Maota Airport
Encyclopedia
Maota Airport is the main domestic airport on the island of Savai'i
in Samoa
. It is situated near Salelologa
at the east end of Savai'i. The airport is located 10 minutes south of Salelologa township and ferry terminal. The airport has been in operation since the early 1990s. It services flights from Faleolo International Airport
on the main island Upolu
and Asau Airport
at the northwest end of Savai'i.
which can only handle Twin Otters
and other small passenger aircraft. There is a reasonable tarmac that could actually fit a Boeing 737. However, the airport terminal, an open fale
, is small.
Planes are forbidden to land or take off at night due to a lack of lighting. A small control tower exists, however, it still needs assistance from the main base in Faleolo International Airport on Upolu island.
Savai'i
Savaii is the largest and highest island in Samoa and the Samoa Islands chain. It is also the biggest landmass in Polynesia outside Hawaii and New Zealand. The island of Savai'i is also referred to by Samoans as Salafai, a classical Samoan term used in oratory and prose...
in Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
. It is situated near Salelologa
Salelologa
Salelologa is a village district at the east end of Savai'i island in Samoa. It is the main entry point into the island with the only ferry terminal on Savai'i...
at the east end of Savai'i. The airport is located 10 minutes south of Salelologa township and ferry terminal. The airport has been in operation since the early 1990s. It services flights from Faleolo International Airport
Faleolo International Airport
Faleolo International Airport is an airport located west of Apia, the capital of Samoa.Until 1984, Faleolo could not accommodate jets larger than a Boeing 737...
on the main island Upolu
Upolu
Upolu is an island in Samoa, formed by a massive basaltic shield volcano which rises from the seafloor of the western Pacific Ocean. The island is long, in area, and is the second largest in geographic area as well as the most populated of the Samoan Islands. Upolu is situated to the east of...
and Asau Airport
Asau Airport
Asau Airport is a small domestic airfield located in the thick dense jungle at the northwest end of Savai'i in Samoa. The airport is in the village of Asau and mainly services chartered flights.This airport is open daily for 12 hours a day...
at the northwest end of Savai'i.
Facilities
The airport has a short runwayRunway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
which can only handle Twin Otters
De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
The DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian 19-passenger STOL utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada and currently produced by Viking Air. The aircraft's fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL abilities and high rate of climb have made it a successful cargo, regional passenger airliner and MEDEVAC...
and other small passenger aircraft. There is a reasonable tarmac that could actually fit a Boeing 737. However, the airport terminal, an open fale
Architecture of Samoa
The architecture of Samoa is characterised by openness, with the design mirroring the culture and life of the Samoan people who inhabit the Samoa Islands. Architectural concepts are incorporated into Samoan proverbs, oratory and metaphors, as well as linking to other art forms in Samoa, such as...
, is small.
Planes are forbidden to land or take off at night due to a lack of lighting. A small control tower exists, however, it still needs assistance from the main base in Faleolo International Airport on Upolu island.