Landing approach or strafing run (fantasise away). Simulated with Google Earth. Link to Google Earth location info for the lazy types and to Wikimapia types. Note the flame war going on the comments for the spot.
The satellite imagery is pre-2005 as the air strip is supposed to have been paved as of 2005. It was attacked a few times by the Sri Lankan air-force.
A write up about the raid carried out by aircraft supposedly operating from this airstrip. The real aim of the raid is to help well connected government politicians and arms dealers to make a killing with poorly documented air defence tenders..
The take off run for the Zlin aircraft used in the raid is a fraction of the full length of the runway (you may begin speculating now). I bet the 1km+ length was meant to get the Sri Lankan government to start thinking about an air defense policy. How ever its rather futile to assume that the Sri Lankan government CAN think through such things (they leave strategic policy to newspaper columnists and dinner Sun Tzu’s). Anyway 5 years is not enough time to think these things up.
There is supposed to be another airstrip in Pudukuduiruppu whose location might be “26 km northwest of Mullaitivu“. But I don’t have too much time to find these things. Back to toil…
May 4, 2007 at 2:30 pm
like the post. a zlin aka czech cessna needs only about 350-500 m of runway (according to the manufacturer’s specs)
May 4, 2007 at 6:28 pm
Maf: Glad you like the post and thank you for the info
You blog URL was misspelled but I figured it out so you are now blog rolled here!
May 4, 2007 at 8:50 pm
don’t think ltte actually use this. it is too obvious. ltte aircrafts can probably take off from roads or playing grounds , or fields
May 6, 2007 at 9:50 am
Most likely that is what is happening. Buliding such a comparatively huge airstrip, paving it to get it bombed is a bit silly. Must be for properganda purposes (or maybe the LTTE keeps over estimating the brain power of our rulers).
July 25, 2007 at 2:40 pm
[...] The image below shows the location of this airstrip in relation to the other Iranamadu airstrip (which is featured in an older post) [...]
January 23, 2008 at 7:11 pm
[...] area is in the vicinity of the LTTE’s Iranamadu airstrip (visible on the lower right hand corner of the top most image). A Google Earth location marker for [...]
July 19, 2008 at 11:08 am
[...] to less than half a metre. For the rich and bored its a great way to check out the latest at the LTTE’s Iranamadu airstrip or the actual extent of the damage caused by air force attacks. So much for bans on taking pictures [...]
January 17, 2009 at 1:49 am
You fellas are right Zlins never used the decoy big runway but, the small airstrip near the bund road ! I told the guys ar defent abt it …but, they never believed me. So SLA a captured it 2 days ago nice huh ! But, the Zlins are in Mullaitivu now. So do ya think Fatass VP will try a Zlin run to TNadu ?
Cerno mate, ya had it right all along ! See ya !
January 18, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Rajarata: I wonder if a Zlin can carry enough fuel AND VP’s girth to reach Tamil Nadu
The Daily Mirror has has an article on bund airstrip which you are talking about. Their article on the Mullativ airstrip and hangers also has a map showing the locations of all the other airstrips.