Totegegie Airport

Totegegie Airport
IATA: GMRICAO: NTGJ
Summary
Airport type Public
Serves Gambier Islands, French Polynesia
Is the closest airport to the Pitcairn Islands
Location Rikitea
Elevation AMSL 7 ft / 2 m
Coordinates 23°05′04″S 134°53′07″W / 23.08444°S 134.88528°W / -23.08444; -134.88528
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
12/30 2,000 6,562 Asphalt
Sources: French AIP[1]

Totegegie Airport is an airport on Totegegie Island (in the Gambier Islands) French Polynesia (IATA: GMR, ICAO: NTGJ). It is 9 km northeast of the village of Rikitea.

Totegegie's name consists of the combination of two Mangarevan words (the local language, which takes its name from Mangareva, the main island of the archipelago): tote, which means a sandy islet on a reef (the equivalent of motu in Polynesian) and gegie (pronounced gniégnié) which is the name of a small shrub typical of atolls that looks much like a juniper bush without berries.

The airport is found on Totegegie, which is one of Mangareva island's reefs approximately 9 km (5.6 mi) from Rikitea, the island's administrative settlement. It has the only building on the reef. The airport is 1,652 km (1,027 mi) from Tahiti and is classified as a territorial aerodrome. Its only commercial service is to Tahiti's Faaa International Airport on Tuesdays.[2][3]

Totegegie Airport is crucial in its role as the outside world's link to the more famous Pitcairn Island. One of the only ways a traveler can reach Pitcairn is to fly to Tahiti, then to Totegegie. From there, a 32-hour boat ride will take one to Pitcairn.[4]

History

1967
Construction of a runway of 3,500 m by the 115th running of the Society of the Pacific Experimentation Centre Pacific (CEP).
1968
Landing of the first aircraft at Totegegie, a Piper Aztec, followed by a Breguet Deux-Ponts. The same year, a DC-6 performed weekly service between Totegegie, Mururoa and Papeete.
1978
First commercial air link Totegegie-Papeete.[5]
1998
Decommissioning of the French army, including the shed and wharf metal. At the end of operations 50 tons of scrap metal had been collected.[6]
2008
Expansion and modernization of existing terminal.

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

AirlinesDestinations
Air Tahiti Hao, Papeete, Tureia

Ground transportation

To go to Mangareva and its city Rikitea, travel is by boat.

From Mangareva there are boats going to Pitcairn Island, the main way of getting there.

Passengers

The increase in passenger numbers is shown below.[7]

Years 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Passengers 5,319 5,129 4,937 5,609 5,922 6,598 6,938 7,155 7,409
Totegegie Airport
GMR Terminal
Totegegie runway, looking out at Mangareva

Wildlife

This shrub, Pemphis acidula, is widespread on Polynesian atolls and is best known as the 'miki miki'.

References

  1. NTGJ – TOTEGEGIE. AIP from French Service d'information aéronautique, effective 8 December 2016.
  2. http://www.ispf.pf/ISPF/Chiffres/Transports/TrMaritAeri.aspx
  3. http://www.visitpitcairn.pn/visitpitcairn.html
  4. http://www.visitpitcairn.pn/visitpitcairn.html
  5. http://gadper.free.fr/public/Polynesie/les_anciens_racontent/Construction%20de%20la%20piste%20de%20Totegegie%20en%201967-1.pdf
  6. http://www.moruroa.org/medias/pdf/T%C3%A9moignage%20Gambier%201967.pdf
  7. http://www.aeroport.fr/les-aeroports-de-l-uaf/stats-totegegie.php

Coordinates: 23°5′4″S 134°53′7″W / 23.08444°S 134.88528°W / -23.08444; -134.88528

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