Ratmalana Airport
Encyclopedia
Ratmalana Airport , formally known as Colombo Airport, is a major domestic airport and military base in Colombo
, Sri Lanka
. It was once Colombo's international airport, until the current Bandaranaike International Airport
opened in the 1960s. It is now used solely for domestic flights and for military purposes.
(as it then was) made a decision to construct an aerodrome within reach of the capital city of Colombo and decided on Ratmalana as the best site. On 27 November 1935 a de Havilland Puss Moth
flown by Tyndalle Bisco, Chief flying instructor of the Madras Flying Club, was the first aircraft to land at the new airport.
During the Second World War it was used as a Royal Air Force
base, with No 30 Squadron
flying Hawker Hurricane
s from there against Japanese Navy
aircraft. QEA
flew civilianised Consolidated B-24 Liberator
and Avro Lancastrian
aeroplanes there from Perth, Western Australia
, on what was at the time the world's longest non-stop air route. The flight continued after the war with an intermediate re-fueling stop at the Cocos Islands.
Ratmalana airport at one time had the country's main air terminal, with the Douglas DC-3
Dakota and Lockheed Constellation
aeroplanes of Air Ceylon
flying out of it. In 1947, KLM flew Douglas DC-4
Skymasters through the airport on the route from the Netherlands
to the Dutch East Indies
(Indonesia
). In the 1950s, BOAC flew Canadair Argonauts (DC4 with Rolls Royce Merlin engines) from Ratmalana to London. On 11 August 1952, 3 months after the inaugural service of a passenger jet aircraft, BOAC began its Comet service between Colombo and London. Later (March 1962 - March 1971) Air Ceylon operated a Comet service on this route to London.
The domestic airport is undergoing runway renovations and will feature a new first-class terminal and be ready for international flights from private jets and small aircraft by the end of October 2011.
Under the medium-term of the Ratmalana airport development project:
VT-DIH of Indian Airlines was damaged beyond economic repair when the co-pilot retracted the undercarriage during landing.
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. It was once Colombo's international airport, until the current Bandaranaike International Airport
Bandaranaike International Airport
Bandaranaike International Airport is Sri Lanka's only international airport at the moment. Mattala International Airport, when it gets built will be the second International Airport of Sri Lanka. It is located in Katunayake, north of Colombo...
opened in the 1960s. It is now used solely for domestic flights and for military purposes.
History
In 1934 the State Council of CeylonState Council of Ceylon
The State Council of Ceylon was the unicameral legislature for Ceylon , established in 1931 by the Donoughmore Constitution. The State Council gave universal adult franchise to the people of the colony for the first time...
(as it then was) made a decision to construct an aerodrome within reach of the capital city of Colombo and decided on Ratmalana as the best site. On 27 November 1935 a de Havilland Puss Moth
De Havilland Puss Moth
|-See also:-References:* Jackson, A.J. British Civil Aircraft since 1919 . London, Putnam, 1974. ISBN 0-370-10010-7-External links:*...
flown by Tyndalle Bisco, Chief flying instructor of the Madras Flying Club, was the first aircraft to land at the new airport.
During the Second World War it was used as a Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
base, with No 30 Squadron
No. 30 Squadron RAF
No. 30 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the second generation C-130J Hercules from RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire. The squadron operates alongside No. 24 Squadron and No. 47 Squadron all flying the Hercules.-History:...
flying Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
s from there against Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
aircraft. QEA
Qantas
Qantas Airways Limited is the flag carrier of Australia. The name was originally "QANTAS", an initialism for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services". Nicknamed "The Flying Kangaroo", the airline is based in Sydney, with its main hub at Sydney Airport...
flew civilianised Consolidated B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
and Avro Lancastrian
Avro Lancastrian
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Franks, Richard A. The Avro Lancaster, Manchester and Lincoln: A Comprehensive Guide for the Modeller. London: SAM Publications, 2000. ISBN 0-9533465-3-6....
aeroplanes there from Perth, Western Australia
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, on what was at the time the world's longest non-stop air route. The flight continued after the war with an intermediate re-fueling stop at the Cocos Islands.
Ratmalana airport at one time had the country's main air terminal, with the Douglas DC-3
Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
Dakota and Lockheed Constellation
Lockheed Constellation
The Lockheed Constellation was a propeller-driven airliner powered by four 18-cylinder radial Wright R-3350 engines. It was built by Lockheed between 1943 and 1958 at its Burbank, California, USA, facility. A total of 856 aircraft were produced in numerous models, all distinguished by a...
aeroplanes of Air Ceylon
Air Ceylon
Air Ceylon was the flag carrier airline of Sri Lanka from 1947 until 1978, when it was replaced by Air Lanka.- History :...
flying out of it. In 1947, KLM flew Douglas DC-4
Douglas DC-4
The Douglas DC-4 is a four-engined propeller-driven airliner developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company. It served during World War II, in the Berlin Airlift and into the 1960s in a military role...
Skymasters through the airport on the route from the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
to the Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
(Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
). In the 1950s, BOAC flew Canadair Argonauts (DC4 with Rolls Royce Merlin engines) from Ratmalana to London. On 11 August 1952, 3 months after the inaugural service of a passenger jet aircraft, BOAC began its Comet service between Colombo and London. Later (March 1962 - March 1971) Air Ceylon operated a Comet service on this route to London.
The domestic airport is undergoing runway renovations and will feature a new first-class terminal and be ready for international flights from private jets and small aircraft by the end of October 2011.
Airport upgrade
The Government is planning to develop the Ratmalana airport into an international city airport, which would provide services to private jets and small aircraft. In addition facilities at the Ampara, Jaffna, and Koggala airports will be also upgraded. repair to the runway reconfiguration to the aerodrome for the use of corporate jet traffic would be done as a short-term development project of the Ratmalana airport.Improvements to the existing terminal building, repair to the runway, taxiway and apron, reconfiguration to the aerodrome for the use of corporate jet traffic would be done as a short-term development project of the Ratmalana airport.Under the medium-term of the Ratmalana airport development project:
- constructing a new terminal
- Improvements to the existing terminal building
- control tower
- taxiway
- runway development
- road network improvements
- navigational equipment installations
- constructing a terminal for civil movements and apron will be implemented
Passenger
SLAF Ratmalana
Since the 1980s the airfield has been operated by the Sri Lanka Air Force as the SLAF Ratmalana with several operational squadrons based there.Lodger Squadrons
- No. 2 Heavy Transport SquadronNo. 2 Squadron SLAFNo. 2 "Heavy Transport" Squadron is a squadron of the Sri Lanka Air Force. It currently operates the C-130 Hercules and Antonov 32 from SLAF Ratmalana.-History:...
- No. 8 Light Transport SquadronNo. 8 Squadron SLAFNo. 8 "Light Transpor" Squadron is a squadron of the Sri Lanka Air Force. It currently operates the Harbin Y-12 from SLAF Ratmalana. Its roles include light transport, reconnaissance and pilot training for twin engine aircraft.-History:...
Accidents and incidents
On 15 November 1961, Vickers ViscountVickers Viscount
The Vickers Viscount was a British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs, making it the first such aircraft to enter service in the world...
VT-DIH of Indian Airlines was damaged beyond economic repair when the co-pilot retracted the undercarriage during landing.
See also
- ColomboColomboColombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
- Bandaranaike International AirportBandaranaike International AirportBandaranaike International Airport is Sri Lanka's only international airport at the moment. Mattala International Airport, when it gets built will be the second International Airport of Sri Lanka. It is located in Katunayake, north of Colombo...
, Colombo's current international airport - Colombo Hindu College Ratmalana