Hiroshima-Nishi Airport
Encyclopedia
is an airport
in Nishi Ward
, located 3.1 NM southwest of Hiroshima City
, Hiroshima Prefecture
, Japan
.
in 1940, but was destroyed during the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945. Following the end of World War II
, the Japanese government approved a plan for a new airport in a location which could take advantage of Hiroshima's natural river topography to keep aircraft from flying over residential areas. Hiroshima Airport opened on September 15, 1961 and was initially managed by the Ministry of Transport.
The runway was extended from 1200 meters to 1800 meters in 1972, but further extensions were necessary to support large jet service, and the airport's location made this impossible. A new Hiroshima Airport
was built outside the city in 1993. The old Hiroshima Airport was then renamed Hiroshima-Nishi Airport and fell under the control of Hiroshima Prefecture.
J-Air
was based at Hiroshima-Nishi from 1991 until 2001, originally as a division of the JAL Flight Academy, and provided commuter service to domestic airports using Jetstream 31 aircraft. Japan Air Commuter
continued to offer commuter service using Saab 340
aircraft until 2010, when the service was terminated as part of the corporate restructuring of its parent company Japan Airlines
.
Hiroshima City and Hiroshima Prefecture officials debated the future of the airport for several years in the early 2000s; city officials sought to keep the airport open in order to boost the city's economy, while prefectural officials preferred converting the southern part of the property into a heliport and building an extension of the Hiroshima South Road through the northern part. Following JAC's withdrawal from the airport, Hiroshima City legislators proposed converting the airport into a municipal airport; the ordinance proposal was rejected by the city assembly in March 2011, and a new mayor announced in May that the airport would be converted to a heliport by 2012, in line with the prefecture's original proposal.
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
in Nishi Ward
Nishi-ku, Hiroshima
is one of the eight wards of the city of Hiroshima, Japan. The Hiroshima-Nishi Airport is located in Nishi-ku....
, located 3.1 NM southwest of Hiroshima City
Hiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...
, Hiroshima Prefecture
Hiroshima Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Hiroshima.- History :The area around Hiroshima was formerly divided into Bingo Province and Aki Province. This location has been a center of trade and culture since the beginning of Japan's recorded...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
History
Hiroshima's first airport opened in Naka-ku, HiroshimaNaka-ku, Hiroshima
is the heart of Hiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. Naka-ku is home to Hiroshima's central business district and Peace Memorial Park. Major attractions include the Hondori shopping arcade, a covered mall-like street of shops extending east from the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park to Hacchobori...
in 1940, but was destroyed during the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945. Following the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Japanese government approved a plan for a new airport in a location which could take advantage of Hiroshima's natural river topography to keep aircraft from flying over residential areas. Hiroshima Airport opened on September 15, 1961 and was initially managed by the Ministry of Transport.
The runway was extended from 1200 meters to 1800 meters in 1972, but further extensions were necessary to support large jet service, and the airport's location made this impossible. A new Hiroshima Airport
Hiroshima Airport
is an airport in the city of Mihara, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. Located east of Hiroshima, it is the largest airport in the Chūgoku region.-History:...
was built outside the city in 1993. The old Hiroshima Airport was then renamed Hiroshima-Nishi Airport and fell under the control of Hiroshima Prefecture.
J-Air
J-Air
, is a regional commuter airline with its headquarters in the Terminal Building in Nagoya Airfield and in Toyoyama, Nishikasugai District, Aichi, Japan and its main hub at Nagoya Airfield. J-Air previously had its headquarters in Ōmura, Nagasaki Prefecture. Its operations include scheduled...
was based at Hiroshima-Nishi from 1991 until 2001, originally as a division of the JAL Flight Academy, and provided commuter service to domestic airports using Jetstream 31 aircraft. Japan Air Commuter
Japan Air Commuter
is a Japanese airline based in Kirishima, Kagoshima Prefecture. It operates feeder services in support of Japan Airlines. Its main base is Kagoshima Airport, with hubs at Osaka International Airport, Amami Airport and Fukuoka Airport. - History :...
continued to offer commuter service using Saab 340
Saab 340
The Saab 340 is a discontinued Swedish two-engine turboprop aircraft designed and initially produced by a partnership between Saab and Fairchild Aircraft in a 65:35 ratio...
aircraft until 2010, when the service was terminated as part of the corporate restructuring of its parent company Japan Airlines
Japan Airlines
is an airline headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan. It is the flag carrier of Japan and its main hubs are Tokyo's Narita International Airport and Tokyo International Airport , as well as Nagoya's Chūbu Centrair International Airport and Osaka's Kansai International Airport...
.
Hiroshima City and Hiroshima Prefecture officials debated the future of the airport for several years in the early 2000s; city officials sought to keep the airport open in order to boost the city's economy, while prefectural officials preferred converting the southern part of the property into a heliport and building an extension of the Hiroshima South Road through the northern part. Following JAC's withdrawal from the airport, Hiroshima City legislators proposed converting the airport into a municipal airport; the ordinance proposal was rejected by the city assembly in March 2011, and a new mayor announced in May that the airport would be converted to a heliport by 2012, in line with the prefecture's original proposal.
External links
- Hiroshima-Nishi Airport website
- Hiroshima-Nishi Airport Guide from Japan AirlinesJapan Airlinesis an airline headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan. It is the flag carrier of Japan and its main hubs are Tokyo's Narita International Airport and Tokyo International Airport , as well as Nagoya's Chūbu Centrair International Airport and Osaka's Kansai International Airport...