Faleolo International Airport

IATA: APW
ICAO: NSFA

Summary

Airport type

Public

Serves

Apia, Upolu Island, Samoa

Elevation AMSL

58 ft / 18 m

Coordinates

13°49′47″S 172°00′30″W / 13.82972°S 172.00833°W

Map

APW

Location of airport in Samoa

Runways

Direction	Length		Surface
Direction	m	ft	Surface
08/26	3,000	9,843	Asphalt

Source: DAFIF

Faleolo International Airport (IATA: APW, ICAO: NSFA) is an airport located 40 kilometres (25 mi) west of Apia, the capital of Samoa. Until 1984, Faleolo could not accommodate jets larger than a Boeing 737. Services to the United States, Australia, or New Zealand, could only land at Pago Pago International Airport in American Samoa. Since the airport's expansion most international traffic now uses Faleolo.

Small turboprop aircraft connect American Samoa and Samoa.

The site and location of the current airport was originally known as Faleolo Airfield. It was constructed by the United States Navy SeaBees after war broke out in the Pacific in 1942 and became an extension of U.S. Naval Station Tutuila and the Samoa Defense Group Area during the Pacific War. Faleolo Airfield was completed by the Seabees in July 1942 and U.S. Marine Fighting Squadron VMF-111 was moved from Tafuna Airfield to Faleolo Airfield after the aircraft runway was completed to protect the islands of Upolu and Savai'i from an anticipated Japanese invasion. The original runway was 4,000 feet (1,219 m) x 200 feet (61 m) and was extended to 6,000 feet (1,829 m) x 350 feet (107 m) in March 1943 to accommodate a taxiway and space for basing of up to 57 fighter aircraft. Airfield support buildings and two hangars were also constructed and completed in March 1943.

The airport is at an elevation of 58 feet (18 m) above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 08/26 with an asphalt surface measuring 3,000 by 45 metres (9,843 ft × 148 ft). The Pavement Classification Number for the runway is 058FBXT.

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