Helgoland Airport
Encyclopedia
Heligoland Airport is a small airport on the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 island of Düne
Düne
Düne is the only island in the German North Sea Coast Area that belongs to the Archipelago of Heligoland.-Geography:...

, the smaller of the two isles of the Heligoland archipelago
Heligoland
Heligoland is a small German archipelago in the North Sea.Formerly Danish and British possessions, the islands are located in the Heligoland Bight in the south-eastern corner of the North Sea...

 in the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...

, about 70 kilometres (43.5 mi) from the mainland. It is licensed for aeroplanes up to 5700 kilograms (12,566.3 lb) maximum takeoff weight and helicopters up to 10000 kilograms (22,046.2 lb).

Due to the limited length of the runways and adverse wind conditions, the approach to and departure from the airport is demanding, requiring experience and good preparation from pilots. For commercial flights, prior training is mandatory.

History

The first military airfield on Düne existed during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 when Heligoland had been fortified.

In 1962, the airport was rebuilt into the form it still has today.

From 2005 to 2006, the main runway (direction 15/33) was extended from 400 m to 480 m for compliance with EU regulations on commercial air traffic.

Airlines and destinations

Access

A ferryboat service connects Düne to the Heligoland main island; there is a single taxi
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...

 that services the short distance between the airport and ferryboat terminals.

In general, motor vehicles and bicycles are prohibited on the archipelago.
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