Bairnsdale Airport Explained

Bairnsdale Aerodrome
Iata:BSJ
Icao:YBNS
Type:Public
Operator:East Gippsland Shire Council
Location:Bairnsdale, Victoria
Elevation-F:165
Coordinates:-37.8875°N 147.5678°W
Pushpin Map:Australia Victoria
Pushpin Label:YBNS
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Victoria
Opened: – RAAF Station Bairnsdale[1] [2] [3]
– Civil Airport
Metric-Rwy:Yes
R1-Number:04/22
R1-Length-M:1,101
R1-Surface:Asphalt
R2-Number:13/31
R2-Length-M:850
R2-Surface:Asphalt
Footnotes:Sources: Australian AIP and aerodrome chart[4]

Bairnsdale Airport is located 4NM south west[4] of Bairnsdale, Victoria, Australia, off the Princes Highway.

History

It was originally RAAF Station Bairnsdale, which was a training establishment formed during World War II. No. 1 Operational Training Unit (1OTU) and the General Reconnaissance School (GRS) were based there during the war years.[5] [6] [7] [8] [9]

Operations

The Airport, despite not having passenger service, is used regularly. It is heavily used by Air Ambulance for transporting patients. It also has small fleet maintenance facilities, and is a popular destination for numerous charter flights.[10]

There have been proposals for regional passenger service to return to Bairnsdale to boost tourism in the East Gippsland Region, with flights to Melbourne, and possibly Albury and Sydney. However, these proposals have never became reality.[11]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: AERODROMES: To Be Built at Bairnsdale and Mallacoota . . 11,049 . Victoria, Australia . 5 June 1939 . 3 June 2019 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
  2. News: AERODROME FOR BAIRNSDALE . . 11,061 . Victoria, Australia . 17 July 1939 . 3 June 2019 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
  3. News: Oil Supply Removed From Aerodrome . . 26,580 . Victoria, Australia . 25 June 1940 . 3 June 2019 . 10 . National Library of Australia.,...BAIRNSDALE. Monday. – When three planes arrived at the aerodrome to be refuelled...
  4. , Aeronautical Chart
  5. News: Easter Regattas . . 2273 . Victoria, Australia . 5 April 1944 . 3 June 2019 . 15 (Edition2) . National Library of Australia.
  6. News: Decorated at the Double . . XXVIII . 8 . New South Wales, Australia . 20 April 1946 . 3 June 2019 . 19 . National Library of Australia.
  7. News: DEFENCE PLANS. . . LX . 292 . Queensland, Australia . 8 December 1938 . 3 June 2019 . 7 . National Library of Australia.,...The construction of aerodromes at...Bairnsdale...(Victoria) is part of the Government's plan to develop a chain of landing grounds around the coast for the use of reconnaissance and bombing machines in the event of war...
  8. News: PROPOSAL FOR AERODROME AT BAIRNSDALE . . 9913 . Victoria, Australia . 17 October 1932 . 3 June 2019 . 1 . National Library of Australia.
  9. News: AERODROME SIT AT BAIRNSDALE.: Help Sought from Civil Aviation Department. . . 10,225 . Victoria, Australia . 11 November 1935 . 3 June 2019 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  10. Web site: Bairnsdale Airport . 2022-03-01 . eastgippsland.vic.gov.au . en.
  11. Web site: Hore . Monique . 4 November 2019 . Passenger flights to Bairnsdale Airport floated in bid to boost tourism to regional Victoria . Herald SUn.