Airport Update – How long before it’s completed?

Costa Rica President Laura Chinchilla and the
ministro de Transportes, Francisco Jiménez,
have declared that the construction of an airport
in the country’s southern zone is in the public
interest.

The project to build an international airport in the
southern zone has been talked about for some time
with much speculation as to where it would be and
how long it would take.

But the technical designation by the president
has now put a high priority on the $35 million
project. Construction will start in 2012 to put in the
framework of an international airport. Significant
planning and environmental work has already been
done, and infrastructure in the surrounding region
has been upgraded. The result of this pre-planning
is the construction of the new 80,000 square foot
Hospital de Osa which is now open. The hospital
was one of the pre-requisites for an international
airport destination.

According to plans, the airport will have a 2,600
meter runway (8,530 feet). The site has already
been selected and officials are securing the purchase
of two adjacent parcels for future expansion.
Southern zone airport finally coming to Costa Rica
area covered will be about 1,221 acres, enough
land for the runway, ramps, taxiways, a passenger
terminal, parking and space for a fixed base operator
to handle private aviation. Also needed will be a
fire station, a control tower, navigation and landing
systems and space for customs and immigration.

The money for the project will come from the Dirección
General de Aviación Civil, the national budget and
an allocation the Ministerio de Obras Públicas y
Transportes received from the International Civil
Aviation Organization, officials said. The runway at Quepos will be expanded to about 7,000 feet and new
passenger facilites and parking will be added. The
government has already purchased the additional
land surrounding the current facility.

While Quepos airport may never see a full-sized
airliner, the facility will be capable of handling medium range commuter jets transporting passengers from
San Jose and the occasional private jet bringing
wealthy fishermen to the new marina in Quepos
harbor.