Sisimiut Airport facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sisimiut Airport
Mittarfik Sisimiut
Sisimiut Lufthavn
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
| Operator | Greenland Airport Authority (Mittarfeqarfiit) |
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| Serves | Sisimiut, Greenland | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 33 ft / 10 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 66°57′05″N 053°43′46″W / 66.95139°N 53.72944°W | ||||||||||
| Website | Sisimiut Airport | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
 BGSS
Location in Greenland
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| Runway | |||||||||||
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| Statistics (2012) | |||||||||||
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Source: Danish AIS Greenland
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Sisimiut Airport (Greenlandic: Mittarfik Sisimiut) (IATA: JHS, ICAO: BGSS) is a small airport in Greenland. It's located about 2.2 nautical miles (4 km) northwest of Sisimiut. Sisimiut is a town in central-western Greenland.
The airport has one runway, which is like a long road for planes. It is called 13/31 and is 799 meters long and 30 meters wide. This runway is built next to the northern shore of Kangerluarsunnguaq Bay.
Only Air Greenland flies regular passenger planes here. No planes stay at the airport overnight. The airport is also used for smaller private planes. Mittarfeqarfiit, which is the Greenland Airport Authority, runs the airport.
Contents
Airlines and Destinations
This airport connects Sisimiut to other towns in Greenland.
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Air Greenland | Aasiaat, Ilulissat, Kangerlussuaq, Maniitsoq, Nuuk |
Sisimiut is the second-largest town in Greenland. About 5,460 people lived there in 2010. The town is growing, and more people are using Sisimiut Airport.
Air Greenland plans to keep many flights at this airport. This is true even if a road to Kangerlussuaq is built. The busiest flights from Sisimiut go to Nuuk, the capital city. Flights to Ilulissat are also very popular. Ilulissat is an important town in northern Greenland.
Airport History
Before this airport opened in the 1990s, Sisimiut used a heliport. A heliport is a place where helicopters land. This old heliport was on the eastern side of town. It is now closed.
Building Sisimiut Airport was part of a bigger plan. Greenland wanted more airports across the country. These new airports were made for special planes. These planes were called De Havilland Canada Dash-7s. They are good at landing and taking off on short runways. They also handle Greenland's tough weather well.
Other new airports built around this time included Maniitsoq Airport, Aasiaat Airport, Qaarsut Airport, and Upernavik Airport.
Future Plans
There are plans to make the runway a little longer soon. This will help with new planes that Air Greenland might get.
People have talked about building a road to Kangerlussuaq since 2000. This road would be about 170 kilometers (105 miles) long. It would be the first road in Greenland to connect two towns. This road could mean fewer people need to fly through Kangerlussuaq Airport. Kangerlussuaq is a main hub for flights.
Some ideas suggest that Sisimiut Airport might close if the road is built. Closing the airport could save money for the country and travelers. Airports are expensive to keep running. However, travel times might become longer. If the airport stays open, the road might not be worth building.
Another idea is to build a large airport near Nuuk. Then, Kangerlussuaq Airport might close. This is because few people live in Kangerlussuaq. Most people there work at the airport. If this happens, the road to Kangerlussuaq would not be needed.
In 2016, a decision was made to build a simple road for 4x4 vehicles. This road would connect Sisimiut and Kangerlussuaq. It would cost about 15 million Danish Kroner. This road would help transport cargo, like flight containers. This could lower the cost of goods in Sisimiut. The road would be too bumpy for regular bus passengers. So, the airport would likely still be used for people.
Airport Facilities
The airport does not have equipment to remove ice from planes. This is called deicing. It can be difficult and costly in Greenland's cold winters.
All passengers who are just passing through the airport must get off the plane. They then go through security checks again. After that, they can get back on the same plane to continue their trip.
At the airport terminal, you can find a Post Greenland box. There is also a machine for soft drinks and a television. A small exhibit from the Sisimiut Museum is also there. A computer screen provides information for tourists. It also has details about the town and the airport.
You can take a taxi from the airport to the center of Sisimiut. There is also a town bus service, but it does not run very often.
Images for kids
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Sisimiut Airport from Palasip Qaqqaa mountain.
See also
In Spanish: Aeropuerto de Sisimiut para niños
