| The Palmyra Gazette |
Location / Lowe Field
City: Palmyra Island Atoll
Name: Palmyra (Cooper) Airport
ICAO: PLPA DC-4 Rating 70,000 lbs
FAA: P16 8000NM@LHR 1300 NM@DAL
Details
Type: Airport (Aerodrome, Airfield)
Use: Private The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
Latitude: 5°53'00"N (5.883333)
Longitude: 162°04'00"W (-162.066667)
Datum: WGS 1984
Elevation: 5 ft (2 m)
Runways: Runway 06 East 060 / Runway 12 West 240
200' SW end hot top, 4800' hard packed coral
500' asphalt, SE rolled coral to turn around.
Longest: 6000 ft (1829 m) 5280 ft to turn East end
Design: 5% slope South to North / Rt to Left 06
Winds: 93.5% Easterly wind @ 13 mph
Sgt W.A. Lowe, a member of VMD-254, who was killed
on the island. The airfield on Palmyra was renamed
'Lowe Field', in his honor.
City: Palmyra Island Atoll
Name: Palmyra (Cooper) Airport
ICAO: PLPA DC-4 Rating 70,000 lbs
FAA: P16 8000NM@LHR 1300 NM@DAL
Details
Type: Airport (Aerodrome, Airfield)
Use: Private The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
Latitude: 5°53'00"N (5.883333)
Longitude: 162°04'00"W (-162.066667)
Datum: WGS 1984
Elevation: 5 ft (2 m)
Runways: Runway 06 East 060 / Runway 12 West 240
200' SW end hot top, 4800' hard packed coral
500' asphalt, SE rolled coral to turn around.
Longest: 6000 ft (1829 m) 5280 ft to turn East end
Design: 5% slope South to North / Rt to Left 06
Winds: 93.5% Easterly wind @ 13 mph
Sgt W.A. Lowe, a member of VMD-254, who was killed
on the island. The airfield on Palmyra was renamed
'Lowe Field', in his honor.
| Welcome to: PalmyraGazette.org Created by: Michael E. Murray January 2008 Enjoy your visit! |
Palmyra International Airport PLPA "Lowe Field"
There have been a few written reports on how to
proceed with the up keep of the runway. I will try to
simplify it here as well as provide photos that I
hope will provide an aid for future upkeep of the
strip.
It seemed the further down the runway I went, the
less work had been completed. The West end was a
tropical breeze compared to the east end for work
that needed to be done. This work is not for the
faint of heart nor non-experienced personnel, but
requires a vigorous effort to complete and do the
project right. Over time organic material is washed
onto the runway by heavy rain storms that frequent
Palmyra (up to 200"/year). Grass becomes
established and roots itself into this organic
topping. "This is not" the runway surface!
Underneath all this material lies a compacted
surface made up of both hot top and a compacted
coral base. The actual surface topping or "fines" are
a mere 1/8-1/4" thick at most. If you can peel away a
layer of dirt to expose the firm base below, then this
material needs to be removed from the runway
surface.
(Organic Material)
Continue To Page Two: Click Here:
proceed with the up keep of the runway. I will try to
simplify it here as well as provide photos that I
hope will provide an aid for future upkeep of the
strip.
It seemed the further down the runway I went, the
less work had been completed. The West end was a
tropical breeze compared to the east end for work
that needed to be done. This work is not for the
faint of heart nor non-experienced personnel, but
requires a vigorous effort to complete and do the
project right. Over time organic material is washed
onto the runway by heavy rain storms that frequent
Palmyra (up to 200"/year). Grass becomes
established and roots itself into this organic
topping. "This is not" the runway surface!
Underneath all this material lies a compacted
surface made up of both hot top and a compacted
coral base. The actual surface topping or "fines" are
a mere 1/8-1/4" thick at most. If you can peel away a
layer of dirt to expose the firm base below, then this
material needs to be removed from the runway
surface.
(Organic Material)
Continue To Page Two: Click Here:
PLPA Sign
| This Should be mowed Sooner |
| Mowing the Runway Proper |
| Grading the Sides |
| Some of the Equipement |
| Dragging for Organics |
| Will Finish Grading |
| Organics Removal |
| Cleaning Up |
| Removing Excess Dirt |
| Final Pass w/Dennis |
| Non-vibrating / Rolling |
| Ready for Soil Cement!!! |
| Job Perks!!! |
| Click on Pictures for Larger Views! |
| The failed landing of Lockheed N163R 1991 S# 2492A Wright C9HD |
Lets Get Started Shall WE?
| Built Up Algae |
| Clean Up |
| Trimming the Sides |
| Working on the Shoulders |
| Ready for the Final Drag |
| Oh, Meet the Ladies & Me! |
| Wartime Usage No aircraft were based here, rather transferred through this strip on their way to the South or Southwest Pacific during overseas flights. The airfield on Palmyra was renamed 'Lowe Field', in honor of Sgt W.A. Lowe, a member of VMD-254, who was killed on the island. |
The Fullard-Leos waited for Palmyra's return. The U.S. Supreme Court finally ruled in 1947 that they had title. Some of
the uses considered, investors wanted to turn it into something useful such as a big resort, others, an offshore bank, a
commercial fish processing plant [The TNC shop is housed in the former cooler building] and an equatorial launch site
for missiles and satellites. Twenty years ago there were howls of outrage when the U.S. sent a team of inspectors to
scout the atoll as a possible site to store nuclear waste. Even Microsoft's Bill Gates looked into purchasing the Atoll
for his private use. The Atoll remained in the hands of this family until the year 2000. There had been many offers to
buy the island but were rejected as the Fullard-Leos chose to leave Palmyra exactly as it was. Today, The Nature
Conservancy concluded years of negotiations and finally took title to Palmyra for thirty million U.S. dollars. (Home
Island still remains in the hands of the Fullard-Leos.]
the uses considered, investors wanted to turn it into something useful such as a big resort, others, an offshore bank, a
commercial fish processing plant [The TNC shop is housed in the former cooler building] and an equatorial launch site
for missiles and satellites. Twenty years ago there were howls of outrage when the U.S. sent a team of inspectors to
scout the atoll as a possible site to store nuclear waste. Even Microsoft's Bill Gates looked into purchasing the Atoll
for his private use. The Atoll remained in the hands of this family until the year 2000. There had been many offers to
buy the island but were rejected as the Fullard-Leos chose to leave Palmyra exactly as it was. Today, The Nature
Conservancy concluded years of negotiations and finally took title to Palmyra for thirty million U.S. dollars. (Home
Island still remains in the hands of the Fullard-Leos.]
| MY Project Links |
| Continue To Page Two: v |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |