New Chitose Airport - History and Achievements

The Colorful History of the Airport

The Early Days

1926 the airfield is established when a field is donated by people of the town of Chitose, for the departure of a flight, sponsored by a local newspaper.[3]
1939 the Imperial Japanese Navy takes over the field.[3]
1945 the US Armed forces take over the field as part of the Japanese surrender, post WWII. [3]
1951 the first civilian flight by JAL, to Tokyo, is operated.[3]
1954 a USAF Curtis C-46 bound for Chitose crashes south of Hokkaido, all 35 on board are killed.
1959 the Japanese government regains ownership and operation of the airfield.[3]

1963 a new Terminal is opened.[3]
1966 ANA flight 60 (B-727) from Chitose crashes into Tokyo bay.
1970 an ANA (B-727) is hijacked, the plane is stormed and the is hijacker arrested.
1971 a TOA (NAMC YS-11) departs from Chitose and crashes in southern Hokkaido after a fire in flight, killing all 68 people on board.
1971 ANA flight 58 (B-727) collides with a JSDF F-86 Sabre jet and crashes, all 162 on board are killed. The Sabre pilot ejected to safety, but was later arrested for negligent flying.[2]
1974 an ANA (B-727) is hijacked, the plane is stormed and the hijacker is arrested.
1975 a JAL (B-747) is hijacked, the plane is stormed and the hijacker is arrested.
1975 an ANA (L-1011) is hijacked by a 17-year old and diverted to Tokyo before the plane is stormed and the hijacker is arrested.
1977 an ANA (B-727) is hijacked, the plane is stormed and the hijacker is arrested.

1981 the first international flight arrives from Hawaii.[3]
1983 NKA flight 947 (NAMC YS-11) from Sapporo crash lands 100 meters short with no fatalities.
1991 all civilian operations move to a new terminal and runways named "New Chitose Airport" [1](the airport code is changed from SPK to CTS)[3]
1994 New Chitose Airport becomes Japans first 24 hour airport.[1]
1999 ANA flight 61 from Tokyo to New Chitose is hijacked 25 minutes after takeoff by a 28 year old who has taken a large amount of antidepressants and SSRIs (Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors). The pilot notifies ATC of the hijacking and is stabbed in the chest, the hijacker pilots the aircraft as low as 300m before the hijacker is subdued and the co-pilot is able to recover the flight back to Tokyo. The captain bleeds to death before they can land.[4]
2008 the airport received the most influential leaders of the world for the G8 summit held nearby at lake Toya.[1]
2010 the new International Terminal opens.[1]

1st: World's busiest passenger air route: By seat capacity. [6]
3rd: Most frequent non-stop flight between two regional airports within a country. [5]
6th: World's busiest passenger air route:By air movements. [5]

References

1. WIKIPEDIA (2010). New Chitose Airport. Retrieved from Wikipedia on 26 September 2010.

2. WIKIPEDIA (2010). All Nippon Airways Flight 58. Retrieved from Wikipedia on 25 September 2010.

3. WIKIPEDIA (2010). Chitose Air Base. Retrieved from Wikipedia on 25 September 2010.

4. WIKIPEDIA (2010). All Nippon Airways Flight 61. Retrieved from Wikipedia on 25 September 2010.

5. WIKIPEDIA (2010). World's busiest passenger air routes. Retrieved from Wikipedia on 25 September 2010.

6. CAPA(2010). World's busiest passenger air routes. Retrieved from CAPA on 25 September 2010.

ANA B-727 (image embedded from airwings on 30 Sep 2010)

ANA L-1011 (image embedded from Railstation on 30 Sep 2010)

JSDF B747 based at Chitose (image embedded from Wikipedia on 30 Sep 2010)

JASDF F-15s based at Chitose (image embedded from Militaryphotos.net on 30 Sep 2010)

New Chitose Airport: This is the main wiki page for the airport.
New Chitose Airport Terminal: This is the New Chitose Airport Terminal website, with all the relevant and updated information a passenger may need.

page revision: 10, last edited: 30 Sep 2010 16:58