Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 30°34′42″N 103°56′49″E / 30.57833°N 103.94694°E / 30.57833; 103.94694
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==Overview==
==Overview==
===History===
===History===
The airport, formerly named Shuangguisi Airport, opened in 1938 as a military airport, in which capacity it operated during the [[second Sino-Japanese War]] and [[World War II]]. At that time, it possessed only earth surface for small biplanes to take off and touch down. In 1944, a runway rolled with limes and pebbles were completed, allowing for airplanes under 15 tons. <ref>[http://www.cdairport.com/cdairport/en_front/airportinfo_a.jsp Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport]</ref>
The airport, formerly named Shuangguisi Airport, opened in 1938 as a military airfield, in which capacity it operated during the [[second Sino-Japanese War]] and [[World War II]]. At that time, it possessed only earth surface for small biplanes to take off and touch down. In 1943, The [[United States Army Air Force]] was given rights to use the airfield to stage [[B-29 Superfortress]] bombing missions from [[India]] to attack [[Japan]].<ref name="Craven">Craven, Wesley Frank; James Lea Cate. "Vol. V: The Pacific: MATTERHORN to Nagasaki, June 1944 to August 1945". The Army Air Forces in World War II. U.S. Office of Air Force History. http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/AAF/V/index.html.</ref> A runway rolled with limes and pebbles were completed, allowing for airplanes under 15 tons. <ref>[http://www.cdairport.com/cdairport/en_front/airportinfo_a.jsp Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport]</ref>


The USAAF [[444th Bombardment Group]] (Very Heavy) flew missions from the airfield beginning in mid-June 1945. The group had to transport all of its supplies of fuel, bombs, and spare parts needed from its base at [[Dudhkundi Airfield|Dudhkundi]], [[India]] over "The Hump" (the name given by Allied pilots to the eastern end of the Himalayan Mountains), since Japanese control of the seas around the Chinese coast made seaborne supply of China impossible. The first mission was carried out on the the night of June 14/15, 1944 against the Imperial Iron and Steel Works at Yawata on [[Kyushu]]. This plant was considered to be the most important single objective within Japan's steel industry, and had long held top priority for the first strike. It was the first time since the [[Doolittle raid]] of 1942 that American aircraft had bombed the Japanese home islands.<ref name="Craven"/>
⚫
On Dec 12, 1956, the Shuangguisi Airport was put under civil aviation, which was then formally listed as a civil aviation airport and renamed Chengdu Shuangliu Airport. In 1957, the flights of Chengdu civil aviation were shifted to Shuangliu Airport from Guanghan Airport. The flight courses from Chengdu were thus opened to various cities within China including Beijing, Taiyuan, Xi An, Chongqing, Kunming, Guiyang, Nanchong, etc.<ref>[http://www.cdairport.com/cdairport/en_front/airportinfo_a.jsp Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport]</ref> The airport went through several earlier expansions in 1959, 1967, 1983, 1991, respectively.

The American use of the airfield continued until mid-January 1945 when the B-29 bombers were moved from India to the newly captured bases in the [[Mariana Islands]]. The much-improved airport was then returned to Chinese authorities.<ref name="Craven"/>

⚫
On Dec 12, 1956, the Shuangguisi Airport was put under civil aviation, which was then formally listed as a civil aviation airport and renamed Chengdu Shuangliu Airport. In 1957, the flights of Chengdu civil aviation were shifted to Shuangliu Airport from Guanghan Airport. The flight courses from Chengdu were thus opened to various cities within China including Beijing, Taiyuan, Xi An, Chongqing, Kunming, Guiyang, Nanchong, etc.<ref>[http://www.cdairport.com/cdairport/en_front/airportinfo_a.jsp Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport]</ref> The airport went through several earlier expansions in 1959, 1967, 1983, 1991, respectively.


===Current State===
===Current State===

Revision as of 03:36, 11 May 2009

Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport

Chéngdū Shuāngliú Guójì Jīchǎng

成都双流国际机场
Summary
Airport typePublic
OperatorGovernment
ServesChengdu
LocationShuangliu County, Chengdu
Elevation AMSL1,625 ft / 495 m
Coordinates30°34′42″N 103°56′49″E / 30.57833°N 103.94694°E / 30.57833; 103.94694
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
02/20 11,811 3,600 Concrete

Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (IATA: CTU, ICAO: ZUUU) Chinese: 成都双流国际机场; pinyin: Chéngdū Shuāngliú Guójì Jīchǎng) is the major airport in Chengdu, China. It is located in the north of Shuangliu County, about 16 kilometres (10 mi) southwest of downtown Chengdu.[1] In 2008, it was the busiest airport in Western China and the 6th busiest airport nationwide in terms of passenger traffic. Shuangliu Airport was also the 6th busiest airport in terms of cargo traffic and the 7th busiest airport by traffic movements in China as for 2008. On May 12, 2008 the airport was temporarily shut down after sustaining some minor damages from the great Sichuan Earthquake but was quickly reopened the following day after inspection of the runway. The continued operation of the airport played a crucial role in facilitating the rescue work after the earthquake. [2]

Overview

History

The airport, formerly named Shuangguisi Airport, opened in 1938 as a military airfield, in which capacity it operated during the second Sino-Japanese War and World War II. At that time, it possessed only earth surface for small biplanes to take off and touch down. In 1943, The United States Army Air Force was given rights to use the airfield to stage B-29 Superfortress bombing missions from India to attack Japan.[3] A runway rolled with limes and pebbles were completed, allowing for airplanes under 15 tons. [4]

The USAAF 444th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) flew missions from the airfield beginning in mid-June 1945. The group had to transport all of its supplies of fuel, bombs, and spare parts needed from its base at Dudhkundi, India over "The Hump" (the name given by Allied pilots to the eastern end of the Himalayan Mountains), since Japanese control of the seas around the Chinese coast made seaborne supply of China impossible. The first mission was carried out on the the night of June 14/15, 1944 against the Imperial Iron and Steel Works at Yawata on Kyushu. This plant was considered to be the most important single objective within Japan's steel industry, and had long held top priority for the first strike. It was the first time since the Doolittle raid of 1942 that American aircraft had bombed the Japanese home islands.[3]

The American use of the airfield continued until mid-January 1945 when the B-29 bombers were moved from India to the newly captured bases in the Mariana Islands. The much-improved airport was then returned to Chinese authorities.[3]

On Dec 12, 1956, the Shuangguisi Airport was put under civil aviation, which was then formally listed as a civil aviation airport and renamed Chengdu Shuangliu Airport. In 1957, the flights of Chengdu civil aviation were shifted to Shuangliu Airport from Guanghan Airport. The flight courses from Chengdu were thus opened to various cities within China including Beijing, Taiyuan, Xi An, Chongqing, Kunming, Guiyang, Nanchong, etc.[5] The airport went through several earlier expansions in 1959, 1967, 1983, 1991, respectively.

Current State

A large-scale expansion was conducted on flight area and navigation area from 1994 to 2001. The runway was extended to 3,600m with Class 4E rating, allowing for larger jumbo jets including Boeing 747-400. The newly built terminal building was incorporated with three-parallel-porch design, accommodating an hourly capacity of 3,500 passengers at rush hours, while the previous terminal buliding was only designated for regional flights within Sichuan and Chongqing henceforth. [6]

The airport is now an international civil airport with flights to more than 20 international destinations and many domestic airports, and is a hub for Air China and Sichuan Airlines. It is linked to downtown Chengdu by an expressway.

Expansion

The construction of its second runway started from late 2008 and are expected to be completed by late 2010. The new runway, with 3,600 m length and 60 m width, will upgrade the current flight area rating from 4E to 4F, capable of handling AirBus A380.[7] Another terminal building is also scheduled.

Airlines and destinations

Domestic

  • Air China (Beijing-Capital, Chongqing, Changsha, Daxian, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Guiyang, Haikou, Hangzhou, Jiuzhaigou, Kunming, Lanzhou, Lhasa, Luxi, Nanchang, Qingdao, Sanya, Shanghai-Hongqiao, Shanghai-Pudong, Shenzhen, Urumqi, Wuhan, Wuxi , Wenzhou, Xiamen, Xi'an, Zhangjaijie)
  • China Eastern Airlines (Jiuzhaigou, Jinan, Jinghong, Kunming, Lanzhou, Ningbo, Shanghai-Pudong, Qingdao, Wuhan, Xi'an)
  • China Southern Airlines (Beijing-Capital, Changsha, Guangzhou, Guilin, Shantou, Shenzhen, Urumqi, Wuhan)
  • China United Airlines (Beijing-Nanyuan)
  • Hainan Airlines (Beijing-Capital, Changsha, Ningbo, Shenzhen, Urumqi, Xi'an, Xining)
  • Okay Airways (Tianjin)
  • Shandong Airlines (Jinan)
  • Shanghai Airlines (Shanghai-Pudong)
  • Shenzhen Airlines (Guangzhou, Nanning, Shenzhen, Wuxi)
  • Sichuan Airlines (Beijing-Capital, Changchun, Changsha, Chongqing, Dalian, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Guilin, Guiyang, Haikou, Hangzhou, Harbin, Hefei, Hohhot, Jinan, Jiuzhaigou, Kunming, Lanzhou, Lhasa, Lijiang, Nanchang, Nanjing, Nanning, Nantong, Ningbo, Panzhihua, Qingdao, Sanya, Shanghai-Pudong, Shenzhen, Shenyang, Shijiazhuang, Taiyuan, Tianjin, Urumqi, Wenzhou, Wuhan, Wuxi, Xiamen, Xi'an, Xichang, Xining, Xuzhou, Yichang, Yinchuan, Zhangjiajie, Zhengzhou)
  • United Eagle Airlines (Changsha, Dalian, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Kunming, Liuzhou, Nanjing, Sanya, Shenzhen, Shijiazhuang)

International

Hong Kong & Macau are listed here, as these flights are treated as international flights.

See also

References

  1. ^ Travel China Guide - Chengdu Airport
  2. ^ Chengdu Shuangliu Int'l airport re-opens_English_Xinhua
  3. ^ a b c Craven, Wesley Frank; James Lea Cate. "Vol. V: The Pacific: MATTERHORN to Nagasaki, June 1944 to August 1945". The Army Air Forces in World War II. U.S. Office of Air Force History. http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/AAF/V/index.html.
  4. ^ Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport
  5. ^ Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport
  6. ^ [citation needed]
  7. ^ Online (Chinese)

External links


Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chengdu_Shuangliu_International_Airport&oldid=289186998"