Sources: Australian AIP and aerodrome chart,[3] passenger and aircraft movements from the DIRE[2]
Burnie Airport (IATA: BWT, ICAO: YWYY), also called Burnie Wynyard Airport or Wynyard Airport, is a regional airport located adjacent to the town of Wynyard, about 17 kilometres (11 mi) west of Burnie, Tasmania, Australia. Formally named the Wynyard Aerodrome, the first official opening occurred on 26 February 1934. The Burnie Airport is majority owned by the Burnie City Council.
Airlines and destinations
Rex Airlines operates services to and from Melbourne about 4 times per day using Saab 340 turboprop aircraft. Sharp Airlines offers flights to King Island and Launceston twice per day using a 19-seat Metro 23 (SA-227) turboprop aircraft. On 17 September 2021, QantasLink resumed direct seven weekly flights to Melbourne for the first time in 15 years with its 50-seat Q300 turboprop aircraft.
The first aerodrome at Wynyard was built by volunteers on an old racecourse. However, within a year of completion in 1932, the aerodrome was found to be too small for larger passenger and mail aircraft. A larger aerodrome was developed on the southern outskirts of the town and was officially opened on 26 February 1934.[1][5] A further opening ceremony on 1 January 1935 was attended by the Prime Minister of the time, Joseph Lyons.[6]
In the mid-1970s, a Federal policy was adopted that would eventually see the ownership and maintenance of all airports outside of capital cities transferred from the Commonwealth to the respective local authorities.[1][7] Under the new scheme, the future of the Wynyard Aerodrome was cast into doubt after Federal funding was secured for upgrading the Devonport Airport in August 1980; few if any areas of regional Australia had two major commuter and cargo airports only 60 km apart, which was the situation for Burnie/Wynyard and Devonport. After much political controversy, it wasn't until March 1985 that AU$5.2 million of funding was allocated by the State and Federal governments to upgrade the Wynyard aerodrome.[1]
The upgraded aerodrome was officially opened on 15 February 1987, incorporating a sealed runway 1650m long. Ownership had been transferred from the Commonwealth to the Burnie Port Authority and the Wynyard Aerodrome was renamed to Burnie Airport. The airport's IATA code (the three-letter code appearing on luggage tags etc) was changed from WNY to BWT.[1][8]
The Burnie Airport Corporation Unit Trust acquired the Burnie Airport from the Burnie Port Corporation in 2001. The Trust is 51% owned by the Burnie City Council and 49% owned by a private sector partner, the Australian Airports Association.[9]
History of airlines and aircraft servicing Burnie Airport
As early as 1933, Tasmanian Aerial Services was landing at Wynyard as part of a route from Western Junction (now Launceston Airport) to Latrobe (Devonport Airport was yet to be built), Smithton and King Island.[10]
At-grade railway crossing
Until the early 2000s, Burnie was one of the few airports to have a railway line crossing an active runway, with the Western line from Burnie to Wiltshire crossing through the northern end of runway 05/23.[11] The railway line has not been in operation since 2003.[12]
Notable accidents and incidents
On 13 April 1975, after taking off from Burnie Airport, a parachutist was drowned in a dam following a free fall descent 18.5 kilometres (11.5 mi) south of Wynyard. For reasons which have not been determined, the parachutist did not or was unable to control his descent so as to avoid landing in the dam which was some 500 metres (1,600 ft) from the designated drop zone.[13]
On 12 January 1997, a Piper Aircraft Corp PA-28R-180 suffered engine power loss during the initial climb shortly after takeoff. Attempts to recover the engine were unsuccessful and due to the low altitude, the aircraft was stalled into the water at the mouth of the Inglis River about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from the aerodrome. The pilot and two passengers suffered minor injuries as a result of the crash. The subsequent ATSB investigation was hindered by the badly damaged aircraft, but it was suspected that the air duct hose had collapsed resulting in reduced air supply to the engine. It was determined that the type of hose was not designated by the manufacturer to be installed in the air inlet system.[14]
