Alice Springs Airport
Encyclopedia
Alice Springs Airport is a small regional airport 14 kilometres south of Alice Springs
in the Northern Territory
of Australia.
The airport has two runway
s, the largest of which can accommodate a Boeing 747
or 777
landing
(but not a fully laden takeoff
due to high temperatures and the runway length). The only scheduled flights using the airport are domestic, although international charters do use the airport on occasions. The airport is not subject to a curfew and operates 24 hours a day.
In the year ending 30 June 2009, the airport handled 674,215 passengers making it the 17th busiest airport in Australia.
The facility is also extensively used to launch stratospheric research balloon
s; the runways used for a balloon launch are closed for aircraft traffic during the balloon launch process.
(later to become Connair) was based there from 1939. The military buildup in the north of Australia in the late 1930s saw the need for an airport that could take larger and heavier aircraft. This led to the construction of Seven Mile Aerodrome and the diminished role of the Town Site Drome from 1946 until its eventual abandonment in 1968. It is now the site of the Central Australian Aviation Museum.
Seven Mile Aerodrome was originally built in 1940 by the Australian Department of Defence
and was used primarily by the Royal Australian Air Force
and the United States Air Force
, to bring troops and supplies into the area. The airport became the main transit base for RAAF transport planes during World War II
. Several civilian aircraft were permitted at the airport, but during the war its primary purpose was military as a refuelling and staging facility, as the airport was strategically located near the Pacific Theater of Operations
. No. 57 Operational Base Unit (RAAF) ran and maintained the aerodrome.
In 1958 it officially became Alice Springs Airport. The main runway was extended to its present length of 2,438 metres in 1961.
During the 2006–07 period there was a total of 628,000 domestic passengers.
. On 15 November 1972, an Ansett
Fokker F27 Friendship
was hijacked after taking off from Adelaide Airport. The hijacker, Miloslav Hrabinec, threatened the pilot with a rifle and demanded to be given a parachute
and flown to the desert. He was convinced to allow the plane to land at Alice Springs, where he engaged in a shoot-out with Northern Territory Police
, critically wounding a police officer before shooting himself in the head.
(FAC) assumed control of the airport. On 10 June 1998, the Government of Australia
granted a 50 year lease plus a 49 year option to Northern Territory Airports Pty Ltd. Northern Territory Airports is 100% owned by Airport Developments Group (which also operates Tennant Creek Airport
). Northern Territory Airports Pty Ltd has 100% ownership of Alice Springs Airport Pty Ltd (along with the Darwin International Airport
).
The facility is to be operated by Asia Pacific Aircraft Storage Ltd (APAS) which chose Alice Springs because its dry, arid climate is perfect for aircraft storage and preservation. The facility will store commercial aircraft not in use, as well as those planes that have been decommissioned from service and which will be stripped of parts to be re-cycled, such as engines, electronics and wiring.
. As of February 2008, nothing has been confirmed with Virgin Australia having not made an official announcement regarding the return, however the carrier has announced direct daily services to and from nearby Ayers Rock Airport
from August 2010.
Alice Springs, Northern Territory
Alice Springs is the second largest town in the Northern Territory of Australia. Popularly known as "the Alice" or simply "Alice", Alice Springs is situated in the geographic centre of Australia near the southern border of the Northern Territory...
in the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
of Australia.
The airport has two runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
s, the largest of which can accommodate a Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
or 777
Boeing 777
The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model...
landing
Landing
thumb|A [[Mute Swan]] alighting. Note the ruffled feathers on top of the wings indicate that the swan is flying at the [[Stall |stall]]ing speed...
(but not a fully laden takeoff
Takeoff
Takeoff is the phase of flight in which an aerospace vehicle goes from the ground to flying in the air.For horizontal takeoff aircraft this usually involves starting with a transition from moving along the ground on a runway. For balloons, helicopters and some specialized fixed-wing aircraft , no...
due to high temperatures and the runway length). The only scheduled flights using the airport are domestic, although international charters do use the airport on occasions. The airport is not subject to a curfew and operates 24 hours a day.
In the year ending 30 June 2009, the airport handled 674,215 passengers making it the 17th busiest airport in Australia.
The facility is also extensively used to launch stratospheric research balloon
Balloon
A balloon is an inflatable flexible bag filled with a gas, such as helium, hydrogen, nitrous oxide, oxygen, or air. Modern balloons can be made from materials such as rubber, latex, polychloroprene, or a nylon fabric, while some early balloons were made of dried animal bladders, such as the pig...
s; the runways used for a balloon launch are closed for aircraft traffic during the balloon launch process.
History
On 5 October 1921 the first aircraft landed at the original airport located in the Alice Springs township. Connellan AirwaysConnellan Airways
Connellan Airways was an Australian air services company that was founded by Edward Connellan and operated in northern Australia.-The beginnings:...
(later to become Connair) was based there from 1939. The military buildup in the north of Australia in the late 1930s saw the need for an airport that could take larger and heavier aircraft. This led to the construction of Seven Mile Aerodrome and the diminished role of the Town Site Drome from 1946 until its eventual abandonment in 1968. It is now the site of the Central Australian Aviation Museum.
Seven Mile Aerodrome was originally built in 1940 by the Australian Department of Defence
Department of Defence (Australia)
The Australian Department of Defence is a Federal Government Department. It forms part of the Australian Defence Organisation along with the Australian Defence Force . The Defence mission is to defend Australia and its national interests...
and was used primarily by the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
and the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
, to bring troops and supplies into the area. The airport became the main transit base for RAAF transport planes during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Several civilian aircraft were permitted at the airport, but during the war its primary purpose was military as a refuelling and staging facility, as the airport was strategically located near the Pacific Theater of Operations
Pacific Theater of Operations
The Pacific Theater of Operations was the World War II area of military activity in the Pacific Ocean and the countries bordering it, a geographic scope that reflected the operational and administrative command structures of the American forces during that period...
. No. 57 Operational Base Unit (RAAF) ran and maintained the aerodrome.
In 1958 it officially became Alice Springs Airport. The main runway was extended to its present length of 2,438 metres in 1961.
Units based at Seven Mile Aerodrome
- No. 57 Operational Base Unit RAAF ran and maintained the aerodrome during World War II.
- No. 87 Squadron RAAFNo. 87 Squadron RAAFNo. 87 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force air intelligence squadron. The Squadron saw action during World War II as a photo reconnaissance squadron.-World War II:...
was based at the aerodrome for a period of time to undertake aerial topographic survey work during World War II.
Today
During 2005–06 a total of 607,000 domestic passengers passed through Alice Springs Airport.During the 2006–07 period there was a total of 628,000 domestic passengers.
| Year | Total Passengers | Domestic |
|---|---|---|
| 2001–02 | 520,000 | 520,000 |
| 2002–03 | 570,000 | 570,000 |
| 2003–04 | 603,000 | 603,000 |
| 2004–05 | 603,000 | 603,000 |
| 2005–06 | 607,000 | 607,000 |
| 2006–07 | 628,000 | 628,000 |
| 2007–08 | 630,000 | 630,000 |
1972 hijacking
Alice Springs Airport was the site of the resolution of Australia's first domestic aircraft hijackingAircraft hijacking
Aircraft hijacking is the unlawful seizure of an aircraft by an individual or a group. In most cases, the pilot is forced to fly according to the orders of the hijackers. Occasionally, however, the hijackers have flown the aircraft themselves, such as the September 11 attacks of 2001...
. On 15 November 1972, an Ansett
Ansett Australia
Ansett Australia, Ansett, Ansett Airlines of Australia, or ANSETT-ANA as it was commonly known in earlier years, was a major Australian airline group, based in Melbourne. The airlines flew domestically within Australia and to destinations in Asia during its operation in 1996...
Fokker F27 Friendship
Fokker F27
The Fokker F27 Friendship is a turboprop airliner designed and built by the Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker.-Design and development:Design of the Fokker F27 started in the 1950s as a replacement to the successful Douglas DC-3 airliner...
was hijacked after taking off from Adelaide Airport. The hijacker, Miloslav Hrabinec, threatened the pilot with a rifle and demanded to be given a parachute
Parachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...
and flown to the desert. He was convinced to allow the plane to land at Alice Springs, where he engaged in a shoot-out with Northern Territory Police
Northern Territory Police
The Northern Territory Police is the police body that has legal jurisdiction over the Northern Territory of Australia. This police service has 1302 gazetted police positions made up of 55 Senior Sergeants, 200 Sergeants, 741 Constables, 159 Auxiliaries, and 84 Aboriginal Community Police Officers...
, critically wounding a police officer before shooting himself in the head.
1977 suicide pilot
Tragedy struck the airport again on 5 January 1977, when a former employee of Connair, Colin Richard Forman, flew a stolen aircraft into the Connair offices (formerly Connellan Airways) located at the airport, killing himself and three of the airline's employees. A woman working in the offices suffered severe burns and died several days later.Privatization
On 1 April 1989 the Federal Airports CorporationFederal Airports Corporation
The Federal Airports Corporation was a business enterprise of the Government of Australia responsible for the operation of major passenger airports in Australia. At the beginning of 1997 the corporation operated 22 airports and handled over 60 million passenger annually.It was established by an...
(FAC) assumed control of the airport. On 10 June 1998, the Government of Australia
Government of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a federal constitutional monarchy under a parliamentary democracy. The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 as a result of an agreement among six self-governing British colonies, which became the six states...
granted a 50 year lease plus a 49 year option to Northern Territory Airports Pty Ltd. Northern Territory Airports is 100% owned by Airport Developments Group (which also operates Tennant Creek Airport
Tennant Creek Airport
Tennant Creek Airport is a small regional airport located near Tennant Creek, Northern Territory, Australia.Located one kilometre from the remote outback township of Tennant Creek, the airport caters to mining companies and small predominantly Aboriginal communities in the surrounding area,...
). Northern Territory Airports Pty Ltd has 100% ownership of Alice Springs Airport Pty Ltd (along with the Darwin International Airport
Darwin International Airport
Darwin International Airport is the busiest airport serving the Northern Territory and the tenth busiest airport in Australia. It is the only airport serving Darwin....
).
Aircraft Boneyard
On 27 May 2011 it was announced that Alice Springs Airport had been selected to be the first large-scale aircraft "boneyard" outside the United States, with the first aircraft for storage to arrive early in 2012.The facility is to be operated by Asia Pacific Aircraft Storage Ltd (APAS) which chose Alice Springs because its dry, arid climate is perfect for aircraft storage and preservation. The facility will store commercial aircraft not in use, as well as those planes that have been decommissioned from service and which will be stripped of parts to be re-cycled, such as engines, electronics and wiring.
Domestic
| Rank | Airport | Passengers (Thousands) | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Melbourne AirportMelbourne Airport Melbourne Airport , also known as Tullamarine Airport, is the primary airport serving the city of Melbourne and the second busiest in Australia. It was opened in 1970 to replace the nearby Essendon Airport. Melbourne Airport is the sole international airport of the four airports serving the... |
141,700 | 3.5 |
| Rank | Airport | Passengers | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Melbourne Airport Melbourne Airport Melbourne Airport , also known as Tullamarine Airport, is the primary airport serving the city of Melbourne and the second busiest in Australia. It was opened in 1970 to replace the nearby Essendon Airport. Melbourne Airport is the sole international airport of the four airports serving the... |
11,800 | 3.6 |
Airlines and destinations
Virgin Australia
It is speculated that Virgin Australia, which ceased operations to Sydney in November 2004 and to Adelaide in September 2005, may make a return to the red centre using its new Embraer E-JetsEmbraer E-Jets
The Embraer E-Jets are a series of narrow-body, twin-engine, medium-range, jet airliners produced by Embraer, a Brazilian aerospace conglomerate that produces commercial, military, and corporate aircraft. Announced at the Paris Air Show in 1999, and entering production in 2002, the aircraft series...
. As of February 2008, nothing has been confirmed with Virgin Australia having not made an official announcement regarding the return, however the carrier has announced direct daily services to and from nearby Ayers Rock Airport
Ayers Rock Airport
Ayers Rock Airport is situated near Yulara, around away from Alice Springs, Northern Territory, and 20 minutes drive from Uluru itself. An average of 400,000 passenger movements per year pass through this airport in the middle of Australia.-History:Connellan Airport was originally started by...
from August 2010.