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Barentsburg Heliport, Heerodden ((ノルウェー語:Barentsburg helikopterhavn, Heerodden); ) is a private heliport located at Heerodden (also known as Kapp Heer), serving the mining town of Barentsburg in Svalbard, Norway. The airport is owned and operated by Arktikugol, which also owns the company town. The airport features a runway, two hangars and an administration building with a control tower. There are two Mil Mi-8 helicopters based at Heerodden, which are operated by Spark+. Flights are provided to Svalbard Airport, Longyear and Pyramiden Heliport. The heliport was built by Arktikugol in 1961 and the company originally flew two Mil Mi-4 helicopters. The airport received a major upgrade between 1975 and 1978, following the opening of Svalbard Airport, Longyear. This saw the number of operative aircraft increase to five and the arrival of the Mi-8, operated by Aeroflot. Operations were cut in the early 1990s, with only two aircraft remaining by 1993. There was a fatal crash at the airport in 2008, killing three of nine passengers. ==History== The heliport was built by the mining company Arktikugol in 1961. In addition to flights around Barentsburg, it was used to fly to the heliport at Pyramiden. Arktikugol originally operated Mil Mi-4 helicopters, with place for eleven passengers.〔Risanger: 319〕 The airport was gradually expanded with new infrastructure,〔Risanger: 305〕 with the first hangar having a capacity of .〔Risanger: 310〕 The ''Aviation Act'' applies to Svalbard and from 1961 to 1974 Arktikugol followed this by applying for and receiving a helicopter operating concession from the Ministry of Transport and Communications. After 1974 the Soviet Union stated that the regulations were in violation of the Svalbard Treaty allowing free shipping.〔Risanger: 317〕 The Soviet Union agreed in 1971 to allow the construction of Svalbard Airport, Longyear. The condition was that the airport be built with capacity to allow Aeroflot to operate flights to Moscow. This would again increase the need for the heliport in Barentsburg, as it would be used for fly passengers from Barentsburg to the Longyearbyen.〔Risanger: 260〕 A major upgrade commenced in 1975, consisting of a new terminal building, hangars and a radar. The upgrades were completed in 1978 and by then there were 20 pilots, 25 mechanics and 20 other employees working and living at Heerodden.〔 Arktikugol increased its fleet to five new Mil Mi-8 helicopters, all with Aeroflot markings.〔Risanger: 316〕 Each helicopter has a capacity for 28 passengers and a range of .〔Risanger: 319〕 Following a Jon Michelet article in ''Klassekampen'' in 1976 there was a major interest by the Norwegian press concerning the heliport.〔Arlov: 289〕 Rumor spread concerning that the airport was illegal and that it was a military installation which in a short time could be transformed into a air base. The lack of initial Norwegian inspections fueled the speculation. The press which underlined that the heliport had a significant higher capacity than the five helicopters actually in use, and that with the heliport's strategic location it could easy be militarized in a conflict.〔Risanger: 313〕 Contributing to the speculation was that Arktikugol used military, rather than the civilian, version of the Mi-8.〔Risanger: 316〕 However, there was never any evidence to support the claims.〔Risanger: 314〕 The surveillance section of the Governor was however not in doubt that there agents from the Main Intelligence Directorate.〔Arlov: 290〕 There were also speculations that the heliport was planned expanded to a full-length runway which could support fixed-winged aircraft.〔Arlov: 291〕 The issue became more tense on 31 August when the Hopen Accident, when a Soviet Air Forces Tupolev Tu-16 crashed at Hopen. The press started asking if Norwegian authorities had control over the Soviet activities on the island. The Civil Aviation Administration carried out inspections at the heliport in 1979.〔 The Civil Aviation Administration gave an operating permit on 1 August 1980.〔Accident Investigation Board Norway: 13〕 Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, subsidies and resources allocated to Svalbard and Arktikugol were diminished. By 1993 there were only two remaining helicopters, and all crew and airport employees were relocated to live in Barentsburg.〔Holm: 18〕 Operation were reduced from 1998 when Arktikugol closed Pyramiden.〔Holm: 108〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Barentsburg Heliport, Heerodden」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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