Gurney Airport


Gurney Airport is an airport serving Alotau in the Milne Bay Province of Papua New Guinea.
The airport is a single runway general aviation facility, however in December, 2008, the PNG Minister for Transport and Civil Aviation, Don Polye announced that aviation company SkyAirWorld had been granted permission to operate direct flights from Cairns, Australia to Gurney.

History

Built by the US Army 96th Engineer General Service Regiment, Company E of 46th Engineer General Service Regiment and No. 6 Mobile Works Squadron RAAF during World War II. Consisting of two parallel runways with the first runway long by wide surfaced with bitumen and the second runway long x wide surfaced with marston matting. Taxiways and revetments extended off both sides of the runways. Known as Fall River Aerodrome and No. 1 Strip. The airfield was named Gurney Field on 14 September 1942 in honour of Royal Australian Air Force Squadron Leader C.R. Gurney, who was killed in an aircraft crash.
The airfield was reopened in early 1966, as a part of the Australian colonial policy of having each of the provincial capitals served by daily flights. The last Sunbird PBY service to Samarai was in January of that year. A number of other WWII airfields were reopened in the area, such as Vivigani Airfield and Misima. Several airlines then operated daily passenger and freight services into Gurney, using larger aircraft.

Allied Units based at Gurney Field

The airport resides at an elevation of above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 09/27 with an asphalt surface measuring.

Airlines and destinations