Quito's Mariscal Sucre International Airport in Tababela is celebrating another year since the start of operations of the new terminal that took place on 20 February 2013 with a Tame flight from Guayaquil, leaving behind more than 60 years of history of the Old Mariscal Sucre that was located in the middle of the capital of Ecuador.
In front of thousands of guests, airport staff, airlines, press and curious, the 19 February 2013 past the 19:00 Ecuador Local Time, the last flight of the former Mariscal Sucre took off from Quito, thus putting an end to 60 years of history of this enigmatic airport. A unique airport in the world that filled the history of Quito with good and bad times, but above all, connected the people of Quito with the environment and the aeronautical world during all hours of the day due to the resounding of hundreds of flights.
History Former Mariscal Sucre
The Marshal Sucre with his ICAO code: FOLLOWING from IATA: UIO, entered service in about 1929, and although there are no exact data or greater details, the renowned Ecuadorian aeronautical historian, Guido Chavez, tells us that during the second half of the years 20, previously Quito had two airfields, the first was released with the arrival of the Quito plane 1, a SPAD 23, brought to the country in a purely private effort, this first aerodrome was in La Alameda Park, near the current Government Palace, evidently it was a field of grass without any infrastructure, that in a short time I am in the middle of the city, and that is how the flat spaces of the La Carolina hacienda were used, to there set the space for a new track, but the only plane that operated from this aerodrome was the Ecuador I on its arrival flight after the Theodoro Gildreth Raid, It is worth mentioning that it was located in the place where today we can see the DC-6 plane that belonged to the FAE in what is now the main city park.. Gildreth's intention was to establish an aviation company, but seeing that there was no navigation aid, no more airports, the plane was sold to the Government and operated for a while until it finally crashed.
Source Family album of Fernando Chiriboga approximate year 1932*
For 1929, Panagra begins operations within Ecuador, but for this purpose they required an airfield with more space, reason why what we know today as the current Quito Airport was chosen, but at that time it was simply called Quito Aviation Field, and regular flights were made especially with the company's DC-2 planes, and later the DC-3. The track in summer was dirt and in winter it was grass and mud, this went on for many years, even with the arrival of the Republic P-47D Thunderbolt for the FAE, the birth of ANDESA, AREA y Shell.
At that time, landing assistance service, It was done by a person who, with a radio telephone in one hand and a windsock in the other, assisted in the approach phase to the runway., what's more, there was hardly an ADF in an area called Nuns, true aviators those who at that time, they landed in Quito. Naturally arrive in Guayaquil, Esmeraldas or Salinas was much easier because they are at sea level, what made Quito a real challenge for commercial aviation. back then, the extension of the runway was not greater than 2500 meters and who regulated civil aviation was Panagra. The passenger terminal was located in what is now the terminal of the Ecuadorian Air Force Transport Command.
Air France in Quito first flights.
Author Sr. Rodolfo Alvarez Jervis Fuente G.Ch.
Source Family Arias Guerra, via Miguel Díaz G.Area in Quito.*
Fuente Pan American Grace. with Panagra in Quito, 1952*
Fuente G.Ch. Andesa the pioneer at the Quito aerodrome 1947*
national airlines, Golden season.
The first Jet in Ecuador, Area*
Nostalgia for the old terminal and its terrace.
Already for 1965, Air France, Seeing the increase in its market in Ecuador, it decides to start operations with the Boeing 707 and for this it requests the Ecuadorian Government to adapt a terminal, and more than anything a suitable track, ie paved, and it is so that for that same year the construction phase of the terminal begins, of the already called Mariscal Sucre Airport, and the paving of the runway that allows the operation of 707 of the French company with greater safety and "cleanliness" as well as the planes of domestic companies such as Area, Ecuadorian and others. And this is how this airport was maintained and improved over time according to demand until its closure..
Fuente Pan American Grace. with Panagra in Quito, note the control tower years 50*
With the growth of the city, Mariscal Sucre was surrounded by houses, schools and shops as there is no urban planning and control plan in the city after its start of commercial operations. This brought with time a series of risks for the neighbors of the sector, despite the fact that the airport arrived before the houses, for many years his departure from the city was demanded, more than anything for the fear of potential air accidents that over the years were taking place.
Plane accidents in Quito
Accidents and incidents that have occurred on the runway or near Mariscal Sucre are also known., those who made it gain the fame of a dangerous airport, one of the most difficult in the world due to its geography and climate. Among these accidents and others not documented, the following stand out::
Date
Aircraft
Record
Airline
fatalities
16-MAY-1947
Douglas C-47A-DL
42-32926
USAAF (First reported event in Quito)
No data
11-JUL-1960
Douglas C-47B-50-DK Skytrain
45-1109
US Mission
18
07-NOV-1960
Fairchild F-27A
HC-ADV
AREA Ecuador
37
18-SEP-1984
Douglas DC-8-55F
HC-BKN
AECA
4+ 49
10-DIC-1992
Sabreliner 60
FAE001A
FAE
10+ 3
29-AGO-1998
Tupolev 154M
CU-T1264
Cuban
70+ 10
09-NOV-2007
Airbus A340-642
EC-JOH
Iberia
0
22-SEP-2008
Fokker F28 Fellowship 4000
HC-CDT
ICARUS
0
16-SEP-2011
Embraer 190
HC-CEZ
Tame Ecuador
0
*Data could have inaccuracies.
As well as the aforementioned accidents/incidents in the previous table, there have been several similar events, but they have not had public repercussion, mainly by the different branches of the Armed Forces, FAE and Army which have records of accidents and incidents in Quito. Inclusive, Before the closure of the airport, two additional incidents occurred in the Old Mariscal Sucre, one starring a Embraer 190 from Tame HC-CEZ and another for a House 235 from army.
A classic summer sunrise in Quito's Mariscal Sucre.
For these facts, some unfortunate, Quito earned a worldwide reputation as a difficult airport, complicated and dangerous, requiring the pilots and airlines that operated there a maximum of certifications and experience.
The pilots who flew daily in Quito got used to it with real practice and in a simulator, to its changing weather with mist, storms, Torrential rains, windshear all in one day, short runway operation, high and polluted, to your displaced ILS, your slope slope, to the lack of compliance with some minimum requirements demanded by the ICAO, nearby buildings and houses, etc. With the reasons expressed above and others, they made the former Quito airport one of the most well-known and respected airports within the aeronautical industry..
Challenging for planes of all sizes. Boeing 747-400 of Singapore in track final 35.There are only a few hundred meters left of the track and now it gives rise to the construction of the Quito Metro, Bicentennial Park and new convention center.
For this reason, the authorities sought ways or alternatives to have a safer aviation for the city and the country., where the new Tababela Airport project was born.
After the opening of Nuevo Mariscal Sucre was postponed twice, meaning a delay of more than two years and with a construction time of almost 11 years, the 19 February 2013 Ecuadorian aviation took a radical turn towards modernity and development with its new airport, which gave the city and Ecuador spacious and new facilities for both passengers and cargo, also improvements to navigation aids and as it is also the new track, which with its 4.100 meters becomes the largest in South America, which has allowed the creation of new direct routes to more distant points of the American continent and Europe and favored the current routes to increase capacity and reduce restrictions due to operation at height, since the new airport is located 400 meters below the old terminal (2.410 meters SEQM – Nuevo).
Queues of planes form in Mariscal Sucre from the 16:00 local time every day.
the end of an era
It was the 17:59 of the 19 February and the last plane to land on the enigmatic runway of the old Quito airport rested its wheels on the worn asphalt, the airbus 319 of AeroGal HC-CKN increased the sadness felt in the aviation environment for several weeks prior to the definitive closure of the airport. Hundreds of curious and fans who came to the vicinity of the airport with balloons, posters, flowers and even mariachis to thank and say goodbye to the much loved and at the same time feared airport by some sectors of the city, they applauded the passage of each plane and took the opportunity to capture the last photographs. For the people of Quito accustomed to the noise and daily passage of planes, that was the last day in which they could hear the roar of the hundreds of planes that daily flew the sky of the capital.
Panoramic view of the platform of the former Mariscal Sucre on the closing day.
The final closing time of Mariscal Sucre was agreed for the 19:00 Local time, Helicopters and planes of the Armed Forces departed swiftly for their new bases in Latacunga and Guayaquil, but being such a special moment, the FAE gave us farewell low passes with L-100, Avro y Sabreliner, which added drops of emotion to the closing ceremony. AeroGal's commercial aircraft, LAN, Tame, Cup, KLM and Iberia also hurried their departure, since if the planes did not leave at the defined time, they should request a special permit from the DAC to leave the next day operating from a closed airport.
Last landing for Iberia at an airport where they suffered more than one scare as you may remember.
Many people gathered to say goodbye to the airport.
The FAE-691 in Quito
The last "queue" of traffic at the waiting point of the 35.
The final flight ready to tow and end the life of the former Marical Sucre.
The last international flight was the Airbus 340-300 EC-GUP de Iberia, which was fired with a great arc of water, ending the flights of this airline in the old terminal, in which he operated for more than 40 years. We were nearing the final moment, even an exIcaro plane managed to take off on time before closing, followed by a row of various planes and airlines, only two private planes did not manage to take off until the indicated time. At 19:06 with a slight delay due to the departure of the last AeroGal flights and also bathed by the last arc of water, the airbus 319 de Tame HC-CGT took off for the last time from the airport heading towards Guayaquil, ending an era in Ecuadorian aviation, marked by the aeronautical growth of the country and also by accidents, which were finally the main reason to finalize the construction of a new and safer terminal.
Finally at 19:15, the runway and taxiway lights were switched off permanently and forever, followed by a great fireworks display, the applause and mixed emotions were the tone around the airport for several minutes, while trucks and firefighters walked the track saying goodbye to people by sounding sirens and more.
sad image, the closed runway of the old Quito airport with the respective X, asphalt removal and airplanes being cut. Photo taken on 22 February 2013
The next day and after 14 hours of silence over Quito, at 9:00 in the morning of 20 February a plane was heard again flying over the city, it was the flight TAME-300 from Guayaquil, the same plane that the night before had closed the airport, this time inaugurated the new, which began a new stage in Ecuadorian aviation.
Technical characteristics New Quito Airport
located at 17 kilometers in a straight line from the old track and 40 kilometers from the city center by highway, the new Quito airport offers greater capacity and facilities for all its users, individuals and private enjoy the best technology focused on aviation security, among other improvements compared to the previous airport:
NEW AIRPORT
OLD AIRPORT
Surface in hectares: 1.500
Surface in hectares: 126
Construction area in hectares: 70
Construction area in hectares: 40
Passenger terminal square meters: 38.000+
Passenger terminal square meters: 28.700
Estimated passengers per year: 5.000.000
Estimated passengers per year:3.660.000
load capacity: 249.530+ tons
load capacity: 149.718 tons
Loading area square meters: 46.000+
Loading area square meters: 15.198
Control tower height: 41 meters
Control tower height: 22 meters
hour operations: 12
hour operations: 8
aircraft parking: 60
aircraft parking: 32
Altitude: 2.410 masl
Altitude: 2.810 masl
track length: 4.100 meters
track length: 3.120 meters
aerial photograph taken 4 months before what should have been the inauguration in October 2012.
The comparison chart clearly demonstrates the advantages of the new airport, especially if we take into account that these data are the initial, since expansion plans are foreseen for both the terminal (Phase 2a expansion of the national terminal and expansion of the cargo platform has already been carried out), like a potential second clue, which would have its own terminal for domestic flights and minor aviation.
Part of the international departure check-in counters.
The major expansion works at the new airport will have a significant challenge due to the complexity of the terrain and large amounts of earth compaction that should be carried out in order to meet the projected.
With an investment of more than $700 millions of dollars In the entire project, the waiting times in migration and security filters have also been reduced by up to one 50%:
Service
New Airport
old airport
Migration counters departure of passengers:
14+
12
Migration counters arrival of passengers:
20+
14
security filters:
7+
4
customs filters:
4+
2
National and international security filters in a single environment.
Details found at the Quito Airport.
Complete view of the first stage of amplification.
Departure halls A3 and A4.
National duty free with a varied offer.
Elevators and escalators for disembarking passengers.
Destinations and Airlines
At Quito's Mariscal Sucre International Airport, they currently operate 11 international airlines and 3 nationals who serve 16 international destinations and 11 domestic destinations. The projection for this year is that the number of international airlines will grow at 13 and destinations to 18 with the arrival of German company Condor and potentially that of the chilena Sky Airline.
Destinations by airline
Airlines
cities
Avianca Ecuador
Nationals: Guayaquil / Port Francisco de Orellana – The Coca / Manta / Sour Lake / Baltra and San Cristobal (via GYE or direct)
international: Bogota / Lima
LATAM Ecuador
Nationals: Cuenca / Manta / Santa Rosa / Coca / Guayaquil / Baltra and San Cristobal (via GYE or direct)
international: Lima
TAME EP
Nationals: Baltra (Direct or via GYE) / Cuenca / Port Francisco de Orellana – The Coca / Esmeraldas / Guayaquil / Manta / New Store – Sour Lake / Catamayo- Store / San Cristobal (via GYE) / Santa Rosa
Without a doubt, the issue that generated the most controversy in Quito was transportation to the new airport., located a little more than 26 kilometers from the city center, Getting to it at its opening was not an easy task and it was not cheap either., especially when comparing it with the old terminal.
Users were already accustomed to arriving in no more than 30 minutes from most points in the city and paying no more than $5 dollars in a taxi. At the start of airport operations, getting to catch a flight or see someone could take more than 1 hour with 30 minutes, but with the inauguration of the Ruta Collas and Ruta Viva, these times were reduced to an average of 45 minutes or 35 minutes depending on the point of the city where the tour begins. In this more informative/tourist topic we present reference information on the means to reach the new airport and its average costs:Semi-express buses:
From the Rio Coca stop (Ecovía) o desde el terminal terrestre de Quitumbe (south of Quito).
Cost: $2 Dollars.
Characteristics: 11 defined stops, smaller than those of an interparish bus, and will only carry seated passengers (maximum two people standing). Units come out every 10 O 14 minutes, depending on the hours of greatest demand.
Time: This service is available from 5:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m..
Special express bus – Aero (before Aeroservices):
From the old Parque Bicentenario airport.
Cost: $8 Dollars.
Characteristics: no stops along the way, equipped with GPS and internet, each 30 minutes or on demand. This service is provided by Aeroservices.
Time: every half hour.
Taxi:
From anywhere in the city. There are also private taxi services and VIP transportation to and from the Airport..
Cost: tariff established by sectors for 24 hours. benchmarks:
North of Quito:
Montesaw (He Inca)-Airport 20 dollars and back 22,50 Dollars.
San Carlos-Airport 24 dollars and back 27 Dollars.
North center of Quito:
La Carolina-Airport 21 dollars and back 24,50 Dollars.
Historic Center-Airport 23 dollars and back 26 Dollars.
South center of Quito:
La Villaflora-Airport 23,50 dollars and back 27 Dollars.
Recreation-Airport 24 dollars and back 28 Dollars.
South of Quito:
Quitumbe-Airport 28,50 dollars and back 33 Dollars.
La Ecuatoriana-Airport 29 dollars and back 33,50 Dollars.
Valles:
Tumbaco-Airport 11 dollars and back 13,50 Dollars.
Cumbayá-Airport 14 dollars and back 17 Dollars.
Parking lots
Quito Airport offers parking for a value of $7 daily dollars.
Hotel Wyndham a 5 minutes from the airport offers parking for $5 daily dollars – offers free airport shuttle.
There are other parking options around the airport from $5 daily dollars – offers free airport shuttle.
Car rental
Hertz
Avis
locate
Budget
Thrifty
With all these options, the initial negative opinion towards the new airport has been changing, driven by greater ease and speed of transfer as well as by the custom and growing demand for passengers to travel to and from the capital of Ecuadorians.
Updated airport information is here:
(link covered)
It is updated regularly and is available until December 2017.
I sent you a link to an investigation carried out a year and a half ago on the impact of the new airport:
(link covered)
Best regards
Gonzalo
Excellent information Nicholas., congratulations and thanks for detailing the history of Quito and Ecuadorian aviation.
Regarding the statistics, it would be interesting to see the evolution and growth of national and international passenger traffic up to 2017 since it only dates from 3013 and 2014.
Hi Carlos, Thank you very much for your comment. Indeed, I requested the statistics and I am waiting for them. When I have them I will complete them. Greetings
excellent info, thank you very much for the details.
Congratulations.
Albert J.. March
Thanks!
Excellent passenger and cargo traffic information.
thanks Nicholas, and also complements Gonzalo's.
A pleasure!
Updated airport information is here:
(link covered)
It is updated regularly and is available until December 2017.
I sent you a link to an investigation carried out a year and a half ago on the impact of the new airport:
(link covered)
Best regards
Gonzalo
Hello Gonzalo, very good information, Thank you. I will incorporate it.
Excellent information Nicholas., congratulations and thanks for detailing the history of Quito and Ecuadorian aviation.
Regarding the statistics, it would be interesting to see the evolution and growth of national and international passenger traffic up to 2017 since it only dates from 3013 and 2014.
Kind regards.
Hi Carlos, Thank you very much for your comment. Indeed, I requested the statistics and I am waiting for them. When I have them I will complete them. Greetings