Canberra International Airport
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| Canberra International Airport | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| IATA: CBR - ICAO: YSCB | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | public | ||
| Operator | Capital Airport Group | ||
| Serves | Canberra, Australian Capital Territory | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 1888 ft (575 m) | ||
| Coordinates | |||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 17/35 | 8882 | 2680 | Asphalt |
| 12/30 | 5509 | 1679 | Asphalt |
The Canberra International Airport (IATA: CBR, ICAO: YSCB) is the airport serving Australia's national capital, Canberra. It is divided into three sections: the passenger terminal and general aviation facility on one side of the main runway, the ex-air force base on the other, which houses the government's VIP transport squadron and is used by visiting heads of state and military aircraft in transit, and a retail and mixed use section on Majura Road. Although there are no current international flight services, a service to Fiji operated briefly in 2004.
Today, the airport is a hub for flights to south eastern Australia. The airport today can handle traffic from Melbourne Airport or Sydney International (Kingsford Smith International), where weather conditions restrict landings.
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[edit] Location
The airport is located near the semi-rural suburb of Pialligo about 10 minutes drive from the city centre and also a 10 minute drive to Queanbeyan. Approach and departure corridors lie over largely unpopulated areas, although moves have been made to create housing estates under flight paths over the territory border in New South Wales.
[edit] History
The airport was built up from an old airstrip that was first laid down in the 1920s, not long after the National Capital site was decided on. In 1939 it was taken over by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), with an area leased out for civil aviation. From 1962 it was known as RAAF Base Fairbairn. The site was sold to Canberra International Airport in 1998 and the RAAF area was leased back by the Department of Defence. It was decommissioned as a RAAF base in 2003, although one squadron remains based there.
[edit] Recent expansion
The airport was sold by the Commonwealth to local businessman Terry Snow in the 1998, and in the intervening years a series of upgrades have taken place at the airport including major terminal upgrades as well as a number of office buildings which have been built at Brindabella Business Park. Several new hangars have been erected in both Fairbairn and near the terminal. An outlet centre has been established along Majura Road, which is operated by Brand Depot. A 600m runway extension is under construction, as well as upgrades to runway systems.
[edit] Accidents
On 13 August 1940, in what became known as the Canberra air disaster, a RAAF Lockheed Hudson crashed immediately after takeoff into a small hill to the east of the airport. Killed in the accident were six passengers and four crew including the Chief of the General Staff and three Federal government ministers. James Fairbairn, Minister for Air and Civil Aviation, was one of those killed and the airport was subsequently named after him.
[edit] Airlines & Destinations
- Qantas (Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney)
- QantasLink (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane)
- Virgin Blue (Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne)
- Brindabella Airlines (Albury, Newcastle, Traralgon)
[edit] Previous Services
- Hobart HBA - Tasair flew twice weekly direct to Hobart until late 2005.
- Nadi - Air Pacific
- Many Destinations - Ansett Australia
