Vavuniya Airport Explained

Vavuniya Airport
Nativename-A:Tamil: வவுனியா விமான நிலையம்
Sinhala; Sinhalese: වවුනියාව ගුවන්තොටුපළ
Icao:VCCV
Type:Military/Public
Owner:Government of Sri Lanka
Operator:Sri Lanka Air Force
Location:Vavuniya, Sri Lanka
Built:1942
Used:1942 - 1946,
1978 - present
Commander:P. D. K. T. Jyasinghe
Metric-Elev:Yes
Elevation-F:299
Elevation-M:91
Coordinates:8.7412°N 80.498°W
Pushpin Map:Sri Lanka Vavuniya Greater
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in greater Vavuniya
Pushpin Image:Location map of greater Vavuniya.png
Pushpin Label:VCCV
Pushpin Label Position:right
Metric-Rwy:Yes
R1-Number:05/23
R1-Length-F:5000
R1-Length-M:1524
R1-Surface:Asphalt

Vavuniya Airport (Tamil: வவுனியா விமான நிலையம்|translit=Vavuṉiyā Vimāṉa Nilaiyam; Sinhala; Sinhalese: වවුනියාව ගුවන්තොටුපළ|translit=Vavuniyāva Guvantoṭupaḷa) is an air force base and domestic airport in Vavuniya in northern Sri Lanka.[1] [2] Located approximately 1.4km (00.9miles) south of the centre of Vavuniya, the airport is also known as SLAF Vavuniya. Originally built by the Royal Air Force during World War II, it was taken over by the Sri Lanka Air Force in 1978.

History

During World War II the British Royal Air Force built an airfield in Vavuniya in northern Ceylon.[3] A number of RAF squadrons (17, 22, 47, 60, 89, 132, 176, 217) and other units were stationed at the airfield during and immediately after the war.[4] The airfield was also used by the Fleet Air Arm.[5]

A Sri Lanka Air Force detachment moved onto the site on 1 August 1978.[3] [6] The airfield become one of the air force's air bases. The airport is part of a large military complex in Vavuniya that includes Security Forces Headquarters - Wanni.[7]

Lodger squadrons

Notes and References

  1. Web site: VCCV VAVUNIYA. Aeronautical Information Services of Sri Lanka, Airport & Aviation Services.
  2. Web site: VCCV - Airport. Great Circle Mapper.
  3. Web site: Sri Lanka Air Force Base Vavuniya. Sri Lanka Air Force. https://web.archive.org/web/20080303082957/http://www.airforce.lk/est/vav/vav.htm. 3 March 2008. 8 February 2009. dead. dmy-all.
  4. Web site: RAF Stations - V. Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation.
  5. News: Fernando. Hemasiri. Plight of civil aviation in Sri Lanka. The Island (Sri Lanka). 19 May 2005.
  6. News: SLAF - highly professional outfit: Rendering indispensable, humanitarian service. Daily News (Sri Lanka). 3 March 2011.
  7. News: Athas. Iqbal. Vavuniya attack: How it happened and why. The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 14 September 2008. Iqbal Athas.