La Nubia Airport

La Nubia Airport (IATA: MZL, ICAO: SKMZ) is an airport serving Manizales, Colombia, 8 kilometres (5 mi) southeast of the city's downtown.

La Nubia Airport

Aeropuerto La Nubia
Summary
Airport typePublic
Owner/OperatorInfiCaldas
ServesManizales, Colombia
LocationLa Nubia
Elevation AMSL6,768 ft / 2,063 m
Coordinates5°01′48″N 75°27′50″W
Map
MZL
Location of airport in Colombia
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
10/28 1,475 4,839 Asphalt
Source: GCM[1] Google Maps[2]

Due to its short runway and limited ramp space, the only aircraft that can use the airport are turbopropeller aircraft such as the Fokker 50, ATR 72, and Dash 8. The main problem of La Nubia airport is weather. Sometimes shut down due to fog, rain, or winds, it is difficult for airlines to offer a reliable schedule for the passengers wishing to visit Manizales and Caldas. Combined with its daylight-only hours of operation and limited runway length, La Nubia has been seen as an obstacle to the region's development.

Runway 28 has a 75 metres (246 ft) displaced threshold. The Manizales VOR-DME (Ident: MZL) is located 3.7 nautical miles (6.9 km) west of the Runway 10 threshold.[3] The runway has a steep dropoff into a river valley to the south. There is high terrain north and south of the airport.

Alternate airport false start

After many delays, a new international airport to be named Aeropuerto del Café was expected to open in the municipality of Palestina, which is 35 minutes away from the city. It was expected to start operations in 2014. Aeropuerto del Café would initially have a 2,400-by-45-metre (7,874 ft × 148 ft) runway, which combined with a lower altitude than the present facility, would allow it to serve larger aircraft. If traffic warranted it, the runway could be extended to 3,500 metres (11,500 ft).

After construction of Aeropuerto del Café commenced, it was suspended due to the discovery of lack of proper soil evaluation and many design failures that cost the local government nearly US$30 million. Some audits by the central government revealed insufficient or defective design, poor planning and unjustified overruns.

Airlines
AirlinesDestinations
Avianca Bogotá
Easyfly Bogotá, Cartagena, Medellín–Olaya Herrera

See also

References
  1. Airport information for MZL at Great Circle Mapper.
  2. Google Maps - La Nubia
  3. Manizales VOR


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