Katukurunda Airport Explained

Katukurunda Airport
SLAF Katukurunda
Nativename-A:Sinhala; Sinhalese: කටුකුරුන්ද ගුවන්තොටුපළ
Iata:KTY
Icao:VCCN
Type:Military / Public
Owner:Government of Sri Lanka
Operator:Sri Lanka Air Force
Location:Kalutara, Sri Lanka
Metric-Elev:Yes
Elevation-M:3
Coordinates:6.5519°N 79.9786°W
Pushpin Map:Sri Lanka
Pushpin Mapsize:180
Pushpin Relief:yes
Pushpin Label:KTY
Pushpin Map Caption:Location of airport in Sri Lanka
Metric-Rwy:Yes
R1-Number:11/29
R1-Length-M:1006
R1-Surface:Bitumen

Katukurunda Airport (Sinhala; Sinhalese: කටුකුරුන්ද ගුවන්තොටුපළ Katukurunda Guwanthotupala,) is a domestic airport located near the town of Kalutara in Sri Lanka.[1] It is also a military airbase known as Sri Lanka Air Force Katukurunda or SLAF Katukurunda.[2]

The airport is located 2.5NM southeast of the town of Kalutara. It is at an elevation of 3m (10feet) and has one runway designated 11/29 with a bitumen surface measuring .

History

Originally established as the Royal Naval Air Station HMS Ukussa, it was reactivated in 1984 by the Sri Lanka Air Force. It has been the venue for many motor races conducted in association with the Air Force Sports Board and with Sports Ministry approval.

Established in 1944 by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy at its peak it was the largest Royal Naval Air Station, staffed by 300 Officers, 3000 sailors and 100 women from the Women's Royal Naval Service. It serviced more than 100 aircraft at any given time whilst maintaining an aircraft repair yard.

Local civil flying schools provide flight training facilities from the aerodrome.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: VCCN – KATUKURUNDA . AIP Sri Lanka . Aeronautical Information Services of the Airport & Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd . 17 October 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160124210845/http://www.airport.lk/AIS/100-AMD1-13.htm . 2016-01-24 . live.
  2. Web site: Sri Lanka Air Force Katukurunda . AirForce.lk . Sri Lanka Air Force . https://web.archive.org/web/20160126041023/http://airforce.lk/pages.php?pages=katukurunda . 2016-01-26 . live.