Bankstown Airport is an airport and business park located in the

City of Canterbury-Bankstown The City of Canterbury Bankstown (also known as Canterbury-Bankstown Council) is a local government, local government area located in the South Western Sydney, South Western region of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The council was formed on ...

, approximately from the

Sydney Central Business District The Sydney central business district (CBD) is the historical and main Central business district, commercial centre of Sydney. The CBD is Sydney's city centre, or Sydney City, and the two terms are used interchangeably. Colloquially, the CBD or c ...

(CBD), Australia and west of

Sydney Airport Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (colloquially Mascot Airport, Kingsford Smith Airport, or Sydney Airport; ; ) is an international airport in Sydney, Australia, located 8 km (5 mi) south of the Sydney central business district, in the ...

. 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 concrete, as ...

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 A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified. It is implicit that the granter retains superiority (or sovereignty), and that the rec ...

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 Air traffic control (ATC) is a service provided by ground-based air traffic controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and through a given section of controlled airspace, and can provide advisory services to aircraft in non-controlled airsp ...

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 opposin ...

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 Jul ...

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 (later Hawker de Havilland) built a new factory at Bankstown Airport during the war and commenced manufacturing

de Havilland Mosquito The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito is a British twin-engined, shoulder-winged, multirole combat aircraft, introduced during the Second World War. Unusual in that its frame was constructed mostly of wood, it was nicknamed the "Wooden Wonder", or ...

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 Augus ...

of 35th Pursuit Group * 39th Fighter Squadron of 35th Pursuit Group * 41st Fighter Squadron of 35th Pursuit Group *

7th Fighter Squadron The 7th Fighter Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit, assigned to the 1st Operations Group. It is stationed at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. Overview The 7th Fighter Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit, assign ...

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 The Douglas DC-3 is a propeller-driven airliner manufactured by Douglas Aircraft Company, which had a lasting effect on the airline industry in the 1930s to 1940s and World War II. It was developed as a larger, improved 14-bed sleeper version ...

and

Piaggio P.166 The Piaggio P.166 is an Italian twin-engine pusher-type utility aircraft developed by Piaggio Aero. The aircraft model name was Portofino, and is also known as Albatross in South African military service. Design and development The basic P.16 ...

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

, 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. 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 * New South Wales Police Aviation Support Branch * Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia The Australian Aviation Museum 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'', 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