ZONGULDAK AIRPORT FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF TRANSPORTATION GEOGRAPHY

Abstract

In today's World, airline transportation, which stands out as a mode of transportation that has come to the fore in terms of speed and comfort, has procured great convenience in business or leisure travel. This particular state of affairs has also led to an increase in tourism activity. On the other hand, the share of air cargo transportation has been increasing day by day. The Zonguldak Airport, which was built primarily for military purposes, has recently been the gateway of the Western Black Sea to Europe. It is anticipated that the air traffic in the field will be augmented with the implementation of the projects such as the Filyos Industrial Zone and Filyos Free Zone, which are planned to be materialized behind the port, where the natural gas located off the Black Sea will be brought ashore from the Filyos Port.

The present study, it is aimed to reveal the historical development of Zonguldak Airport, its technical characteristics, its relationship with physical environmental conditions, its hinterland area, and its place and importance in transportation. In this study, which was designed as a case study, qualitative research methods, travel observation, and interview methods were utilized in data collection. In this sense, field observations and interviews were implemented in July and August 2022.

Until the year 2020, planes landed manually at the Zonguldak Airport. This situation led to the flights being interrupted in a certain period of the year, and even stopping flights for a significant period of 6 months. As far as the geographical conditions are concerned, the Zonguldak Airport and its surroundings, which are established in the valley, are covered with fog in a certain period of winter and spring as a result of temperature inversions, and visibility is adversely affected. Runway extension and expansion works were carried out at the airport "Instrument Landing System (ILS)", that is, the "Autopilot" system, was also installed instead of manual landing, especially in order for the aircraft to land more safely at night and in bad weather conditions. Thanks to these advancements and expansions, the airport has achieved aviation opportunities throughout the year. 

As of 2022, flights from Zonguldak Airport have been available only to Germany as international lines and to Istanbul as domestic lines. Corendon Airlines and Sun Express Airlines operate the flights to Germany, and THY operates the domestic flights. There are reciprocal flights from Zonguldak/Çaycuma Airport to Germany every day except Tuesdays. On Tuesdays, THY operates the Zonguldak-Istanbul flights reciprocally. 

With the launch of the Filyos Port with an annual capacity of 25 million tons and the Filyos Industrial Zone Project, freight traffic is sure to increase. In the context of intermodal (multi-mode) transportation, which has become important in recent years, it is possible to suggest acting with a holistic approach in an attempt to prepare the necessary infrastructure and equipment conditions at the Zonguldak Airport, improve the transportation and structure it in line with the developments.