Charles Prince Airport
| Charles Prince Airport | |
|---|---|
| Summary |
Charles Prince Airport is a private airport and was formerly named Mount Hampden. The airport was named after the former airport manager, Charles Prince. Charles Prince Airport is located 12 km from West Gate (23km from the Main Post Office) it is under Zvimba Rural District Council. The airport is owned and operated by the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ). It caters for aircraft that fall under the 5700 kg maximum all up weight (MAUW).
- See Airports In Zimbabwe.
Contact Details
- MT HAMPDEN Harare, Zimbabwe
- Phone 04 335 543
Background
The Airport started operations in the early 1940s as a training base for Royal Airforce pilots and the Southern Rhodesian Airforce in the Second World War. The base, however, closed around 1948.
In 1957 Mashonaland Flying Club (MFC) relocated to the then Mt Hampden airfield after approval from the Department of Civil Aviation from the then Marlborough Airfield (present-day new Marlborough)
Mount Hampden Airfield was then unmanned and designated as a training airfield. Charles Hilton Prince started working at this airfield in 1958 as an Air Traffic Controller and Airport Manager. Charles was an experienced Pilot, Chief Flying Instructor and first Civilian Air Traffic Controller and the first Airport Manager at Mt Hampden Airfield. He was at the airport from 1958 to 1973. In honour of his service as a much-respected pioneer of aviation (from 1937 to 1973), the Rhodesian government renamed Mt Hampden airfield Charles Prince after Charles Hilton Prince on 22 June 1978.
Charles Prince airport has 4 Runways (2 crossing strips) Runway 06, 24, 14 and 32. The reason for four runways was to make the runway in use favourable to the wind due to the different runway headings and there would be no problem with the crosswind. There is also convenience in handling aircraft emergency and there will be the ability to handle larger traffic volume thereby promoting safety. [1]
References
- ↑ Charles Prince Airport, CAAZ, Published: , Retrieved: 16 May 2018
