Tamworth Regional Airport Explained

Tamworth Airport
Iata:TMW
Icao:YSTW
Type:Public
Owner-Oper:Tamworth Regional Council
City-Served:Tamworth, New South Wales, Australia
Elevation-F:1,334
Website:tamworth.nsw.gov.au
Coordinates:-31.0839°N 150.8494°W
Pushpin Map:New South Wales
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in New South Wales
Pushpin Label:YSTW
Metric-Rwy:y
R1-Number:12L/30R
R1-Length-M:2,200
R1-Surface:Asphalt
R2-Number:12R/30L
R2-Length-M:1,110
R2-Surface:Asphalt
R3-Number:18/36
R3-Length-M:1,020
R3-Surface:Grass/clay
R4-Number:06/24
R4-Length-M:842
R4-Surface:Grass/clay
Stat-Year:2016–17
Stat1-Header:Revenue passengers
Stat1-Data:189,628
Stat2-Header:Aircraft movements
Stat2-Data:77,426
Footnotes:Sources: Australian AIP and aerodrome chart.[1] Passengers (financial year) from BITRE. Aircraft movements (calendar year) from Airservices Australia.[2]

Tamworth Airport is a regional airport serving Tamworth, a city in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is located 10km (10miles) from the town centre, on New Winton Road.[3] The airport is owned and operated by the Tamworth Regional Council and is listed as being 5NM west of the city.[4] It is also known as Tamworth Regional Airport.

Tamworth Airport is the northern base of the Hunter Region Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter Service and the location for IFTT Flight Training College, and CAE Oxford Aviation Academy Tamworth.[5]

History

No. 6 Elementary Flying Training School of the Royal Australian Air Force was formed in 1940, during the Second World War, at the original airfield (located in what is now the Taminda industrial area) as part of the Empire Air Training Scheme.[6] Training included 50 hours of basic aviation instruction on a simple trainer like the Tiger Moth. Pilots who showed promise went on to advanced training at a Service Flying Training School. Others went on to different specialties, such as Wireless Schools, Air Observer Schools or Bombing and Gunnery Schools. The RAAF airfield went on to become the original home of East West Airlines after World War II.

In 1951 a decision was taken to relocate the aerodrome with the council commencing construction in 1952 and the official opening of the new airport in 1956. The airport received a further upgrade to medium jet standard in 1982. The addition of the 1110m (3,640feet) parallel runway and associated facility expansion was undertaken between 1990 and 1993 as part of the establishment of the British Aerospace/Ansett pilot training joint venture which has evolved into the Bae systems college. Bae systems withdrew from Tamworth Airport in 2020 and the college facilities were re-branded as International Flight Training Tamworth (IFTT), under the ownership of Tamworth Regional Council, with CAE Oxford Aviation Academy Tamworth remaining on site.

The Tamworth Airport terminal expansion was completed in June 2012, to facilitate the commencement of passenger screening. A further expansion was carried out in 2014 to accommodate operations by additional carriers.

During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the flight training school was converted into accommodation for the local boarding school Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School to comply with social distancing regulations.

Facilities

The airport resides at an elevation of 1334feet above mean sea level. It has two asphalt paved runways: 12L/30R measuring 2200x and 12R/30L measuring 1110x. It also has two runways with a grassed brown clay surface: 18/36 measuring 1020x and 06/24 measuring 842x. The latest terminal upgrade was completed in 2019 with an enlarged departure lounge, new cafe and hire car facilities, relocated and enlarged Qantas lounge in addition to a multipurpose function room and airport administration office.

Statistics

Tamworth Airport was ranked 38th in Australia for the number of revenue passengers served in financial year 2022–2023.[7] [8]

See also

Notes and References

  1. , Aeronautical Chart
  2. Web site: Movements at Australian Airports . . 21 January 2013 . 11 April 2013.
  3. Web site: Airport Guide: Tamworth Airport . . 2 August 2011.
  4. Web site: Tamworth Regional Airport . . 2 August 2011.
  5. News: IndiGo Cadet Pilot Programme - International Pathway. 2018-09-23. en.
  6. Web site: Elementary Flying Training Schools . . 28 February 2011.
  7. [Fiscal year]
  8. Web site: Airport Traffic Data 1985-86 to 2022-23 . Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE) . 1 May 2024 . 17 April 2024 . Refers to "Regular Public Transport (RPT) operations only"