Leipzig–Altenburg Airport

Leipzig-Altenburg Airport

Leipzig-Altenburg Airport
Leipzig-Altenburg Airport; Leipzig-Altenburg Airport
	IATA: AOC; ICAO: EDAC;
Summary
Airport type	Public
Operator	Flugplatz Altenburg-Nobitz GmbH
Serves	Leipzig and Altenburg
Location	Nobitz
Elevation AMSL	639.7 ft / 195 m
Coordinates	50°58′50″N 12°30′36″E / 50.98056°N 12.51000°E
Runways

Leipzig-Altenburg Airport (IATA: AOC, ICAO: EDAC), until February 2008 known as Altenburg-Nobitz Airport, is a German regional airport in Nobitz, 6 km (3.73 miles) southeast of Altenburg and 42 km (26.1 miles) south of Leipzig in the state of Thuringia. It is the second largest airport in Thuringia. In 2007, it served almost 140,000 passengers.

History

The airfield at Altenburg-Nobitz is one of the oldest in Germany. Its origins can be traced back as far as 1868, when the area the airfield now occupies was first used as an infantry drill ground. In 1881 Duke Ernst II of Sachsen-Altenburg agreed to further expansion of the site for military purposes, and in 1909 a visit was made by an early airship; the Duke was given a flight in it, and immediately became an enthusiastic convert to aviation. Two years later, in 1911, an airship display was held at the site, which also included flights by early heavier-than-air biplanes, and in June 1913 the airfield was officially established.

During World War One, Altenburg-Nobitz was mainly used as a production centre for German military aircraft, with Albatros, DFW, Rumpler and Fokker types all being assembled there. A military flying school was also located on the airfield.

Following the defeat of Germany, the airfield infrastructure was dismantled in accordance with the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles, and the site lay derelict until the 1930s. Following the rise to power of the Nazi Party, a decision was made to reactivate Altenburg-Nobitz as part of their rearmament plans. Work on this began in 1936; new hangars, workshops and barracks were built, and a concrete runway laid.

During World War Two, the relative remoteness of Altenburg-Nobitz from the main theatres of war made the airfield an obvious location for Luftwaffe flying training in various forms. Basic flying training was carried out, as was more advanced blind-flying and instrument training. Several types of aircraft were employed for the latter, among them the Ju-87, Ju-88, He-III, Do-17 and Me-110. The airfield was also the base for a conversion unit for the FW-190 fighter, using a special two-seat variant of this highly successful aircraft.

With the collapse of the Reich the airfield was captured by the US Army in April 1945, being subsequently handed over to the Soviets in July, when the area came under Soviet control following the post-war territorial settlement between the Allies. From then until 1992 Altenburg-Nobitz was used as a fighter base by the Soviet Air Force. Successive types of MiG fighters were based there, principally the MiG-21 and latterly the MiG-29. The camouflaged individual blister hangars that were built for these fighters can still be seen dotted around the airfield perimeter. An anti-aircraft missile system was also installed there in 1986.

The Soviet presence on the airfield ended in 1992 with the collapse of Communism and the radical redrawing of the political landscape which ensued. Following German Reunification a decision was made to convert the airfield to civilian use as a regional airport. Apart from the scheduled Ryanair services to the UK and Spain, Leipzig-Altenburg (as the airfield is now known) is now mainly used by general aviation and corporate aircraft. There is also a small aviation museum which chronicles the history of the airfield. Two aircraft are currently on display there, an ex-Soviet Air Force MiG-21, and an ex-Luftwaffe Breguet 'Atlantique' maritime patrol aircraft.

Airlines and destinations

Airlines	Destinations

Ground transportation

A shuttle bus operates from Leipzig Main Station to the airport. The journey takes around 1 hour 15 minutes and costs €12 one way. The bus times are scheduled to coincide with the times of the flights. The same bus service also connects the town of Altenburg with the airport.

Air traffic control incident

On March 10, 2010, a Ryanair Boeing 737-800, originating from London Stansted, UK on approach to Altenburg could not establish radio contact with the tower and had to divert to Berlin Schönefeld Airport (Germany). Subsequent to the incident, it was discovered that, due to a scheduling misunderstanding, the air traffic controller scheduled had not shown up to work. [1]

Statistics

Year	Aircraft movements	Passengers (scheduled flight)	Passengers (total)	Cargo (t)
1992	920	0	1,983	0
1995	18,462	0	19,788	0
1998	17,720	0	27,016	180.2
1999	17,693	0	30,044	66.2
2000	17,997	0	27,764	131.9
2001	16,127	0	26,868	27.9
2002	19,543	0	26,811	32.1
2003	16,116	51,419	71,124	20.7
2004	13,978	76,606	93,870	12.4
2005	12,601	100,956	118,252	102.7
2006	12,934	90,551	105,213	10.4
2007	14,232	124,411	139,593	20.3

External links