Tinian International Airport

Tinian International Airport (IATA: TIQ, ICAO: PGWT, FAA LID: TNI), also known as West Tinian Airport, is a public airport located on Tinian Island in the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. This airport is owned by Commonwealth Ports Authority.[1]

Tinian International Airport

West Tinian Airport
U.S. Marines unload a Boeing 747-400 carrying gear and equipment for Exercise Forage Fury 2012, November 28, 2012
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerCommonwealth Ports Authority
LocationTinian
Elevation AMSL270 ft / 82 m
Coordinates14°59′57″N 145°37′10″E / 14.99917°N 145.61944°E / 14.99917; 145.61944
Websitecpa.gov.mp/tinapt.asp
Map
TIQ is located in Northern Mariana Islands
TIQ
TIQ
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
8/26 8,600 2,621 Asphalt/concrete
Statistics (2022)
Aircraft operations (year ending 3/17/2022)29,207

This airport is assigned a three-letter location identifier of TNI by the Federal Aviation Administration, but the International Air Transport Association (IATA) airport code is TIQ (IATA assigned TNI to Satna Airport in India). The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) airport code is PGWT.[1][2][3][4] Tinian International Airport is the hub of Star Marianas Air.

Facilities and aircraft

edit

The airport was established on the site of the World War II era West Field.

Tinian International Airport covers an area of 1,416 acres (573 ha) which contains one paved runway (8/26) measuring 8,600 x 150 ft (2,621 x 46 m).[1]

For 12-month period ending March 17, 2022, the airport had 29,207 aircraft operations, an average of 80 per day: 74% air taxi, 26% general aviation and <1% military.[1]

The head office of Star Marianas Air is in Hangar 1 at the airport.[5]

 
A VMFA-121 F/A-18D Hornet makes an arrested landing in May 2012.

In May 2012, the United States Marine Corps VMFA-121 operated its F/A-18D Hornets from the airport using M-31 expeditionary aircraft arresting gear systems similar to arresting systems used aboard aircraft carriers during Exercise Geiger Fury.[6]

In 2019 the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands acting through the Commonwealth Ports Authority and the United States Department of Defense signed an agreement to operate a divert airfield at the airport in case Andersen Air Force Base on Guam is unable to be used.[7]

In early March 2023 United States Air Force Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptors deployed to Tinian for the first time from Kadena Air Base, Okinawa as part of exercise Agile Reaper 21-1.[8] Work is planned for 2024 to expand dispersal facilities at Tinian International, as well as restoration of facilities at Tinian North Field. [9][10]

Airlines and destinations

edit
AirlinesDestinations
Star Marianas Air Saipan

Accidents and incidents

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d e FAA Airport Form 5010 for TNI PDF, retrieved June 13, 2024.
  2. ^ "Airline and Airport Code Search". International Air Transport Association (IATA). Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  3. ^ "Tinian International (IATA: TIQ, ICAO: PGWT, FAA: TNI)". Great Circle Mapper. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  4. ^ "Satna (IATA: TNI, ICAO: VIST)". Great Circle Mapper. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  5. ^ "Star Marianas Air - Company Information". Star Marianas Air. Retrieved August 12, 2017. Our corporate offices are located at Hangar One on West Tinian International Airport on the beautiful island of Tinian.
  6. ^ Gage Karwick (May 22, 2012). "MAG-12 Hornets swarm to be first on Tinian". MCAS Iwakuni. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  7. ^ "Torres says investors are now expanding to Tinian". Saipan Tribune. November 27, 2020.
  8. ^ Tech Sgt Hailey Staker (March 2, 2023). "Exercise Agile Reaper 23-1 Kicks Off in Guam, Tinian". U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  9. ^ Nakamura, Ryo (December 17, 2023). "U.S. to reclaim WWII airfield in Pacific, clearing jungle by summer". Nikkei Asia. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
  10. ^ Lendon, Brad (December 21, 2023). "US Air Force to reclaim Pacific airfield that launched atomic bombings as it looks to counter China". CNN. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
  11. ^ "ASN Aircraft accident Curtiss R5C-1 Commando (C-46) 39579 Tinian Island International Airport (TIQ)". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
edit