Walvis Bay Airport
Walvis Bay International Airport | |||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
| Owner/Operator | Namibia Airports Co.[1] | ||||||||||
| Serves | Walvis Bay, Namibia | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 299 ft / 91 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 22°58′47″S 14°38′43″E / 22.97972°S 14.64528°E | ||||||||||
| Website | airports | ||||||||||
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  WVB Location of the airport in Namibia | |||||||||||
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| Runways | |||||||||||
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| Statistics (2023) | |||||||||||
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Walvis Bay International Airport (IATA: WVB, ICAO: FYWB) is an airport serving Walvis Bay,[3][4] a town in the Erongo Region of Namibia. The airport is about 15 km (9 mi) east of the town.[3][5][6][7] Walvis Bay International Airport handled more than 98,178 passengers, and logged over 20 000 aircraft movements in 2015.[8]
History
[edit]The airport was stablished as AFB Rooikop, a South African Air Force station (and later as a base) that closed in 1994. It was home to several SAAF squadrons:
- 16 Squadron SAAF: 1939–1940
- 27 Squadron SAAF: 1940s
In April 2018, Westair Aviation operated scheduled services to six new destinations in Namibia and South Africa.[9]
Due to flight performance and headwinds, Airlink in March 2019 decided to redirect its technical fuel-stop in Windhoek to Walvis Bay International Airport, a move which would accommodate more passengers on the final leg to Saint Helena Airport.[10] The airline resumed its Johannesburg service to the island in late March 2022, again landing in Walvis Bay briefly for re-fueling purposes.[citation needed]
Facilities
[edit]The airport resides at an elevation of 299 feet (91 m) above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 09/27 with an asphalt surface measuring 3,500 by 30 metres (11,483 ft × 98 ft).[3][4][11] The facility complies with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards.[8] Included with the rehabilition of the airport was the construction of a polymer perimeter fence which protects the facility from coastal weather conditions. This addition was the first of its kind for the country.[12]
Upgrades
[edit]
Since 2007, the airport has received upgrades to its air traffic control equipment, instrument landing systems, and runway lighting, as well as a runway extension at both ends.
The Walvis Bay Airport hub was set to become the country's second international airport during 2016.[13] The airport provides air freight services, bonded warehouses, cold storage warehouse, space storage depots, freight handling facilities and any service-related industries normally associated with airports.[14]
The new airport features a Category 3C runway, and despite shortening the runway, it is still able to accommodate larger equipment such as the Boeing 737-200, and the larger Airbus A340, which landed at the airport in May 2024.[15] The newly installed avionics (lighting) and landing system allows aircraft movements during poor weather conditions. This feature has placed Walvis Bay Airport at the forefront of airport technology in Southern Africa, especially where coastal, overcast conditions prevail.[8] Namibia Airports Company (NAC) has upgraded the facility, which has the capacity to handle 200 passengers an hour and one million passengers a year. The new terminal, which has been inaugurated in July 2016, meets international standards in terms of operational safety/security and functional efficiency, as well as cargo processing.[8]
Airlines and destinations
[edit]The following airlines operate regular scheduled services at the airport:
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Airlink[16] | Cape Town,[17] Johannesburg–O. R. Tambo |
| FlyNamibia | Cape Town, Windhoek–Hosea Kutako[18][19] |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Namibia Airports Company: Airport Information". Archived from the original on 26 December 2012.
- ^ "Walvis Bay Airport". Namibia Airports Company, Ltd. Archived from the original on 19 September 2017.
- ^ a b c "Walvis Bay Airport". Namibia Airports Company, Ltd. Archived from the original on 27 March 2010.
- ^ a b Airport information for FYWB[usurped] from DAFIF (effective October 2006)
- ^ "Distance from Walvis Bay to airport". WikiMapia. Retrieved 18 February 2010.
- ^ "Walvis Bay International Airport, Walvis Bay".
- ^ "Post-Covid tourism numbers picking up - New Era". 15 August 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Walvis Bay International Airport, Walvis Bay - Airport Technology". Airport Technology. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
- ^ "Westair Aviation outlines preliminary scheduled service from April 2018". UBM (UK) Ltd.
- ^ Tribune, Aviation (5 March 2019). "Airlink Announces Johannesburg to St. Helena Service Update".
- ^ "Walvis Bay Namibia [Archive] - PPRuNe Forums". pprune.org.
- ^ "Walvis Bay International Airport, Walvis Bay - Airport Technology".
- ^ Omalaeti Technologies, Namibia. "Namibia Airports Company". www.airports.com.na. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
- ^ "Walvis Bay Airport Hub - the trade link to the rest of the world". www.wvbairporthub.com.
- ^ "Post-Covid tourism numbers picking up - New Era". 15 August 2024.
- ^ flyairlink.com - Route Map retrieved 11 February 2021
- ^ Carin Smith (15 February 2021). "Airlink jumps in with new West Coast route while Air Namibia heads for liquidation | Fin24". News24.com. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
- ^ "All airlines flying from Hosea Kutako, Windhoek to Walvis Bay".
- ^ "FlyNamibia links Walvis Bay with Windhoek and SA". 22 September 2023.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Walvis Bay Airport at Wikimedia Commons
