Airport News Japan

Only Online Museum of Aviation in Japan Hosted by New Chitose Airport Slowly Gaining Popularity

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The New Chitose Airport Digital Air Museum

The New Chitose Airport Digital Air Museum, hosted on a website by the airport, has been quietly gaining popularity.

The website was started in 2002 by Hokkaido Airport Terminal Co., Ltd. of Chitose, Hokkaido -the company that operates the passenger terminal at New Chitose- under the supervision of the Japan Aeronautic Association, and was upgraded in 2004. The top page alone receives about 230,000 visits annually, and is managed by HKI Axis (a subsidiary of Hokkaido Airport Terminal Co., Ltd.).

The concept behind the site is: “You want to have a bird’s eye view. You want to go to faraway countries. Offering information on aircraft and airports that can make your dreams come true and helping those who yearn for the skies."

The site includes information on aviation history, fuselage components and piloting at the Hall of Aviation, a chronological timeline of New Chitose Airport’s history and information on airport facilities at the Airport Hall, and valuable photographs from the time of aviation’s birth and Japanese aviation history archived at the Aerial Movie Theater. One can take a tour of New Chitose Airport’s aircraft operation facilities with the Hall of Aviation’s Cyber Tour. At the Battle with Snow page are pictures and information on the snow removal techniques and special vehicles used to remove the over two meters of snow that falls each winter, which one can only see at large northern airports.

Aviation museums in Japan include the Tokorozawa Aviation Museum in Saitama, the Museum of Aeronautical Sciences in Chiba and the Kagamigahara Aerospace Science Museum in Gifu, though the online “museum” hosted by the airport terminal company is unique. The site is popular among aviation enthusiasts and has been included among aviation museum links at information websites.

The company hopes to enrich the content of the website and offer information on this Hokkaido airport and air travel.