Fiumicino – Leonardo da Vinci International Airport (Italian: Fiumicino – Aeroporto Internazionale Leonardo da Vinci) or Rome Fiumicino Airport, also simply known as Fiumicino Airport, is Italy’s largest airport with 37.7 million passengers served in 2011, located in Fiumicino, 18.9 nautical miles (35.0 km; 21.7 mi) west southwest of Rome’s historic city centre.
The airport serves as a hub for Alitalia, Italy’s former flag carrier. Based on total passenger numbers it was the sixth busiest airport in Europe, and the world’s 29th busiest airport in 2011.
The airport is named after Italian polymath Leonardo da Vinci, who first designed a proto helicopter and a flying machine with wings. The airport covers an area of 15 square kilometres (3,700 acres).
LEONARDO da VINCI-FIUMICINO AIRPORT HISTORY
The airport was officially opened on January 15, 1961, with two runways, replacing the small Rome Ciampino Airport which remains in service for domestic and charter operations. During the decade Alitalia invested heavily in the new airport, building hangars and maintenance centers; in the same period a third runway was added (16L/34R). Despite being officially opened in 1961, Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport had actually been in use since August 20, 1960. This was to help relieve air traffic that was congesting Rome Ciampino Airport during the 1960 Olympics.[4]
Four runways presently operate at Leonardo da Vinci airport: 16L/34R and 16R/34L (separated by a distance of 4,000 m (13,000 ft)), 16C/34C (close to 16L/34R), mostly used as a taxiway or as a backup for 16L/34R, and 07/25, used only westwards for takeoffs owing to the prevailing winds.
Since 2005 the airport operates a category III B instrument landing system (ILS). Further improvement work was implemented in 2007 to enable the airport to handle 30 takeoffs/landings per hour, up from 10, in the event of thick fog.
LEONARDO da VINCI-FIUMICINO AIRPORT LOCATION
LEONARDO da VINCI-FIUMICINO AIRPORT FACTS
ICAO/IATA: LIRF/FCO
Lat: 41°48′01″N
Long: 012°14′20″E
Elevation: 13 ft.
Runway length available: 07/25 10856×148 ft. :: 16R/34L 12795×197 ft. :: 16L/34R 12795×197 ft. :: 16C/34C 0x0 ft.
