Ponta Pelada Airport Explained

Ponta Pelada Airport
Nativename:	Portuguese: Aeroporto da Ponta Pelada
Iata:	PLL
Icao:	SBMN
Type:	Military
City-Served:	Manaus
Metric-Elev:	yes
Elevation-F:	267
Elevation-M:	81
Coordinates:	-3.1461°N -59.9864°W
Pushpin Map:	Brazil
Pushpin Label:	PLL
Pushpin Map Caption:	Location in Brazil
Metric-Rwy:	yes
R1-Number:	09/27
R1-Length-F:	7,605
R1-Length-M:	2,318
R1-Surface:	Asphalt
Stat1-Header:	Passengers
Stat2-Header:	Aircraft Operations
Stat3-Header:	Metric tonnes of cargo
Footnotes:	Sources: World Aero Data

Ponta Pelada Airport was the civilian airport of Manaus, Brazil, until 1976. Between 1970 and 1976, the facilities were shared with Manaus Air Force Base of the Brazilian Air Force.^[1] On March 31, 1976, all civilian operations were transferred to the newer Eduardo Gomes International Airport. During this transition, Ponta Pelada Airport was renamed Manaus Air Force Base handling military operations exclusively under the control of the Brazilian Air Force.

History

The following airlines once served the airport: Cruzeiro do Sul, Lóide Aéreo Nacional, Panair do Brasil, Real Transportes Aéreos, Transbrasil, Varig, VASP.

Accidents and incidents

• 24 May 1952: a Lóide Aéreo Nacional Curtiss C-46D-15-CU Commando registration PP-LDE during take-off from Ponta Pelada Airport stalled when trying to return to the airport following an engine failure. It crashed into the Rio Negro. The 6 occupants died.^{[2] [3]}
• 14 December 1962: a Panair do Brasil Lockheed L-049 Constellation registration PP-PDE en route from Belém-Val de Cans to Ponta Pelada Airport crashed in the jungle, during a night approach, due to unknown causes, approximately 45 km from Manaus at the location of Paraná da Eva. All 50 passengers and crew died.^{[4] [5]}
• 8 October 1969: a Cruzeiro do Sul Sud Aviation SE-210 Caravelle VI R en route from Belém-Val de Cans to Ponta Pelada Airport was hijacked by 4 persons who demanded to be flown to Cuba. The hijack lasted less than a day and there were no victims.^[6]
• 12 November 1969: a Cruzeiro do Sul NAMC YS-11/11A en route from Ponta Pelada Airport to Belém-Val de Cans was hijacked by a person who demanded to be flown to Cuba. There were no victims.^[7]
• 25 April 1970: a VASP Boeing 737-2A1 en route from Brasília to Ponta Pelada Airport was hijacked by a person who demanded to be flown to Cuba. The hijack lasted a day.^[8]
• 14 May 1970: a VASP Boeing 737-2A1 en route from Brasília to Ponta Pelada Airport was hijacked by a person who demanded to be flown to Cuba. The hijack lasted a day.^[9]

Access

The airport is located 9km (06miles) from downtown Manaus.

See also

• Manaus Air Force Base
• List of airports in Brazil

Notes and References

1. Web site: Base Aérea de Manaus e 1°/9° GAv completam 39 anos de apoio à Amazônia . Força Aérea Brasileira . 14 April 2009 . 26 April 2011 . Portuguese.
2. Web site: Accident description PP-LDE . Aviation Safety Network . 14 August 2011.
3. Book: Germano da Silva, Carlos Ari César . O rastro da bruxa: história da aviação comercial brasileira no século XX através dos seus acidentes 1928-1996 . Lima delta xadrez . EDIPUCRS . 2 . Porto Alegre . 2008 . 170 . 978-85-7430-760-2 . pt.
4. Web site: Accident description PP-PDE . Aviation Safety Network . 25 June 2011.
5. Book: Germano da Silva, Carlos Ari César . O rastro da bruxa: história da aviação comercial brasileira no século XX através dos seus acidentes 1928-1996 . Um rastro na selva . EDIPUCRS . 2 . Porto Alegre . 2008 . 223–228 . 978-85-7430-760-2 . pt.
6. Web site: Incident description October 8, 1969 . Aviation Safety Network . 14 August 2011.
7. Web site: Incident description November 12, 1969 . Aviation Safety Network . 6 August 2011.
8. Web site: Incident description April 25, 1970 . Aviation Safety Network . 30 May 2011.
9. Web site: Incident description May 14, 1970 . Aviation Safety Network . 30 May 2011.