Misrata Airport
| Misrata International Airport مطار مصراته الدولي | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IATA: MRA – ICAO: HLMS | |||||||||||
| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public/Military | ||||||||||
| Operator | Civil Aviation and Meteorology Bureau | ||||||||||
| Serves | Tripolitania / 8th Governate | ||||||||||
| Location | Misrata, Libya | ||||||||||
| Opened | 1998 | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 59 ft / 18 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 32°19′32″N 15°3′35″E / 32.32556°N 15.05972°ECoordinates: 32°19′32″N 15°3′35″E / 32.32556°N 15.05972°E | ||||||||||
| Website | www.misurata-airport.com | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
  MRA Location within Libya | |||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||
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Misrata Airport is an international airport in Misrata, Libya (IATA: MRA, ICAO: HLMS) which also acts as an air base and training center for the Libyan Air Force.[1]
History
The airport was created in 1939 as a small landing site in the Misrata province of Italian Libya.
On 15 December 2011 the airport celebrated its first regularly scheduled international commercial flights by a non-Libyan airline (Turkish Airlines).
On 14 July 2014, the airport was closed to flights due to clashes at Tripoli International Airport, which Misrata Airport is dependent on for its operations.[2] Flights resumed on the night of 15 July.[3]
Military use
The Libyan Air Force operates the Soko G-2 aircraft extensively at Misrata in both a training and counterinsurgency capacity.
The first Libyan warplane to challenge the no-fly zone during the Libyan Civil War was a G-2 from Misrata. It was reported to have been promptly shot down by the French Air Force.[4][5] A few hours later an armed forces spokesman specified that the plane was destroyed on the runway with an AASM air-to-ground missile just after it had landed.[6]
Airlines and destinations
Passenger
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Afriqiyah Airways | Istanbul-Atatürk, Sfax, Tunis |
| Libyan Airlines | Sfax, Istanbul-Atatürk, Tunis |
Cargo
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Global Aviation and Services Group | Istanbul-Sabiha, Ostend-Belgium |
| Buraq Air | Istanbul-Sabiha |
| ULS Airlines Cargo | Istanbul-Atatürk (suspended) |
| MNG Airlines | Istanbul-Atatürk (suspended) |
References
- ↑ "Libya Air Order of Battle". GlobalSecurity.org. 5 March 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
- ↑ 90% of aircraft destroyed at Tripoli airport, Libya may seek international assistance RT. 15 July 2014.
- ↑ Tripoli airport under fire for fourth day Al Jazeera. 16 July 2014. Accessed 17 July 2014
- ↑ "Gadhafi's Warplane Destroyed By French Fighter Jets in Misrata". ABC News. 24 March 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
- ↑ "French fighter shoots down Libyan jet". BBC News. 24 March 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
- ↑ "Libya live (16:22)". The Telegraph. 24 March 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
External links
- Accident history for MRA at Aviation Safety Network
- Airport information for at World Aero Data. Data current as of October 2006.