Beijing Nanyuan Airport

History

In 1904, two French light aircraft performed air shows above the Nanyuan training ground. This is the first time aircraft, as a symbol of modern science and technology, took off and landed in China.

In August 1910, the Qing government began to establish air transportation in China, and built a factory in Nanyuan to experiment with manufacturing aircraft. The government also built rudimentary runways in Nanyuan's YiJun training ground. Therefore, Nanyuan airport has become the first airport in China. After the Xinhai Revolution in 1913, Yuan Shikai, who followed suggestions from the French advisers, established the first official flying academy in China: Nanyuan Flying Academy, and purchased 10 French Caudron trainer aircraft for 300,000 silver dollars. After the Second Zhili-Fengtian War, the academy was closed. However, the more than 100 pilots that trained in the academy over 4 terms have played important roles in China's aviation history. Later on, some of them has become key persons in civil aviation.

During the Sino-Japanese War, the Japanese Army extended the airport, upgraded its air traffic control facilities, and changed the name to Nanyuan military camp. After the Surrender of Japan in 1945, Nanyuan Airport has become one of the most important airports for the Nationalist government and its air force. The private planes of Chiang Kai-shek and Fu Zuoyi have taken off from the Nanyuan Airport; many of Kuomintang's important military and government personnels have also boarded flights from Nanyuan. There was also an aviation accident happened at the airport in 1945.

in December 1948, the People's Liberation Army took control of the airport. In August 1949, the first flying brigade of the People's Liberation Army Air Force was formed in here, and they participated in the People's Republic of China Founding Ceremony's flying missions. Since then, Nanyuan Airport has been supporting the training of air and ground forces in all of the subsequent National Day Show of Force events.

In 1986, China United Airlines was established, and has been using Nanyuan Airport as its main hub since the beginning.

In 2008, Nanyuan Airport witnessed a high growth rate. The total number of passengers served increased by 80.1%, reaching 1,357,038; total freight loaded/unloaded reached 13,243 tonnes, which was a 65.6% increase from the previous year. Traffic movements also had a very strong growth rate of 72.2%, registering 12,245.

Nanyuan Airport opened a new terminal in September 2013 with a designed passenger handling capacity of 6 million people. The previous terminal was capable of handling 2.8 million passengers during 2011.

Nanyuan Airport will close down once the proposed Beijing Daxing International Airport is built, estimated to be in late 2018.

Ground transportation

A limo Beijing Airport Bus service is available to and from the Air China Building at Xidan in Beijing's city centre. One-way bus fare costs Y18. There is no subway connection; the airport lies due south of Dahongmen Station on the southern section of Line 10, Beijing Subway, the outer loop line, and also between Gongyixiqiao Station to the west and Xiaohongmen Station to the East. The distance is 10 km by road, about 20 minutes by taxi, from Dahongmen or Gongyixiqiao.