Moorabbin Airport

Moorabbin Harry Hawker Airport
Harry Hawker Airport
Melbourne/Moorabbin Airport

Aerial photograph

King Island Airlines plane at Moorabbin
IATA: MBW – ICAO: YMMB
Summary
Airport type Public
Operator Moorabbin Airport Corporation
Serves Melbourne
Location Moorabbin, Victoria, Australia
Hub for Oxford Aviation Academy
Elevation AMSL 50 ft / 15 m
Coordinates 37°58′33″S 145°06′08″E / 37.97583°S 145.10222°ECoordinates: 37°58′33″S 145°06′08″E / 37.97583°S 145.10222°E
Website www.moorabbinairport.com.au
Map
YMMB

Location in Melbourne

Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
04/22 571 1,873 Asphalt
13R/31L 1,060 3,478 Asphalt
13L/31R 1,150 3,773 Asphalt
17R/35L 1,240 4,068 Asphalt
17L/35R 1,335 4,380 Asphalt
Statistics (2010/11[1])
Passengers 9,766
Aircraft movements 274,082
Sources: Australian AIP and aerodrome chart[2]
Passenger and aircraft movements from the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE)[3]

Moorabbin (Harry Hawker) Airport (IATA: MBW, ICAO: YMMB) is a general aviation airport for light aircraft located in between the Melbourne suburbs of Heatherton, Cheltenham, Dingley Village and Mentone (postcode 3194), Australia. The airport grounds are treated as their own suburb, designated the postcode 3194. The airport opened in December 1949. Originally the intent was to name the airport "Mentone" but this was abandoned after a potential clash with the then French airport Menton. Similarly, Cheltenham was discarded due to similarities to the UK airport Gloucester/Cheltenham. The name comes from the nearby Moorabbin, Victoria. With a total of 274,082 aircraft movements Moorabbin Airport is the second busiest airport in Australia for the calendar year 2011.[4]

Overview

Moorabbin Airport is home to the Royal Victorian Aero Club, has five intersecting runways, an air museum, helicopter terminals, a control tower and several flight training facilities. Moorabbin Airport, one of four in the city, serves the general aviation needs for the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne.

Getting there

The nearest train station is Cheltenham, approx 3 km (1.9 mi) from the airport.

Bus services run along Centre Dandenong Road at the northern boundary connecting to a number of rail stations including Hampton, Highett, Cheltenham and Dandenong. The nearest freeway is Eastlink approximately 6 km (3.7 mi) to the east.

Airlines and destinations

Airlines Destinations
King Island Airlines King Island

Charter Operators

Flight Training Organizations

Awards

In 2006 Moorabbin Airport was named "Australian Regional Airport of the Year"

Master plan

The master plan for Moorabbin Airport was approved by the Minister for Infrastructure Anthony Albanese MP, on 25 June 2010. The master plan provides a twenty-year horizon detailing the development of the airport and associated infrastructure.[12]

The Wesfarmers draft Major Development Plan for Moorabbin Airport was refused by Albanese, on 5 August 2013.[13] The draft plan was for the development of large retail outlets on 4.8 hectares of airport land at the corner of Centre Dandenong Road and Boundary Road. The proposal had a floor area of 14,500m2.[14]

In 2015, the Victorian based Worldwide Aviation Syndication Partners Co. a.k.a. WASPCo. commenced plans to transform Moorabbin Airport to limited high capacity passenger aircraft operator use. This plan includes an upgrade of runway 17, taxiway and navigation facilities and the establishment of aircraft maintenance facilities on the airport subject to consultation with the community, stakeholders and investors. [15] The upgrade would allow 24 Hr Navigation Cat II or III fast quiet turboprop operations between Melbourne's South-Eastern Suburbs through Sydney, Canberra, Hobart, Adelaide and Sydney.

Renaming of Moorabbin Airport

Moorabbin Airport was renamed to Moorabbin (Harry Hawker) Airport on 22 January 1989. This was also the anniversary date of Harry George Hawker's 100th birthday. Quotes from the Sun Newspaper 23 January 1989

"At last the man they believe to be the finest Australian pioneering aviator in history will be acknowledge"

"The Transport and Communications Minister, Mr Willis, finally ratified the push to rename the airport on Thursday, in time for Harry's birthday."

" This was after more than 25 years of lobbying"

See also

References

  1. ↑ Fiscal year 1 July – 30 June
  2. ↑ YMMB – Moorabbin (PDF). AIP En Route Supplement from Airservices Australia, effective 29 May 2014, Aeronautical Chart
  3. ↑ "Airport Traffic Data 1985-86 to 2010-11". Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE) (BITRE). May 2012. Retrieved 27 June 2012. Refers to "Regular Public Transport (RPT) operations only"
  4. ↑ "Movements at Australian Airports" (PDF). Airservices Australia. 17 February 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  5. ↑ Luxury Outback Australia. Kirkhope Aviation. Retrieved 5 April 2015
  6. ↑ Vortex Air. Vortex Air. Retrieved 5 April 2015
  7. ↑ Moorabbin Flying Services Home Page. Moorabbin Flying Services. Retrieved 5 April 2015
  8. ↑ Melbourne Flight Training. Melbourne Flight Training. Retrieved 5 April 2015
  9. ↑ Flying Lessons Melbourne. Soar Aviation. Retrieved 5 April 2015
  10. ↑ Professional Helicopter Services. Professional Helicopter Services. Retrieved 5 April 2015
  11. ↑ Helicopter services melbourne. The Helicopter Group. Retrieved 5 April 2015
  12. ↑ Corporate: Master Plan. Moorabbin Airport. Retrieved 22 May 2014
  13. ↑ Troels Sommerville (9 August 2013). "Minister says no to Moorabbin Airport retail development". Morrabbin Kingston Leader (News Corp Australia).
  14. ↑ "Council welcomes decision to refuse controversial retail proposal at airport" (Press release). City of Kingston Council. 13 August 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  15. ↑ url=http://www.waspco.com.au

External links