Presidente Médici International Airport, formerly , was the airport that served
Rio Branco, Brazil until 1999, when
Plácido de Castro International Airport was opened. On that very occasion the airport was closed.
History
Pres. Médici International Airport was the first airport of
Rio Branco, Brazil. Because of its proximity to the urban center and a legal dispute concerning ownership of the land where it was located, the airport was closed on November 22, 1999, when
Plácido de Castro International Airport was opened at a different location.
Today the former runway is now used as Amadeu Barbosa Avenue and at one of its end is located the main football stadium of Rio Branco, called ''Arena da Floresta''. The former passenger terminal and control tower still exist, albeit abandoned.
The following airlines once served the airport:
Cruzeiro do Sul,
Varig
VARIG (acronym for Viação Aérea RIo-Grandense, ''Rio Grandean Airways'') was the first airline founded in Brazil, in 1927. From 1965 until 1990, it was Brazil's leading airline, and virtually its only international one. In 2005, Varig went ...
,
VASP
Viação Aérea São Paulo S/A (São Paulo Airways), better known as VASP, was an airline with its head office in the VASP Building on the grounds of São Paulo–Congonhas Airport in São Paulo, Brazil. It had main bases at São Paulo's two ...
Accidents and incidents
*September 28, 1971: a
Cruzeiro do Sul Douglas DC-3 A-414A registration PP-CBV crashed after take-off from
Sena Madureira
Sena Madureira () is a municipality located in the center of the Brazilian state of Acre. Its population is 46,511 and its area is , making it the largest municipality in the state. It has a climate which combines temperatures of with humidit ...
bound to Rio Branco. The aircraft suffered an engine failure at climb-out. The pilot tried to return to the airport but because the turn was done at very low altitude, the right wing struck trees causing the aircraft to crash. All 32 passengers and crew died.
Access
The airport was located south of downtown Rio Branco.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Presidente Medici International Airport
Defunct airports in Brazil
Airports disestablished in 1999
Rio Branco, Acre