Airport type Public Location Resolute, Nunavut Elevation AMSL 222 ft / 68 m Address Resolute, NU, Canada Elevation 66 m | Operator Government of Nunavut Time zone CST (UTC−06:00) 17/35 6,504 Code YRB | |
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Resolute Bay Airport (IATA: YRB, ICAO: CYRB) is located at Resolute, Nunavut, Canada, and is operated by the government of Nunavut.
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Airport
The airport has served as a major transportation hub in the Arctic. Today the airport is an important refuelling stop for aircraft passing through to other places in the high Arctic such as CFS Alert, Eureka and Mould Bay. Unlike some airports in Nunavut, Resolute is equipped with an ILS precision landing system, allowing for large commercial aircraft operations. The VOR/DME is located atop a hill near the airport. The airport is not equipped with radar, however during 2011's Operation Nanook, a temporary radar installation was used for the duration of that exercise.
Proposed expansion
The Royal Canadian Air Force is considering a major expansion of the airport to transform it into a key base for Arctic operations. The expansion would include a 3,000 m (9,843 ft) paved runway, hangars, fuel installations and other infrastructure.
The site would provide logistics for search-and-rescue operations according to a December 2011 briefing from the Arctic Management Office at 1 Canadian Air Division.
Airlines and destinations
Historically, the airport was served by several airlines operating direct, no-change-of-plane scheduled passenger jet service to such Canadian cities as Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg and Yellowknife. Airlines included CP Air, Nordair, Pacific Western and Transair operating either Boeing 727-100 and/or Boeing 737-200 jetliners. First Air also operated scheduled jet service with Boeing 727-200 and Boeing 737-200 aircraft in the past and presently operates scheduled passenger service into the airport with ATR 42-500 turboprop aircraft. Many of these 727 and 737 flights operated by the various airlines serving Resolute were flown with Combi aircraft which were capable of transporting a mixed load of passengers and freight pallets.
Accidents
On 20 August 2011, First Air Flight 6560, a Boeing 737-200 charter flight transporting eleven passengers from Yellowknife, crashed while approaching the airport. Out of the fifteen people aboard, three passengers survived the crash; the four crew members perished. The extreme magnetic variation in the area was cited as a contributing factor to the crew's errors leading to the crash.
On 12 June 1968, a Fairchild F-27J operated by Great Northern Airways crashed on approach to the airport. There were no fatalities.
On 15 March 1951, an RCAF C-54 crashed on approach. There were no fatalities.