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Avalon Airport

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Avalon Airport Linfox Field
Jetstar's Airbus A320 VH-VQY at Avalon Airport
IATA: AVV – ICAO: YMAV
Summary
Airport type		Public
Owner		Linfox
Serves		Melbourne, Geelong
Location		Avalon, Victoria
Elevation AMSL		35 ft / 11 m
Coordinates		38°02′22″S 144°28′10″E / -38.03944, 144.46944
Website		www.avalonairport.com.au
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
Direction	m	ft	Surface
18/36	3,048	10,000	Asphalt

Avalon Airport (IATA: AVV, ICAO: YMAV) is an airport located in Avalon, Victoria, Australia. It is located to the north of the city of Geelong, and is 50 kilometres to the southwest of the state's capital city of Melbourne. The airport is designed to cater for jet aircraft, and comprises a single runway. It is used for scheduled services by Jetstar Airways, and as a heavy maintenance facility by Jetstar's parent company, Qantas.^[1] It is also the site of the biennial Australian International Airshow. The land on which Avalon Airport lies is part of the Lara Lea escarpment which is bounded by the You Yangs, Corio Bay and Melbourne Water sewage treatment agistment paddocks. The airport continues to fall under the jurisdiction of the Australian Department of Defence.

1 History
2 Today
3 Future
4 Airlines and destinations
5 Gallery
6 See also
7 References
8 External links

History

Aircraft construction

Avalon Airport was opened in 1953, to cater for the production of military aircraft.^[2] Previously the Government Aircraft Factory located at Fishermans Bend, Melbourne, had used a runway beside their factory. However, newer jet aircraft required a longer runway length for safe operations, and the Fishermans Bend runway was being encroached upon by development. Land near Lara was purchased by the Commonwealth Government for a new facility. The site of the airport was originally part of the Avalon homestead and sheep station. A 10000 ft (3075 metre) runway was built by Country Roads Board,with the first plane landing on April 3 1953 - a 4 engined Avro Lincoln bomber flown from Fishermans Bend. The Canberra jet bomber was under construction at same time at the new airport. In 1985 the Government Aircraft Factory changed its name to Aerospace Technologies of Australia (ASTA).^[3] Aircraft produced during this time had included the Sabre jet fighter, Jindavik missiles, and Nomad civil aircraft. Under the ASTA banner engines for the Dassault Mirage III jet fighters were produced, as well as assembly of the F/A-18 fighter jets for the RAAF. October 1988 saw ASTA Aircraft Services division take delivery of the first Boeing 747 to Avalon for servicing and maintenance. By December 1993 fifty 747 aircraft had been through the Avalon facility, and 820 people were employed at the site.^[4] On 27 June 1995 Aerospace Technologies of Australia was privatised by the Commonwealth Government, ^[5] selling the aircraft divisions to Rockwell Australia Limited, and the airport operations to Avalon Airport Geelong Pty Ltd.^[6] The ASTA airliner overhauling facility was closed in 1997.^[7]

Pilot training

In 1959, Qantas established a training base at the site, and the runway was extended to cater for jet aircraft, becoming for some years, the longest in the Southern Hemisphere. Training of pilots from Japan's All Nippon Airways commenced at Avalon on September 8, 1993.^[8]

Hazelton Airlines

Hazelton Airlines commenced flights between Avalon Airport and Sydney in February 1995. 36 seat SAAB 340 aircraft were used for the service. ^[9] The service was discontinued after a short time due to a lack of patronage.

Private ownership

In 1997 the Australian government decided Avalon was no longer needed and it was leased to Linfox, a company owned by transport tycoon Lindsay Fox.

Aircraft hangars at the airport

Today

Regular Passenger Transport Services

Jetstar Airways, a low cost subsidiary of Qantas, is the current major user of Avalon Airport. Although its main base is Melbourne Tullamarine, Jetstar's services from Melbourne to Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney and Perth operate from Avalon. Nearly all other Melbourne services use Tullamarine Airport (a few services use Essendon Airport). Jetstar announced that they would use Avalon as the origin of flights to Sydney, and Brisbane in 2004.^[10] Avalon was chosen in preference to Melbourne Airport due to relatively lower operating costs. A new terminal, consisting of three checkin counters and a departure lounge, was constructed to cater for the airline.^[11] Since that time, Avalon Airport has expanded its facilities and is now recognised as a major hub for travel to Melbourne and Geelong. Currently, the only other airline operating passenger services is Sharp Airlines, who operate regional flights to Portland, Victoria.^[12]

Qantas maintenance facility

Avalon is the site of one of Qantas' heavy maintenance and engineering facilities.^[13] The facility opened in the late 1990s, and currently employs 1000 people. ^[14]

Other uses

C-17 Globemaster III at Avalon Airport, Australia, March 2005

Avalon Airport hosts the Australian International Airshow, which is held every two years. A Qantas 747-338 (Nalanji Dreaming), which is painted in a colourful aboriginal livery, is currently in long term open-air storage at Avalon Airport.

Future

Avalon Airport was one of three sites being considered as the new site for the Wholesale Fruit and Vegetable Markets which are to be moved from West Melbourne to allow development of the Port of Melbourne.^[15] A site in Epping was ultimately chosen as the preferred site. Linfox hopes Avalon will capture 10% of the Melbourne domestic passenger market by 2010, increasing to 20% by 2017. This represents up to 3.4 million passengers each year in the next decade.^[16] Further expansion plans involve international passenger and freight flights to the Asia-Pacific rim and Europe.^[17] Malaysian long haul budget airline AirAsia X has been awarded rights to operate to Avalon Airport from Kuala Lumpur. ^[18] There are plans to build an international terminal to accommodate AirAsia X and future international passenger airline flights.^[19] This new facility will provide Avalon with customs, immigration, quarantine and retail facilities and will be approximately 8000 square meters in size. Construction is due to begin in the first half of 2008, subject to federal approval. ^[20] In a bid to attract potential airlines, airport owner Lindsay Fox will be embarking on an overseas tour to attract carriers. Airlines from India, Macau and Australia's Jetstar have been named as possible users. ^[21] Jetstar announced in October 2007 that it will be operating an extra daily service from Perth to Melbourne. Initially, the service will be operated from Melbourne Tullamarine while Jetstar await on new planes to service Avalon Airport. New planes are expected in the second half of 2008 and Jetstar will move this new service from Tullamarine to Avalon when the planes arrive. ^[22]