Nuuk Airport
Encyclopedia
Nuuk Airport is an airport
in Nuuk
, the capital of Greenland
. The airport is a technical base and focus city for Air Greenland
, the flag-carrier airline of Greenland, linking the capital with several towns in western and south-western part of the country, including the airline hub at Kangerlussuaq Airport
. With connections to Iceland
, Nuuk Airport is also one of 6 international airports in Greenland.
In the early 1960s, water planes of the newly established Air Greenland landed in Nuuk Port
. In 1965, the airline invested in developing a more robust fleet based on the large Sikorsky S-61
helicopter, which continued to serve the town for the next four decades, even after the construction of an airport in Nuuk capable of serving the short takeoff and landing de Havilland Canada Dash-7
aircraft, which dominated at the airport since the 1970s.
The airport was constructed to serve the largest town in Greenland, yet due to space constraints at the location in a mountainous area and problems with the weather, it is unable to service large airliner
s. An expansion of the airport is not an acceptable option also due to the approach over the urbanized area of the outlying districts of Nuuk, although the issue continues to be a subject of internal debate in Greenland.
on 7 November 1960 as Greenlandair, Nuuk was served exclusively by the PBY Catalina
water planes, with the aircraft using the waterways of the Nuuk Port
as a landing site. In 1962 a PBY Catalina crashed near the port, killing 15 people onboard.
machines—still in use in 2010—proved to be a more reliable mode of transport for the city, providing exclusive service for the Nuuk city for more than a decade—from the purchase date in 1965 until the late 1970s.
Even in the later era of the fixed-wing, turboprop
plane domination, the S-61N helicopters continued to link Nuuk with the smaller Paamiut
town, until the airport was built there
in 2007, replacing the old heliport.
-capable domestic airports. The airport in the largest city in Greenland was a priority for the government, followed by Kulusuk Airport
in Kulusuk
in south-eastern Greenland, and Ilulissat Airport
in Ilulissat
, the largest town in the Disko Bay
region of western Greenland. This constituted the first such wave of network expansion.
in Sisimiut
and Maniitsoq Airport
in Maniitsoq
in central-western Greenland, Aasiaat Airport
in the Disko Bay region, Upernavik Airport
in Upernavik
in northwestern Greenland, and Qaarsut Airport
, an airport in Qaarsut
, a settlement in the Uummannaq Fjord
region; the airport serving both the village and the larger town of Uummannaq
, located on the rocky Uummannaq Island
.
, Canada
. This connection was closed 13 years later, and for years afterwards international flights to Greenland were limited to Kangerlussuaq Airport
in central western Greenland, 319 km (198.2 mi) to the north of Nuuk, an airport inherited from the U.S. Air Force when the former Sondrestrom Air Base
was handed over to the then Home Rule government on 30 September 1992.
Unlike Nuuk Airport, the airport in Kangerlussuaq
can serve large airliner
s, and remains the airline hub of Air Greenland, the flag-carrier of Greenland. The airline is opposed to relocation of its hub, citing the costs of such a move and consistently favourable weather conditions at Kangerlussuaq, located deep inland, about 30 km (18.6 mi) from the edge of the Greenland ice sheet
. The airline argues that the infrastructure at Kangerlussuaq is good, and visibility is not hampered by the coastal fog
s, storms, heavy snowfall, and frequent turbulence in particular.
These well-grounded arguments for preserving the status quo pose a problem for the Government of Greenland, which oversees the development of the airport network through Mittarfeqarfiit
, the airport administration authority. More than a quarter of Greenland's population lives in Nuuk, with the majority of the important institutions in the country located in the city, and the need to change planes at Kangerlussuaq is costly and time-consuming for passengers.
With the airport being limited to serving small planes, the possibilities for international connections remain limited. Reopening of the connection to Iqaluit was considered by Air Greenland in late 2009, but was later postponed until at least 2011. In order to compete with Air Iceland
, which operates services to Nuuk, Narsarsuaq
, Ilulissat, and all airports on the eastern coast, Air Greenland announced opening of new connections with Iceland, linking Nuuk and Narsarsuaq with Keflavík International Airport
, later restricting it to Nuuk. In 2010, the route will be operated in May–June and September, with a possible extension to full-season in 2011.
Nuuk Airport is also home to the Beechcraft King Air B200
"Amaalik", used for air ambulance
flights and occasional charters. The airport is also used for various charter flights, such as airlifts to the summit of the 1210 metres (3,969.8 ft) Sermitsiaq Mountain, a landmark of Nuuk, located on Sermitsiaq Island
north of the airport.
. The former suburbs of Nuuk, such as Nuussuaq
, Quassussuup Tungaa
, and Qinngorput
, incorporated into the town in the last decade, have brought the city closer to the airport. As of 2010 the airport is within walking distance of the nearest continuously inhabited area, its runway approximately 700 m (2,296.6 ft) from the University of Greenland
campus.
mountain, with the runway platform artificially elevated to compensate for the scarp immediately to the west. The runway platform bed is composed of broken rock and rubble, topped with gravel, and protected by a low, wooden fence.
The northern end of the runway is less than 700 m (2,296.6 ft) from the shore of Nuup Kangerlua
fjord. An expansion of the runway in that direction would require relocation of the connecting road, which climbs under the runway scarp. An often-discussed extension of the runway in the other direction would have brought the endpoint close to Qinngorput, the newest district of Nuuk, rapidly expanding in the late 2000s.
It is not possible to lengthen the runway to more than 3 km (1.9 mi) in any direction, but plans are drafted for expansion on a smaller scale, with the aim of extending the runway to 1199 m (3,933.7 ft). The extension issue is a long-standing topic of ongoing controversy in Greenland. Rough weather in the region is cited as life-threatening to larger airplanes, given the additional difficulty of approach in a mountainous region.
.
connects the airport with Nuuk Centrum
, passing through the Nuussuaq and Quassussuup Tungaa districts on the way. Buses depart from the airport every hour during rush hours Mo-Fr. Taxis operated by Nuna Taxa are also available. Limited-time parking for private cars is available outside the terminal.
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 Nuuk
Nuuk
Nuuk, is the capital of Greenland, the northernmost capital in North America and the largest city in Greenland. Located in the Nuup Kangerlua fjord, the city lies on the eastern shore of the Labrador Sea and on the west coast of Sermersooq. Nuuk is the largest cultural and economic center in...
, the capital of Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
. The airport is a technical base and focus city for Air Greenland
Air Greenland
Air Greenland A/S is the flag carrier airline of Greenland, jointly owned by the government of Greenland, the SAS Group, and the government of Denmark...
, the flag-carrier airline of Greenland, linking the capital with several towns in western and south-western part of the country, including the airline hub at Kangerlussuaq Airport
Kangerlussuaq Airport
Kangerlussuaq Airport is an airport in Kangerlussuaq, a settlement in the Qeqqata municipality in central-western Greenland. Alongside Narsarsuaq Airport, it is one of only two civilian airports in Greenland large enough to handle large airliners, having more stable weather, being located further...
. With connections to Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
, Nuuk Airport is also one of 6 international airports in Greenland.
In the early 1960s, water planes of the newly established Air Greenland landed in Nuuk Port
Nuuk Port and Harbour
Nuuk Port and Harbour is the largest port in Greenland. It is located in the southeastern area of the city of Nuuk known as Old Nuuk. The harbour entrance is restricted due to the tide and ice during much of the year....
. In 1965, the airline invested in developing a more robust fleet based on the large Sikorsky S-61
Sikorsky S-61
The Sikorsky S-61L and S-61N are civil variants of the successful SH-3 Sea King helicopter. They are two of the most widely used airliner and oil rig support helicopters built.-Design and development:...
helicopter, which continued to serve the town for the next four decades, even after the construction of an airport in Nuuk capable of serving the short takeoff and landing de Havilland Canada Dash-7
De Havilland Canada Dash 7
The de Havilland Canada DHC-7, popularly known as the Dash 7, is a turboprop-powered regional airliner with STOL capabilities. It first flew in 1975 and remained in production until 1988 when the parent company, de Havilland Canada, was purchased by Boeing and was later sold to Bombardier...
aircraft, which dominated at the airport since the 1970s.
The airport was constructed to serve the largest town in Greenland, yet due to space constraints at the location in a mountainous area and problems with the weather, it is unable to service large airliner
Airliner
An airliner is a large fixed-wing aircraft for transporting passengers and cargo. Such aircraft are operated by airlines. Although the definition of an airliner can vary from country to country, an airliner is typically defined as an aircraft intended for carrying multiple passengers in commercial...
s. An expansion of the airport is not an acceptable option also due to the approach over the urbanized area of the outlying districts of Nuuk, although the issue continues to be a subject of internal debate in Greenland.
Water plane era
In the early 1960s, after the establishment of Air GreenlandAir Greenland
Air Greenland A/S is the flag carrier airline of Greenland, jointly owned by the government of Greenland, the SAS Group, and the government of Denmark...
on 7 November 1960 as Greenlandair, Nuuk was served exclusively by the PBY Catalina
PBY Catalina
The Consolidated PBY Catalina was an American flying boat of the 1930s and 1940s produced by Consolidated Aircraft. It was one of the most widely used multi-role aircraft of World War II. PBYs served with every branch of the United States Armed Forces and in the air forces and navies of many other...
water planes, with the aircraft using the waterways of the Nuuk Port
Nuuk Port and Harbour
Nuuk Port and Harbour is the largest port in Greenland. It is located in the southeastern area of the city of Nuuk known as Old Nuuk. The harbour entrance is restricted due to the tide and ice during much of the year....
as a landing site. In 1962 a PBY Catalina crashed near the port, killing 15 people onboard.
Helicopter era
The tragedy was one of the factors leading to the decision to invest in a helicopter fleet. The Sikorsky S-61NSikorsky S-61
The Sikorsky S-61L and S-61N are civil variants of the successful SH-3 Sea King helicopter. They are two of the most widely used airliner and oil rig support helicopters built.-Design and development:...
machines—still in use in 2010—proved to be a more reliable mode of transport for the city, providing exclusive service for the Nuuk city for more than a decade—from the purchase date in 1965 until the late 1970s.
Even in the later era of the fixed-wing, turboprop
Turboprop
A turboprop engine is a type of turbine engine which drives an aircraft propeller using a reduction gear.The gas turbine is designed specifically for this application, with almost all of its output being used to drive the propeller...
plane domination, the S-61N helicopters continued to link Nuuk with the smaller Paamiut
Paamiut
Paamiut is a town in the Sermersooq municipality in southwestern Greenland. The name of the town means "they who reside by the mouth" in Greenlandic.- Geography :...
town, until the airport was built there
Paamiut Airport
Paamiut Airport is an airport located northeast of Paamiut, a town in the Sermersooq municipality in southwestern Greenland. It was built in 2007, replacing the old heliport. It is the only airport between Nuuk and Narsarsuaq capable of serving STOL aircraft of Air Greenland....
in 2007, replacing the old heliport.
Regional airport network
Nuuk Airport was built in 1979, when the then newly formed Home Rule government decided to create a network of the STOLSTOL
STOL is an acronym for short take-off and landing, a term used to describe aircraft with very short runway requirements.-Definitions:There is no one accepted definition of STOL and many different definitions have been used by different authorities and nations at various times and for a myriad of...
-capable domestic airports. The airport in the largest city in Greenland was a priority for the government, followed by Kulusuk Airport
Kulusuk Airport
Kulusuk Airport is an airport in Kulusuk, a settlement on an island of the same name off the shore of the North Atlantic in the Sermersooq municipality in southeastern Greenland.- Airlines and destinations :- Bottlenecks :...
in Kulusuk
Kulusuk
Kulusuk is a settlement in the Sermersooq municipality in southeastern Greenland, located on an island of the same name. The settlement population of 286 is quite uncommon for an Inuit settlement in Greenland with many Danes choosing to live there, due to the airport...
in south-eastern Greenland, and Ilulissat Airport
Ilulissat Airport
Ilulissat Airport is an airport located near the shores of Disko Bay, north-east of Ilulissat, a town in the Qaasuitsup municipality in western Greenland. It was built in 1983, replacing the old heliport.- Airlines and destinations :...
in Ilulissat
Ilulissat
Ilulissat is a town in the Qaasuitsup municipality in western Greenland, located approximately north of the Arctic Circle. With the population of 4,546 as of 2010, it is the third-largest settlement in Greenland, after Nuuk and Sisimiut....
, the largest town in the Disko Bay
Disko Bay
Disko Bay is a bay on the western coast of Greenland. The bay constitutes a wide southeastern inlet of Baffin Bay.- Geography :To the south the coastline is complicated with multiple waterways of skerries and small islands in the Aasiaat archipelago...
region of western Greenland. This constituted the first such wave of network expansion.
Network expansion
It wasn't until the 1990s that the network experienced another spurt of large-scale growth, when the airports in the remaining larger towns were built: Sisimiut AirportSisimiut Airport
Sisimiut Airport is an airport located northwest of Sisimiut, a town in the Qeqqata municipality in central-western Greenland. The airport has a single runway designated 14/32 which measures , built on the northern shore of Kangerluarsunnguaq Bay....
in Sisimiut
Sisimiut
Sisimiut is a town in central-western Greenland, located on the coast of Davis Strait, approximately north of Nuuk. It is the administrative center of the Qeqqata Municipality and the second-largest town in Greenland, with a population of 5,460 people as of 2010. The site of the present-day town...
and Maniitsoq Airport
Maniitsoq Airport
Maniitsoq Airport is an airport located northwest of Maniitsoq, a town in the Qeqqata municipality in central-western Greenland. It can serve STOL aircraft, although there is no deicing equipment at the airport, which is costly and problematic in Greenlandic winter.-Airlines and destinations:...
in Maniitsoq
Maniitsoq
Maniitsoq is a town in the Qeqqata municipality in western Greenland. With 2,784 inhabitants as of 2010, it is the sixth-largest town in Greenland...
in central-western Greenland, Aasiaat Airport
Aasiaat Airport
Aasiaat Airport is an airport located northeast of Aasiaat, a town in the Qaasuitsup municipality in western Greenland. It can serve STOL aircraft, although there is no deicing equipment at the airport, which is costly and problematic in Greenlandic winter....
in the Disko Bay region, Upernavik Airport
Upernavik Airport
Upernavik Airport is an airport located northeast of Upernavik, a town in the Qaasuitsup municipality in northwestern Greenland, capable of serving STOL aircraft...
in Upernavik
Upernavik
Upernavik is a small town in the Qaasuitsup municipality in northwestern Greenland, located on a small island of the same name. With 1,129 inhabitants as of 2010, it is the thirteenth-largest town in Greenland. Due to the small size of the settlement, everything is within walking distance...
in northwestern Greenland, and Qaarsut Airport
Qaarsut Airport
Qaarsut Airport is an airport in Qaarsut, a settlement on the Nuussuaq Peninsula in the Qaasuitsup municipality in northwestern Greenland. It is a primary airport with a gravel runway, capable of serving STOL aircraft of Air Greenland in all seasons...
, an airport in Qaarsut
Qaarsut
Qaarsut is a settlement in the Qaasuitsup municipality, in northwestern Greenland. It is situated on the northeastern shore of the Nuussuaq Peninsula...
, a settlement in the Uummannaq Fjord
Uummannaq Fjord
Uummannaq Fjord is a large fjord system in the northern part of western Greenland, the largest after Kangertittivaq fjord in eastern Greenland...
region; the airport serving both the village and the larger town of Uummannaq
Uummannaq
Uummannaq is a town in the Qaasuitsup municipality, in northwestern Greenland. With 1,299 inhabitants as of 2010, it is the eleventh-largest town in Greenland, and is home to the country's most northerly ferry terminal...
, located on the rocky Uummannaq Island
Uummannaq Island
Uummannaq Island is a small island in the Qaasuitsup municipality in northwestern Greenland. Located in the south-central part of the Uummannaq Fjord, it is home to the most prominent mountain on the Arctic coast of western Greenland, and to Uummannaq, the largest town north of Ilulissat.The...
.
2000-onwards
The first international flights from Nuuk Airport were to Iqaluit in NunavutNunavut
Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. This connection was closed 13 years later, and for years afterwards international flights to Greenland were limited to Kangerlussuaq Airport
Kangerlussuaq Airport
Kangerlussuaq Airport is an airport in Kangerlussuaq, a settlement in the Qeqqata municipality in central-western Greenland. Alongside Narsarsuaq Airport, it is one of only two civilian airports in Greenland large enough to handle large airliners, having more stable weather, being located further...
in central western Greenland, 319 km (198.2 mi) to the north of Nuuk, an airport inherited from the U.S. Air Force when the former Sondrestrom Air Base
Sondrestrom Air Base
Sondrestrom Air Base is a former United States Air Force base in Greenland, located north of the Arctic Circle, from the northeast end of Kangerlussuaq Fjord , after which it was named, approximately west northwest of Ravneklippen, and west of Sisimiut.The base was turned over to the Greenland...
was handed over to the then Home Rule government on 30 September 1992.
Unlike Nuuk Airport, the airport in Kangerlussuaq
Kangerlussuaq
Kangerlussuaq is a settlement in western Greenland in the Qeqqata municipality, located at the head of a fjord of the same name. It is Greenland's main air transport hub, being the site of Greenland's largest commercial airport....
can serve large airliner
Airliner
An airliner is a large fixed-wing aircraft for transporting passengers and cargo. Such aircraft are operated by airlines. Although the definition of an airliner can vary from country to country, an airliner is typically defined as an aircraft intended for carrying multiple passengers in commercial...
s, and remains the airline hub of Air Greenland, the flag-carrier of Greenland. The airline is opposed to relocation of its hub, citing the costs of such a move and consistently favourable weather conditions at Kangerlussuaq, located deep inland, about 30 km (18.6 mi) from the edge of the Greenland ice sheet
Greenland ice sheet
The Greenland ice sheet is a vast body of ice covering , roughly 80% of the surface of Greenland. It is the second largest ice body in the world, after the Antarctic Ice Sheet. The ice sheet is almost long in a north-south direction, and its greatest width is at a latitude of 77°N, near its...
. The airline argues that the infrastructure at Kangerlussuaq is good, and visibility is not hampered by the coastal fog
Fog
Fog is a collection of water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air at or near the Earth's surface. While fog is a type of stratus cloud, the term "fog" is typically distinguished from the more generic term "cloud" in that fog is low-lying, and the moisture in the fog is often generated...
s, storms, heavy snowfall, and frequent turbulence in particular.
These well-grounded arguments for preserving the status quo pose a problem for the Government of Greenland, which oversees the development of the airport network through Mittarfeqarfiit
Mittarfeqarfiit
The Greenland Airport Authority is the national airport operator of the airports in Greenland, in charge of airport upgrades and associated fees and taxes in all airports in Greenland....
, the airport administration authority. More than a quarter of Greenland's population lives in Nuuk, with the majority of the important institutions in the country located in the city, and the need to change planes at Kangerlussuaq is costly and time-consuming for passengers.
With the airport being limited to serving small planes, the possibilities for international connections remain limited. Reopening of the connection to Iqaluit was considered by Air Greenland in late 2009, but was later postponed until at least 2011. In order to compete with Air Iceland
Air Iceland
Air Iceland is a regional airline with its head office on the property of Reykjavík Airport in Reykjavík, Iceland. It operates scheduled services to domestic destinations and to Greenland. Its main bases are Reykjavík Airport and Akureyri Airport...
, which operates services to Nuuk, Narsarsuaq
Narsarsuaq
Narsarsuaq is a settlement in the Kujalleq municipality in southern Greenland. It had 158 inhabitants in 2010. There is a thriving tourism industry in and around Narsarsuaq, whose attractions include a great diversity of wildlife, gemstones, tours to glaciers, and an airfield museum...
, Ilulissat, and all airports on the eastern coast, Air Greenland announced opening of new connections with Iceland, linking Nuuk and Narsarsuaq with Keflavík International Airport
Keflavík International Airport
-Cargo airlines:-Ground transport:Transport between the airport and Reykjavik city is by road only. The distance is 50 km. A new fast freeway was opened 2008. The buses have a timetable adapted to the flight schedule. They go to and from the Reykjavik bus terminal, taking around 45 minutes...
, later restricting it to Nuuk. In 2010, the route will be operated in May–June and September, with a possible extension to full-season in 2011.
Beyond schedule
The de Havilland Canada Dash 8 turboprops, acquired in Spring 2010, are the newest planes in the Air Greenland fleet, and are based at the airport. The aircraft are used for the seasonal flights to Iceland, and for charter flights, such as the shuttle flights for the 2010 Inuit Circumpolar Council general assembly in Nuuk.Nuuk Airport is also home to the Beechcraft King Air B200
Beechcraft Super King Air
The Beechcraft Super King Air family is part of a line of twin-turboprop aircraft produced by the Beech Aircraft Corporation . The King Air line comprises a number of model series that fall into two families: the Model 90 series, Model 100 series , Model 200 series and Model 300 series...
"Amaalik", used for air ambulance
Air ambulance
An air ambulance is an aircraft used for emergency medical assistance in situations where either a traditional ambulance cannot reach the scene easily or quickly enough, or the patient needs to be transported over a distance or terrain that makes air transportation the most practical transport....
flights and occasional charters. The airport is also used for various charter flights, such as airlifts to the summit of the 1210 metres (3,969.8 ft) Sermitsiaq Mountain, a landmark of Nuuk, located on Sermitsiaq Island
Sermitsiaq Island
Sermitsiaq Island is an uninhabited island in the Sermersooq municipality in southwestern Greenland. It is one of three mountainous islands located in the middle run of the long Nuup Kangerlua fjord, to the north of Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. The two sibling islands are Qeqertarsuaq Island...
north of the airport.
Geography
The airport is located 2 NM northeast of Nuuk CentrumNuuk Centrum
Nuuk Centrum is a district of Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. Together with the Old Nuuk neighborhood, it encompasses the southern and central part of the town. Most of the institutions and businesses are based in the district.- Transport :...
. The former suburbs of Nuuk, such as Nuussuaq
Nuussuaq (district)
Nuussuaq is a district of Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, It is located in the northern part of the city, west and southwest of Nuuk Airport, approximately outside of the city center.- History :...
, Quassussuup Tungaa
Quassussuup Tungaa
Quassussuup Tungaa is a district of Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. Together with the Qernertunnguit neighborhood, it is located in the northwestern part of the town, facing the Nuup Kangerlua fjord.- Transport :...
, and Qinngorput
Qinngorput
Qinngorput is a district of Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. It is located near to the east-northeast of the town centrum, south of Nuuk Airport, approximately outside of the city centre.- History :...
, incorporated into the town in the last decade, have brought the city closer to the airport. As of 2010 the airport is within walking distance of the nearest continuously inhabited area, its runway approximately 700 m (2,296.6 ft) from the University of Greenland
University of Greenland
The University of Greenland is a university located in Nuuk, Greenland. Most courses are taught in Danish and a few in Greenlandic. As of 2007, the university had approximately 150 students, almost all local inhabitants, and around 14 academic staff and five technical-administrative employees...
campus.
Runway expansion
Nuuk airport has one asphalt runway (05/23) 950 metre 283 ft (86.3 m) above sea level. The airport terminal and apron are built on a levelled platform on an undulating slope under the UkkusissatUkkusissat (mountain)
Ukkusissat is a mountain in the Sermersooq municipality in southwestern Greenland, located to the southeast of Nuuk Airport, an airport in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland...
mountain, with the runway platform artificially elevated to compensate for the scarp immediately to the west. The runway platform bed is composed of broken rock and rubble, topped with gravel, and protected by a low, wooden fence.
The northern end of the runway is less than 700 m (2,296.6 ft) from the shore of Nuup Kangerlua
Nuup Kangerlua
Nuup Kangerlua is a long, fjord in the Sermersooq municipality in southwestern Greenland. It is the longest fjord on the Labrador Sea coast of Greenland, and one of the longest in the inhabited part of the country....
fjord. An expansion of the runway in that direction would require relocation of the connecting road, which climbs under the runway scarp. An often-discussed extension of the runway in the other direction would have brought the endpoint close to Qinngorput, the newest district of Nuuk, rapidly expanding in the late 2000s.
It is not possible to lengthen the runway to more than 3 km (1.9 mi) in any direction, but plans are drafted for expansion on a smaller scale, with the aim of extending the runway to 1199 m (3,933.7 ft). The extension issue is a long-standing topic of ongoing controversy in Greenland. Rough weather in the region is cited as life-threatening to larger airplanes, given the additional difficulty of approach in a mountainous region.
Approach
To land at the airport, fixed-wing planes flying from the north must currently perform a full 180-degree U-turn, flying directly over the city. Heavy turbulence frequently occurs and could lead to a crash, with widespread loss of life and property.Airlines and destinations
Facilities
Nuuk Airport is has a passenger terminal, and a cargo terminal of Air Greenland. It serves as the technical base for Air Greenland. The airport is equipped with the distance measuring equipmentDistance Measuring Equipment
Distance measuring equipment is a transponder-based radio navigation technology that measures distance by timing the propagation delay of VHF or UHF radio signals....
.
Terminal
There are three gates in the terminal, located in the same area as the check-in desks and the waiting hall, with unrestricted access. The luggage conveyor belt is installed in a separate section of the terminal. The airport is closed on Sundays.Ground transport
Line 3 of Nuup BussiiNuup Bussii
Nuup Bussii A/S is a bus company in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, providing public transport services for the city. As of 2006 Nuup Bussii had 24 employees, operating 12 Leyland DAB and Volvo B12M buses with a distinct yellow color, as well as 5 other small vehicles.- History :Prior to the...
connects the airport with Nuuk Centrum
Nuuk Centrum
Nuuk Centrum is a district of Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. Together with the Old Nuuk neighborhood, it encompasses the southern and central part of the town. Most of the institutions and businesses are based in the district.- Transport :...
, passing through the Nuussuaq and Quassussuup Tungaa districts on the way. Buses depart from the airport every hour during rush hours Mo-Fr. Taxis operated by Nuna Taxa are also available. Limited-time parking for private cars is available outside the terminal.
Recent Accidents and Incidents
- On 7 June 2008, an Eurocopter AS350 of Air Greenland crashed on the runway at Nuuk Airport. There were no injuries, but the helicopter was damaged beyond repair.
- On 4 March 2011, an Air Iceland's Dash 8 landing gear collapsed while landing on the runway. No injuries, but some heavy damage to the aircraft.