Lumbia Airfield

Type
Domestic Airport
History
Lumbia Airfield formerly known as Lumbia Airport and Cagayan de Oro Airport was
opened in the 1930s during the American occupation of the Philippines. In World War II, the
Japanese controlled the airstrip, with the runway being extended by the use of forced labor. It
remained as Cagayan de Oro's only airport, as the city grew in size and population. However, it
came to the point where Lumbia airport could no longer keep up with CDO's rapid growth.
Additionally, its higher elevation above the city meant that many flights had to divert during rain
or thick fog. Lumbia Airfield took its name from its location in Barangay Lumbia. It now serves
as a minor air base of the Philippine Air Force, with service equipment of OV-10 Bronco aircraft
as well as UH-1 Huey and MD-520MG Defender helicopters.
On June 15, 2013, Laguindingan replaced Lumbia Airfield. The new airport serves
Northern Mindanao, as well as its major cities, Iligan and Cagayan de Oro.
Operation
Lumbia Airfield was the domestic airport that served the general areas of Cagayan de Oro
and Northern Mindanao, in the province of Misamis Oriental in the Philippines. It was the
second busiest airport in Mindanao, after Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City.
Crisis
As stated by Luis Luisma “Lumbia airport is lucky for Cagayan de Oro but we have
outgrown it. We need a bigger airport for our needs”, who is an air comptroller of the Civil
Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP). Also, the newly opened Laguindingan Airport is
equipped with a wind cove which can be visible to pilots from miles away, radio
communications and the Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI) which were installed on both
ends of the runway which makes its operation much safer. It also had some major plane accident
one of which is when the Cebu Pacific Flight 387 from Ninoy Aquino International Airport in
Manila to Cagayan de Oro, flown by a McDonnell Douglas DC-9, crashed into Mount Sumagaya
in Claveria, Misamis Oriental on February 2, 1998, killing all 99 passengers and 5 crew on
board.
Recommendation
As a group, we believed that the best recommendation that we can endorse in the case of
the Lumbia Airfield is that they should have adapt, considered and planned everything ahead
first so that they didn’t experience or at least minimized the reasons why it stopped its operation.
For example, major reasons why it stopped its operation is that because Lumbia Airfield could
no longer keep up with CDO's rapid growth and its higher elevation above the city meant that
many flights had to divert during rain or thick fog. Department of the Lumbia Airfield could
have proposed to expand its airport to cater the growing number of passengers. For the other
problem, they should look for other routes that can avoid rain and thick fog. Instead of relying in
the upcoming opening of the new airport, Laguindingan Airport, staffs/department of the Lumbia
Airfield could have done solutions which can make them competitive enough to continue their
operations.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Lumbia Airfield’s operation could have been saved if they continued at
least their domestic flight operation since the Laguindingan Airport caters a bigger number of
passengers. But at least, Lumbia Airfield was not totally abandoned, because after closing its
doors to its domestic flight operations it was converted into a military air base. It is now under
control of the 10th Tactical Operations Group of the Philippine Air Force. The airport has been
selected by the US military for building their facilities.
References:
https://bit.ly/3tZVMxT
https://bit.ly/3GYeo58