Wikipedia

Wagga Wagga Airport

This article is about the regional airport in New South Wales, Australia. For the defence base, see RAAF Base Wagga.

Wagga Wagga Airport (IATA: WGA, ICAO: YSWG) is a regional airport serving Wagga Wagga in New South Wales, Australia. The airport is located in the suburb of Forest Hill, 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) south-east of the city centre, on land leased from the Department of Defence. It shares runways and some aviation facilities with the adjacent RAAF Base Wagga, which hosts ground training establishments and supporting military air traffic.[2][4] Rex Airlines maintain a strong presence with its main engineering and maintenance base for its Saab 340 aircraft.[5] The airline also conducts an in-house program to train cadet pilots through a campus of the Australian Airline Pilot Academy at the airport.[6][7] In the 2020-21 financial year[1] the airport recorded 71,862 passengers which made it the 36th busiest airport in Australia.[3]

Wagga Wagga Airport
Wagga Wagga Airport terminal
Summary
Airport typeMilitary/public
OwnerDepartment of Defence
OperatorCity of Wagga Wagga
ServesWagga Wagga
LocationForest Hill, New South Wales
Elevation AMSL725 ft / 221 m
Coordinates35°09′55″S 147°27′59″E / 35.16528°S 147.46639°E / -35.16528; 147.46639
WebsiteWagga Wagga Airport
Map
YSWG is located in New South Wales
YSWG
YSWG
Location in New South Wales
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
05/23 1,768 5,801 Asphalt
12/30 894 2,933 Clay
Statistics (2018–19[1])
Passengers206,912
Aircraft movements6,692
Sources: Australian AIP and aerodrome chart.[2] Passengers and aircraft movements from Bureau of Infrastructure & Transport Research Economics.[3]

History

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Establishment

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QantasLink Bombardier Dash 8
 
Rex Airlines Saab 340B

During 1939, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) were looking to establish an inland training base. Pursuing this, Group Captain Harry Cobby (top scoring World War I ace) contacted Wagga resident Hughie Condon and asked him to suggest possible sites suitable for the establishment of an RAAF station. Condon was well suited to the task, being regional Examiner of Airmen with the Department of Defence. He recommended a site at the village of Forest Hill, this being situated about five nautical miles east of Wagga. The site was situated above the Murrumbidgee flood plain and was of suitable dimension. It was already serviced by rail, offered frontage to the Sturt Highway, and was sufficiently distant from the town of Wagga Wagga. Cobby flew to inspect the site, arriving in an RAAF Avro Anson. He agreed with Condon's assessment and the go-ahead was soon given. The identified land was resumed from the Brunskill and Lyons families in the first half of 1939 and before long, a Fearnes bus was shuttling workers to the site.

It is of note that this was planned as a permanent base and preceded the Empire Air Training Scheme. At this time the Wagga Wagga Council operated a civilian aerodrome. This was located on Hammond Avenue, East Wagga Wagga. Many other councils had hoped to host the new base. The Mayor of Junee, H.G. Weaver, claimed that Junee was a better choice, claiming it was less susceptible to fog, had flatter surrounding terrain and could offer railway workshops for aircraft repair.

The building layout was carefully designed so as to enable the aircraft landing area to have potential for 'all over' operations. Aircraft could potentially touch down anywhere, in any direction, according to the pilots' operational needs.

RAAF Forest Hill became operational on 29 July 1940 and initially was home to 2SFTS. Service Flying Training Schools conducted advanced training of graduates of the Elementary Flying Training Schools.

At the close of World War II, civilian flying recommenced. A decision was made to accommodate civilian flying operations at Forest Hill. A Bellman hangar was allocated for civilian use and Mobil/Vacuum installed an aircraft refuelling facility. At this time the council aerodrome on Hammond Avenue fell into disuse.

Post war expansion

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With new transport aircraft, such as the Convair Metropolitan, coming into widespread use, it was decided to construct a bitumen runway. This was timed so as to be completed for Elizabeth II's visit to Wagga in 1954.[8][9][10] The introduction of Fokker F28 regional jets by Airlines of New South Wales in 1983 to serve larger regional centres across the state necessitated further upgrades to Wagga Wagga Airport. The Federal Government funded the construction of a control tower and Air Traffic Control facilities.[11] A new 780 m2 (8,400 sq ft) terminal building with separated arrival and departure areas and a kiosk was also constructed as part of the upgrade, replacing the 1940s facilities which had become crowded and inadequate. Surrounding the terminal, additional apron space was provided to simultaneously accommodate a regional jet, two commuter aircraft and one military transport (such as a C-130). A 200 m (660 ft) extension of runway 05/23 and full-length parallel taxiway was also investigated, but the government did not proceed with these works. At the time, projections indicated that the number of passengers handled by the airport would grow from 88,000 to over 130,000 per year by 2000, when there were expected to be 31,880 annual aircraft movements.[12]

 
Royal Australian Air Force Boeing 737-BBJ

On 28 January 1992 the Wagga Wagga City Council secured a 30-year lease from the Federal Government which included a A$2 million to upgrade the airport's runway to allow it to handle Boeing 737s.[13]

21st century

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In December 2009, a A$2.2 million upgrade to increase its capacity for future growth and to improve the security at the airport was completed.[14]

On 27 May 2010, the then Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development & Local Government Anthony Albanese announced that the Federal Government would provide funding worth $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.[15][16] The ILS was commissioned by Airservices Australia on 16 December 2010.[17]

Wagga Wagga City Council publicly released the Wagga Wagga Airport draft master plan in April 2010, to guide the airport's development to meet the city's projected growth over the next 20 years, including a new passenger terminal capable of supporting Boeing 737 sized jets.[18][19]

In April 2011, a joint tender for security upgrades for baggage and passenger screening was called for Wagga Wagga, Tamworth and Dubbo Airports, which was set to be completed by July 2012.[20] Wagga Wagga City Council was to 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.[21]

In the 2011–12 financial year, Wagga Wagga City Council planned to develop a commercial aviation precinct at a cost of A$6.8 million, to attract aviation industries to the airport. The council would also allocate A$1.5 million for construction of 29 hangars for general aviation. The airport improvements funding were to be partly paid by the introduction of parking fees at the airport's carpark.[21]

Facilities

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Heavy maintenance

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Rex Airlines heavy maintenance facility

In 1996, Hazelton Airlines opened the largest maintenance base in regional Australia with a 1,430 square metre hangar.[22][23] It is now Rex Airlines' heavy maintenance facility for its Saab 340 aircraft.[24][25]

Douglas Aerospace, a maintenance facility that specialises in painting aircraft has been based at the airport since 2012.[26] Clients include military, corporate and airline operators. A former Virgin Australia Boeing 737 was repainted into the new Rex Airlines livery at the Wagga Wagga paint facility, before the type entered service with the airline. However they only painted one before the contract stated that the rest be painted elsewhere.[27]

Rex pilot academy

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Australian Airline Pilot Academy hangar

The Australian Airline Pilot Academy campus at Wagga Wagga Airport was officially opened by Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development & Local Government, Anthony Albanese on 27 May 2010, after relocating from Mangalore Airport in Victoria.[28] The Academy operates a fleet of Piper PA-28 Warrior and Piper PA-44 Seminole from Wagga Wagga Airport. The campus provides residential accommodation and academic facilities for up to 200 cadets annually, as well as a simulator centre equipped with three Civil Aviation Safety Authority approved Category B synthetic trainers[6] and a Saab 340 Full flight simulator.[29]

Airlines and destinations

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JetGo Embraer ERJ 140LR
AirlinesDestinations
QantasLink Brisbane,[30] Melbourne,[31] Sydney
Rex AirlinesMelbourne, Sydney

Passenger statistics

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Passenger terminal
Annual passenger statistics for Wagga Wagga Airport[3]
Year[1] Passenger numbers
2006–07 203,798
2007–08 225,394
2008–09 209,279
2009–10 208,866
2010–11 213,923
2011–12 207,633
2012–13 206,381
2013–14 210,934
2014–15 209,671
2015–16 214,247
2016–17 217,021
2017–18 224,499
2018–19 206,912
2019–20 151,319
2020–21 71,862

References

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  1. ^ a b c Fiscal year 1 July – 30 June
  2. ^ a b YSWG – Wagga Wagga (PDF). AIP En Route Supplement from Airservices Australia, effective 13 June 2024, Aeronautical Chart
  3. ^ a b c "Airport Traffic Data 1985-86 to 2020-21". Bureau of Infrastructure & Transport Research Economics. November 2021. Archived from the original on 9 December 2019. Retrieved 21 November 2021. Refers to "Regular Public Transport (RPT) operations only"
  4. ^ "Airport" (PDF). City of Wagga Wagga. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 20 June 2008.
  5. ^ "CASA has 'no concerns' with Regional Express Airlines plane safety following claims of rust on engine". ABC News. 9 July 2019.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ a b "Rex opens new AAPA campus". Australian Flying. 9 June 2010. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  7. ^ Mark Evans (18 November 2021). "Wagga Wagga: Home to Regional Express and the Royal Australian Air Force". Airline Geeks. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  8. ^ Transcript of interview with grandson of H. Condon by F. Burke.
  9. ^ Sydney Morning Herald 11 March 1939
  10. ^ "RAAF Base Wagga - A short history" (PDF). Wagga Wagga & District Historical Society. 2012. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 October 2022. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  11. ^ Wagga Australian Aviation issue 126 March 1997 page 23
  12. ^ "Upgrading of Facilities for Introduction of F28 Aircraft, Wagga Wagga Airport" (PDF). Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works. 1984. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  13. ^ Effective Regional Aviation Services-An Airport perspective Bureau of Infrastructure & Transport Research Economics 15 June 2006
  14. ^ "Wagga airport to get fewer security cameras". ABC Riverina. 6 December 2007. Retrieved 20 June 2008.
  15. ^ Wood, Patrick (28 May 2010). "$1.05m funding for new landing system". The Daily Advertiser. Retrieved 28 May 2010.
  16. ^ "Wagga Wagga Airport to get ILS". Aviation Business. 28 May 2010. Retrieved 28 May 2010.
  17. ^ "Wagga ILS operational". Australian Aviation. 16 December 2010. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
  18. ^ Muir, Stephanie (12 April 2010). "Council drafts airport plans". The Daily Advertiser. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
  19. ^ Muir, Stephanie (23 April 2010). "Airport plans to spread its wings". The Daily Advertiser. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
  20. ^ "New look for Tamworth Airport". Tamworth: ABC New England North West. 28 April 2011. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
  21. ^ a b Grimson, Ken (29 April 2011). "Paid parking at airport, a plan to bring jobs to city". The Daily Advertiser. p. 8.
  22. ^ Wagga Wagga Australian Aviation issue 115 March 1996 page 22
  23. ^ Kendell opens new hangar Australian Aviation issue 124 December 1996 page 23
  24. ^ "Certificate of Approval" (PDF). Civil Aviation Safety Authority. 16 June 2009. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
  25. ^ "Regional Express Engineering – Excellence in SAAB". Business Wagga Wagga. Wagga Wagga City Council. 15 February 2011. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
  26. ^ Nash, Kree (26 September 2011). "Douglas Aerospace set to take off in Wagga". The Daily Advertiser. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
  27. ^ "PPG Supplies Rex Airlines with Coatings for Aircraft Livery Repaint". Business Wire. 21 April 2021.
  28. ^ "Reaching for the sky". The Daily Advertiser. 28 May 2010. Retrieved 28 May 2010.
  29. ^ "Rex opens Saab 340 Sim". Australian Aviation. 29 April 2014.
  30. ^ Martinich, Rex (5 November 2021). "Direct Brisbane flights returning to city's airport in early 2022". The Daily Advertiser.
  31. ^ Cockburn, Gerard (18 December 2020). "Qantas reveals new flights for 2021". News.com.au. NCA NewsWire. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
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