Canala, NC 🇳🇨 Closed Airport
NC-0006
-
7 ft
NC-02
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Loading...GPS Code: Not available
Local Code: Not available
Location: -21.520435° N, 165.971947° E
Continent: OC
Type: Closed Airport
Keywords: NWWX
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| Designation | Length | Width | Surface | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
11/29 |
3135 ft | 60 ft | ASP | Active |
| Type | Description | Frequency |
|---|
The exact date of closure is not officially documented. However, the airport is known to have been inactive since at least the early 2000s. It was part of a network of secondary 'bush' airstrips, many of which were gradually abandoned as road infrastructure improved.
The closure was primarily due to economic reasons and infrastructure evolution. As New Caledonia's road network, particularly the RT3 road serving Canala, was improved, the necessity for a local, basic airstrip diminished. Air services were consolidated at larger, better-equipped regional airports. The cost of maintaining and certifying the small, unpaved strip for dwindling traffic became unjustifiable.
The site is completely decommissioned as an airport. Satellite imagery shows the faint outline of the former runway, which is now overgrown with grass. The land is used as an open public space by the local community, with vehicle tracks visible across the former strip. There are no remaining airport facilities, such as a terminal, hangar, or markings.
Canala Airport was a classic 'piste de brousse' (bush airstrip). Its significance was in providing a vital air link for the relatively isolated mining commune of Canala, which is situated in a mountainous coastal region. When active, it handled light aircraft operations, including:
- Private and charter flights for individuals and mining companies.
- Administrative flights for government officials.
- Crucial medical evacuation (EVASAN) flights, which were often the fastest way to transport patients to hospitals in Nouméa.
- Operations were limited to small Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) capable aircraft, such as Cessnas or Pipers, that could operate from a short (approx. 650-meter), unpaved grass or dirt runway.
There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Canala Airport. The regional trend in New Caledonia is to invest in and centralize air transport at a few key regional airports. With reliable road access to Canala now established, there is no practical or economic case for reinstating this small, basic airstrip.