Wagga Wagga Airport
Encyclopedia
Wagga Wagga Airport , is located adjacent to RAAF Base Wagga
, in New South Wales, Australia. The airfield is an operational base, but is leased by the Wagga Wagga City Council
on a 30 year lease from the Australian Department of Defence
, with RAAF Base Wagga
being a ground training base. The airfield is still used by military aircraft
, mostly transport aircraft
transporting freight or passengers.
Regional Express Airlines
maintains its fleet of Saab 340
passenger and freight aircraft at Wagga Wagga Airport.
, In 1938 relegated control was given to the Royal Australian Air Force
.
On 28 January 1992 the Wagga Wagga City Council secured a 30 year lease from the Commonwealth of Australia which included $2 million dollars to upgrade the airport's runway which can handle a Boeing 737
.
In June 2009, Wagga Wagga Airport was listed third for the World's strange sounding airports.
In December 2009 the airport had undergone a $2.2 million upgrade to increase its capacity for future growth and to improve the security at the airport.
On 27 May 2010, Anthony Albanese announced that the federal government
would provided funding worth A$
1.05 million, as part of the Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program, to the Wagga Wagga City Council
for the installation of the A$1.63 million Instrument Landing System
(ILS), which were only found in all of Australia's capital cities. The ILS was commissioned by Airservices Australia on 16 December 2010.
announced that the Australian Airline Pilot Academy (AAPA) was relocated from Mangalore Airport in Victoria
to Wagga Wagga Airport on 1 April 2009, in partnership with the City of Wagga Wagga
.
On 27 May 2010, AAPA campus at Wagga Wagga Airport was officially opened by Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government
, Anthony Albanese
.
In April 2011, a joint tender for security upgrades for baggage and passenger screening was called for Wagga Wagga, Tamworth and Dubbo Airports, which is to be completed by July 2012. Wagga Wagga City Council will receive A$650,000 from the federal government to purchase the baggage and passenger screening equipment, with the council funding A$162,000 to install the equipment.
In the 2011-12 financial year, Wagga Wagga City Council will develop a commercial aviation precinct at a cost of A$6.8 million, to attract aviation industries to the airport. Council will also allocate A$1.5 million for construction of 29 hangars for general aviation. The airport improvements funding will be partly paid by the introduction of parking fees at the airport's carpark.
In September 2011, it was announced that Douglas Aerospace would be centralising its operations at the airport by April 2012, which will see the council's construction of two hangars speeded up.
RAAF Base Wagga
RAAF Base Wagga is located in the New South Wales town of Wagga Wagga, in the suburb of Forest Hill.The RAAF no longer controls the airfield which, although still owned by the Commonwealth of Australia, is currently leased to the Wagga Wagga City Council...
, in New South Wales, Australia. The airfield is an operational base, but is leased by the Wagga Wagga City Council
City of Wagga Wagga
The Wagga Wagga City Council was formed from the amalgamation of City of Wagga Wagga with Mitchell and Kyeamba Shires in 1981. 22 December 2009, Wagga Wagga City Council announced that Phil Pinyon would be appointed as the General Manager of the Wagga Wagga City Council after Lyn Russell, who...
on a 30 year lease from the Australian Department of Defence
Department of Defence (Australia)
The Australian Department of Defence is a Federal Government Department. It forms part of the Australian Defence Organisation along with the Australian Defence Force . The Defence mission is to defend Australia and its national interests...
, with RAAF Base Wagga
RAAF Base Wagga
RAAF Base Wagga is located in the New South Wales town of Wagga Wagga, in the suburb of Forest Hill.The RAAF no longer controls the airfield which, although still owned by the Commonwealth of Australia, is currently leased to the Wagga Wagga City Council...
being a ground training base. The airfield is still used by military aircraft
Military aircraft
A military aircraft is any fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft that is operated by a legal or insurrectionary armed service of any type. Military aircraft can be either combat or non-combat:...
, mostly transport aircraft
Cargo aircraft
A cargo aircraft is a fixed-wing aircraft designed or converted for the carriage of goods, rather than passengers. They are usually devoid of passenger amenities, and generally feature one or more large doors for the loading and unloading of cargo...
transporting freight or passengers.
Regional Express Airlines
Regional Express Airlines
Regional Express Pty Ltd is an airline based in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia. It operates scheduled regional services. It is Australia's largest regional airline outside the Qantas group of companies and serves New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, North Queensland and Tasmania...
maintains its fleet of Saab 340
Saab 340
The Saab 340 is a discontinued Swedish two-engine turboprop aircraft designed and initially produced by a partnership between Saab and Fairchild Aircraft in a 65:35 ratio...
passenger and freight aircraft at Wagga Wagga Airport.
History
The airport was established in 1937 by the Wagga Wagga Municipal CouncilCity of Wagga Wagga
The Wagga Wagga City Council was formed from the amalgamation of City of Wagga Wagga with Mitchell and Kyeamba Shires in 1981. 22 December 2009, Wagga Wagga City Council announced that Phil Pinyon would be appointed as the General Manager of the Wagga Wagga City Council after Lyn Russell, who...
, In 1938 relegated control was given to the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
.
On 28 January 1992 the Wagga Wagga City Council secured a 30 year lease from the Commonwealth of Australia which included $2 million dollars to upgrade the airport's runway which can handle a Boeing 737
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
.
In June 2009, Wagga Wagga Airport was listed third for the World's strange sounding airports.
In December 2009 the airport had undergone a $2.2 million upgrade to increase its capacity for future growth and to improve the security at the airport.
On 27 May 2010, Anthony Albanese announced that the federal government
Government of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a federal constitutional monarchy under a parliamentary democracy. The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 as a result of an agreement among six self-governing British colonies, which became the six states...
would provided funding worth A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
1.05 million, as part of the Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program, to the Wagga Wagga City Council
City of Wagga Wagga
The Wagga Wagga City Council was formed from the amalgamation of City of Wagga Wagga with Mitchell and Kyeamba Shires in 1981. 22 December 2009, Wagga Wagga City Council announced that Phil Pinyon would be appointed as the General Manager of the Wagga Wagga City Council after Lyn Russell, who...
for the installation of the A$1.63 million Instrument Landing System
Instrument Landing System
An instrument landing system is a ground-based instrument approach system that provides precision guidance to an aircraft approaching and landing on a runway, using a combination of radio signals and, in many cases, high-intensity lighting arrays to enable a safe landing during instrument...
(ILS), which were only found in all of Australia's capital cities. The ILS was commissioned by Airservices Australia on 16 December 2010.
Airlines and destinations
Passenger statistics
2007-08 financial year the Airport recorded 204,409 which made it one of the busiest airports in regional New South Wales.| Year | Passenger numbers |
|---|---|
| 2001-02 | 106,105 |
| 2002-03 | 110,420 |
| 2003-04 | 130,135 |
| 2004-05 | 157,423 |
| 2005-06 | 171,677 |
| 2006-07 | 203,798 |
| 2007-08 | 225,394 |
| 2008-09 | 209,279 |
| 2009-10 | 208,866 |
Heavy maintenance
Regional Express Engineering heavy maintenance facility is based at Wagga Wagga Airport which provides maintenance for Saab 300 series and Fairchild Metro SA-277 aircraft.Pilot academy
In February 2009, Regional Express AirlinesRegional Express Airlines
Regional Express Pty Ltd is an airline based in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia. It operates scheduled regional services. It is Australia's largest regional airline outside the Qantas group of companies and serves New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, North Queensland and Tasmania...
announced that the Australian Airline Pilot Academy (AAPA) was relocated from Mangalore Airport in Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
to Wagga Wagga Airport on 1 April 2009, in partnership with the City of Wagga Wagga
City of Wagga Wagga
The Wagga Wagga City Council was formed from the amalgamation of City of Wagga Wagga with Mitchell and Kyeamba Shires in 1981. 22 December 2009, Wagga Wagga City Council announced that Phil Pinyon would be appointed as the General Manager of the Wagga Wagga City Council after Lyn Russell, who...
.
On 27 May 2010, AAPA campus at Wagga Wagga Airport was officially opened by Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government
Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Infrastructure and Transport is the Hon Anthony Albanese. On 3 December 2007 he replaced the Minister for Transport and Regional Services, the Hon Mark Vaile, who held office since August 2006, and the Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads, the Hon Jim...
, Anthony Albanese
Anthony Albanese
Anthony Norman Albanese , Australian politician, who serves as Leader of the House of Representatives and Minister for Infrastructure and Transport in the Gillard Ministry...
.
Future
Wagga Wagga City Council publicly released the Wagga Wagga Airport draft master plan in April 2010, which is to establish direction for future development at the airport over a 20 year period. Part of the master plan includes blueprints for a new airport terminal, capability to accommodate jets and business ventures.In April 2011, a joint tender for security upgrades for baggage and passenger screening was called for Wagga Wagga, Tamworth and Dubbo Airports, which is to be completed by July 2012. Wagga Wagga City Council will receive A$650,000 from the federal government to purchase the baggage and passenger screening equipment, with the council funding A$162,000 to install the equipment.
In the 2011-12 financial year, Wagga Wagga City Council will develop a commercial aviation precinct at a cost of A$6.8 million, to attract aviation industries to the airport. Council will also allocate A$1.5 million for construction of 29 hangars for general aviation. The airport improvements funding will be partly paid by the introduction of parking fees at the airport's carpark.
In September 2011, it was announced that Douglas Aerospace would be centralising its operations at the airport by April 2012, which will see the council's construction of two hangars speeded up.