ToncontÃn International Airport
I1 i3 i5
I7 i10 i12
The Tegucigalpa Airport (Spanish Aeropuerto Internacional Toncontín, IATA: TGU, ICAO code: MHTG ) is the international commercial airport in the Honduran capital Tegucigalpa.
Special
The airport, built in 1948 is one of several reasons, the most challenging airfields around the world: The start and runway is relatively short with 2163 meters, before enlargement in May 2009, the length was even only 1863 meters. In addition, the height is 1000 meters above sea level, making planes a longer take-off and landing distance than at lower altitudes need. In addition, landings and take-offs at a steeper angle to complete than usual, since the airport is situated in mountainous terrain. A pre-existing immediately before the start of the runway hill was demolished in 2007. In difficult weather conditions the pilots often have to dodge to San Salvador and San Pedro Sula. The largest civil airplane model that operates here regularly, is the Boeing 757
Those responsible superior for years to relocate the airport. After the accident in May 2008, President Manuel Zelaya said that his Cabinet prefer laying on the Soto Cano military airfield the U.S. Army in Ciudad de Comayagua into consideration, which is 65 km northwest of Tegucigalpa. This airfield is currently used mostly for drug cultivation reconnaissance flights, but also has the nation's best start and runway with a length of 2700 meters.
Incidents
- On 30 May 2008, an Airbus A320 -200 of the Salvadoran airline TACA crashed on landing. The airplane collided with several vehicles after it was fired over the runway beyond. Among the seven deaths was also the Nicaraguan Harry Brautigam, president of the Central American Development Bank BCIE which although not directly succumbed to the accident but later died in a hospital of a heart attack.