Bankstown Airport

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 when the Department of Civil Aviation attained {{convert|630|acre|km2}} of land for development as a Royal Australian Air Force (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.Mellor D P, Australia in the War of 1939–1945, Series 4 – Civil – Volume V – The Role of Science and Industry, Australian War Museum, Canberra, 1958, page 37ff 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.White, K, Brief History of RAAF Station,Bankstown NSW, Australian Aviation Museum, Bankstown, 2001, page 3

During World War II, Bankstown Airport was used by the United States Army Air Forces, 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 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.{{Cite web|url=http://www.lockoweb.com/Final%20Draft.htm|title=History of Bankstown airport|website=www.lockoweb.com|access-date=8 November 2016}}

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 combat aircraft there in 1942.{{cite book |last=Wilson |first=Stewart |date=1990 |title=Beaufort, Beaufighter and Mosquito in Australian Service |location=Weston Creek, ACT |publisher=Aerospace Publications |pages=157–160 |isbn=0-9587978-4-6 }}

• No. 2 Aircraft Park RAAF
• No. 451 Squadron RAAF
• 4th Fighter Squadron of 35th Pursuit Group
• 39th Fighter Squadron of 35th Pursuit Group
• 41st Fighter Squadron of 35th Pursuit Group
• 7th Fighter Squadron of 49th Pursuit[http://www.afhra.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=9762 7th Fighter Squadron] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081009110917/http://www.afhra.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=9762 |date=9 October 2008 }}
• Royal Naval Air Station Bankstown, HMS Nabberley

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File:Sale of RAAF CT4 Trainers at Bankstown Aerodrome May 1993 (4).jpg

In 1970, the government put forth a proposal to expand the airport's operations, but this was vigorously opposed by the local community.{{cite book | last =Maltby | first =Kathy |author2=Rosen, Sue | title =From Settlement to City | publisher=Bankstown City Council | page = 13 }}

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.{{cite web|url= https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/33040|title= ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 33040 - Socata TB10 Tobago VH-BXC 16-SEP-1982|access-date=6 January 2020}}{{cite web|url=http://www.aussieairliners.org/dc-3/vh-aeu/vhaeu.html|title=VH-AEU. Douglas C-47-DL. c/n 6108. Badly damaged during crash of a suicidal pilot at Bankstown Airport|access-date=March 26, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923180256/http://www.aussieairliners.org/dc-3/vh-aeu/vhaeu.html|archive-date=September 23, 2015|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}{{cite web|url =https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5853365/the_age/|title=Plane crashes at Bankstown, pg5, The Age, 16 September 1982|access-date=11 July 2016|publisher=Newspapers.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5853358/the_sydney_morning_herald/|title=WOZNIAK, Philip Henryk (death notice), pg30, The Sydney Morning Herald, 22 September 1982|access-date=11 July 2016|publisher=Newspapers.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5853328/the_sydney_morning_herald/|title=No inquest on plane death, pg14, The Sydney Morning Herald, 09 February 1983|access-date=11 July 2016|publisher=Newspapers.com}}

Today, Bankstown Airport is Sydney's primary general aviation airport, and also serves charter and cargo flights for various companies and carriers.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bankstownairport.com.au/Aviation/Aviation_Essentials/Sydney_Metro_Airport_Bankstown/Our_Vision_for_Australias_Premier_General_Aviation_Airport.aspx|title=Our Vision for Australia's Premier General Aviation Airport |website=www.bankstownairport.com.au |publisher=Bankstown Airport Limited |access-date=2 November 2016}}

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.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bankstownairport.com.au/assets/documents/6.%20Appendix%20B%20-%20Airport%20Environment%20Strategy.pdf|title=Airport Environment Strategy 2014|date=2014|website=Bankstown Airport}}

File:YSBK passenger terminal with aeroplane.JPG on the right, October 2016]]

File:Bankstown Airport control tower distant.JPG

The airport has three parallel runways. The primary runway (11C/29C) is {{Convert|1416|x|30|m|abbr=on}}. Bankstown has its own dedicated air traffic control tower, operated by Airservices Australia, and uses Class D airspace procedures.{{cite web |title=Tips for flying at Bankstown |url=http://www.airservicesaustralia.com/wp-content/uploads/17-0093-FAC_Tips-for-flying-at-Bankstown.pdf |publisher=Air Services Australia |access-date=26 December 2018}}

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.{{Cite web|url=http://www.airportguide.com.au/new-south-wales/bankstown-airport.htm|title=Bankstown Airport Guide Airlines Accommodation Car Minivan Limousine Rental Guide To Australia Airports Bankstown NSW|website=www.airportguide.com.au|access-date=29 October 2016}}

The terminal plays host to numerous events year round such as the annual Sydney Aviation Model Show.[http://www.sydneyaviationmodelshow.com.au/ Sydney Aviation Model Show] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090916091801/http://www.sydneyaviationmodelshow.com.au/ |date=16 September 2009 }}File:Jetcraft Aviation (VH-TOX) ATR 42-300 at Bankstown Airport.jpg cargo aircraft at Bankstown Airport, November 2016]]

{{Airport-dest-list

|Toll Group{{Cite web|url=http://www.tollgroup.com/toll-priority-branch-locations|title=Toll Priority Branch Locations|website=tollgroup.com|publisher=Toll Group|access-date=21 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161022093953/http://www.tollgroup.com/toll-priority-branch-locations|archive-date=22 October 2016|url-status=dead}}|Brisbane, Melbourne

}}

Image:University of NSW flight training hangar.JPG School of Aviation with some of the school's training aircraft, October 2016]]The following organisations have operating bases at Bankstown Airport:

• New South Wales Ambulance{{Cite web|url=http://www.ambulance.nsw.gov.au/Media/docs/Bankstown%20Helicopter%20Base%20v5-38aaf27d-b237-4e31-bad6-a61b846166b9-2.PDF|title=Bankstown Helicopter Base|website=NSW Ambulance|publisher=NSW Government|access-date=6 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170305002642/http://www.ambulance.nsw.gov.au/Media/docs/Bankstown%20Helicopter%20Base%20v5-38aaf27d-b237-4e31-bad6-a61b846166b9-2.PDF|archive-date=5 March 2017|url-status=dead}}
• New South Wales Police Aviation Support Branch{{Broken anchor|date=2025-01-01|bot=User:Cewbot/log/20201008/configuration|target_link=New South Wales Police Force#Police Aviation Support Branch|reason= The anchor (Police Aviation Support Branch) has been deleted.}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/nswgovdirectory/aviation-support-branch-air-wing|title=Aviation Support Branch (Air Wing)|last=Anonymous|date=24 October 2013|website=www.service.nsw.gov.au|access-date=28 October 2016}}
• Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia{{Cite web|url=https://www.flyingdoctor.org.au/nswact/|title=RFDS in your state – NSW&ACT {{!}} Royal Flying Doctor Service|website=www.flyingdoctor.org.au|access-date=3 October 2016}}

The Australian Aviation Museum was located at Bankstown Airport when the museum opened in February 1994. It closed at Bankstown in 2016 and was intended to be reopened at the less busy Camden airport in 2017, but this public relocation did not take place.{{Cite web|url=http://www.australianaviationmuseum.com.au//|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180113000831/http://www.australianaviationmuseum.com.au//|url-status=dead|archive-date=2018-01-13|title=Home, AustralianAviationMuseum.com.au is dedicated to the preservation of Australia's rich aviation heritage. Bankstown Airport, Sydney. – AustralianAviationMuseum.com.au}}[https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/south-west/business-estate-prompts-australian-aviation-museum-at-bankstown-airport-to-shift-to-camden-airport/news-story/15b95de511114667d64572a192887eba Business estate prompts Australian Aviation Museum at Bankstown Airport to shift to Camden Airport] Daily Telegraph 16 September 2015 The collection remains in storage in Camden under the control of the family of the now deceased original private collector, with access restricted to aviation restoration experts.

One of the hangars at Bankstown 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.navair.com.au/cosmopolitan-autumn-2014/|title=Cosmopolitan Autumn Fashion Shoot 2014|publisher=Navair|access-date=30 May 2014}}

• List of airports in Greater Sydney
• List of airports in New South Wales
• Transport in Australia
• United States Army Air Forces in Australia (World War II)

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{{Air Force Historical Research Agency}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Bankstown Airport}}

• [http://www.bankstownairport.com.au/ Bankstown Airport website]
• {{ASN|BWU}}

{{Portal bar|New South Wales|Aviation}}

{{Airports in Australia}}

{{Airports in New South Wales}}

{{City of Canterbury-Bankstown topics}}

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Category:Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in Australia

Category:Airports established in 1940

Category:Airports in Greater Sydney

Category:Bankstown, New South Wales

Category:Sydney in World War II

Category:1940 establishments in Australia