Heho Airport (Burmese: ဟဲဟိုးလေဆိပ်) (IATA: HEH, ICAO: VYHH) is an airport serving Heho,[1] a town in Kalaw Township, Taunggyi District, Shan State, Myanmar. It is the main airport serving Inle Lake and Taunggyi the former of the top tourist destinations of Myanmar.
Heho Airport ဟဲဟိုးလေဆိပ် | |||||||||||
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Summary | |||||||||||
Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
Operator | Government | ||||||||||
Serves | Heho, Myanmar | ||||||||||
Elevation AMSL | 3,858 ft / 1,176 m | ||||||||||
Coordinates | 20°44′49″N 096°47′31″E / 20.74694°N 96.79194°E | ||||||||||
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Runways | |||||||||||
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History
editThe airport served as an airbase both for the Allies and the Japanese during World War II. The airbase was heavily bombed by the Allies. Evidence of aircraft bunker revetments and bomb craters can still be seen on the southern end of the airfield, especially noticeable from the air.
Facilities
editThe airport resides at an elevation of 3,858 feet (1,176 m) above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 18/36 with an asphalt surface measuring 8,500 by 100 feet (2,591 m × 30 m).[1] The original airport had a runway length of 5,500 feet (1,676 m). It was recently[when?] expanded to accommodate jet aircraft.
Airlines and destinations
editAirlines | Destinations |
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Air Thanlwin | Mandalay, Yangon |
Mann Yatanarpon Airlines | Kengtung, Mandalay, Myitkyina, Nyaung U, Tachilek, Thandwe, Yangon |
Mingalar Aviation Services | Mandalay, Thandwe, Yangon |
Myanmar National Airlines | Kengtung, Lashio, Mong Hsat, Nyaung U, Tachilek, Yangon |
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Old Building of Heho Airport
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Main Entrance of Heho Airport
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Aerial view of Heho Airport
Accidents and incidents
edit- On 25 December 2012, Air Bagan Flight 11, crashed short of the runway at Heho Airport. One passenger on board the aircraft plus one person on the ground were killed in the accident.[3]
- On 21 June 1987, a Myanmar Airways Fokker F-27 Friendship 200 crashed into a mountain soon after take-off from Heho Airport, killing all 45 people on board.[4]
- 11 October 1987, a Burma Airways Fokker F-27 Friendship 500 crashed into a 1500 feet high mountain, killing all 49 people on board. This was Myanmar's second-deadliest air disaster, surpassed only by the crash of a Myanmar Air Force Shaanxi Y-8 in 2017, which killed 122 people.[5] Thirty-six foreigners—14 Americans, seven Swiss citizens, five Britons, four Australians, three West Germans, two French citizens and one Thai—were among the dead.[6][7]
References
edit- ^ a b c Airport information for VYHH[usurped] from DAFIF (effective October 2006)
- ^ Airport information for HEH at Great Circle Mapper. Source: DAFIF (effective October 2006).
- ^ "ASN Aircraft accident Fokker 100 XY-AGC Heho Airport (HEH)".
- ^ "ASN Aircraft accident Fokker F-27 Friendship 200 XY-ADP Hopong".
- ^ "5820 Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
- ^ "XY-AEL Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
- ^ "CRASH OF AIRLINER IN BURMA KILLS 49, 14 FROM U.S." New York Times. 12 October 1987. Retrieved 13 March 2016.