Pablo L. Sidar National Airport
Pablo L. Sidar National Airport Aeropuerto Nacional Pablo L. Sidar | |||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
| Operator | Michoacan State Government | ||||||||||
| Serves | Apatzingán | ||||||||||
| Location | Apatzingán municipality | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 1,033 ft / 315 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 19°05′38″N 102°23′29″W / 19.09389°N 102.39139°W | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
AZG Location of the airport in Michoacan AZG AZG (Mexico) | |||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||
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| Statistics (2024) | |||||||||||
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| AFAC[1][2] | |||||||||||
Pablo L. Sidar National Airport (IATA: AZG, ICAO: MMAG, FAA LID: AZG) is an airport located in Apatzingán, Michoacán and is operated by Michoacán State Government.
History
The first aircraft to land in Apatzingán did so on November 20, 1929, piloted by Pablo L. Sidar. To achieve this, Colonel Arturo Chávez led around fifty farmers from the region to build an improvised landing strip measuring 600 meters long and 40 meters wide. The landing strip was located on the current Bonifacio Moreno Neiborhood.[3]
The region was gaining economic importance due to the high agricultural activity, so agricultural aviation was increasing and with it the need for a new airport arose, so Lázaro Cárdenas, being executive member of the Tepalcatepec Commission, acquired the land for the construction of the Pablo L. Sidar Airport in June 1953, a year later, a dirt landing strip was built. In 1976, 800 meters of runway were paved, later in 1980 the landing strip was extended to 1,500 meters and the taxiways and the aviation apron were added.[4]
In February 1993, Apatzingán Airport was the site of tests for the AAC Angel in order to demonstrate its capabilities on short runways and in severe weather conditions, a test that the AAC Angel successfully passed.[5] Apatzingan Airport only maintained commercial operations until 2002 and in 2024 only 2 fixed-wing aircraft based at this airport were registered.[2][6]
It has a 4,900-foot-long and 68-foot-wide runway, two taxiways, as well as a 26,900-square-foot general aviation apron, hangars, and a terminal building with administrative offices. In July 2012, an investment of 270 million pesos was announced for airport improvements. This would include expanding the runway and upgrading the administrative facilities.[7]
Statistics
During the existence of regional airlines Aero Cuahonte and Aero Sudpacífico, Apatzingán Airport operated regular flights to Morelia, Guadalajara, Lázaro Cárdenas, and Uruapan. The table only shows scheduled commercial and charter flights; military and general aviation flights are not included.[6][data missing]
| Year | Flights | Passengers | Year | Flight | Passengers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 917 | 1,862 | 1998 | 603 | 5,237 |
| 1993 | 543 | 2,974 | 1999 | 604 | 4,667 |
| 1994 | 433 | 2,860 | 2000 | 553 | 3,163 |
| 1995 | 538 | 3,153 | 2001 | 343 | 1,718 |
| 1996 | 369 | 1,772 | 2002 | 24 | 113 |
| 1997 | 959 | 5,069 | 2003 | 0 | 0 |
Accidents and incidents
- On December 9, 1992, a Britten-Norman BN-2B-27 Islander aircraft registered XA-RML, operated by Aero Sudpacífico, on a commercial flight between Apatzingán Airport and Zamora Airport, crashed over the Tancítaro municipality a few minutes after takeoff, killing all 8 passengers and the pilot. It is alleged that the aircraft had an engine shutdown due to icing in the carburetors; this aircraft was on a flight between Uruapan Airport and Guadalajara Airport with intermediate stops in Apatzingán and Zamora.[8][9]
References
- ^ AFAC (2025). "Base de Datos de Aeródromos y Helipuertos" [Airfields and helipads Database] (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-07-18.
- ^ a b AFAC (2025). "Registro Aeronáutico Mexicano" [Mexican Aeronautical Registry] (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-07-18.
- ^ Estrada García, Miguel (2024-11-18). "El 20 de noviembre de 1929 aterrizó el primer avion en Apatzingán" [On November 20, 1929, the first plane landed in Apatzingán]. Facebook (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-10-04.
- ^ Estrada García, Miguel (2023-08-09). "AEROPUERTO "GRAL. PABLO L. SIDAR" APATZINGAN, MICHOACAN" [Airport "General Pablo L. Sidar" in Apatzingan, Michoacan]. Facebook (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-10-04.
- ^ Estrada García, Miguel (2025-10-02). "UNA DE LAS PRUEBAS DEL AVIÓN EN "ÁNGEL" SE REALIZO EN EL AERÓDROMO GRAL. PABLO L. SIDAR DE APATZINGAN" [One of the tests of the aircraft "ÁNGEL" was carried out at the General Pablo L. Sidar Airfield in Apatzingan.]. Facebook (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-10-04.
- ^ a b AFAC (2025). "Estadística Mensual Operativa" [Monthly Traffic Statistics] (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-07-18.
- ^ Estrada García, Miguel (2012-07-28). "Logra Uriel Chávez Mendoza 270 mdp para nuevo aeropuerto" [Uriel Chávez Mendoza secures 270 million pesos for a new airport]. Facebook (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-10-04.
- ^ "Accident 325379". Aviation Saffety Network. Retrieved 2025-10-04.
- ^ "20 años del accidente del Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander "XA-RML" de Aero Sudpacifico" [20 years since the crash of Aero Sudpacifico's Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander "XA-RML"]. Facebook (in Spanish). Aero Sudpacifico. 2012-12-09. Retrieved 2025-10-04.