Stockholm-Bromma airport is one of the major historical Airports in Stockholm city, Sweden. Due to the need for an airport for Stockholm, the capital city of Sweden the Stockholm airport was built very close to the city and is Sweden’s fifth largest airport (2008). Bromma is also both the third largest airport in terms of take-offs and landings and being near the city of Stockholm.
History of the Stockholm airport
There was an urgent need for an airport for Stockholm city the capital city of Sweden hence prompting the building of the Stockholm airport in the year 1930. It is the first airport to have paved runways from the start and was opened by king Gustav V in 1936. The airport is associated with the World War II since the Swedish and British aircrafts flew from the airport to the United Kingdom. The airport got caught up in controversies during the war because it was used in transporting refugees hence drawing the interest of Germany spies. Two of the Swedish DC-3 aircrafts carrying Norwegian and Danish refugees were shot down by the Germans during the that period.
The airport however managed to survive all these wrangles and started flourishing after the war. Two noted airlines that operated from the airport were Aktiebolaget Aerotransport which became the Swedish partner in Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) and Linjeflyng which was also later acquired by SAS. In the 1960s, however the runway of the Bromma airport became too small for the intercontinental jets leading to the building of another airport called the Stockholm-airlander airport.
This made Bromma the domain for general aviation, business jets and flight schools since all the domestic and international traffic was moved to the airlander airport between the years 1960-1962. Moreover, the old hangars were also turned into shopping malls opposite the airport. The airport went through a lot of serious renovations like the putting into use on the Ranhammarshojden the new control tower and the recovery of a terminal that had been neglected for several years in 2002. Further improvements were done in 2005 enabling the airport to separate passengers from outside and within the Schengen area.
The Swedish Luftfartsverket announced a bidding for a contract to build a General Aviation terminal in order to improve the services provided for the General aviation customers that fly to Stockholm and the airport itself in 2003. In 2004, Fixed base operator (FBO) Sweden’s first Grafair Jet Center was Built.
The Future of Stockholm Airport
The necessity to preserve cultural heritage, reduce noise issues affecting the airport’s catchment areas and lack of enough space are the major factors hindering the expansion of the airport. The capacity surplus at the airlander airport has drawn debate with some experts proposing that the Brommo airport land should be used for residential and commercial purposes by relocating the airport.
Environmental Issues
Due to the noise issue that has become so major since the city has developed from what it was when the airport was started in 1936, a lot of measures have been put in place to try and control the situation. Airport operations have been limited to daytime only, while the residential homes near the airport have been soundproofed.