Sentani Airport

Sentani Airport (SNA)
Bandar Udara Sentani

Sentani Airport of Jayapura

IATA: DJJ – ICAO: WAJJ

DJJ
Location of airport in Papua

Summary
Airport type Public
Owner Jayapura Government
Serves Jayapura, Papua, Indonesia
Elevation AMSL 289 ft / 88 m
Coordinates 02°34′37″S 140°30′58″E / 2.57694°S 140.51611°E
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
12/30 2,500 8,200 Asphalt
Source: DAFIF[1][2]
Lion Air at Sentani Airport of Jayapura
Batavia Air at Sentani Airport of Jayapura

Sentani Airport (Indonesian: Bandar Udara Sentani) (IATA: DJJ, ICAO: WAJJ) is an airport serving Jayapura,[1] the capital of Papua province, Indonesia, on the island of New Guinea. The name of this airport is taken from a lake nearby.

History

Sentani Airport was a part of the large American facilities at Hollandia, which was liberated from the Japanese by an American amphibious task force Code named Operation Reckless on 22 April 1944.[3]

The area was occupied by the Japanese in April 1942, and by 10 October 1943, the Japanese had built a large complex with two runways: a western runway of 4,500 ft and a second southern runway was 6,200 ft x 340 ft. There were 24 larger bomber revetments to the west of the strip, and an additional 27 to the east of the field, connected by taxiways to the two runways. Anti-aircraft defenses included 4 light guns that were later upgraded. The airfields were badly cratered by American bomber raids.

Once controlled by the Americans the airfields were rebuilt and it became a command and control base with large numbers of operational units flying combat missions with fighters and heavy bombers operating out of the area. The American facilities consisted of three large military airfields: Hollandia, Sentani and Cyclops Aerodromes.[3]

At the end of the war the Hollandia airfield was abandoned but remains in good condition to this day. Part of the complex was the Cyclops airfield, which was a single runway facility, built by the Japanese. It is notable because it functioned as MacArthur's HQ at Hollandia. Today Cyclops Airfield is overgrown, being abandoned since the war. It has been partially developed into the town of Sentani.

Sentani Airfield is the only part of the complex still in use as an airfield today. It is used as the principal entry point into the Indonesian half of the island.

Major USAAF units stationed at Hollandia

Facilities

The airport resides at an elevation of 289 feet (88 m) above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 12/30 with an asphalt surface measuring 2,183 by 45 metres (7,162 ft × 148 ft).[1]

Airlines and destinations

Airlines Destinations
Batik Air Jakarta–Soekarno–Hatta, Makassar
Express Air Makassar, Manokwari, Nabire, Kaimana, Sorong, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, Wamena
Garuda Indonesia Biak, Jakarta–Soekarno–Hatta, Manokwari, Merauke, Nabire (begins 1 May 2015), Timika
Lion Air Jakarta–Soekarno–Hatta, Makassar, Merauke
Sriwijaya Air Jakarta–Soekarno–Hatta, Makassar, Timika, Merauke, Biak, Manokwari
Susi Air Borme, Dekai, Kasonaweja, Mulia, Sarmi, Senggeh, Wamena
Trigana Air Service Oksibil, Wamena
Wings Air Nabire, Kaimana, Wamena

Sentani is also the main base for at least four missionary aviation organizations.

Runway extension

In October 2012, The Ministry of Transportation announced plans to extend the runway to 3,000 meters, develop the taxiway, and also provide jet bridges to board and disembark passengers.[4]

Hygiene culture

In Sentani Airport, you can find the typical prohibition sign besides no smoking sign, viz. "Do not eat areca nut" or the no areca nut eating signs. This is because many Papuans frequently chew areca nut and spit its juice carelessly. It is called "spitting red.[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Airport information for WAJJ from DAFIF (effective October 2006)
  2. ↑ Airport information for DJJ at Great Circle Mapper. Source: DAFIF (effective Oct. 2006).
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Pluth, Dave. "The Captured Oscars of Hollandia". http://www.j-aircraft.com''. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  4. ↑ "Several airports coming up in Papua". 8 October 2012.
  5. ↑ Ssstt... Dilarang Makan Pinang di Bandara Jayapura
Other sources

External links