and Copenhagen.^[25]

In 1999, the British airport operator TBI announced it was in negotiations to purchase an airport close to Oslo, and Dagens Næringsliv speculated that it could be Notodden. The municipality confirmed that they were in negotiations to establish a limited company to operate the airport, which would be jointly owned by Air Team and the municipality.^[26] In 2000, Bergen Air Transport started flying between Notodden and Bergen, using a Cessna 421B.^[27] It transported 1,000 passengers in 2000, and 1,500 the following year.^[28] During the summer of 2002, the company also attempted to fly from Notodden to Kristiansund Airport, Kvernberget, but was forced to give up due to lack of passengers.^[29]

On 20 November 2003, Notodden Airport was closed for all scheduled traffic by the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority, due to a lack of safety requirements. Bergen Air Transport was forced to reroute all its aircraft to Skien Airport, Geiteryggen. Following an investment of NOK 500,000 from the airline and NOK 1.2 million from the municipality, which owns the airport, scheduled services commenced again. The municipality had ambitions to upgrade the airport to a higher standard, which would allow it to serve charter aircraft weighing more than 5.7 tonnes (5.6 long tons; 6.3 short tons) and with more than nine passengers. But after 11 neighboring municipalities said no to give grants for the necessary technical upgrades, the plans were abandoned. Notodden Municipality started plans to increase the popularity of the airport by targeting companies in the neighboring municipality of Kongsberg to use the airport, instead of going to Oslo Airport, Gardermoen and Sandefjord Airport, Torp.^[30] To keep the airport operational, from 1 October 2004, NOK 250,000 was invested.^[31] Starting in October 2004, the airline also introduced security control of all passengers at Notodden Airport.^[32] In September 2007, the company bought a new hangar at Notodden, giving it ample space for expansion, and new arrival and departure facilities.^[33]

Facilities

The airport consists of a 1,393 by 40 meters (4,570 by 130 ft) asphalted runway aligned 12–30. It has an flight information service (AFIS) and is located 19 meters (62 ft) above mean sea level. It has category 3 fire fighting and a rescue vessel. The airport is equipped with an instrument landing system.^[34] In connection with the airport lays a water aerodrome, which uses Heddalsvatnet for landing and take-off. The area for landing and take-off is 1,000 by 100 meters (3,300 by 330 ft) and has the same center-line as the runway.^[35]

The airport is operated by the limited company Notodden Lufthavn AS,^[35] which is again owned by Notodden Municipality.^[36] The airport is dominated by general aviation, in part organized by Notodden and Kongsberg flyklubb.^[37] In 2010, the airport had 3,598 aircraft movements^[38] and 3,134 passengers, making it the scheduled airport in Norway the fewest passengers.^[39] Flyteknisk is a retailer and maintainer of Cessna aircraft, including seaplanes.^[40]

Airlines and destinations

The only airline to serve the airport with scheduled flights in Bergen Air Transport, which runs services six times weekly to Bergen Airport, Flesland, using a Beechcraft 200 Super King Air.^[41]

Airlines	Destinations
Bergen Air Transport	Bergen

References

Bibliography

• Olsen, Bjørn (1999) (in Norwegian). Telemark i norsk luftfarts historie. Skau. ISBN 82-7976-002-4. 
• Tjomsland, Audun; Wilsberg, Kjell (1995) (in Norwegain). Braathens SAFE 50 år: Mot alle odds. Oslo. ISBN 82-990400-1-9. 

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b c} Olsen (1999): 328
2. ^ Tjomsland & Wilsberg (1995): 104
3. ^ ^{a b c} Olsen (1999): 329
4. ^ Olsen (1999): 331
5. ^ Tjomsland & Wilsberg (1995): 105
6. ^ "Solberg starter opp flere mindre flyruter" (in Norwegian). Verdens Gang: p. 9. 24 June 1959. 
7. ^ ^{a b} Guhnfeldt, Cato (16 August 1985). "Stor dag for Notodden igår: Helårs flyrute åpnet" (in Norwegian). Aftenposten: p. 11. 
8. ^ ^{a b} Olsen (1999): 331
9. ^ "Seilflygerne har kurs og stevne på Notodden" (in Norwegian). Verdens Gang: p. 13. 17 July 1964. 
10. ^ "Flyplassen på Notodden utvides" (in Norwegian). Verdens Gang: p. 4. 15 June 1967. 
11. ^ Christensen, Dag (19 September 1968). "Notodden satser privat" (in Norwegian). Verdens Gang: p. 21. 
12. ^ ^{a b} Solum, Morten (4 August 1979). "Naboene rasende" (in Norwegian). Verdens Gang: p. 15. 
13. ^ "Voldsom nedbør flommer over flyplassen" (in Norwegian). Verdens Gang: p. 5. 5 October 1968. 
14. ^ "Notodden-advokat "lukter" utpressing" (in Norwegian). Verdens Gang: p. 8. 6 April 1971. 
15. ^ Magnus, John (30 May 1983). "Notodden-advokat "lukter" utpressing" (in Norwegian). Verdens Gang: p. 46. 
16. ^ "Konsesjon på linjetaxiflyvning" (in Norwegian). Aftenposten: p. 15. 1 March 1985. 
17. ^ "Flyselskapet Partnair åpner torsdag regulære flyginger på" (in Norwegian). Norwegian News Agency. 14 August 1985. 
18. ^ "Flyselskapet Partnair, som blant annet trafikkerer flyruta" (in Norwegian). Norwegian News Agency. 10 January 1986. 
19. ^ "Lite belegg på ny flyrute" (in Norwegian). Norwegian News Agency. 23 January 1986. 
20. ^ "Partnair fortsatt på Notodden" (in Norwegian). Aftenposten: p. 38. 7 March 1986. 
21. ^ "TA for 25 år siden" (in Norwegian). Telemarksavisa: p. 28. 1 March 2011. 
22. ^ Larsen, Fredrik (10 October 1998). "Småflyfolket tapte i retten" (in Norwegian). Aftenposten: p. 2. 
23. ^ Tinnholt, Dag (20 January 1998). "Himmelsk vekst for Air Team" (in Norwegian). Dagens Næringsliv: p. 48. 
24. ^ "Innenriksnotiser" (in Norwegian). Dagens Næringsliv: p. 4. 10 July 1998. 
25. ^ Valderhaug, Rune (18 February 1999). "Notodden satser på fly til Bergen" (in Norwegian). Bergens Tidende: p. 8. 
26. ^ Bark, Susanne; Tuv, Kirsten (19 February 1999). "På flyplass-raid i Norden" (in Norwegian). Dagens Næringsliv: p. 19. 
27. ^ "Historie" (in Norwegian). Bergen Air Transport. Archived from the original on 25 October 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/62hMmeywv. Retrieved 25 October 2011. 
28. ^ "Solid økning i flytrafikken" (in Norwegian). Telen. 30 November 2001. Archived from the original on 25 October 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/62hMwfZKs. Retrieved 25 October 2011. 
29. ^ "Ny flyrute til Kristiansund" (in Norwegian). Telen. 16 May 2002. Archived from the original on 25 October 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/62hPqV9Ok. Retrieved 25 October 2011. 
30. ^ Pedersen, Jarle (3 January 2003). "Fortsatt rutefly fra Notodden Lufthavn" (in Norwegian). Telemarksavisa. Archived from the original on 25 October 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/62hMzCxiL. Retrieved 25 October 2011. 
31. ^ Aulie, Kjell (10 October 2004). "Tretten lys til en kvart million kroner" (in Norwegian). Telemarksavisa. Archived from the original on 25 October 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/62hN2lHzy. Retrieved 25 October 2011. 
32. ^ Aulie, Kjell (1 October 2004). "Sjekker alle passasjerer" (in Norwegian). Varden. Archived from the original on 25 October 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/62hN7mxL2. Retrieved 25 October 2011. 
33. ^ Buverud, Unni (17 September 2007). "Ny ankomsthall" (in Norwegian). Telen. Archived from the original on 25 October 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/62hMjshbp. Retrieved 25 October 2011. 
34. ^ "Passengers" (in Norwegian) (PDF). ENNO – Notodden. 27 June 2011. p. 7. https://www.ippc.no/norway_aip/current/AIP/AD/ENNO/EN_AD_2_ENNO_en.pdf. Retrieved 26 October 2011. 
35. ^ ^{a b} Fossdal, J. B. (27 June 2011). "Passengers" (in Norwegian) (PDF). Notodden Airport. p. 7. http://www.notodden-flyplass.no/uploads/Flyplasshandbok%20Notodden%20Sjoflyhavn%20Rev%20A%20270611.pdf. Retrieved 26 October 2011. 
36. ^ "Notodden Lufthavn AS". Proff. http://www.proff.no/roller/notodden-lufthavn-as/notodden/flyplassvirksomhet/Z0I2L1AA/. Retrieved 26 October 2011. 
37. ^ "Om flyplassen" (in Norwegian). Notodden Airport. http://www.notodden-flyplass.no/index.php?page=om-flyplassen. Retrieved 26 October 2011. 
38. ^ "Civil Aircraft Movements". Avinor. 2011. http://www.avinor.no/tridionimages/2010.12_korr.%C3%A5rsstat_flybev_tcm181-126644.xls. Retrieved 26 Ocotber 2011. 
39. ^ "Passengers". Avinor. 2011. http://www.avinor.no/tridionimages/2010%20Passasjerer_tcm181-126648.xls. Retrieved 26 Ocotber 2011. 
40. ^ "About us". Flyteknisk. http://www.flyteknisk.no/. Retrieved 26 October 2011. 
41. ^ "Historie" (in Norwegian). Bergen Air Transport. Archived from the original on 26 October 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/62iZduqgO. Retrieved 26 October 2011.