Ponta Pelada Airport / Manaus Air Base

Ponta Pelada Airport / Manaus Air Base is a military facility. Civilian access may be restricted or require Prior Permission (PPR). Pilots should consult the BR AIP for current access procedures and restrictions.

Overview

Ponta Pelada Airport serves Manaus, Brazil, functioning as a medium-sized airport and military air base located in the heart of the Amazon region. Situated at 267 feet above mean sea level, the airport provides critical aviation infrastructure for both military and potentially civilian operations in this strategically important area of northern Brazil.

Flying Conditions

The airport experiences predominantly favorable visual flight conditions, with 83.2% of observations reporting VFR weather. Temperature variations are significant, ranging from 22°C to 38°C, with an average of 27.8°C. Pilots can expect consistently stable weather, particularly during September, October, and November, which represent the best VFR months.

Notable Features

The airport features a single runway 09/27 measuring 7,119 feet with an asphalt surface, oriented east-west. Winds predominantly blow from the east at an average of 3.8 knots, with occasional gusts up to 21 knots. The airport experiences calm wind conditions 6.4% of the time, providing relatively consistent wind parameters for operations.

Approach Considerations

Given the prevailing easterly winds, runway 09 may offer more favorable approach conditions. Visibility averages 10 statute miles, with extremely rare instances of reduced visibility. The low frequency of IFR (7.5%) and LIFR (1.9%) conditions suggests generally predictable and stable approach environments for pilots.