RAAF Woomera Airfield

For other uses, see Woomera.
RAAF Woomera Airfield
RAAF Base Woomera
IATA: UMR – ICAO: YPWR
Summary
Airport type Military
Owner Aerospace Operational Support Group, DoD
Operator RAAF
Serves RAAF Woomera Test Range
Location Woomera, South Australia
Built 1947
Elevation AMSL 548 ft / 167 m
Coordinates 31°08′39″S 136°49′01″E / 31.14417°S 136.81694°E / -31.14417; 136.81694Coordinates: 31°08′39″S 136°49′01″E / 31.14417°S 136.81694°E / -31.14417; 136.81694
Map
YPWR

Location in South Australia

Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
12/30 1,614 5,295 Gravel
18/36 2,372 7,782 Asphalt
Sources: Australian AIP and aerodrome chart[1]

RAAF Woomera Airfield (IATA: UMR, ICAO: YPWR) is an operational Royal Australian Air Force airfield located 3 nautical miles (5.6 km; 3.5 mi) north[1] of the Woomera Defence Village, in South Australia. Operational management of the airfield (and its satellite airfield "Evetts Field") is under the command and control of Headquarters, Woomera Test Range (which is located approximately 450 km (280 mi) south-east of Woomera, at RAAF Base Edinburgh near Adelaide). The airfield is an integral part of the aerospace test and evaluation role the RAAF Woomera Test Range (WTR) provides for Australia. There are full-time operational staff at Woomera supporting airfield operations, but access to the field is controlled through the WTR headquarters in Adelaide.

Normally, civilian aircraft are not given permission to use the airfield unless such use is related to Defence activities at Woomera.

RAAF Woomera is able to operate all current types of aircraft used by the Australian Defence Forces (ADF), including C-17 Globemasters and all fast-jet types. The airfield can be fitted with an arrestor cable system when required to bring it to normal RAAF operating standards for FA-18 Hornet operations.

The airfield is also well able to handle larger aircraft types such as the C-5 Galaxy and Boeing 747. Large aircraft movements occur often at Woomera in support of ADF test and evaluation activities on the Range.

Historical

The centre line of the airfield was surveyed by Len Beadell in early 1947.[2]

The first aircraft to use the field, a Dakota, landed at Woomera on Thursday 19 June 1947. It brought General Evetts and a party of British scientists to inspect the airfield which had just been completed.[2]

The control tower at RAAF Base Woomera originally came from RAAF Base Uranquinty, New South Wales. The tower was disassembled by No. 2 Airfield Construction Squadron in the late 1940s and shipped to Woomera where it was re-erected and reopened in the early 1950s. It is still active at RAAF Woomera and is likely to remain so for many years to come.

Evetts Field

Evetts Field (AU09) [3] is a satellite airfield located 40 km north of the RAAF Woomera Airfield complex within the Woomera Prohibited Area. On 15 May 1951 Koolymilka airfield was officially named Evetts Field in honour of Lieutenant General J.F. Evetts, who led the English party that selected the Woomera site for the Long Range Weapons Project, and handed over to the Department of Supply.[4]

Evetts Field is now only semi operational, mostly used as an emergency runway for the Flying Doctor and for Royal Australian Air Force operations. It features two runways each 2,028 meters long.

Evetts Field was used for launching the Jindivik target drone from October 31, 1950 to June 1975.[5]

The airfield was virtually abandoned in the 1970s, with its control tower and other buildings sold off and removed. The two runways are now in poor condition.

See also


References

  1. 1 2 YPWR – Woomera (PDF). AIP En Route Supplement from Airservices Australia, effective 10 November 2016, Aeronautical Chart
  2. 1 2 Beadell, Len (1975). Still in the Bush. Rigby Limited,Adelaide. ISBN 0-7270-0020-9.
  3. ↑ "Airport Nav Finder: Evetts Field". Retrieved 28 February 2014.
  4. ↑ "2ACS WOOMERA". Retrieved 26 February 2014.
  5. ↑ "Jindivik". Defence Science and Technology Organisation. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
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