Grand Bahama International Airport

Grand Bahama International Airport
IATA: FPO – ICAO: MYGF
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner	Hutchison Port Holdings and the Grand Bahama Port Authority
Operator	Grand Bahama Airport Company
Location	Freeport, Bahamas
Hub for	Passenger Bahamasair Flamingo Air SkyBahamas Airlines Western Air
Elevation AMSL	7 ft / 2 m
Coordinates	26°33′31″N 078°41′44″W / 26.55861°N 78.69556°W / 26.55861; -78.69556Coordinates: 26°33′31″N 078°41′44″W / 26.55861°N 78.69556°W / 26.55861; -78.69556
Map
MYGF Location in the Bahamas
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 06/24 3,359 11,020 Asphalt
Source: DAFIF[1]

Grand Bahama International Airport (GBIA) (IATA: FPO, ICAO: MYGF) is a privately owned international airport in Freeport, Bahamas.

The airport is a joint venture between Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) and The Port Group (or the Grand Bahama Port Authority). The facility also includes 741 acres (300 ha) of land that adjoins it to the Freeport Harbour Company Limited as they operate as one entity, known as the Sea Air Business Centre (SABC).^[2]

Facilities

The airport has a 3,359 m × 46 m (11,020 ft × 151 ft) runway which is capable of handling the largest aircraft in service and is relatively close to all major cities of the Eastern Seaboard of the United States.

Grand Bahama International Airport is one of two Bahamian airports that has US border preclearance facilities (the other being Lynden Pindling).

Some other features that are available at the Grand Bahama International Airport are:

1. ILS (Instrument Landing System)
2. VOR system
3. PAPI (Precision approach path indicator) system
4. Distance-remaining markers
5. Category seven (7) fire fighting facilities
6. General aviation services
7. Special cargo/freight handling area

Airlines and destinations

Accidents and incidents

• On 12 November 1964, Lockheed Lodestar N171Q stalled after take-off and was destroyed by fire in the subsequent crash, killing all four people on board.^[3]
• On 22 November 1966, de Havilland DH.125 N235KC of Florida Commuter Airlines crashed into the sea 7.3 km (3.9 nmi) off Grand Bahamas during an illegal flight from Miami, Florida.^[4]
• On 24 November 1979, Convair 440-86 N444JM of Mackey International Airlines was on an international non-scheduled passenger flight to Fort Lauderdale International Airport when the starboard engine caught fire just after take-off. On approach to Grand Bahamas International, the engine fell off. On landing, the aircraft departed the runway and ended up in the sea. All 46 people on board escaped from the aircraft.^[5]
• On 12 September 1980, Douglas DC-3A N75KW of Florida Commuter Airlines, operating a scheduled international passenger flight from West Palm Beach International Airport, Palm Beach, Florida, United States to Grand Bahama International Airport crashed into the sea 6.5 kilometres (3.5 nmi) off West End. All 34 on board were killed.^[6]
• On 20 July 2000, Douglas C-47A N54AA of Allied Air Freight suffered an engine failure on take-off from Grand Bahama International Airport on a cargo flight to Nassau International Airport, Bahamas. The aircraft crashed while attempting to return to Grand Bahama International and was destroyed. Both crew were killed.^[7]
• On November 9, 2014, a Lear 36 Executive Jet crashed on approach to the airport. All nine people on board perished, including evangelist Myles Munroe and his wife.^[8]

References