Incidents and Accidents
On December 13, 1995, SBIA became the main diversion airport when the Ninoy Aquino International Airport had a problem with its runway because of Asian Spirit Flight 897. On that day, it served 1,674 passengers from various international airlines while serving 212 passengers from various local airlines.
On October 17, 1999, a FedEx Express MD-11 from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, upon landing into Subic Bay's runway 07 rolled onto runway 25, hitting a concrete post and slamming into a wire fence before plunging into the bay. All of the plane submerged except the cockpit. The aircraft was written off.
On August 18, 2007, SBIA became one of the main diversion airports due to "Super Typhoon" Typhoon Sepat (2007) (also known as Typhoon 'Egay') which struck Taiwan and parts of China and the Philippines. At least 37 aircraft took shelter in Subic Bay International Airport, 18 of which were FedEx Express. SBIA could handle up to 41 aircraft at a time. Most of the aircraft which diverted or sought shelter from the Typhoon were from China and Taiwan, numerous inbound and outbound Philippine flights were also delayed and cancelled due to the typhoon.
On June 2010, The Doppler Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range ( DVOR ) controlling the Ninoy Aquino International Airport's Navigational aid failed following a short circuit. The Manila International Airport Authority got the replacement parts from Subic Bay Airport's own VOR thus disabling the Subic VOR from June to September 2010. As of beginning of October 2010, the airport still cannot accommodate instrument flight because of the lack of Radar, Weather Radar, Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS), calibrated ILS and a calibrated VOR. Pilots flying in IMC or in Instrument Flight into or from Subic Bay International Airport are expected to fly visual upon arriving or departing the Subic Bay Airspace. The airport cannot make repairs and calibrations for its navaids due to lack of income. But as of middle of October 2010, the airport is partially activating and calibrating its navigational aids like the VOR, ILS and Airport Radar. It has also resume its ATIS but only during daylight hours only. As of 1st week of November 2010, normal operations of the Airport NAVAIDS resume and can handle IFR flights again.
Read more about this topic: Subic Bay International Airport
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