New Plymouth Airport

New Plymouth Airport serves the city of New Plymouth, and the surrounding region of Taranaki. It is on the west coast of New Zealand's North Island, and geographically, is the closest airport in the country to Australia. Locally speaking, it is 11 km from the city centre, on the highway north to Auckland, and 4 km from the outer suburb/satellite town of Bell Block.

The airport is the 11th busiest airport in New Zealand with 37,097 aircraft movements in 2010.

History

The original airport opened in 1933 with the New Plymouth Airport Act. It had five runways, the longest of which was around 5000 ft. During World War II, the airport became RNZAF Bell Block Airbase. Post war, the airport returned to civilian use, and was used by New Zealand National Airways Corporation with links to Whenuapai (Auckland) and Paraparaumu (Wellington).

In line with a general improvement throughout the 1950s and 1960s, of New Zealand's infrastructure, and National Airways Corporation (NZNAC) acquisition of Fokker F27 Friendships, New Plymouth's airport was reviewed. In view of the undulating land, the need for a tarmac runway for the F27, and the clearer approach paths required, a new airfield was soon under construction at the end of Brown Road (recently renamed...
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