Ålesund Sørneset Seaplane Base

Infrastructural replacement and economic progress. The seaplane base was made obsolete by the opening of the new, all-weather, land-based Ålesund Airport, Vigra (ENAL/AES). The new airport could accommodate larger, faster, and more reliable aircraft (such as the Douglas DC-4 used by SAS), providing significantly improved passenger and cargo capacity and ending the region's reliance on weather-dependent seaplane services.

The site of the former seaplane base has been completely redeveloped and shows no visible traces of its aviation past. The location at Sørneset is now a bustling commercial and recreational marina. It is occupied by marine businesses, including boat sales and service centers (e.g., Båt-Berge A/S), and features extensive docks and facilities for private leisure boats.

Ålesund Sørneset Seaplane Base was the main air transport hub for Ålesund and the surrounding Sunnmøre region in the decade following World War II. In an era before extensive road and bridge networks, seaplanes were a critical part of Norway's coastal transportation system. The base was a key stop on the coastal routes, handling scheduled passenger, mail, and freight services. Airlines such as Vestlandske Luftfartsselskap (West Norway Airlines) operated from Sørneset, connecting Ålesund with other coastal cities like Bergen and Trondheim using aircraft such as the Republic RC-3 Seabee and later the de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter. It played a vital role in connecting the region to the rest of the country until land-based aviation became feasible.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening the Ålesund Sørneset Seaplane Base. The land has been fully repurposed for maritime commercial and recreational use, and the area is densely developed. The region's aviation needs are comprehensively served by the nearby international Ålesund Airport, Vigra, making the revival of a seaplane base at this specific location both logistically unfeasible and commercially unnecessary.