Santos Dumont Airport Aeroporto Santos Dumont
IATA: SDU – ICAO: SBRJ
Summary
Airport type		Public/Military
Operator		Infraero
Serves		Rio de Janeiro
Elevation AMSL		3 m / 11 ft
Coordinates		22°54′38″S 043°09′47″W / 22.91056°S 43.16306°W / -22.91056; -43.16306
Website		Infraero SDU
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
	m	ft
02R/20L	1,323	4,341	Asphalt
02L/20R	1,260	4,134	Asphalt
Statistics (2009)
Passengers			5,099,643
Aircraft operations			97,075
Metric tonnes of cargo			3,565
Statistics: Infraero Sources: Airport Website

Santos Dumont Airport (IATA: SDU, ICAO: SBRJ) is the second major airport serving Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is named after the Brazilian aviation pioneer Alberto Santos-Dumont.

In 2009 the airport was ranked 9th in terms of passengers and 7th in terms of aircraft operations in Brazil, placing it amongst the busiest airports in the country. It is operated by Infraero.

History

Airbus 319 of TAM Airlines taking off in the short Santos Dumont runway.

The history of the airport can be traced back to the beginning of the 1930s. Until that time, the few aircraft with landing gear used the Manguinhos Airport, whereas seaplanes, which at the time were the majority operating domestic and international flights, used a terminal located at the Calabouço Point, now an area known as "Praça Marechal Âncora". They used an area of Guanabara Bay then known as estirão do Caju (Caju water stretch, in Portuguese) for take off and landing operations. It was as a development of this terminal that the Calabouço Airport was created.

In order to handle growing land operations, in 1934 using land reclaimed from the sea, the first runway of 400 metres (1,300 ft) was built. In 1936 the runway was extended to 700 metres (2,300 ft) and the airport received its first flight, a VASP aircraft flying from São Paulo. On October 16, 1936 the airport was officially inaugurated and received its present name.

Adjoining this original seaplane terminal, Pan American World Airways and its Brazilian subsidiary Panair do Brasil, following its predecessors NYRBA and NYRBA do Brasil respectively, constructed and operated their own dedicated terminal for seaplanes and aircraft with landing gear. This terminal was opened in 1937 and its architecture was inspired on the Pan American Seaplane Base and Terminal Building, in Miami, including not only passenger operations but also offices and hangars. It was the headquarters of Panair do Brasil until it was forced to cease its operations in 1965. Presently it houses the Third Regional Air Command of the Brazilian Air Force.

A new public terminal building for seaplanes was inaugurated on October 29, 1938. It was a replacement of a former existing passenger terminal and used by all airlines except Panair and Pan American which had their private facilities. Due to obsolescence of seaplanes, it ceased to be used in 1942. This protected building today houses the Historical and Cultural Institute of the Brazilian Air Force (INCAER).

It was also in 1936 that the construction of a new passenger terminal began. It was a project by the architects MMM Roberto (Marcelo, Milton and Mauricio Roberto Doria-Baptista) inspired by Paris - Le Bourget terminal. Its pioneering modernistic architectural features made it into a Brazilian national landmark. Also, gradually the runway was extended first to 900 metres (3,000 ft), 1,050 metres (3,440 ft), then 1,350 metres (4,430 ft). It was only in 1947 that its construction was completed. This building is used to the present day. It is in the lobby of this terminal, presently the arrivals terminal, that two monumental paintings by the artist Cadmo Fausto de Sousa are located. They represent the "Old Aviation" and the "Modern Aviation," featuring many old and new means of flying. Both were unveiled in 1951.

With the gradual change of international operations to Galeão Airport, opened in 1952, Santos Dumont lost its role as an international hub, but for many years retained its position of a hub for domestic traffic, particularly until 1960, when the capital of Brazil was moved to Brasília.

On May 21, 1959 a formal agreement between Varig, Cruzeiro do Sul and VASP created the shuttle service, or "Ponte Aérea" as it was called in Portuguese, between Santos Dumont and São Paulo-Congonhas Airport. The service comprised regular hourly departures, a common check-in counter and simplified tickets and formalities. The service was an instant success. Transbrasil joined the service in 1968. From 1975 the service was operated exclusively by Varig's Lockheed L-188 Electra. In 1999, the service came to an end as airlines decided to operate their own services.

Due to a fire that almost destroyed the main terminal in 1999, the airport was closed for 6 months, and passengers needed to use Galeão International Airport which is located much farther from the city's downtown.

On May 26, 2007 a brand-new modern extension of the original terminal was opened, in time for the 2007 Pan American Games. It handles all departure operations whereas the original terminal building now handles all arrival operations. The new departures terminal increased the total capacity of the airport to 8.0 million passengers/year.

It was announced on August 5, 2009 that in order to renew its operational licence, the Rio de Janeiro State Environment Institute – INEA would require Santos Dumont Airport to reduce operating hours from 06:00–23:00 to 06:00–22:00, to reduce the amount of maximum annual passengers from 8.0 million to 5.0 million, and to cancel the use of the approach route 2. After a meeting between INEA and Infraero held on September 3, 2009, the following compromise was found: as of September 8, the approach route 2 will be used only at specific wind conditions that amount to 30% of the total amount of operations; as of September 18 the airport will be closed between 23:00 and 06:00 hours. Aircraft should depart or arrive until 22:30 hours, being the remaining half hour a tolerance period; as of October 3, the allowed maximum amount of flights per hour will be reduced from 23 to 19.

Though formerly international, nowadays the airport handles only part of Rio's short to medium haul domestic traffic as well as part of its general aviation and military operations. The airport is famous for having some of the shortest runways on which some Boeing and Airbus aircraft can land.

A Lockheed L-188 Electra briefly appears taking-off from Santos Dumont Airport in the 007 – James Bond production Moonraker (1979).

Airlines and destinations

Aerial view of Santos Dumont location. The Rio-Niterói Bridge in the background, and the Sugar Loaf (Pão de Açúcar) in the foreground.

Accidents and incidents

Major accidents involving fatalities

• 3 December 1930: Syndicato Condor, a seaplane Dornier Wal registration P-BACA crashed on Guanabara Bay while attempting to avoid a collision against another aircraft. Six passengers and four crew members died.
• 3 May 1934: Syndicato Condor, a Junkers W-34 registration PP-CAR crashed during landing procedures at Rio de Janeiro. Two crew members died.
• 15 August 1938: Syndicato Condor, a seaplane Junkers Ju-52 registration PP-CAT suffered an accident while departing from Guanabara Bay. All passengers and crew died, except for one crew member.
• 13 January 1939: Syndicato Condor, a Junkers Ju-52 registration PP-CAY en route from Vitória to Rio de Janeiro crashed into Sambé peak near Rio Bonito, State of Rio de Janeiro. Four crew members and five passengers died.
• 27 August 1943: Vasp, a Junkers Ju-52/3mg3e registration PP-SPD, flying from Santos Dumont to São Paulo - Congonhas struck a building of the Naval Academy, located close to the airport, shortly after take-off in fog. The aircraft broke in two and one part fell in the water. Of the 21 passengers and crew, only three survived.
• 27 September 1946: Panair do Brasil, a Douglas DC-3-228D registration PP-PCH flying from Belo Horizonte - Pampulha to Santos Dumont crashed into a mountain near the location of Alto Rio Doce. All 25 passengers and crew died.
• 28 July 1950: Panair do Brasil, a Lockheed L-049 Constellation, registration PP-PCG, flying from Santos Dumont to Porto Alegre, struck power lines and crashed on a hill after running out of fuel while in a holding pattern in bad weather near São Leopoldo. All 50 passengers and crew died.
• 28 February 1952: Panair do Brasil, a Douglas DC-3A-393 registration PP-PCN flying from Santos Dumont to Goiânia via Uberlândia. One of the airplane's wings struck a tree shortly after the pilot executed a go-around. The flight had been cleared to land at Uberlândia. Of the 31 occupants, 8 died.
• 14 October 1952: Aerovias Brasil, a Douglas C-47-DL registration PP-AXJ operated by Real Transportes Aéreos, en route from Santos Dumont to Porto Alegre, struck high ground while flying under adverse conditions over São Francisco de Paula. Of the 18 passengers and crew aboard, 14 died.
• 12 September 1954: Cruzeiro do Sul, a Douglas C-47A-70-DL, registration PP-CDJ, crashed into Guanabara Bay while returning to Santos Dumont during bad weather. One propeller had to be feathered, which led to difficulties in the approach and touchdown. Of the 30 passengers and crew, 6 died.
• 26 August 1955: Cruzeiro do Sul, a Douglas C-53D-DO, registration PP-CBY, en route from Santos Dumont to Caravelas, struck Forno Grande peak near Castelo, Espírito Santo. The flight was outside its assigned airway and the peak was not clearly marked on the crew's chart. All 13 passengers and crew died.
• 10 April 1957: Transportes Aéreos Nacional, operated by Real Transportes Aéreos, a Douglas DC-3/C-47, registration PP-ANX, en route from Santos Dumont to São Paulo - Congonhas, crashed into a mountain near Ubatuba. The no. 2 engine caught fire, which forced the crew to make an emergency descent for Ubatuba. Due to rain, the crew noticed Papagaio Peak on Anchieta Island too late. The aircraft stalled during the evasive manoeuvre and crashed into the mountain. Of the 30 passengers and crew aboard, 26 died.
• 1 February 1958: Lóide Aéreo Nacional, a Douglas DC-4, registration PP-LEM, experienced a failure of engine no. 4 during a takeoff at night. The takeoff was aborted. 100m before the end of the runway, a tire from the landing gear burst, causing the aircraft to run off the side of the runway and burst into flames. Of the 72 passengers and crew aboard, 5 died.
• 31 May 1958: Paraense, a cargo Curtiss C-46D-15-CU Commando, registration PP-BTB, crashed shortly after take-off of unknown causes. The crew of 4 died.
• 30 December 1958: Vasp, a Saab Scandia 90A-1, registration PP-SQE, flying from Santos Dumont to Congonhas-São Paulo Airport, experienced a failure of engine no.1 during climb-out after takeoff. The pilot initiated an emergency return to the airport, but during its second turn the aircraft stalled and crashed into Guanabara Bay. Of the 37 passengers and crew aboard, 21 died.
• 25 February 1960 (1960 Rio de Janeiro air crash): Real Transportes Aéreos, a Douglas DC-3, registration PP-AXD, flying from Campos dos Goytacazes to Santos Dumont, collided in the air over Guanabara Bay, close to the Sugarloaf Mountain, with a United States Navy Douglas R6D-1 (DC-6A), registration 131582, flying from Buenos Aires - Ezeiza to Rio de Janeiro - Galeão International Airport/Galeão Air Force Base. The probable causes of the accident are disputed, but include error of personnel and faulty equipment. All 26 passengers and crew of the Brazilian aircraft died. Of the 38 occupants of the American aircraft, only three survived.
• 24 June 1960: Real Transportes Aéreos, a Convair CV-340-62, registration PP-YRB, flying from Belo Horizonte - Pampulha to Santos Dumont, crashed into Guanabara Bay in the vicinity of Rio de Janeiro - Galeão International Airport due to unknown causes. All 54 passengers and crew died.
• 26 November 1962: Vasp, a Saab Scandia 90A-1, registration PP-SRA, en route from São Paulo - Congonhas to Santos Dumont, collided in the air over the Municipality of Paraibuna, State of São Paulo, with a private Cessna 310, registration PT-BRQ, en route from Santos Dumont to São Paulo - Campo de Marte. Both were flying on the same airway, AB-6, in opposite directions and failed to see each other. Both airplanes crashed, killing all 23 passengers and crew of the Saab and the 4 occupants of the Cessna.
• 3 May 1963: Cruzeiro do Sul, a Convair 340-59, registration PP-CDW, flying from São Paulo to Santos Dumont, had to return to São Paulo after its no.2 engine caught fire. While on finals to touch down, the aircraft nosed up 45°, stalled, and struck a house. Of the 50 passengers and crew aboard, 37 died.
• 23 October 1973: Vasp, a NAMC YS-11A-211, registration PP-SMJ, flying from Santos Dumont to Belo Horizonte - Pampulha. The aircraft aborted its takeoff, overran the runway, and slid into Guanabara Bay. Of the 65 passengers and crew, 8 passengers died.
• 31 October 1996: Tam flight 402, a Fokker 100, registration PT-MRK, flying from São Paulo - Congonhas to Santos Dumont, crashed in an urban area. During takeoff, the plane's engine no.2 suffered an uncommanded reverse thrust, lost power, stalled, yawed to the right, and struck a building. All 95 passengers and crew on board and 4 people on the ground died.
• 31 March 2006: Team flight 6865, a Let 410 UVP-E20, registration PT-FSE, en route from Macaé to Santos Dumont, crashed near the Municipality of Saquarema, of unknown causes. All 19 passengers and crew died.

Incidents

• 2 December 1959: a Panair do Brasil Lockheed L-049/149 Constellation, registration PP-PCR, operating as Flight 246, en route from Santos Dumont to Belém with 44 passengers and crew aboard, was seized and hijacked by officers of the Brazilian Air Force and forced to land at Aragarças, Goiás. Their intention was to use the aircraft in a bombing of Government buildings in Rio de Janeiro, thus starting a revolt against President Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira. The revolt faded after 36 hours, and the aircraft was commanded to fly to Buenos Aires where the hijackers requested asylum. There were no casualties.
• 31 October 1966: a VASP Vickers Viscount, registration PP-SRM, was damaged beyond repair when it overran the runway.
• 8 December 1967: a Vickers Viscount, registration FAB2100 of the Força Aérea Brasileira, was written off when its undercarriage malfunctioned.

Access

The airport is located adjacent to Rio de Janeiro downtown.

There are taxis available. Real Auto Ônibus operates the Executive Bus Service number 2018 that runs half-hourly (between 05:30 and 22:30 hours) from Santos Dumont Airport to the Central Bus Station and Galeão International Airport in one direction, and in the opposite direction to the southern parts of the city along the shore, with final stop at Alvorada Bus Terminal in Barra da Tijuca. Ticket counters for this bus service can be found in front of the Arrivals Terminal.

Future developments

On 31 August 2009, Infraero unveiled a BRL152.2 million (USD80.2 million; EUR29.6 million) investiment plan to up-grade Santos Dumont Airport focusing on the preparations for the 2014 FIFA World Cup which will be held in Brazil, Rio de Janeiro being one of the venue cities, and the 2016 Summer Olympics, which Rio de Janeiro will host. The investiment will be applied to end the renovation of the passenger arrivals terminal, to be completed in November 2011.

The content above was published at Airports-Worldwide.com in 2010.
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