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In the 1970s [[Soviet Naval Aviation]] was granted facilities at the airport to serve as a staging base for Atlantic maritime reconnaissance patrols by [[Tu-142]] aircraft.
In the 1970s [[Soviet Naval Aviation]] was granted facilities at the airport to serve as a staging base for Atlantic maritime reconnaissance patrols by [[Tu-142]] aircraft.


It was reported in 1975 that most of the [[Military of Guinea|Guinean air force]]'s aircraft were based at Conakry-Gbessia airport.<ref>Harold D. Nelson, Area Handbook for Guinea, [[Department of the Army]] Pamphlet 550-174, 1975, p.333</ref>
It was reported in 1975 that most of the [[Military of Guinea|Guinean air force]]'s aircraft were based at Conakry-Gbessia airport.<ref>Harold D. Nelson, Area Handbook for Guinea, [[Department of the Army]] Pamphlet 550-174, 1975, p.333</ref> Current air-force operations are conducted out of the Conakry-Gbessia airport.


All foreigners are required to have a valid Guinean visa and a vaccination card in order to be granted entry.
All foreigners are required to have a valid Guinean visa and a vaccination card in order to be granted entry. Yellow fever vaccination cards are verified upon entry into the country at Gbessia.

As of 2010, the airport possesses no radar and guides all planes in by sight. Night flights by European airlines require pilots to do a fly over of the runway following a near miss of a landing [[Air France]] A330 from Paris and a departing [[Air Senegal Internationale]] to Dakar.


The airport parking lot is also a popular destination for students preparing for exams, as it is one of the few places in the country which is freely accessible to the public and always illuminated by electric lamps.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003797584_guinea20.html|title=Students scrounge for light at Guinea airport|publisher=Seattle Times Newspaper|date=2007-07-20|accessdate=2007-07-20|last=Callimachi|first=Rukmini}}</ref>
The airport parking lot is also a popular destination for students preparing for exams, as it is one of the few places in the country which is freely accessible to the public and always illuminated by electric lamps.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003797584_guinea20.html|title=Students scrounge for light at Guinea airport|publisher=Seattle Times Newspaper|date=2007-07-20|accessdate=2007-07-20|last=Callimachi|first=Rukmini}}</ref>

Revision as of 21:46, 31 December 2011

Conakry International Airport
  • IATA: CKY
  • ICAO: GUCY
    CKY is located in Guinea
    CKY
    CKY
    Location of Airport in Guinea
Summary
Airport typePublic
LocationConakry
Elevation AMSL72 ft / 22 m
Coordinates09°34′36.80″N 13°36′43.06″W / 9.5768889°N 13.6119611°W / 9.5768889; -13.6119611
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
06/24 10,826 3,300 Asphalt

Conakry International Airport (IATA: CKY, ICAO: GUCY), also known as Gbessia International Airport, is an airport located in Conakry, the capital of the Republic of Guinea in West Africa. It is divided into domestic and international terminals. The airport services a number of West African airlines such as Air Ivoire, Benin Golf Air and Slok Airlines, and a number of North African and European airlines: Brussels Airlines, Air France and Royal Air Maroc.[citation needed]

In the 1970s Soviet Naval Aviation was granted facilities at the airport to serve as a staging base for Atlantic maritime reconnaissance patrols by Tu-142 aircraft.

It was reported in 1975 that most of the Guinean air force's aircraft were based at Conakry-Gbessia airport.[1] Current air-force operations are conducted out of the Conakry-Gbessia airport.

All foreigners are required to have a valid Guinean visa and a vaccination card in order to be granted entry. Yellow fever vaccination cards are verified upon entry into the country at Gbessia.

As of 2010, the airport possesses no radar and guides all planes in by sight. Night flights by European airlines require pilots to do a fly over of the runway following a near miss of a landing Air France A330 from Paris and a departing Air Senegal Internationale to Dakar.

The airport parking lot is also a popular destination for students preparing for exams, as it is one of the few places in the country which is freely accessible to the public and always illuminated by electric lamps.[2]

Airlines and destinations

AirlinesDestinations
Air France Monrovia, Nouakchott, Paris-Charles de Gaulle
Air Ivoire Abidjan, Libreville
Air Mali Bamako
Benin Golf Air Abidjan, Bamako, Cotonou, Dakar
Brussels Airlines Brussels
Eagle Air Freetown, Monrovia, Bamako, Banjul, Dakar
Ethiopian Airlines operated by ASKY Airlines Bamako, Lomé
Fly 6ix Banjul, Freetown, Monrovia-Spriggs Payne
Royal Air Maroc Banjul, Bissau, Casablanca
Sénégal Airlines Dakar

Renovations

With a goal to increase annual passenger capacity to 1 million passengers, in 2009 renovations began on the main terminal. The airport currently has 300,000 passengers per year. Renovation costs amounted to 60 billion GNF (Around 85 million EUR). [3] The government debated in 2007 whether to relocate the Conakry Airport to Forecariah, although no official changes have been declared as of 2011.[4]

Traditionally passengers embarked on all flights directly on the tarmac with transfers to the airport either by foot (most inter West African flights) or by buses for all European flights. The new renovations included gateways and an improves passenger departure lounge. As of January 2011, no changes have been made to the arrivals (customs and luggage carousels).

Incidents

  • On July 1, 1983 a CAAK (predecessor to Air Koryo) Ilyushin 62M on a non-scheduled international passenger flight from Pyongyang, North Korea (Sunan International Airport) to Conakry, Guinea (Conakry International Airport) crashed at the Fouta Djall Mountains in Guinea. All 23 persons on board were killed, and the aircraft was written off.
  • On November 19, 2000 a now defunct Ghana Airways landed an MD DC-9 without landing gear in Conakry. The plane was written off. [5]
  • On June 28, 2003 a missing Boeing 727 N844AA was found repainted at the Conakry Airport by Canadian AirServ pilot, Bob Strother.[6]
  • In 2003 or 2004, AirServ landed a Beechcraft King Air 400 without front landing gear. Damage was subsequently fixed.
  • In 2007, a Guinean Airforce Mig 21 departing from GUCY clashed into the Radio Television Guineenne headquarters. The Russian pilot ejected and was unharmed. [7]

References

  1. ^ Harold D. Nelson, Area Handbook for Guinea, Department of the Army Pamphlet 550-174, 1975, p.333
  2. ^ Callimachi, Rukmini (2007-07-20). "Students scrounge for light at Guinea airport". Seattle Times Newspaper. Retrieved 2007-07-20.
  3. ^ http://mountmane.hautetfort.com/archive/2009/08/06/info-guinee.html
  4. ^ http://www.jeuneafrique.com/Article/LIN09097harossnohcu0/Actualite-Afrique--haro-sur-les-bouchons.html
  5. ^ http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20001113-0
  6. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2003/jul/07/jamesastill
  7. ^ http://www.panapress.com/Crash-d-un-Mig-21-sur-la-RTG-a-Conakry--12-646139-11-lang1-index.html