Komatsu Airport
Encyclopedia
is an airport
located 4.2 km (2.6 mi) west southwest of Komatsu Station
in the city of Komatsu
, Ishikawa Prefecture
, Japan
. It serves the southern Ishikawa Prefecture
including the capital Kanazawa
(which has its IATA city code QKW), and the northern Fukui Prefecture
including the capital Fukui
.
Komatsu Base shares its runways with civil aviation. Its taxiway
s are on both sides of the runway. The inland-side taxiway is used by the JASDF and the sea-side one is used by the civil terminal. The airport is served by Boeing 747
-sized airliners and is the largest airport in the Hokuriku region
. It is equipped with an ILS
, allowing fewer cancellation of services during the snow
y winter months.
Its runway surface has been completed strengthening upgrades to enable non-stop freighter
flights to and from Europe
and North America
in late 2006.
of Japan Self-Defense Force opened in February 1961.
The "Airspace G" is a large training airspace over the Sea of Japan
to the north of the base.
In the Kōkū-sai (Air Festival) held every September features demo flights by fighters
and rescuers
based in Komatsu as well as the Blue Impulse
acrobat flight team.
It often hosts technical competitions of the JASDF.
of Komatsu city told the chief of Japan Defense Agency (now the Minister of Defense
)
the city would accept training of the USAF aircraft.
The neighbouring municipalities also officially announced the acceptance.
USAF aircraft came on 16 May 2007 for a joint training with the JASDF.
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...
located 4.2 km (2.6 mi) west southwest of Komatsu Station
Komatsu Station
is a train station in Komatsu, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan.-Adjacent stations:...
in the city of Komatsu
Komatsu, Ishikawa
is a city located in Ishikawa Prefecture in the Hokuriku region of Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 109,285 with a density of 294 persons per km². The total area is 371.13 km²....
, Ishikawa Prefecture
Ishikawa Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is Kanazawa.- History :Ishikawa was formed from the merger of Kaga Province and the smaller Noto Province.- Geography :Ishikawa is on the Sea of Japan coast...
, 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...
. It serves the southern Ishikawa Prefecture
Ishikawa Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is Kanazawa.- History :Ishikawa was formed from the merger of Kaga Province and the smaller Noto Province.- Geography :Ishikawa is on the Sea of Japan coast...
including the capital Kanazawa
Kanazawa, Ishikawa
is the capital city of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan.-Geography, climate, and population:Kanazawa sits on the Sea of Japan, bordered by the Japan Alps, Hakusan National Park and Noto Peninsula National Park. The city sits between the Sai and Asano rivers. Its total area is 467.77 km².Kanazawa's...
(which has its IATA city code QKW), and the northern Fukui Prefecture
Fukui Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Fukui.- Prehistory :The Kitadani Dinosaur Quarry, on the Sugiyama River within the city limits of Katsuyama, has yielded the Fukuiraptor kitadaniensis and Fukuisaurus tetoriensis as well as an unnamed...
including the capital Fukui
Fukui, Fukui
is the capital of Fukui Prefecture, Japan. The city is located in the north-central part of the prefecture on the coast of the Sea of Japan.-Demographics:...
.
Overview
Japan Air Self-Defense ForceJapan Air Self-Defense Force
The , or JASDF, is the aviation branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces responsible for the defense of Japanese airspace and other aerospace operations. The JASDF carries out combat air patrols around Japan, while also maintaining an extensive network of ground and air early warning radar systems...
Komatsu Base shares its runways with civil aviation. Its taxiway
Taxiway
A taxiway is a path on an airport connecting runways with ramps, hangars, terminals and other facilities. They mostly have hard surface such as asphalt or concrete, although smaller airports sometimes use gravel or grass....
s are on both sides of the runway. The inland-side taxiway is used by the JASDF and the sea-side one is used by the civil terminal. The airport is served by Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
-sized airliners and is the largest airport in the Hokuriku region
Hokuriku region
The is located in the northwestern part of Honshū, the main island of Japan. It lies along the Sea of Japan within the Chūbu region. It is almost equivalent to Koshi Province and Hokurikudō area in pre-modern Japan....
. It is equipped with an ILS
Instrument Landing System
An instrument landing system is a ground-based instrument approach system that provides precision guidance to an aircraft approaching and landing on a runway, using a combination of radio signals and, in many cases, high-intensity lighting arrays to enable a safe landing during instrument...
, allowing fewer cancellation of services during the snow
Snow
Snow is a form of precipitation within the Earth's atmosphere in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by...
y winter months.
Its runway surface has been completed strengthening upgrades to enable non-stop freighter
Cargo aircraft
A cargo aircraft is a fixed-wing aircraft designed or converted for the carriage of goods, rather than passengers. They are usually devoid of passenger amenities, and generally feature one or more large doors for the loading and unloading of cargo...
flights to and from Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
in late 2006.
Passenger Facilities
- Domestic Terminal Building
- International Terminal Building
- Operated by Hokuriku Air Terminal Building K.K.Kabushiki kaishais a type of business defined under Japanese law.-Usage in language:Both kabushiki kaisha and the rendaku form kabushiki gaisha are used. The "K" spelling is much more common in the names of companies and in English-language legal literature, whereas the "G" pronunciation is dominant in...
Cargo Facilities
- HIACT (Hokuriku International Air Cargo Terminal)
- International Cargo Building 1
- International Cargo Building 2
- Domestic Cargo Building
Other Facilities
- Komatsu Airport Office, Ōsaka Air Transportation Bureau.
- Komatsu Office, Air Transportation Security Association.
- Fire and Disaster Mitigation Office, Ishikawa Prefectural Government.
- Equipped with Bell 412EPBell 412The Bell 412 is a utility helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It is a development of the Bell 212 model, the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor.-Design and development:...
fire and disaster mitigation helicopterHelicopterA helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
"Hakusan".
- Equipped with Bell 412EP
- Komatsu Operations Office, Nakanihon Air ServiceNakanihon Air ServiceNakanihon Air Service is a general aviation company headquartered in Toyoyama, Nishikasugai District, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, by Nagoya Airfield near Nagoya.- History :...
- A helicopter is based here.
Japan Air Self-Defense Force Komatsu Base
Komatsu Airbase (小松基地, Komatsu Kichi) is an airbaseAirbase
An airbase is a military airfield that provides basing and support of military aircraft....
of Japan Self-Defense Force opened in February 1961.
The "Airspace G" is a large training airspace over the Sea of Japan
Sea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...
to the north of the base.
In the Kōkū-sai (Air Festival) held every September features demo flights by fighters
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
and rescuers
Rescuers
Rescuers can mean:*The Rescuers, a 1977 Disney animated film*The Rescuers Down Under, the 1990 Disney animated sequel to the 1977 film*People who perform rescues...
based in Komatsu as well as the Blue Impulse
Blue Impulse
, or 11 Squadron, is the aerobatic demonstration team of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. Originally founded in 1960 as a team of six F-86 Sabres, the team switched to the Mitsubishi T-2 in 1980 and then to the Kawasaki T-4 in 1995...
acrobat flight team.
It often hosts technical competitions of the JASDF.
History
- 1943 Construction begins as the airport for the Japanese Imperial Navy MaizuruMaizuru, Kyotois a city located in Kyōto, Japan, on an inlet of the Sea of Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 89,626 and the density of 264 persons per km². The total area is .The city was founded on May 27, 1943....
headquarters. - 1944 Construction complete. with east-west 1500 m (4,921 ft) and north-south 1700 m (5,577 ft).
- November 1945 Annexed by United States of America and became an auxially radarRadarRadar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
base. - 1955 Non-scheduled routes serving to Osaka by Nippon Helicopter Yuso (currently All Nippon AirwaysAll Nippon Airways, also known as or ANA, is one of the largest airlines in Japan. It is headquartered at the Shiodome City Center in the Shiodome area in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It operates services to 49 destinations in Japan and 35 international routes and employed over 14,000 employees as of May 2009...
). - February 1958 Returned from the United States.
- 1960 The runway was extended to 2400 m (7,874 ft). Designated as a shared airport for defense and civil.
- February 1961 JASDF Komatsu Base was opened.
- 1962 Scheduled civil service began.
- 1964 The runway was extended to 2700 m (8,858 ft) to introduce F-104JF-104 StarfighterThe Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is a single-engine, high-performance, supersonic interceptor aircraft originally developed for the United States Air Force by Lockheed. One of the Century Series of aircraft, it served with the USAF from 1958 until 1969, and continued with Air National Guard units...
. - 1973 Jet service began with Boeing 737Boeing 737The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
s. - 1979 International scheduled service to SeoulSeoulSeoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
began. - 1980 B747Boeing 747The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
s were introduced to TokyoTokyo International Airport, commonly known as , is one of the two primary airports that serve the Greater Tokyo Area in Japan. It is located in Ōta, Tokyo, south of Tokyo Station.... - 1981 The new domestic terminal complete.
- 1984 The new international terminal complete.
- 1994 HIACT（International Cargo Building）complete. Designated as a Free Access Zone.
- 1994 CargoluxCargoluxCargolux Airlines International S.A., trading as Cargolux, is a cargo airline with its head office on the grounds of Luxembourg – Findel Airport in Sandweiler, Luxembourg. It is one of the largest scheduled all-cargo airlines in Europe with a global network...
began international scheduled freight service between LuxembourgLuxembourgLuxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
. - 2002 The new HIACT termial complete.
- 2004 The new control towerControl towerA control tower, or more specifically an Air Traffic Control Tower , is the name of the airport building from which the air traffic control unit controls the movement of aircraft on and around the airport. Control towers are also used to control the traffic for other forms of transportation such...
began operations. - 2005 The temporary runway began operation.
- 2006 Upgrading of the permanent runway complete. Operations switched to the permanent runway.
- 2007 USAF F-15C, C-17 came for JASDF joint training.
- 2007 A new domestic cargo building opens.
Statistics
| Year | Total Passengers |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 2,587,941 |
| 2001 | 2,590,333 |
| 2002 | 2,645,038 |
| 2003 | 2,599,706 |
| 2004 | 2,495,837 |
Acceptance of training United States Air Force
In July 2006, The mayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Komatsu city told the chief of Japan Defense Agency (now the Minister of Defense
Minister of Defense (Japan)
The , or , is the Cabinet of Japan member in charge of the Ministry of Defense, formerly known as the Defence Agency before 2007. The current Japanese Minister of Defense is Yasuo Ichikawa, a member of the DPJ. Yasuo Ichikawa has been the Minister of Defense since 2 September 2011...
)
the city would accept training of the USAF aircraft.
The neighbouring municipalities also officially announced the acceptance.
USAF aircraft came on 16 May 2007 for a joint training with the JASDF.
Airlines and destinations
Access
- KanazawaKanazawa, Ishikawais the capital city of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan.-Geography, climate, and population:Kanazawa sits on the Sea of Japan, bordered by the Japan Alps, Hakusan National Park and Noto Peninsula National Park. The city sits between the Sai and Asano rivers. Its total area is 467.77 km².Kanazawa's...
: 30 minutes by car. Scheduled buses are available.- Komatsu Interchange of Hokuriku ExpresswayHokuriku ExpresswayThe ,The ,The ,(abbreviated as , is a 4-laned national expressway in Japan. It is owned and managed by East Nippon Expressway Company and Central Nippon Expressway Company.-Overview:...
.
- Komatsu Interchange of Hokuriku Expressway
- Kanazawa StationKanazawa StationKanazawa Station is a JR West railway station located in the city of Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. It is the biggest station in Ishikawa Prefecture....
: 40 minutes by bus. - Komatsu Station: 15 minutes by bus.
- Kaga-onsen Station: 25 minutes by bus, stopping at Katayamatsu onsen.
- Fukui, FukuiFukui, Fukuiis the capital of Fukui Prefecture, Japan. The city is located in the north-central part of the prefecture on the coast of the Sea of Japan.-Demographics:...
: 45 minutes by car.- Katayamatsu Interchange of Hokuriku Expressway.
- JR Fukui StationFukui Station (Fukui)is a JR West and Echizen Railway train station located in the city of Fukui, Fukui Prefecture, Japan.Fukui-Ekimae Station on the Fukui Railway Fukubu Line is located approximately 150 meters to the west.- JR Fukui Station :...
: 60 minutes by bus.
External links
- Komatsu Airport Hokuriku International AirCargo Terminal JASDF Komatsu Base
- Komatsu 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...