NFTF
Fua’amotu International Airport
VFR
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Name
Fua’amotu International Airport
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ICAO / IATA / GPS
NFTF / TBU / NFTF
- Type
- Restriction
- Region
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Timezone
9:01 pm (TOT)
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Municipality
Nuku’alofa
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Coordinates
21° 14′ 28″ N 175° 8′ 59″ E
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Elevation
129 ft (39 m MSL)
About Fua’amotu International Airport
Fuaʻamotu International Airport (IATA: TBU, ICAO: NFTF) is an international airport in Tonga. It is on the south side of the main island, Tongatapu, 20 km from the capital of Tonga, Nukuʻalofa. Although named after the nearby village of Fuaʻamotu, which is on Tungī's (the king's) estate, in reality the airfield is located on the Tuʻi Pelehake's estate, closer to the village of Pelehake (which did not yet exist as a village during the early aviation days).
The air field was constructed by Seabees of the 1st Construction Battalion with assistance and labor of the U. S. Army 147th Infantry Regiment. It was intended as a World War II heavy bomber field, and had three coral-surfaced runways. In the late 1970s, it was expanded to permit jet aircraft to use the runways. Fuaʻamotu is now suitable for up to Boeing 767 size aircraft, but remains closed to larger jets (e.g. Boeing 747s).
Fuaʻamotu International Airport is equipped with VOR/DME (114.5) and NDB (245) navigational facilities. No ILS is available.