Rabat-Salé Airport
Encyclopedia
Salé Airport or Rabat-Salé Airport is an airport
serving Rabat
, the capital city
of Morocco
, and also the capital of the Rabat-Salé-Zemmour-Zaer
region. It is a joint use public and military airport, also known as the First Royal Air Force Base. The airport is located about 8 kilometres (5 mi) east-northeast of Rabat
and about 90 km (56 mi) northeast of Casablanca
.
In 2008 the airport handled over 333,000 passengers.
, the airport was used as a military airfield by the United States Army Air Forces
Twelfth Air Force during the North African campaign
. The 319th Bombardment Group flew B-26 Marauder
s from the airfield between 25 Apr - 1 Jun 1943.
After the Americans moved out their active units in mid-1943, the airport was used as a stopover and landing field for Air Transport Command
aircraft on the Casablanca-Algiers transport route. When the war ended, control of the airfield was returned to civil authorities.
During the early years of the Cold War
, the United States Air Force
's Strategic Air Command
(SAC) used the airport as headquarters for its 5th and 316th Air Division
s. Various SAC aircraft, primarily B-47 Stratojet
s and KC-97 Stratotanker
s used the airport until the United States Air Force withdrew from Morocco in 1957.
The following airlines have a ticket-office/representation in the terminal:
The terminal is 3.900 m2 large and has a maximum capacity of 700.000 passengers/year.
, 3 x Boeing 737
, 2 x Airbus A310
and 4 x Airbus A320
– DME
– NDB
(CSA) Ilyushin Il-18
en route from Zurich Airport to Rabat-Salé Airport diverted to Casablanca Anfa Airport (GMMC) after receiving weather info indicating ground fog at Rabat-Salé. As the conditions at GMMC weren't good either the captain of the plane asked permission to land at Casablanca-Nouasseur (CMN), then a USAF base. While GMMC controllers contacted American authorities the plane crashed 13 kn. SSW of GMMC. All 72 on board (64 passengers, 8 crew) died. The exact reason of crash never discovered.
On September 12, 1961, an Air France
Sud Aviation Caravelle
en route from Paris-Orly to Rabat-Salé Airport. The weather conditions at the time were non-favourable: thick fog and low visibility. The pilot informed traffic control it intended to land using the Non-directional beacon
. Traffic control warned the pilot that the NDR was not in-line with the runway
, but this message received no response. The aircraft crashed 9 km. SSW of the airport. All 77 on board (71 passengers, 6 crew) died. The exact reason was never discovered but investigators reported errors in instrument reading as the most likely reason.
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
serving Rabat
Rabat
Rabat , is the capital and third largest city of the Kingdom of Morocco with a population of approximately 650,000...
, the capital city
Capital City
Capital City was a television show produced by Euston Films which focused on the lives of investment bankers in London living and working on the corporate trading floor for the fictional international bank Shane-Longman....
of Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, and also the capital of the Rabat-Salé-Zemmour-Zaer
Rabat-Salé-Zemmour-Zaer
Rabat-Salé-Zemmour-Zaer is one of the sixteen regions of Morocco. It is situated in north-western Morocco. It covers an area of 9,580 km², and has a population of 2,366,494...
region. It is a joint use public and military airport, also known as the First Royal Air Force Base. The airport is located about 8 kilometres (5 mi) east-northeast of Rabat
Rabat
Rabat , is the capital and third largest city of the Kingdom of Morocco with a population of approximately 650,000...
and about 90 km (56 mi) northeast of Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
.
In 2008 the airport handled over 333,000 passengers.
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 airport was used as a military airfield by the United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
Twelfth Air Force during the North African campaign
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
. The 319th Bombardment Group flew B-26 Marauder
B-26 Marauder
The Martin B-26 Marauder was a World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in the Pacific Theater in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe....
s from the airfield between 25 Apr - 1 Jun 1943.
After the Americans moved out their active units in mid-1943, the airport was used as a stopover and landing field for 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...
aircraft on the Casablanca-Algiers transport route. When the war ended, control of the airfield was returned to civil authorities.
During the early years of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
's Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
(SAC) used the airport as headquarters for its 5th and 316th Air Division
316th Air Division
The 316th Airlift Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Forces in Europe, assigned to Seventeenth Air Force, being stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany...
s. Various SAC aircraft, primarily B-47 Stratojet
B-47 Stratojet
The Boeing Model 450 B-47 Stratojet was a long-range, six-engined, jet-powered medium bomber built to fly at high subsonic speeds and at high altitudes. It was primarily designed to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union...
s and KC-97 Stratotanker
KC-97 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker was a United States strategic tanker aircraft based on the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter. It was succeeded by the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.-Design and development:...
s used the airport until the United States Air Force withdrew from Morocco in 1957.
Passenger terminal and facilities
Access to the airport only possible by taxi or private car; free parking space available.- The public area (arrivals exit) offers kiosk/tobacconist, banks/ATMAutomated teller machineAn automated teller machine or automatic teller machine, also known as a Cashpoint , cash machine or sometimes a hole in the wall in British English, is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public...
, café-bar, phone/fax service. - The departure lounge offers: café-bar, duty-free shop, telephones, smoking-lounge
- A facility for praying is located outside the terminal building.
The following airlines have a ticket-office/representation in the terminal:
- Air FranceAir FranceAir France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
(via Star Aviation Service) - Aigle AzurAigle AzurSociété Aigle Azur Transports Aériens is an airline based in Tremblay-en-France, France, near Paris. It operates domestic scheduled passenger services and international services to Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia in North Africa as well as Portugal, Italy and Mali. It also operates charter, cargo and wet...
- Royal Air MarocRoyal Air MarocRoyal Air Maroc is the flag carrier airline of Morocco, headquartered on the grounds of Casablanca-Anfa Airport in Casablanca...
- Buraq AirBuraq AirBuraq Air is an airline with its headquarters on the grounds of Mitiga International Airport in Tripoli, Libya. It operates scheduled domestic and international services to Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Buraq also operates passenger and cargo charter services and flights in support of...
The terminal is 3.900 m2 large and has a maximum capacity of 700.000 passengers/year.
Parking/ramp for aircraft
An area of 84.000 m2 is available for passenger aircraft offering 10 stands. The stands can receive 1 x Boeing 747Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
, 3 x Boeing 737
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
, 2 x Airbus A310
Airbus A310
The Airbus A310 is a medium- to long-range twin-engine widebody jet airliner. Launched in July 1978, it was the second aircraft created by Airbus Industrie,a consortium of European aerospace companies, Airbus is now fully owned by EADS and since 2001 has been known as Airbus SAS. the consortium of...
and 4 x Airbus A320
Airbus A320
The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
Navigation-aids
The airport has an ILS Class 1 certification and offers the following radionavigational aids: VORVHF omnidirectional range
VOR, short for VHF omnidirectional radio range, is a type of radio navigation system for aircraft. A VOR ground station broadcasts a VHF radio composite signal including the station's identifier, voice , and navigation signal. The identifier is typically a two- or three-letter string in Morse code...
– DME
Distance Measuring Equipment
Distance measuring equipment is a transponder-based radio navigation technology that measures distance by timing the propagation delay of VHF or UHF radio signals....
– NDB
Non-directional beacon
A non-directional beacon is a radio transmitter at a known location, used as an aviation or marine navigational aid. As the name implies, the signal transmitted does not include inherent directional information, in contrast to other navigational aids such as low frequency radio range, VHF...
Airlines and destinations
Traffic statistics
| Item | 2008 | 2007 !! 2006 !! 2005 !! 2004 !! 2003 !! 2002 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Movements | 4051 | 3244 | 2743 | 2295 | 2300 | 2304 | 2117 |
| Passengers | 334,675 | 260,992 | 203,527 | 178,222 | 155,857 | 161,077 | 161,865 |
| Cargo (Metric tons) | 1230.06 | 1204.35 | 1459.79 | 1201.84 | 1265.79 | 1274.05 | 1322.50 |
Incidents/Accidents
On July 12, 1961, a Czech AirlinesCzech Airlines
Czech Airlines j.s.c. , trading as Czech Airlines , is the national airline of the Czech Republic and temporary in Slovakia with its head office on the grounds of Ruzyně Airport in Ruzyně, Prague...
(CSA) Ilyushin Il-18
Ilyushin Il-18
The Ilyushin Il-18 is a large turboprop airliner that became one of the best known Soviet aircraft of its era as well as one of the most popular and durable, having first flown in 1957 and still in use over 50 years later. The Il-18 was one of the world's principal airliners for several decades...
en route from Zurich Airport to Rabat-Salé Airport diverted to Casablanca Anfa Airport (GMMC) after receiving weather info indicating ground fog at Rabat-Salé. As the conditions at GMMC weren't good either the captain of the plane asked permission to land at Casablanca-Nouasseur (CMN), then a USAF base. While GMMC controllers contacted American authorities the plane crashed 13 kn. SSW of GMMC. All 72 on board (64 passengers, 8 crew) died. The exact reason of crash never discovered.
On September 12, 1961, an Air France
Air France
Air France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
Sud Aviation Caravelle
Sud Aviation Caravelle
The Sud Aviation SE 210 Caravelle was the first short/medium-range jet airliner produced by the French Sud Aviation firm starting in 1955 . The Caravelle was one of the more successful European first generation jetliners, selling throughout Europe and even penetrating the United States market, with...
en route from Paris-Orly to Rabat-Salé Airport. The weather conditions at the time were non-favourable: thick fog and low visibility. The pilot informed traffic control it intended to land using the Non-directional beacon
Non-directional beacon
A non-directional beacon is a radio transmitter at a known location, used as an aviation or marine navigational aid. As the name implies, the signal transmitted does not include inherent directional information, in contrast to other navigational aids such as low frequency radio range, VHF...
. Traffic control warned the pilot that the NDR was not in-line with the runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
, but this message received no response. The aircraft crashed 9 km. SSW of the airport. All 77 on board (71 passengers, 6 crew) died. The exact reason was never discovered but investigators reported errors in instrument reading as the most likely reason.