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"It was emotional, it was exciting, thought drenching, brain leavening, quite historical in many respects. After almost 24 years in disuse, a revamped and upgraded Aropa airport was re-opened last Friday 12 December 2014. With its new terminal buildings it is now ready for business. As usual it was marked by celebrations of sorts ??? political speeches, hand clapping, chanting, lamenting, shouting, smiles and laughter and ecstatic joy all around.

If the thrill and joy of opening Aropa at this time is a Christmas gift, the naming of the aircraft is a spiritual lift for Kieta township and for Bougainville. It???s great, it is the stuff that marks and makes history that is worth remembering.???

The famous REBOINE, AROPA Airport in Central Bougainville officially reopened for business on Friday 12 December 2014 by PNG Prime Minister, PETER O???NEIL and ABG President, Chief DR. JOHN MOMIS amidst capacity crowd of what was estimated to be more than TEN THOUSAND people from South, Central and North Bougainville.

The airport was closed at the height of the Bougainville crisis (Civil War) in 1990 and remained closed until last week. During the rebuilding of Bougainville, despite being in a state of poor repair, the airport was used by RNZAF and RAAF C-130 transporters bringing supplies to the Peace Monitoring Group.


One of Air Niugini???s Bombardier Dash-8 Q400 aircraft was officially named KIETA to commemorate this special service into mainland Bougainville. The Q400 carried the Prime Minister???s official party.

The opening ceremony was incident free although security was tight to make sure the opening went without any disturbance.


Take this opportunity to fly the Dash-8 Q400 from Port Moresby to Kieta in the Bid Division today.
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Air Niugini will operate its first commercial flight to the recently opened Aropa airport in Kieta, Autonomous Region of Bougainville on Saturday 20th December, 2014.

There will be three weekly services from Port Moresby to Aropa via Rabaul every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

PX 4354 departs Port Moresby on Tuesday at 07:00am and arrives in Kieta at 10:00am. It leaves Kieta at 10:30am and returns to Port Moresby via Rabaul.

PX 4352 on Thursday departs Port Moresby via Rabaul and continues to Kieta. It leaves POM at 07:00am to Rabaul and later Kieta, arriving at 11:05am. The return flight leaves Kieta at 11:35am and arrives back in POM at 12:35pm.

PX 4354 on Saturday departs Port Moresby at 07:00am and arrives in Kieta at 10:00am. It leaves Kieta at 10:30am to Rabaul and returns to Kieta and later Port Moresby.

FLIGHTS WILL BE ADDED TO THE NEW ROUTES SECTION OF THE BID DIVISION IN TIME FOR SATURDAY 20 DEC 14

DISCLAIMER: I'm not sure if the airport exists in FSX or FS9.

Great find!

AS 2 Tom Little wrote:Great find!

Having lived in Bougainville for 6 months in 2001 trying to restore civilian policing after their civil war, the province has a very dear place in my heart and this news filled me with joy.

What didn't fill me with joy today was going to FSX and finding that the airport is not there but that some of the 'bush strips' from WWII are

Anyone any good at making AFCADS?

Awsome find Mark,

I have some experience with afcads but any chance you could find me some aerial shots to map it please feel free to pm me

Craig

I've used Google Earth before to take measurements for runway layouts using AFCAD - these are the cords for Aropa 6??18.2???S 155??43.4???E

Ok Thank you Norm

I don't see it in FS2004. Could you please post the ICAO?

AYKT is the ICAO (IATA KIE).