Kawama Airport
| Kawama Airport Aeropuerto "Kawama" | |||||||||||
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| IATA: VRO – ICAO: MUKW | |||||||||||
| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
| Serves | Varadero, Matanzas Province, Cuba | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 5 m / 16 ft | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 23°07′25″N 081°18′07″W / 23.12361°N 81.30194°WCoordinates: 23°07′25″N 081°18′07″W / 23.12361°N 81.30194°W | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
  MUKW Location in Cuba | |||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||
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Kawama Airport (Spanish: Aeropuerto "Kawama"[1]) (IATA: VRO, ICAO: MUKW) is an airport serving Varadero,[2] in the Matanzas Province in Cuba.[1]
History
Kawama Airport was the original airport serving Varadero. It served over 330,000 Cubans who fled the country for the United States during the Freedom Flights. However, as the tourism sector in the region developed, Kawama Airport grew too close to the beaches and resorts, creating noise issues for visitors. In addition, the nearby hotel developments would hinder attempts at expanding the airport. As a result, the new Juan Gualberto Gómez Airport opened in 1989 to replace Kawama Airport.[4]
Facilities
The airport resides at an elevation of 5 m (16 ft) above mean sea level.[2] It has one runway designated 06/24 with an asphalt surface measuring 1,500 m × 45 m (4,921 ft × 148 ft).[1] The airport is remnant of the old Varadero airport which was replaced by the new international Varadero airport in the 90's. The runway was shortened and now is used only for small aircraft for touristic and sport purpose. The disused section of the runway is still used for aircraft reaching the north tarmac.
References
- 1 2 3 4 "Aeropuertos de Cuba" [Airports of Cuba] (in Spanish). Instituto de Aeronáutica Civil de Cuba (IACC). Retrieved 19 November 2011.
- 1 2 3 Airport information for MUKW at World Aero Data. Data current as of October 2006.Source: DAFIF.
- ↑ Airport information for MUKW at Great Circle Mapper. Source: DAFIF (effective October 2006).
- ↑ "Juan Gualberto Gomez Int'l serves Varadero tourist hub". Cuba News. 1 November 2009. Retrieved 9 September 2016.