Palmar Sur Airport Open

After almost a year of being closed for a major remodel, the Palmar Sur Airport Open. Check out the video below for a ‘walk-through’ of the new terminal building. There was a ribbon-cutting event that the Costa Rica President attended (and cut the official ribbon) to celebrate the new airport.

Improvements

I really like all the changes that they made to improve the Palmar Sur airport. Below are just some of the changes – the ones we know about:

Completely enclosed structure. The previous airport terminal was open-faced and when it rained it was near impossible to stay dry. Flying in an airplane with wet clothes is never fun. The huge and numerous windows still allow passengers to enjoy the natural scenery and can watch planes landing and departing.
Runway changes. The runway length was increased. The width was increased. The new runway is illuminated 24-hours a day with LED lights. This is one of the few regional airports with landing lights. This is a great safety feature given all of the rain and fog that is common during the rainy season.
Emergency service capabilities. The increased runway length, width and lighting, was installed for safety reasons. The airport can now be used 24 hours/day in emergency situations. There is the regional hospital 15 minutes away and now patients can be Medivac’d anytime day or night. Also, in the event of a small-to-medium-sized airplane emergency, Palmar Sur is now large enough to handle them. There are new fire hydrants and a huge submerged water tank that can be used in the event of a fire.
Distinct departure and arrival areas.

Location

The airport is located between Palmar Norte and Sierpe in Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula. Turn right, towards Sierpe, after crossing the Palmar Norte-Rio Terraba bridge as you head south on Route 2. Turn right approximately 400 meters down the road, as the main road curves left. The airport is on the left-hand side.