Skien Airport, Geiteryggen
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| Skien Airport, Geiteryggen Skien lufthavn, Geiteryggen |
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|---|---|---|---|
| IATA: SKE - ICAO: ENSN | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Public | ||
| Operator | Skien Lufthavn AS | ||
| Serves | Skien, Porsgrunn | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 151 ft (46 m) | ||
| Coordinates | |||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 01/19 | 4596 | 1401 | Asphalt |
Skien Airport, Geiteryggen (Norwegian: Skien lufthavn, Geiteryggen) (IATA: SKE, ICAO: ENSN) is an airport located 2.5 km southwest of the city centre of Skien, Norway. Skien Lufthavn AS operates the airport and this company is owned by the local municipality of Skien in the Grenland region. In 2005 the airport had 14 736 passengers, while estimates for 2006 yield 34,000 passengers.
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[edit] History
First aircraft to visit Skien landed in the nearby area of Gråtenmoen in 1914. Local businessmen with the support of local government soon realised that airtraffic was essential for the areas economic growth and planned an airport at Geiteryggen in 1936, but due to delays and World War II no real traffic ever started. In 1946 Telemark Flyselskap was established to start a local airport. Some seaplanes were using Skien's nearby canals and rivers to reach town with goods and passengers.
The local aviation club, Grenland Flyklubb (founded 1946), started flights at Geiteryggen in 1952. First plane, a 2 seater Piper Cub, landed Thursday February 7, 1952.
Skien Airport Geiteryggen has had commercial flights since the 1950s. From the start daily operations were run by Snorre Kjetilson and his wife Reidun and their company; Fjellfly (1952-1972). After a slow start the airline operated at the most 14 aircraft of various sizes (in 1965). They operated commercial flights to Oslo and Hamar as well as charter flights and goods transport. The airport was locally famous for its two bears that lived nearby the airport site.
In 1980 the third largest Norwegian carrier, Norving (1976-1988), had seven daily connections to Oslo, and Skien was the company's technical base. In 1987; 60,000 passengers used the airport. Norving was replaced by Norsk Air (soon to be Widerøe Norsk Air) until 1993 when this company moved its traffic to Sandefjord Lufthavn, Torp. In 1996 Sun Air offered for a short time international flights to Copenhagen. In total between NOK 80-90 million have been invested in the airport since the 80s.
Two years ago local businessmen, with the support of the local municipality, established a new airline; Vildanden, with daily connections to Bergen. In 2007 the airport will get an additional boost with new daily flights to Molde and Stavanger. The airline has also seen an increase in tourist traffic using its flights as well as the commuting oil-workers.
Owner of the airport have in October 2006 decided to grant a loan of NOK 2,5 million to continue air traffic at the airport.
Airlines that have operated from Geiteryggen: Fjellfly, Norving, Norsk Air, Sun Air, Air Stord, Teddy Air, Coast Air, Golden Air and European Executive Express (EEE).
[edit] Airlines and destinations
- Vildanden (Bergen, Molde, Stavanger, Stockholm-Skavsta)
[edit] Operations
The airport has daily commercial flights.
The airport is trafficked by private jets/flights and airsport activities. In 2005 14 736 passengers used Skien Airport. This year an estimated 34,000 passengers will use the airpoirt. Long-term plans are to develop this airport with 3-4 destinations. Destinations could be Oslo, Stavanger and Trondheim and maybe an international destination (Copenhagen, London or Stockholm). Some investments have been made by the owners to keep commercial flights at the airport. Geiteryggen is one of a few airports in Norway to have free parking. The airport offers a unique portal to Telemark, its county capital; Skien and the Grenland region.
At the moment only the flight operator Vildanden runs daily flights. The company got its name from Skien's world-famous author Henrik Ibsen and his play Vildanden (The Wild Duck). The local airline will operate a 33-seater Saab 340 B on the route to Bergen following a two year agreement with Swedish company Avitrans Nordic AB. From March 2007 the airline will offer daily flights to Molde and Stavanger as well as 3 flights a week to Stockholm in cooperation with Avitrans. The airline will be the only one in the area to offer direct flights to Molde and Stockholm.
Pegasus Helikopterskole (owned by Pegasus Helicopter FTO) has its helicopter training academy for commercial and privat use, with its four helicopters, stationed at the airport. The academy is one of three private academies in Norway. About 20 people graduate as helicopter pilots each year from this academy.
Other businesses connected to the airport are: Grenland Flyklubb, Grenland Fallskjermklubb, Eurosky AS, Magne Dale and Guard System AS.
There are 30 employees directly or indirectly working at the airport. The owners get rental income from parts of the buildings.
Skien Lufthavn Geiteryggen is one of very few airports with daily flights that are not owned by Avinor (formerly Luftfartsverket; Norwegian state owned company). This could in the long term mean possibilities for low-cost airlines, private/business flights or even charter flights to establish themselves at the airport.
[edit] External links
| Airports of Norway |
|---|
| Primary Airports Alta | Bardufoss | Bergen | Bodø | Harstad/Narvik | Haugesund | Kirkenes | Kristiansand | Kristiansund | Lakselv | Molde | Oslo | Stavanger | Tromsø | Trondheim | Ålesund |
| Regional Airports Andenes | Brønnøysund | Båtsfjord | Berlevåg | Fagernes | Florø | Førde | Hammerfest | Hasvik | Honningsvåg | Leknes | Mehamn | Mo i Rana | Mosjøen | Namsos | Narvik | Røros | Rørvik | Røst | Sandane | Sandnessjøen | Sogndal | Stokmarknes | Svolvær | Sørkjosen | Vadsø | Vardø | Værøy | Ørsta/Volda |
| Overseas Territories Jan Mayen | Longyearbyen | Ny-Ålesund | Svea |
| Private Notodden | Sandefjord | Skien | Stord |
| Air Force Stations Andøya | Banak | Bardufoss | Bodø | Gardermoen | Rygge | Sola | Ørland |
| Closed Geilo | Oslo-Fornebu |
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