From international airport in the middle of the city to a park: history of Old Quito Airport Marshal Sucre, ¿bothó I lost itó the city?
The Ancient Quito Mariscal Sucre International Airport (Códigos ICAO: FOLLOW, THERE IT IS: UIO) It had a history dating back to the early days.éfalls of the 20th century, culminating with its transformationón in the current Bicentennial Park. This story not only covers the development of aviationón in the Ecuadorian capital, but alsoén the impact of urban growth on vital infrastructure, and the consequent balance of profits and pélosses for the city after its closure.
In this special delivery, We review part of its history and review whaté bothó I lost itó Quito with this change that transformedó, for good, the way to fly awayños, Ecuadorians and tourists.
The old Mariscal Sucre airport in Quito
Beginning lesson, I invite you first to review this special and emotional Aero Report that I made touring its spaces, ex-track and others áreas, in which until the díToday we live the aero activityáutica. Everything on the YouTube channel:
Before the definitive establishment in the El Labrador sector, the aviationón in Quito it had two rudimentary landing fields.
- La Alameda Park (ca.. 1920s):
- It was the first field, a simple grass runway inaugurated with the arrival of the airplaneón Quito 1, a SPAD 23, financed by private efforts.
- RáI ask you to stayó obsolete and in the middle of the growing urban layout.
- Hacienda La Carolina:
- took advantageó the plain of this hacienda for a new airfieldón.
- Opera onlyó the grandfatherón Ecuador I after the Theodoro Gildreth Raid, who was looking to establish an airlineínea. By not finding the necessary support or navigation infrastructureón, the grandfatherón was sold to the Government.
- This field was located where the ic is todayónico avión DC-6 in the current La Carolina Park.
The old airport is born
The site that will convertíIn Mariscal Sucre it was consolidatedó on 1929 when Panagra (Pan American-Grace Airways), requiring space más large and operational to start regular flights in Ecuador, I choseó the area that today occupies the Bicentennial Park.
- First Operations: Initially called Campo de Aviación from Quito, It operated with aircraft such as the DC-2 and later the Panagra DC-3.
- Rudimentary Track: For many toños, The track was dirt in summer and grass and mud in winter., with an extensióinitial n not greater than 2,500 meters.
- Challenge for Aviationón: Unlike coastal cities like Guayaquil, Esmeraldas or Salinas, Quito airport, located at high altitude, represented a real challengeío téconical for commercial aircraft.
- Primitive Assistance: Navigation aidsón were mínimas. The landings were assisted by a person with a radioteléphono and a windsock. The úonly radial aid of the éAt one time it was an ADF located in the Monjas sector.
- Infrastructure: The passenger terminal was located where it is todayá Force A Transportation CommandéEcuadorian area (Cotest).
Modernizationón of the old airport
The great leap in quality occurredó on 1965. the airínea Air France I decidedó start operating the route, but I demandedó to the Ecuadorian Government the adequacyón of the infrastructure for its planes Boeing 707, which requiresíthe major security.
- Floor usón and Terminal: It startsó the constructionón of a new terminal, and más crucial, you floor itótrack number.
- Official Name: In this élittle improvement, the airódromo was formally named Mariscal Sucre Airport.
- Growth: The improvements allowed the operationón safe international and domestic aircraftéstatic (What Área and ecuadorian) until its closure.
Closure and birth of Bicentennial Park
With the passing of the dérock, the lack of an urban planíadequate aesthetic allowedó that the airport would be completely surrounded by the city: households, schools and shops.
- Urban Risk: Although the airport predated the surrounding buildings, its locationón céit matters if you convertó a great safety risk for neighbors, afraid of potential accidentséprisoners (which unfortunately occurred with theños). The track, that I can no longeríto spread, was short for modern airplanes.
- The New Airport: Finally, if I decidedó trasladar la operationóon the outskirts of the city, to the new Mariscal Sucre International Airport in Tababela (cóI say IATA: UIO), inaugurated in 2013.
- Bicentennial Park: The 126 Hectoráold air areasódromo were transformed into the Bicentennial Park, one of the green lungs mábig s of the capital.
¿Bothó I lost itó Quito?
The closure of the old Mariscal Sucre International Airport and its subsequent transformationón in the Bicentenario Park generated a profound impact on the city of Quito, presenting a balance of benefits and disadvantages for the populationón and dináurban mica.
What I Quit Gainedó with closure
The profit más significant for the capital was citizen security. By relocating infrastructure, I am eliminatedó immediately the risk of accidentséinmates in a densely populated area, freeing thousands of neighbors from constant fear. Complementarily, an immense victory was won in téterms of quality of life and spaceúblico with the create usón of Bicentennial Park although for meí, there is still a long way to go to be a real park. Este's weddingón verde de 126 Hectoráareas becameó in one of the recreational spaces más big city, available for sport, at recreationón and the celebrationón of major events, something unthinkable with the operational track.
Moving made easyó a modern airport development; the new Mariscal Sucre in Tababela offers a más long and suitable for aviationón contemporaryánea, improving connectivity toéinternational area and log capacityícity style.
What I Quit Lostó with closure
The main péloss perceived by theñIt's convenience and travel time. The old airport was located a few minutes from the center and north of the city, what i doívery efficient access. The new location, although necessary, is located one considerable distance and not so fáeasy to get to, increasing travel time and costs associated with transportation. Además from affectsón logístic, the city experiencedó one pésymb recoveryófaces. Durante dérock, the Marshal Sucre It was a historic milestoneórich and a reference point for citizens, an entrance door with carácharacter that the relocationón isolvió.
Finally, although the move resolvedó security issues, generó new challengesímobility when moving the flow of cargo, personnel and operations on the outskirts, affecting the dinálittle tráfic and planningóurban in the new víthose of access.
