Pago Pago International Airport
| Pago Pago International Airport | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| IATA: PPG – ICAO: NSTU – FAA LID: PPG | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Public | ||
| Owner | American Samoa Government | ||
| Operator | Department of Port Administration | ||
| Serves | Pago Pago | ||
| Location | Pago Pago, American Samoa | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 32 ft / 10 m | ||
| Coordinates | 14°19′54″S 170°42′41″W / 14.33167°S 170.71139°WCoordinates: 14°19′54″S 170°42′41″W / 14.33167°S 170.71139°W | ||
| Map | |||
 Pago Pago International Airport
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| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 5/23 | 10,000 | 3,048 | Asphalt |
| 8/26 | 3,800 | 1,158 | Asphalt |
| Statistics (2007) | |||
| Enplanements | 56,705 | ||
| Aircraft operations | 14,043 | ||
| Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1] | |||
Pago Pago International Airport (IATA: PPG, ICAO: NSTU, FAA LID: PPG), also referred to as Tafuna Airport (or Tafuna International Airport), Tafuna Airfield, Tafuna Airbase or Pago Pago International with airport designation PPG is a public airport located seven (7) miles (11.3 km) southwest of the central business district of Pago Pago, in the village and plains of Tafuna on the island of Tutuila in American Samoa, an unincorporated territory of the United States.
Contents
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[edit] History
[edit] Tafuna Airfield
The site and location of the current airport was originally known as Tafuna Airfield[2]. It was part of U.S. Naval Station Tutuila - Samoa Defense Group Area[3] and was partially constructed before war broke out in the Pacific on December 7, 1941. Two airstrips were completed and opened on March 17, 1942[4].
The airfield was first utilized on March 19, 1942 by U.S. Marine Fighting Squadron VMF-111[5] which arrived by ship from San Diego, California. VMF-111 aircraft were off loaded in Pago Pago harbor and trucked to Tafuna airfield[4]. The first planes from MAG-13 also arrived at Tafuna Airfield on April 2, 1942 at which point they assumed responsibility for the air defense of American Samoa. Marine Torpedo Bombing Squadron VMO-151[4][6] arrived in early May 1942 at Tafuna Airfield where all three squadrons were based during the early part of the Pacific War. VMF-111 was eventually transitioned and based at Faleolo Airfield[4] in Western (British) Samoa after Faleolo airfield was completed in July 1942[7] to protect Upolu and Savai'i islands.
| Runway | length | Width | Type | Operational Years | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9/27 | 6,080 feet (1,853 m) | 500 feet (152 m) | Compact Coral | 1942–1964 | Primary runway |
| 14/32 | 3,000 feet (914 m) | 200 feet (61 m) | Compact Coral | 1942–1950 | Secondary runway |
The original runways were compass bearing 9/27 (6,080 feet (1,853 m) x 500 feet (152 m))[8] and 14/32 (3,000 feet (914 m) x 200 feet (61 m))[8] and were constructed of compact coral with capability to handle 65 fighter aircraft and 12 medium to heavy bombers. The runways were lighted[8]. The main terminal airfield buildings, a large hangar and control tower[9] were located at the edge of today's runway 8/26 and at what is today the Tafuna Industrial Park area.
[edit] Leone Airfield
In conjunction with the airstrip at Tafuna, an emergency Bomber airstrip was also constructed in the village of Leone, known then as Leone Airfield in early 1943. It was situated on what is today Leone High School and Midkiff Elementary School on the western edge of Tutuila Island. Leone Airfield was 6,000 feet (1,829 m) x 500 feet (152 m)[7] and was completed on September 30, 1943. It had a short life during the war. The airfield was abandoned in early 1945 due to turbulent air currents and lack of use. Only two aircraft were recorded to have landed and taken off from the airfield. A visual outline of Leone Airfield can be seen from the air today with a straight clearance road starting from the WVUV-AM radio tower to Midkiff Elementary School.
[edit] Pago Pago International Airport
[edit] Pre-Jet Service
Pago Pago International Airport and the original Tafuna Airfield military facilities were first used for commercial trans pacific air service in November 1946 when Pan American Airways resumed service from Honolulu to Australia and New Zealand. Pan American utilized Douglas DC-4, and eventually upgraded to DC-7C aircraft in the 1956 (when Pago Pago International Airport was upgraded as a commercial airport) for its Honolulu / Canton Island / Pago Pago / Nadi / Auckland & Sydney route. This service was conducted using the outbased DC-7C aircraft Clipper Seven Seas N743PA[10] and Clipper Pacific Trader N744PA [11] on the route and continued until November 1965.
| Started | Ended | Airline Name | Aircraft | Route |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | 1965 | Pan American Airways | DC-4 & DC-7 | Honolulu / Canton Island / Pago Pago / Sydney and Auckland |
| 1954 | 1965 | TEAL (Air New Zealand) | DC-6 & Lockheed L-188 Electra | Auckland / Nadi / Pago Pago / Papeete |
| 1959 | 1970 | Polynesian Airilnes | DC-3 | Apia(Faleolo) / Pago Pago |
It was also used for inter island air service between Faleolo, Western Samoa and Pago Pago in 1959 by newly formed, Apia-based Polynesian Airlines and short-lived, Pago Pago-based Samoan Airways using ex-military Douglas C-47B-45-DK (DC-3D) type aircraft.
Tasman Empire Airways Limited or TEAL, the predecessor to what is now Air New Zealand offered DC-6 (eventually using Lockheed L-188 Electra aircraft in 1960) flights from Nadi to Pago Pago[12][13] and onwards to Tahiti in 1954 as part of its Coral Route Service.
[edit] The Jet Age
Pago Pago International Airport went through major re-construction in 1963 under the U.S. President Kennedy administration. The WW II military-era runway designated 14/32 was converted to a taxiway and ramp area, and a new runway was constructed and designated 5/23 with a paved length of 9,000 feet (2,743 m) and width of 150 feet (46 m).
| Runway | length | Width | Type | Operational Years | Last Major Improvement | Usage | Max Type Aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9/27 | 6,080 feet (1,853 m) | 500 feet (152 m) | Compact Coral | 1942–1964 (Closed) | 1950 (sealed tar runway) | Primary Runway | DC-7 and Lockheed L-188 Electra |
| 5/23 | 9,000 feet (2,743 m) | 150 feet (46 m) | Asphalt | 1964 - Current | 2001 (Runway extension) | Primary runway | Boeing 747 / Lockheed C-5 Galaxy |
| 14/32 | 3,000 feet (914 m) | 200 feet (61 m) | Compact Coral | 1942–1950 (converted to taxiway to runway 5/23 in 1963) | 1942 | Secondary runway | Small WW II Fighter Aircraft |
New terminal buildings and tarmac ramp areas were also constructed. Runway designation 9/27 which was the primary runway for commercial air service in the 1950s and early 1960s was deactivated after the newer, longer runway 5/23 was open for aircraft flights. Pago Pago International Airport was opened to jet service in 1964 to stimulate tourism and a new local economy.
[edit] Trans Pacific Jet Service and height of Commercial Aviation
South Pacific jet service between Sydney (Australia), Auckland (New Zealand), Honolulu (Hawaii) and Papeete (Tahiti) were first offered by Pan American World Airways in 1964 using Boeing 707 aircraft. Air New Zealand, which was already flying the Auckland / Nadi / Pago Pago / Papeete route using Lockheed L-188 Electra aircraft shifted to DC-8 aircraft in November 1965. In 1970 American Airlines[14] began flying the Honolulu / Pago Pago / Sydney route using Boeing 707 aircraft. UTA French Airlines began DC-10 service in 1975 between Noumea, New Caledonia and Papeete, Tahiti via Pago Pago. Continental Airlines also began DC-10 service from Honolulu to Sydney and Auckland via Pago Pago in 1979.
| Started | Ended | Airline Name | Aircraft | Route |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 1982 | Pan American Airways (defunct) | Boeing 707 & Boeing 747 | Honolulu / Pago Pago / Sydney, Auckland, Papeete |
| 1965 | 1978 | Air New Zealand | DC-8 | Auckland / Pago Pago / Honolulu |
| 1970 | 1972 | American Airlines | Boeing 707 | Honolulu / Pago Pago / Sydney and Auckland |
| 1975 | 1977 | UTA French Airlines (Merged with Air France) | DC-10 | Noumea / Pago Pago / Papeete |
| 1979 | 1983 | Continental Airlines (merged with United Airlines) | DC-10 | Honolulu / Pago Pago / Sydney & Auckland |
| 1983 | Current | Hawaiian Airlines | DC-8, L-1011, DC-10, Boeing 767 | Honolulu / Pago Pago / Papeete, Nukualofa, Auckland (no longer services these three routes from Pago Pago) |
| 1980 | 1987 | South Pacific Island Airways (defunct) | Boeing 707 | Pago Pago / Honolulu / Papeete / Auckland / Apia(Faleolo) / Sydney / Seattle, Anchorage, Port Moresby |
| 1984 | 1985 | Samoa Air (defunct) | Boeing 707 | Pago Pago / Honolulu |
| 1982 | 1985 | Arrow Air | Boeing 707 | Honolulu / Pago Pago |
| 1978 | 1985 | Air Nauru (downsized and renamed Our Airline) | Boeing 737 and Boeing 727 | Nauru / Pago Pago |
| 1977 | 1982 | Air Pacific | BAC-111 | Nadi / Pago Pago |
Pago Pago International Airport went through its peak in aviation between 1975 and 1985. During this period Pan American (using Boeing 747's), Air New Zealand (using DC-8's), UTA French Airlines (using DC-10's), Continental Airlines (using DC-10's), Hawaiian Airlines (using a DC-8), South Pacific Island Airways (using Boeing 707's), Samoa Air (using a Boeing 707), Arrow Air (using a DC-8), Air Nauru (Boeing 737 & 727), and Air Pacific (using a BAC-11) were all prying the South Pacific via Pago Pago. One could travel between Pago Pago and Honolulu for an airfare of US$99 one-way.
[edit] Cargo Commercial Aviation
Towards the end of its peak commercial passenger aviation period, Pago Pago International Airport also became an ideal refueling stopover for cargo carriers due to the low cost of fuel and landing fees at the time. Cargo carriers such as Kalitta Air, Evergreen International Airlines, and Polar Air Cargo would provide at least daily Boeing 747 cargo flights to Pago Pago from the US and from Asia Pacific between 1990 and 2006.
| Started | Ended | Cargo Airline Name | Aircraft | Route |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 2006 | Kalitta Air | Boeing 747 | Honolulu / Pago Pago / Sydney and Auckland |
| 1994 | 2004 | Evergreen International Airlines | Boeing 747 | Honolulu / Pago Pago |
| 1993 | 2002 | Polar Air Cargo | Boeing 747 | Honolulu / Pago Pago / Sydney / Hong Kong |
[edit] Downturn in Airport usage and Travel
The airport was a vital link to the Samoan Islands until the runway at Faleolo International Airport in Independent Samoa was improved and lengthened to handle larger than Boeing 737 type aircraft in 1984. With a population that is 3 1/2 times greater than American Samoa plus greater emphasis that was put on tourism growth, international airline traffic particularly from Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific island countries began to shift from Pago Pago to Faleolo airport. Airlines with flights from the US to Australia and New Zealand also started utilizing aircraft that did not require a refueling stopover in Pago Pago. By the late 1980s and due to heavy competition and economics, only one passenger air carrier (Hawaiian Airlines) remained to service the Pago Pago trans pacific route.
[edit] Runway and Facility Expansion
Runway 9/27 was the primary commercial runway for aircraft in the 1950s and early 1960s. The runway was deactivated after runway 5/23 was constructed and activated in 1964. In the mid-1970s, runway 9/27 was rehabilitated, repaved and reactivated as runway 8/26 with 3,800 feet (1,158 m) (length) by 100 feet (30 m) (width) to function as a secondary runway and taxiway. Runway 8/26 is widely used today by air taxi operators flying to Apia (Fagali'i and Faleolo), Ofu or Tau.
The Departure and Arrival terminal also went through a major expansion in the mid-1970s where buildings and space was doubled in size to handle more passengers.
To facilitate aircraft with large payload requirements and long distance flights, runway 5/23 was expanded in early 2001 from an original runway length of 9,000 feet (2,743 m) to the current 10,000 feet (3,048 m).
| Runway | length | Width | Type | Operational Years | Last Major Improvement | Usage | Max Aircraft Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/23 | 10,000 feet (3,048 m) | 150 feet (46 m) | Asphalt | 1964 - Current | 2001 | Primary runway | Boeing 747 / Lockheed C-5 Galaxy / Antonov An-225 Mriya / Airbus A380 |
| 8/26 | 3,800 feet (1,158 m) | 100 feet (30 m) | Asphalt | 1979 - Current | 1979 | Secondary runway | Dash-8 / Dornier-328 / C-130 |
On October 13 and 19, 2009, the world's largest and heaviest aircraft, the Antonov An-225 landed at Pago Pago International Airport to deliver emergency power generation equipment[15] during the 2009 Samoa earthquake and tsunami.
[edit] Apollo Space Program and Airport Contribution
Pago Pago International Airport had historic significance with the U.S. Apollo Program. [16] The astronaut crews of Apollo 10, 12, 13, 14, and 17 were retrieved a few hundred miles from Pago Pago and transported by helicopter to the airport prior to being flown to Honolulu on C-141 Starlifter military aircraft.[17]
| Apollo Mission | Date | Astronauts | Splashdown Time | Location | Recovery Ship | Aircraft out of PPG | Destination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 26 May 1969 | Thomas P. Stafford, John W. Young and Eugene A. Cernan | 16:52 UTC / 12:52PM EST / 7:52AM Local | 400 miles east of American Samoa | USS Princeton | C-141 | Norton AFB, California |
| 12 | 24 November 1969 | Charles Conrad, Jr., Richard F. Gordon, Jr.and Alan L. Bean | 20:58 UTC / 3:58PM EST / 9:58AM Local | Approx. 500 nautical miles east of American Samoa | USS Hornet | C-141 (also airlifted moon rooks) | Norton AFB, California |
| 13 | 17 April 1970 | James A. Lovell, Jr., John Leonard Swigert, Jr., and Fred W. Haise, Jr. | 1:07PM EST / 8:07AM Local | USS Iwo Jima | C-141 | Norton AFB, California | |
| 14 | 9 February 1971 | Alan B. Shepard Jr., Stuart A. Roosa, and Edgar D. Mitchell | 4:05PM EST / 10:05AM Local | 760 nautical miles South of American Samoa | USS New Orleans | C-141 | McChord AFB, Washington |
| 17 | 19 December 1972 | Eugene A. Cernan, Harrison Jack H. Schmitt, and Ronald B. Evans | 2:25PM EST / 8:25AM Local | 350 nautical miles SE of American Samoa | USS Ticonderoga | C-141 |
[edit] Today
Hawaiian Airlines is the only major airline serving Pago Pago International Airport. In 2004, with assistance from the American Samoa Government to promote and bring additional air carriers to Pago Pago, Aloha Airlines gave it a run by operating a Honolulu / Pago Pago / Rarotonga route. However, the airline lasted 11 months and eventually pulled out of Pago Pago and other South Pacific routes it serviced due to financial issues.
Weekly Cargo flight from Honolulu, Hawaii is provided by Asia Pacific Airlines
Pago Pago International Airport is a frequent stopover for United States military aircraft flying in the South Pacific and is the only airport in the area with TACAN capabilities.
Daily inter island flights between the Samoas are offered by Inter Island Airways and Polynesian Airlines.
Due to American Samoa's distance from Hawaii and the US mainland, it is doubtful that any new major US airline will service this market in the future and compete directly with Hawaiian Airlines. The economics and cost may not make sense. However, the American Samoa Government is looking into legal means to overcome current US Cabotage rules that forbid foreign carriers from entering and servicing the Pago Pago / Honolulu or Pago Pago / Los Angeles route. Additionally, the government has recently[when?] requested Southwest Airlines to consider extending their forthcoming Honolulu route with the Boeing 737-800 to include service to American Samoa at an undetermined future date.
[edit] Airlines and destinations
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Hawaiian Airlines | Honolulu |
| Inter Island Airways | Apia-Faleolo, Tau |
| Polynesian Airlines | Apia-Fagali'i |
[edit] Cargo
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Asia Pacific Airlines | Honolulu |
[edit] Status and Expansion
A new US$12+ million Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) Fire Crash station was completed in 2005.
A US$18+ million Hot Fire/Crash Training facility was constructed and completed in 2008 and was to be used to train ARFF personnel, and other Fire Crash personnel from various airports in the South Pacific.
In 2010, Pago Pago International airport underwent US$1+ million terminal remodeling and modernization with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The Departure terminal, immigration, and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security and lounge areas were completely renovated and expanded to handled more passenger capacity and flow.
Taxi Way Alpha ("A") is currently undergoing resurfacing and is expected to be completed by mid-2011.
A new Control tower is in the planning and approval stage. Future plans also call for construction of a Jet bridge to facilitate loading/unloading of passengers from large aircraft without enduring the weather elements.
[edit] Facilities
[edit] Terminal and Gates
| Area | Number | Description/Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Passenger Terminals | 1 | Combination of 8 buildings inter connected |
| Aircraft Gates | 3 | A, B, C |
| Aircraft Stands | 3 | Ramp/Tarmac area |
[edit] Passenger Service
| Area | Number | Location | Tenant/Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airline Check-In Counters | 10 | Check-In Building | Hawaiian Airlines (4) / Polynesian Airlines (2) / Inter Island Airways (3) |
| Full Service Restaurant | 1 | Check-In building | Island Hut Steak House |
| Snack Bars | 2 | Gift Shop Building / Departure Building (Lounge) | Island Picks / South Pacific Duty Free Shoppers |
| Gift Shops | 6 | Gift Shop Building | |
| Duty Free Shops | 1 | Departure Building (Lounge) | South Pacific Duty Free Shoppers |
| VIP Lounge | 1 | Departure Building | Governor's Lounge |
| Travel Agency | 1 | Check-In Building | Inter Island Vacations |
| Rental Vehicle Stands | 4 | Departure Building | AVIS |
| Money Currency Exchange | 1 | Departure Building | |
| Taxi Stands/Service | 4 | Located outside of airport terminal/parking lot area around main terminal entrance | Airport Taxi / Pago Pago Taxi |
| Bank/ATM | 1 | Departure Building | ANZ Amerika Samoa Bank (ATM only) |
| Parking Lots | 3 | Main Parking Lot / Employee Parking Lot / Overflow Parking Lot | US$1 parking fee (from 8AM-5PM daily, 5PM-10PM Monday & Thursday) |
[edit] Nearest Hotels
| Hotel | Village Area | Location (miles from airport) | Website | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tradewinds Hotel | Ottoville | 2 miles (7 minutes) | www.tradewinds.as | |
| Pago Pago Airport Inn | Tafuna | 1/2 mile (4–5 minutes) | ||
| Sadie’s by the Sea | Utulei | 7 miles (20 minutes) | www.sadieshotels.com | |
| Sadie Thompson Inn | Fagatogo | 8 miles (25 minutes) | www.sadieshotels.com | |
| Runway Inn | Tafuna | 2 miles (5 minutes) | ||
| Taalogo Bed & Breakfast | Ili'ili | 3 miles (10 minutes) | ||
| Tesseria Inn | Vaitogi | 4 miles (12 minutes) | ||
| Moana-O-Sina Bed & Breakfast | Fogagogo | 3 miles (10 minutes) |
[edit] Aircraft Hangar and Services
| Service Type | Vendor/Provider | Website | Phone | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aircraft Maintenance Hangar | Inter Island Airways | www.interislandair.com | Office:(684)699-5700 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Maintenance/Storage Hangar | Pritchard Airport Services | www.pas.as | Office:(684)699-5812, Fax:(684)699-9991 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aircraft Ground Handling Services | Pritchard Airport Services | www.pas.as | Mobile:(684)731-1700, Office:(684)699-5812, Fax:(684)699-9991 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aircraft Ground Handling Services | Hawaiian Airlines | www.hawaiianair.com | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aircraft Refueling | Pacific Petroleum Company | www.pacificpetrole.com |
[edit] Home based Airlines (current and previous)
[edit] Airport IncidentsOn January 30, 1974 at about 11:41pm Samoa local time, Pan Am Flight 806 [18], Boeing 707-321B "Clipper Radiant", operating a scheduled flight from Auckland, New Zealand, to Los Angeles, California with en route stops in Pago Pago, American Samoa, and Honolulu, Hawaii crashed into trees at an elevation of 113 feet, and about 3,865 feet short of runway 23/5 threshold. The first impact with the ground was about 236 feet farther along the crash path. The aircraft continued through the jungle vegetation, struck a 3-foot-high lava rock wall, and stopped about 3,090 feet from the runway threshold. There were 97 fatalities out of 101 occupants on the aircraft. [edit] References
[edit] External linksFAA Airport Diagram (PDF), effective 12 January 2012 Resources for this airport: |
