No. 6 Elementary Flying Training School of the Royal Australian Air Force was formed in 1940, during the Second World War, at the original airfield (located in what is now the Taminda industrial area) as part of the Empire Air Training Scheme.[9] Training included 50 hours of basic aviation instruction on a simple trainer like the Tiger Moth. Pilots who showed promise went on to advanced training at a Service Flying Training School. Others went on to different specialties, such as Wireless Schools, Air Observer Schools or Bombing and Gunnery Schools. The RAAF airfield went on to become the original home of East West Airlines after World War II.
In 1951 a decision was taken to relocate the aerodrome with the council commencing construction in 1952 and the official opening of the new airport in 1956. The airport received a further upgrade to medium jet standard in 1982. The addition of the 1,110 m (3,642 ft) parallel runway and associated facility expansion was undertaken between 1990 and 1993 as part of the establishment of the British Aerospace/Ansett pilot training joint venture which has evolved into the Bae systems college. Bae systems withdrew from Tamworth Airport in 2020 and the college facilities were re-branded as International Flight Training Tamworth (IFTT), under the ownership of Tamworth Regional Council, with CAE Oxford Aviation Academy Tamworth remaining on site.
The Tamworth Airport terminal expansion was completed in June 2012, to facilitate the commencement of passenger screening. A further expansion was carried out in 2014 to accommodate operations by additional carriers.[citation needed]
During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the flight training school was converted into accommodation for the local boarding school Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School to comply with social distancing regulations.[citation needed]
Facilities
The airport resides at an elevation of 1,334 ft (407 m) above mean sea level. It has two asphalt paved runways: 12L/30R measuring 2,200 m × 45 m (7,218 ft × 148 ft) and 12R/30L measuring 1,110 m × 18 m (3,642 ft × 59 ft). It also has two runways with a grassed brown clay surface: 18/36 measuring 1,020 m × 30 m (3,346 ft × 98 ft) and 06/24 measuring 842 m × 30 m (2,762 ft × 98 ft).[1] The latest terminal upgrade was completed in 2019 with an enlarged departure lounge, new cafe and hire car facilities, relocated and enlarged Qantas lounge in addition to a multipurpose function room and airport administration office.
