Airport type Public and military Elevation AMSL 3,510 ft / 1,070 m 3,135 10,285 Elevation 1,070 m | Serves Gulu, Uganda 17/35 3,135 Address Gulu, Uganda Code ULU | |
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Operator Uganda Civil Aviation Authority | ||
Gulu airport upgraded
Gulu Airport (IATA: ULU, ICAO: HUGU) is a civilian and military airport in the Northern Region of Uganda. It is 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) north-west of the central business district of Gulu, the largest metropolitan area in the Northern Region. The airport is approximately 303 kilometres (188 mi) north of Entebbe International Airport, Uganda's largest civilian and military airport.
Contents
The airport serves the city of Gulu, with an estimated population of 154,300 in 2011. It is one of the twelve upcountry airports under the administration of the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA). It is also one of the five upcountry airports authorized to handle cross-border air traffic between Uganda and neighboring countries, in an effort to promote tourism within eastern Africa.
Eagle Air has regular flights from Entebbe International Airport on Mondays and Thursdays. Charter flights between Gulu and Moyo Airport, Arua Airport, and Pakuba Airport are also occasionally flown.
History
Dutch multinational company Fugro's airborne survey division was contracted by the government of Uganda to perform airborne geophysical mineral exploration surveys throughout Uganda between 2006 and 2009. To perform its duties in the Northern Region, the company based two aircraft out of Gulu with daily low level (80 meters above ground level) flights up to the Sudanese border.
During the 21 years of civil war between the rebel Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and the Ugandan government, the Ugandan Air Force actively based from Gulu. Since the LRA rebel activity ended, the Gulu military presence has been reduced to a sizeable ground force with no aircraft, based around the military hangars west of runway 35.
Facilities
Terminal, fire and rescue, and transportation services are available. Fuel, immigration, and customs services are available on arrangement. However, weather service is not available locally.
In 2010, the UCAA contracted with Gauff Consultants Limited for consultancy services for the development of preliminary master plans and detailed engineering designs for the airport for a price of about UGX:359 million. Gulu will be re-designed into an international airport.
In January 2014, phased renovation of the airport was commissioned by the Ugandan Minister of Works and Transport. The first phase involves resurfacing and lengthening the asphalt runway to 3.14 kilometres (10,300 ft) and widening it to 45 metres (148 ft) at a budgeted cost of US$4 million. The complete renovation will cost an estimated US$59 million and involves the construction of a larger passenger terminal building, a new car park, access roads, and cargo operations facilities. Other planned improvements include the addition of runway lights, infrastructure for fire and rescue services, and air navigation and traffic control systems.
The Gulu non-directional beacon (Ident: GU) is located on the field.
Airline and destinations
Airlines offering scheduled passenger service: