Kuujjuaq Airport
Encyclopedia
Kuujjuaq Airport, , is located 1.5 NM southwest of Kuujjuaq
, Quebec
, Canada
.
, the United States established a weather/radio station at this site, code-named "Crystal I". It was one of three "Crystal" weather sites in the Canadian Arctic Region, Frobisher Bay Air Base (now Iqaluit Airport), Northwest Territories being "Crystal II", and a station on Padloping Island
being "Crystal III". A detachment of the 8th Weather Squadron, Air Transport Command
(ATC) took up residence at the station on 1 October 1942. The initial mission of the Crystal sites was to provide long-range weather information to the combat forces then building up in the United Kingdom
.
Beginning in 1943, the North Atlantic Division, ATC, constructed an airstrip at Crystal I as part of the proposed Crimson Route
for ferrying aircraft between the United States and Great Britain. Crystal I was planned to be a transport hub between the Eastern Route, which originated at Presque Isle Army Airfield, Maine and the Central Route, which originated at Romulus Army Airfield (Detroit Airport), Michigan. From Crytstal I, the aircraft would be ferried across over Baffin Island; Greenland; Iceland and delivered to Scotland. The development of the Mid-Atlantic Transport through the Azores led to the cancellation of the Crystal Route project in 1943. The United States presence at Crystal I was reduced to a skeleton weather squadron; which ended in 1945, and the facilities were turned over to the Canadian government.
Nav Canada
opened a $7-million air traffic control facility near the airport. The radar station allows controllers in Montreal to monitor the steady stream of transatlantic air traffic over northern Quebec
A large-scale terminal expansion project was carried out at the airport between 2006 to 2008. The $14.9 million project included the expansion of the airport apron and the construction of a brand new 1,225m² terminal to replace the cramped building built in 1972. The building, designed by architect Alain Fournier, received a silver certification under the Canadian Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED) program.
Kuujjuaq, Quebec
Kuujjuaq is the largest Inuit village in Nunavik, Quebec, Canada with a population of 2,132 as of the 2006 census. This is up roughly 10% from 1,932 as of the 2001 Census. It is the administrative capital of Nunavik and lies on the western shore of the Koksoak River.Kuujjuaq previously was known...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Airlines and destinations
History
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the United States established a weather/radio station at this site, code-named "Crystal I". It was one of three "Crystal" weather sites in the Canadian Arctic Region, Frobisher Bay Air Base (now Iqaluit Airport), Northwest Territories being "Crystal II", and a station on Padloping Island
Padloping Island
Padloping Island is an uninhabited island in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada. It is located in Davis Strait's Merchants Bay off the eastern coast of Baffin Island...
being "Crystal III". A detachment of the 8th Weather Squadron, Air Transport Command
Air Transport Command
Air Transport Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its mission was to meet the urgent demand for the speedy reinforcement of the United States' military bases worldwide during World War II, using an air supply system to supplement surface transport...
(ATC) took up residence at the station on 1 October 1942. The initial mission of the Crystal sites was to provide long-range weather information to the combat forces then building up in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Beginning in 1943, the North Atlantic Division, ATC, constructed an airstrip at Crystal I as part of the proposed Crimson Route
Crimson Route
The Crimson Route was a set of joint United States and Canadian transport routes planned for ferrying planes and material from North America to Europe during World War II...
for ferrying aircraft between the United States and Great Britain. Crystal I was planned to be a transport hub between the Eastern Route, which originated at Presque Isle Army Airfield, Maine and the Central Route, which originated at Romulus Army Airfield (Detroit Airport), Michigan. From Crytstal I, the aircraft would be ferried across over Baffin Island; Greenland; Iceland and delivered to Scotland. The development of the Mid-Atlantic Transport through the Azores led to the cancellation of the Crystal Route project in 1943. The United States presence at Crystal I was reduced to a skeleton weather squadron; which ended in 1945, and the facilities were turned over to the Canadian government.
Nav Canada
NAV CANADA
Nav Canada is a privately run, not-for-profit corporation that owns and operates Canada's civil air navigation system .The company employs approximately 2,000 air traffic controllers , 800 flight service specialists and 700 technologists...
opened a $7-million air traffic control facility near the airport. The radar station allows controllers in Montreal to monitor the steady stream of transatlantic air traffic over northern Quebec
A large-scale terminal expansion project was carried out at the airport between 2006 to 2008. The $14.9 million project included the expansion of the airport apron and the construction of a brand new 1,225m² terminal to replace the cramped building built in 1972. The building, designed by architect Alain Fournier, received a silver certification under the Canadian Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design consists of a suite of rating systems for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, homes and neighborhoods....
(LEED) program.