Tainan Airport
Encyclopedia
Tainan Airport is a commercial airport located in South District
, Tainan City, Taiwan
. It is shared with Republic of China Air Force
Tainan AFB
. In January 2011, the Civil Aeronautics Administration
approved the airport to handle international flights in the future.
It is the third busiest domestic airport after Taipei Songshan Airport
and Kaohsiung Airport
. However its passenger number dropped significantly since 2007 after the inauguration of Taiwan High Speed Rail
. The Far Eastern Air Transport
suspended the service between Tainan Airport and Taipei Songshan Airport
on March 1, 2008, ending this carrier's 50-year service history in the Tainan Airport. Its competitor, TransAsia Airways
, also had to downgrade the aircraft from jet Airbus A320
to turboprop
ATR 72
to maintain revenue, and finally decided to quit this airport since August 1, 2008.
Because of the share use with the Air Force, the airport terminal was built quite a distance away from the airfield. Passengers disembark at the apron
and board shuttle buses to the terminal. Also because of the share use, some flights will be cancelled when the Air Force is conducting war games.
Among other U.S. units, the 868th Tactical Missile Squadron
was stationed at Tainan Air Base from 1958-1962 operating MGM-1 Matador
s, probably under the ultimate control of the United States Taiwan Defense Command
.
, a Handley Page Dart Herald with 36 passengers and crew board, crashed while attempting an emergency landing at Tainan. Everyone on board was killed.
On April 16, 1977, Douglas C-47A B-247 of FEAT
was damaged beyond economic repair in a landing accident.
On March 21, 2003, TransAsia Airways
flight 543 (Airbus A321 registration B-22603) on a flight from Taipei Songshan Airport
to Tainan Airport , collided with a truck which was on runway 36R when the A321 was landing at Tainan. None of the 175 passengers and crew were killed or injured but the two people inside the truck was injured in the collision. The aircraft was written off in the accident.
South District, Tainan
South District is a district located in Tainan City, Republic of China ....
, Tainan City, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. It is shared with Republic of China Air Force
Republic of China Air Force
The Republic of China Air Force is the aviation branch of the Republic of China Armed Forces. The ROCAF's primary mission is the defense of the airspace over and around Taiwan...
Tainan AFB
Air Force Base
An Air Force Base is a military airbase of any of a number of air forces, such as the United States Air Force or South African Air Force ....
. In January 2011, the Civil Aeronautics Administration
Civil Aeronautics Administration (Republic of China)
The Civil Aeronautics Administration, Ministry of Transportation and Communication is a government agency of the Republic of China . It is a division of the Ministry of Transportation and Communication under the Executive Yuan and responsible for the regulation of all civil aviation activities in...
approved the airport to handle international flights in the future.
It is the third busiest domestic airport after Taipei Songshan Airport
Taipei Songshan Airport
Taipei Songshan Airport or Taipei Sungshan Airport is a midsize commercial airport and military airbase located in Songshan, Taipei, Taiwan...
and Kaohsiung Airport
Kaohsiung International Airport
Kaohsiung International Airport , also known as Kaohsiung Siaogang Airport for the Siaogang District where it is located, is a medium-sized commercial airport located in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan...
. However its passenger number dropped significantly since 2007 after the inauguration of Taiwan High Speed Rail
Taiwan High Speed Rail
Taiwan High Speed Rail is a high-speed rail line that runs approximately along the west coast of the Republic of China from the national capital of Taipei to the southern city of Kaohsiung...
. The Far Eastern Air Transport
Far Eastern Air Transport
Far Eastern Air Transport is an airline based in Taipei, Taiwan. Established in 1957, it operated domestic services from Taipei and Kaohsiung to five regional cities and international services to Southeast Asia, South Korea and Palau. Its main base was Taipei Songshan Airport...
suspended the service between Tainan Airport and Taipei Songshan Airport
Taipei Songshan Airport
Taipei Songshan Airport or Taipei Sungshan Airport is a midsize commercial airport and military airbase located in Songshan, Taipei, Taiwan...
on March 1, 2008, ending this carrier's 50-year service history in the Tainan Airport. Its competitor, TransAsia Airways
TransAsia Airways
TransAsia Airways is an airline based in Taipei, Republic of China . It mainly serves the domestic market but also has limited scheduled and charter international services to China, East Asia, and Southeast Asia destinations.- Name :...
, also had to downgrade the aircraft from jet Airbus A320
Airbus A320
The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
to 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...
ATR 72
ATR 72
The ATR 72 is a twin-engine turboprop short-haul regional airliner built by the French-Italian aircraft manufacturer ATR. ATR and Airbus are both built in Toulouse, and share resources and technology...
to maintain revenue, and finally decided to quit this airport since August 1, 2008.
Because of the share use with the Air Force, the airport terminal was built quite a distance away from the airfield. Passengers disembark at the apron
Airport ramp
The airport ramp or apron is part of an airport. It is usually the area where aircraft are parked, unloaded or loaded, refueled or boarded. Although the use of the apron is covered by regulations, such as lighting on vehicles, it is typically more accessible to users than the runway or taxiway...
and board shuttle buses to the terminal. Also because of the share use, some flights will be cancelled when the Air Force is conducting war games.
Among other U.S. units, the 868th Tactical Missile Squadron
868th Tactical Missile Training Squadron
The 868th Tactical Missile Training Squadron is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force. Its last assignment was with the 868th Tactical Missile Training Group, stationed at Davis Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona...
was stationed at Tainan Air Base from 1958-1962 operating MGM-1 Matador
MGM-1 Matador
The Martin MGM-1 Matador was the first operational surface-to-surface cruise missile built by the United States. It was similar in concept to the German V-1, but the Matador included a radio link that allowed in-flight course corrections. This allowed accuracy to be maintained over greatly extended...
s, probably under the ultimate control of the United States Taiwan Defense Command
United States Taiwan Defense Command
The United States Taiwan Defense Command was a sub-unified command of the United States armed forces. It was originally formed as the Formosa Liaison Center . In November 1955, the FLC become the Taiwan Defense Command...
.
Incidents and Accidents
On February 24, 1969, Far Eastern Air Transport Flight 104Far Eastern Air Transport Flight 104
On 24 February 1969, Far Eastern Air Transport Flight 104, a short-haul flight from from Kaohsiung International Airport to Taipei Songshan Airport, Taiwan, was flown by a Handley Page Dart Herald with 32 passengers and 4 crew on board. Ten minutes after take-off, the aircraft's port-side engine...
, a Handley Page Dart Herald with 36 passengers and crew board, crashed while attempting an emergency landing at Tainan. Everyone on board was killed.
On April 16, 1977, Douglas C-47A B-247 of FEAT
Far Eastern Air Transport
Far Eastern Air Transport is an airline based in Taipei, Taiwan. Established in 1957, it operated domestic services from Taipei and Kaohsiung to five regional cities and international services to Southeast Asia, South Korea and Palau. Its main base was Taipei Songshan Airport...
was damaged beyond economic repair in a landing accident.
On March 21, 2003, TransAsia Airways
TransAsia Airways
TransAsia Airways is an airline based in Taipei, Republic of China . It mainly serves the domestic market but also has limited scheduled and charter international services to China, East Asia, and Southeast Asia destinations.- Name :...
flight 543 (Airbus A321 registration B-22603) on a flight from Taipei Songshan Airport
Taipei Songshan Airport
Taipei Songshan Airport or Taipei Sungshan Airport is a midsize commercial airport and military airbase located in Songshan, Taipei, Taiwan...
to Tainan Airport , collided with a truck which was on runway 36R when the A321 was landing at Tainan. None of the 175 passengers and crew were killed or injured but the two people inside the truck was injured in the collision. The aircraft was written off in the accident.