L.F. Wade International Airport
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The L. F. Wade International Airport ( IATA: BDA, ICAO code: TXKF, formerly Bermuda International Airport ) is the only airport in Bermuda, an overseas territory of the United Kingdom in the Atlantic Ocean. It is located on Saint David's Iceland, an island 16 kilometers east of the capital of Bermuda, Hamilton.
In 2006, by L. F. Wade International Airport transported over 900,000 passengers, 7% more than in 2005. The airport has one passenger terminal, a cargo terminal, eight aircraft storage facilities and can accommodate all aircraft up to the Boeing 747. Currently 10 airlines fly to the airport, with destinations in Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. The largest aircraft that flies to BDA regularly, is a Boeing 777-200 of British Airways.
History
The airfield began as Kindley Field, a small U.S. Army Air Forces ( USAAF) / Royal Air Force ( RAF) base in World War II. The Royal Air Force was withdrawn at the end of the war. The local RAF commander but remained there and established a civilian terminal one, led by the local government. When the old airport, a seaplane facility on Darrell's Iceland, 1948 closed, Bermuda airlines were operated from there. The airport has been performed at this time by the United States Air Force as Kindley Air Force Base. In 1970 he was transferred to the United States Navy who, Bermuda took him as a U.S. Naval Air Station. In 1995, the U.S. Navy finally handed over the airport in the hands of the local government after the lease had expired with the period of 99 years. The Authority for Transport and Tourism running it ever since.
The U.S. Navy had the international civil aviation standards, despite the joint use by civilian airlines that do not comply. After the acquisition, the authorities of Bermuda had to convert to these standards despite the cost. This included changes in the illumination of the landing and runways as well as some other changes.
On 16 April 2007, the airport was formally in " LF Wade International Airport " renamed in honor of L. Frederick Wade, a former head of the ruling party, the Progressive Labour Party. This has been criticized by the opposition United Bermuda Party as politically inappropriate.
Current use
In 2006, nearly one million passengers were transported by BDA from. in the summer season, which lasts from June to August were 258 takeoffs and landings a week.
The former NATO hangar that was built in the early 1990s, is now used for the growing business aviation. Because of the considerable distance to the mainland to Bermuda, also in the field of general aviation, jets and turboprops only operate with great reach of the airport.
Air traffic control is performed by the BAS - Serco. The Tower stands in the north of the airport and is open almost around the clock. Air traffic in the surrounding airspace is managed by the Air Route Traffic Control Center in New York ( ZNY ). This requires an agreement between the Federal Aviation Administration (USA ) and the United Kingdom. The airport control tower and the ZNY therefore are in constant contact.
A modern Doppler weather radar with a range of 150 miles was built in 2005. Navigational aids at the airport, such as the Instrument Landing System (ILS ) include the managing the airport authority, but operated by the BAS - Serco.
Airlines and destinations
The airport is mainly used by the major U.S. airlines that fly to their respective hubs. There are also flights to Canada and the UK ( London).
Rocket launch site
During the airfield was under American supervision, it has been used several times for launches of sounding rockets. Between 1962 and 1971 series six launch took place:
- January 21, 1962: Two starts a Arcas for NASA at 60 km altitude
- April 30, 1963: Two starts a Deacon Judi NASA, the only two launches of this type. It has reached a height of 90 km.
- August 18, 1964: Two more Arcas - offs for NASA at 60 km altitude
- 10-11. February 1966: Ten Arcas - offs for weather measurements of the Meteorological Rocket Network to 60 km altitude
- October 1, 1970: Start of a Rocket probe at 56 km altitude for a weather measurement of the Meteorological Rocket Network
- June 20, 1971: Two starts a Arcas to 55 km altitude and two starts a Viper dart to 85 km altitude. Client was the Ames Research Center of NASA.
The airport was also an emergency landing of the Space Shuttle in the case of a launch abort. He could be used for take-offs with small to medium orbital inclination.