Chu Lai International Airport

For the military use of the facility prior to April 1975, see Chu Lai Air Base

Chu Lai Airport Sân bay Chu Lai
IATA: VCL – ICAO: VVCA VCL Location of airport in Vietnam
Summary
Airport type		Công cộng
Operator		Middle Airports Corporation
Serves		Tam Kỳ, Vietnam
Location		Chu Lai
Hub for		VASCO Vietnam Airlines
Coordinates		15°24′22″N 108°42′20″E / 15.40611°N 108.70556°E / 15.40611; 108.70556Coordinates: 15°24′22″N 108°42′20″E / 15.40611°N 108.70556°E / 15.40611; 108.70556
Website		tsnairport.hochiminhcity.gov.vn
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
	m	ft
?	3.048	10.000	Concrete
?	3,050	10,000	Concrete

Chu Lai International Airport (IATA: VCL) (Vietnamese: Sân bay Quốc tế Chu Lai) is an airport in Chu Lai, Vietnam. It is near Tam Kỳ city, the largest city in Quảng Nam Province. The airport is located in the Chu Lai Open Economic Zone.

In the Vietnam War, this airfield was an airbase of the United States Marines. The airport was nearly abandoned after the fall of Saigon, and only used irregularly for military flights. On March 22, 2004, the construction of the terminal began and on March 22, 2005, the first commercial flight from Ho Chi Minh City's Tan Son Nhat International Airport landed here.

As of 2008, Chu Lai International Airport is the largest airfield in Vietnam in terms of area, covering 30 km². The runway is 3050 m long. During the Vietnam War, large aircraft including B-52s landed and took off here.^[1]

Renovation

The government of Vietnam has approved an investment plan for this airport. According to this plan, Chu Lai airport will receive nearly VND 11,470 billion (nearly $700 million)in investment for enlarging its capacity to 25 landing places by 2015 and 46 by 2025. The project will include renovation and new infrastructure, including two runways, 3,800m and 4,000m long, and 60 meters wide each, six parking lots and two transit stations. By 2010, existing runways and parking lots will be upgraded. The airport will also receive a new signal light system and control station for average sized aircraft, such as Boeing 767s and Airbus A320s.^[2] Vietnamese officials hope the airport will be able to handle 4 million passengers by completion in 2025. The airport is projected to become an air cargo transport hub, with 5 million metric tons of cargo per year.^[3]

Airlines and destinations

Airlines	Destinations
Vietnam Airlines	Hanoi
Vietnam Airlines operated by VASCO	Ho Chi Minh City

References

1. ^ "Sân bay Chu Lai sẽ đón chuyến bay đầu tiên". Sai Gon Giai Phong. 2005-02-12. http://www.sggp.org.vn/kinhte/nam2005/thang2/36337/. 
2. ^ "Chu Lai Airport "international" by 2025". Hanoitimes. http://www.hanoitimes.com.vn/print.asp?newsid=5774. 
3. ^ "Phát triển sân bay Chu Lai thành sân bay quốc tế CON CU". VTC News. http://vtc.vn/kinhdoanh/3248/index.htm.