The new airport will be open april 2012
http://www.eluniverso.com/2011/02/04/1/1447/14-meses-ofrece-nuevo-aeropuerto.html?p=1354&m=1775
04/09 Actually it is a pleasing thought to me! The new airport will be a quantum leap in aviation safety, convenience and services. The new airport will be at a lower elevation in the Valleys of Tumbaco with two much longer runways and much better instrument approaches. Also the weather tends to be much better in Tumbaco than in the higher Quito plateau. That means that I will be able to break out to visual conditions at higher decision height and land safer than in the old airport. The current airport in Quito is smack in the north end of the city surrounded by houses. It is a dangerous airport with one single relatively short runway that is a challenge to land and take off from, and it is unable to accommodate the larger equipment. There have been several recent spectacular crashes at that airport. Even the smaller widebodies cannot take off during the middle of the day when it is too hot. And it cannot accommodate a jumbo (e.e B-747) jet. Even the DC-10 have to land when it is cold (early morning or late evening). I for one, welcome the new airport. It will go a long way to help Ecuador get more economic advantage in the Andean region.No, it will be East, and about 1000 feet lower in elevation. It will be in the Valle de Tumbaco.. Use Google Earth to find the town center of Tumbaco. The airport will be a bit North of there on a plateau. They have plans to build a high speed expressway to it, (plans!) and it will connect the downtown area of Quito in about 30 minutes. But it won't be anytime soon, as I don't think they have really broken ground yet. They just identified the land and are now in the planning stages..
http://www.eluniverso.com/2011/02/04/1/1447/14-meses-ofrece-nuevo-aeropuerto.html?p=1354&m=1775
04/09 Actually it is a pleasing thought to me! The new airport will be a quantum leap in aviation safety, convenience and services. The new airport will be at a lower elevation in the Valleys of Tumbaco with two much longer runways and much better instrument approaches. Also the weather tends to be much better in Tumbaco than in the higher Quito plateau. That means that I will be able to break out to visual conditions at higher decision height and land safer than in the old airport. The current airport in Quito is smack in the north end of the city surrounded by houses. It is a dangerous airport with one single relatively short runway that is a challenge to land and take off from, and it is unable to accommodate the larger equipment. There have been several recent spectacular crashes at that airport. Even the smaller widebodies cannot take off during the middle of the day when it is too hot. And it cannot accommodate a jumbo (e.e B-747) jet. Even the DC-10 have to land when it is cold (early morning or late evening). I for one, welcome the new airport. It will go a long way to help Ecuador get more economic advantage in the Andean region.No, it will be East, and about 1000 feet lower in elevation. It will be in the Valle de Tumbaco.. Use Google Earth to find the town center of Tumbaco. The airport will be a bit North of there on a plateau. They have plans to build a high speed expressway to it, (plans!) and it will connect the downtown area of Quito in about 30 minutes. But it won't be anytime soon, as I don't think they have really broken ground yet. They just identified the land and are now in the planning stages..
