Bankstown Airport is an airport and business park located in the City of Canterbury-Bankstown, approximately from the Sydney Central Business District (CBD), Australia and west of Sydney Airport. It is situated on of land and has three parallel

runway According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and takeoff of aircraft". Runways may be a man-made surface (often asphalt, concre ...

s, several apron areas, a small passenger terminal and a business park, home to more than 160 businesses. The airport, is home to numerous

fixed-wing A fixed-wing aircraft is a heavier-than-air flying machine, such as an airplane, which is capable of flight using wings that generate lift caused by the aircraft's forward airspeed and the shape of the wings. Fixed-wing aircraft are distinct ...

and

helicopter A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forward, backward and laterally. These attributes ...

flying schools and also caters to charter and private business flights, freight, aeromedical services, recreational flights, aircraft maintenance businesses, private aircraft and emergency services. Bankstown Airport operates 24 hours a day, with limitations placed on night circuit training. The airport's air traffic control tower is listed on the

Commonwealth Heritage List The Commonwealth Heritage List is a heritage register established in 2003, which lists places under the control of the Australian government, on land or in waters directly owned by the Crown (in Australia, the Crown in right of the Commonwealth ...

History

World War II

Bankstown Airport was originally planned in 1929. The plan to build an airport at Bankstown was put on hold until it was established in 1940, after the commencement of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

when the Department of Civil Aviation attained of land for development as a

Royal Australian Air Force "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...

(RAAF) facility. The formal proclamation of the Bankstown airfield project occurred under the National Security Act on 7 June 1940. The urgency was such that work began immediately; the Act permitted construction to begin even before the land had been officially resumed by the government. On 2 December 1940 RAAF Headquarters was established at Bankstown and on 19 December No 2 Aircraft Park moved to Bankstown where it remained until 28 March 1945. Its facilities were then taken over by the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm. During World War II, Bankstown Airport was used by the

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

, and was established as a key strategic air base to support the war effort in 1942. It became home to members of the

35th Pursuit Group Military units *35th Fighter Wing, an air combat unit of the United States Air Force *35th Infantry Division (United States), a formation of the National Guard since World War I *35th Infantry Regiment (United States), a regiment created on 1 July 1 ...

and the 49th Pursuit Group from 1942 to 1944. In 1945 operations became the responsibility of the British Fleet Air Arm, known as Royal Naval Air Station Bankstown, HMS ''Nabberley'', before being handed back to the RAAF on 31 July 1946. Aircraft manufacturer

de Havilland Australia de Havilland Aircraft Pty Ltd (DHA) was part of de Havilland, then became a separate company. It acquired the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation in 1985 and was purchased by Boeing in 2000 and merged with the Boeing owned AeroSpace Technologie ...

(later Hawker de Havilland) built a new factory at Bankstown Airport during the war and commenced manufacturing de Havilland Mosquito combat aircraft there in 1942.

Units based at Bankstown during World War II

* No. 2 Aircraft Park RAAF * No. 451 Squadron RAAF *

4th Fighter Squadron The 4th Fighter Squadron, "Fighting Fuujins" is part of the 388th Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. It operates the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II aircraft, which replaced the unit's General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcons in August ...

of 35th Pursuit Group * 39th Fighter Squadron of 35th Pursuit Group * 41st Fighter Squadron of 35th Pursuit Group * 7th Fighter Squadron of 49th Pursuit *Royal Naval Air Station Bankstown, HMS ''Nabberley''

Post War

Sale of RAAF CT4 Trainers at Bankstown Aerodrome May 1993 (4)

In 1970, the government put forth a proposal to expand the airport's operations but this was vigorously opposed by the local community. In September 1982 a Socata TB10 Tobago light aircraft was stolen by 26-year-old student pilot Philip Henryk Wozniak, who committed suicide by intentionally crashing on the airport, also destroying a parked Douglas DC-3 and Piaggio P.166 in the process. Today, Bankstown Airport is Sydney's primary general aviation airport, and also serves charter and cargo flights for various companies and carriers. The airport's master plan was approved in March 2005 by the Minister for Transport and Regional Services. The plan governs the airport's operations until 2024–25. The current approved Airport Environment Strategy was published in 2014 and is valid until 2019.

Facilities

Jetcraft Aviation (VH-TOX) ATR 42-300 at Bankstown Airport

The airport has three parallel runways. The primary runway (11C/29C) is . Bankstown has its own dedicated air traffic control tower, operated by Airservices Australia, and uses Class D airspace procedures.

Passenger facilities

The existing small passenger terminal at the airport is capable of handling up to 200 passengers per hour. Vehicle parking is available at no charge. Arriving passengers can arrange for taxi pick up at the terminal. The main airport entrance is also serviced by a local bus service to

Bankstown railway station Bankstown railway station is located on the Bankstown line, serving the Sydney suburb of Bankstown. It is served by Sydney Trains T3 Bankstown line services. History Bankstown station opened on 14 April 1909, when the Bankstown line was ext ...

. The terminal plays host to numerous events year round such as the annual Sydney Aviation Model Show.

Airlines and destinations

Cargo

Other operators

The following organisations have operating bases at Bankstown Airport: *

New South Wales Ambulance NSW Ambulance, previously the Ambulance Service of NSW, is an agency of NSW Health and the statutory provider of pre-hospital emergency care and ambulance services in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Established pursuant to the and oper ...

* New South Wales Police Aviation Support Branch *

Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS), commonly known as the Flying Doctor, is an air medical service in Australia. It is a non-profit organisation that provides emergency and primary health care services for those living in rural, remote an ...

The

Australian Aviation Museum The Australian Aviation Museum, is located on Starkie Drive, Bankstown Airport in the suburb of Bankstown. History The Museum was opened by the then Prime Minister the Hon. Paul Keating in 1994, and showcases the history and future of aviation ...

was located at Bankstown Airport when the museum opened in February 1994. It was planned to close at Bankstown in 2016 and reopen at the less busy Camden airport in 2017. However this move does not appear to have proceeded. It is not known whether it is still open.

In popular culture

One of its hangars was used for the filming of ''

Top Gear Australia ''Top Gear Australia'' was an Australian motoring reality television series, based on the British BBC series '' Top Gear''. The programme first premiered on SBS One on 29 September 2008. A second season was ordered following the high ratings ...

'', however none of the track sections were filmed at Bankstown as it is too busy. They were predominantly filmed at Camden Airport which is far quieter. The apron area was used as a location for the short film '' Come Fly with Me'' in 2009.

References

External links

Bankstown Airport website
* {{authority control Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in Australia Airports established in 1940 Airports in New South Wales Airports in Greater Sydney Aviation accidents and incidents in New South Wales Bankstown, New South Wales Military history of Sydney during World War II Transport in Sydney 1940 establishments in Australia