What is the origin of the name Nadzab
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Originally Posted by olderairhead
An ILS was installed but not by the Australians. Never commissioned tho'
Not sure who did the installation but knowing PNG it was probably "foreign aid" from....?
Not sure who did the installation but knowing PNG it was probably "foreign aid" from....?
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Makes sense, the GS antenna doesn't look to be terribly old. There's no localize r antenna array, though. WOnder if that was removed, or they never built it.
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tail wheel
Not quite correct... in the 60s the Lae town strip collapsed at one end (I believe a buried aircraft rotted) making it too short for the DC6B thus both TAA and Ansett had to operate the DC6B out of Nadzab for some time whilst the Lae strip was fixed. We (the staff) used to fly from Lae to Nadzab in DC3s... the pilots reckoned that it was the only flight that they had ever done where the taxiing time was longer than the flight time!!
Nadzab was totally disused from around 1945 to the mid 1970s, when the Australian Government constructed the current airstrip and taxi ways.
Lae town strip closed around 87 or 88. Charles Perry will remember as he was Talair at that time and made the move to Nadzab. The C47 that went down in the Kuni had been extensively refurbished at Australian taxpayer expense and was taking part in a three ship formation (Aravo and Nomad) over Igham Barracks where, from memory, the Airwing was being formally handed over to PNGDF control. EFATO and closed the wrong throttle! The fuselage, less wings was towed backwards down the highway to Lae where the ADF still operated the maintenance hangar at Lae airport. Again, from memory, the Government got heavy with the operators, Richard Leahy built a hangar at Nadzab and Talair also moved up into one end of the terminal building. Pacific helicopters remained at the Lae city airport. The area surrounding Nadzab was a great source of WWII artifacts from marsden matting to .50 cal machine guns albeit very rusted.
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Animal. Yes, I was not totally correct in what I said. Nadzab remained an active airstrip but had only used infrequently whilst Lae town strip was operational.
At some point prior to 1985 Air Niugini was directed to move to Nadzab but all other operators could remain at Lae but only operate inter provincial capital flights (e.g. LAE/POM; LAE/GKA etc) via an intermediate airport not serviced by PX.
Of course Talair (and others) immediately captured virtually all the traffic ex LAE to POM, GKA and HGU with flights operating via wau, Bulolo or Kainantu.
Bryan Grey, who actively promoted open competition with PX whilst employed by Talair, was by then General Manager of PX and complained bitterly to the Somare Government about the damage being done by Talair to PX.
At some point prior to 1985 Air Niugini was directed to move to Nadzab but all other operators could remain at Lae but only operate inter provincial capital flights (e.g. LAE/POM; LAE/GKA etc) via an intermediate airport not serviced by PX.
Of course Talair (and others) immediately captured virtually all the traffic ex LAE to POM, GKA and HGU with flights operating via wau, Bulolo or Kainantu.
Bryan Grey, who actively promoted open competition with PX whilst employed by Talair, was by then General Manager of PX and complained bitterly to the Somare Government about the damage being done by Talair to PX.
