Asiago
Welcome to Asiago Airport: the only Italian airport above 1000 meters above sea level!
Hello everyone, welcome to Asiago Airport! This airport is a small jewel located on the Altopiano dei Sette Comuni, in the province of Vicenza, and is the only civil airport in Italy above 1000 meters above sea level. The facility is named after Roana Romeo Sartori, a Bronze Medal aviator in the First World War and later an instructor in the Royal Air Force. But let's get into the details!
Location
The airport is located about 1 km north of the center of the city of Asiago, in the direction of contrada Podestà, one of the rural communes that make up the municipal territory. It is located at 1041 m above sea level and has two runways, one asphalt 1120 m long and 23 m wide, the second with a grass surface 1100 m long and 90 m wide. Both runways have an orientation of 08/26 and can be used by both motorized aircraft and gliders.
History
Asiago Airport has a history full of events related to the Great War and the birth of gliding in Italy. During the First World War, the airport was the seat of the 12th reconnaissance and combat squadron and subsequently a detachment of the 46th squadron. After the war, the airport was dedicated to the memory of Romeo Sartori, a pilot who had received the Silver Medal for Military Valor. In 1924, the first glider flights were made in Italy over the skies of Asiago, setting the 1st national record for duration with a motorless airplane. During the Second World War, the landing strip was destroyed by the Nazi-fascists to prevent the landing of Allied planes.
Ownership
In 2000, the Asiago Airport company was established to relaunch the airport and promote its growth. The company is composed of various entities and associations including the Municipality of Asiago, the Municipality of Roana, the Municipality of Gallio, the Regenerative Respectable Mountain Union of the Seven Municipalities and the Chamber of Commerce Industry Crafts Agriculture of Vicenza. In 2011, the Italian Gliding Federation joined the company after acquiring 4% of the shares.
Use of the airport
Asiago Airport is mainly used by motorized aircraft and gliders, which have two traffic circuits available, one to the North and one to the South. The runways are mainly used with an orientation of 26 for takeoff and 08 for landing. The asphalt runway is used for motorized aircraft, while the grass runway is used for gliders.
Recent events
On May 23, 2016, the Italian Air Force made a historic landing at Asiago Airport with a Dassault Falcon 900 aboard the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella. This landing took place as part of the 100th anniversary of the Great War and helped to reinforce the airport's reputation as an important and historic structure.
That's all the main information about Asiago Airport! We hope that this brief virtual tour has made you discover a bit of history and curiosity about the world of aviation in Italy. If you have the opportunity to visit Asiago Airport, don't let it go!
