๐จ๐ฆ Gimli, Canada
Gimli Industrial Park Airport is a former RCAF base turned Manitoba industrial-airpark field west of Gimli. Historic Manitoba government material describes the industrial park as a `1,522-acre` ex-air-force property with a `6,800 ft` serviceable runway, and the airport remains best known internationally as the landing site of the 1983 "Gimli Glider" Boeing 767 incident.
That history still shapes the field's identity. YGM is not a scheduled passenger airport; it is a long-runway industrial and general-aviation base used for specialty aviation activity, training, firefighting support, helicopter work, and airpark-style operations. The old military footprint and industrial-park setting are more important to understanding the airport than any conventional terminal narrative.
For terminal description, the right emphasis is therefore heritage and function: Gimli is a repurposed military field with a long concrete runway and a strong GA/special-mission identity, not a normal regional passenger terminal.
Gimli Industrial Park Airport is one of Canada's most historically significant aviation facilities, originally built in 1943 as No. 18 Service Flying Training School under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Skydive Manitoba operates May-October conducting 2,000 annual jumps with potential airspace activity affecting traffic patterns. Weather includes typical prairie patterns with severe winters from December-March featuring temperatures below -30ยฐC, requiring extensive aircraft winterization and ground equipment protection. Prairie Helicopters operates their headquarters providing charter services for aerial surveying, transportation, and utility support throughout Manitoba.
The airport gained international fame as the 'Gimli Glider' landing site in 1983, when Captain Robert Pearson successfully glided a fuel-starved Boeing 767 to safety during a car race. Located 2 nautical miles west of Gimli, Manitoba, near Lake Winnipeg shores, it transitioned from military to civilian use after Canadian Forces Base Gimli closed in 1971. The airport provides full fuel services, hangar facilities, and ground support for aircraft up to regional turboprop categories. Summer operations face thunderstorms and strong crosswinds from Lake Winnipeg.
Interlake Aviation offers fixed-wing charter and maintenance services, while Royal Canadian Air Cadets conduct training operations. Current operations include Manitoba Government Air Services water bomber squadron using CL-415 aircraft for forest fire suppression, requiring potential airspace restrictions during emergencies. Now Manitoba's premier general aviation hub, it features one original 6,800-foot concrete runway while the second became the famous Gimli Motorsports Park racing circuit. Ground transportation connects easily to Gimli's downtown and Lake Winnipeg tourism attractions.
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Minimum domestic connection:
60 minutes
International connections:
90 minutes
Interline transfers:
120 minutes
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Last updated: April 2026 | Data Source: IATA and other airline sites and resources