Wawa Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OperatorThe Corporation of the Municipality of Wawa
LocationWawa, Ontario
Time zoneEST (UTC−05:00)
 • Summer (DST)EDT (UTC−04:00)
Elevation AMSL944 ft / 288 m
Coordinates47°58′01″N 084°47′11″W / 47.96694°N 84.78639°W / 47.96694; -84.78639
Map
CYXZ is located in Ontario
CYXZ
CYXZ
Location in Ontario
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
03/21 4,429 1,350 Asphalt

Wawa Airport (IATA: YXZ, ICAO: CYXZ) is a registered airport located 1.7 nautical miles (3.1 km; 2.0 mi) south southwest of Wawa, Ontario, Canada. The airport serves chartered passenger flights, general aviation, and air ambulance (MEDEVAC).

History

The idea to convert the already existing gravel Algoma Ore mine airstrip into an airport was proposed in 1968 by the Wawa Chamber of Commerce. The project had funding issues leading up to the development of the airport. The Michipicoten Township Council expected the Ontario Government to pay for the total cost of the airport, but they only paid 50% of the estimated cost, relying on the town council to fundraise money locally.[3] The licensing for the airstrip was tentatively approved for 3,300 feet of the available 4,600 feet on May 26, 1969, by the Canada Department of Transport, along with setting aside $1 million for the development of the project, relieving funding issues. Only 3,300 feet was issued a license due to nearby rocks and trees making a part of the airstrip unsafe.[4]

On October 1, 1974, a resolution was passed by the Michipicoten Township Council to expand the runway from the licensed 3,300 feet to a minimum of 4,000 feet.[5]

Although commercial flights started flying in and out of the airport on July 17, 1975, the airport was officially opened on August 11 by Premier Bill Davis.[6] The airport originally served daily passenger flights to Sault Ste. Marie, Thunder Bay, and other small communities nearby by Air-Dale and norOntair. The airport was originally serviced by a single DHC-6 Twin Otter.[6]

A resurfacing project of the airport began in the summer of 1977, shutting down the airport, and was reopened on July 20, 1978. Initially expecting the project to cost $20,000, the project went over the estimate by $80,000.[7][8]

A terminal was opened for the airport in September 1980.[9]

Worries about the airport operation arose in January 1996 after the closure of norOntair, which expected the airport to lose $600,000 per year. The worries were resolved after Bearskin Airlines started operating out of the airport, filling in the revenue costs.[10][11]

The runway was temporarily closed from September 2, 1997, to October 6 due to maintenance repairs which began in July 1997.[12]

A two-year contract was signed with Air Georgian on June 1, 1999, replacing Bearskin Airlines as the regular passenger service in and out of Wawa. Service was ceased on February 10, 2001, after no attempts of a renewal, marking the last regular passenger service to go through the airport.[13][14]

Accidents and incidents

  • On July 18, 1980, a private helicopter crashed shortly after takeoff. One man was injured.[15]
  • On November 27, 2023, a MEDEVAC flight flown on a Mitsubishi MU-2 by Thunder Airlines crashed upon landing, destroying the plane. No injuries were reported, but the runway was closed for over 2 days.[16]

References

  1. ↑ Canada Flight Supplement. Effective 0901Z 16 July 2020 to 0901Z 10 September 2020.
  2. ↑ Synoptic/Metstat Station Information
  3. ↑ "Wawa Airport Awaits Costs". The Sault Star. November 20, 1968. p. 4. Retrieved November 28, 2023. open access
  4. ↑ "Wawa Airport Gets Initial OK". The Sault Star. May 28, 1969. p. 7. Retrieved November 28, 2023. open access
  5. ↑ Lawson, Isabel (October 3, 1974). "Strip extension approved". The Sault Star. p. 30. Retrieved November 28, 2023. open access
  6. 1 2 Lawson, Isabel (August 12, 1975). "Ribbon cutting opens Wawa airport". The Sault Star. p. 6. Retrieved November 28, 2023. open access
  7. ↑ Lawson, Isabel (April 7, 1977). "NorOntair to Wawa improves". The Sault Star. p. 22. Retrieved November 28, 2023. open access
  8. ↑ "Airstrip opened Thursday". The Sault Star. July 21, 1978. p. 6. Retrieved November 28, 2023. open access
  9. ↑ Davis, Penny (January 19, 1981). "Wawa's year one of many new beginnings". The Sault Star. p. 11. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  10. ↑ White, Camilla (January 24, 1996). "NorOntair shutdown will cost Wawa $600,000 per year, report says". The Sault Star. p. 1. Retrieved November 28, 2023. open access
  11. ↑ Brooks, Joan (June 11, 1996). "Wawa Airport booms with Bearskin". The Sault Star. p. 20. Retrieved November 28, 2023. open access
  12. ↑ White, Camilla (July 31, 1997). "Runway being repaired". The Sault Star. p. 14. Retrieved November 28, 2023. open access
  13. ↑ Brooks, Joan (June 5, 1999). "Mississauga-based Air Georgian to deliver air services to Wawa". The Sault Star. p. 34. Retrieved November 28, 2023. open access
  14. ↑ White-Kirkpatrick, Camilla (February 2, 2001). "Wawa may see regular air service grounded; contract expires Feb. 10". The Sault Star. p. 20. Retrieved November 28, 2023. open access
  15. ↑ "Man survives 'copter crash". The Sault Star. July 23, 1980. p. 22. Retrieved November 28, 2023. open access
  16. ↑ MacDonald, Darren (November 27, 2023). "No injuries after plane destroyed in airport crash in Wawa, Ont". ctvnews.ca. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
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