Tuesday 27 May 2014

Newcastle Airport: the Basics (NZ186714)


1929 – City council first discuss the idea of an airport;
1935 – Small airport opens at Woolsington (“Woolsington Aerodrome”), managed by the Newcastle Aero Club;
1939-45 – Taken over by the RAF;
1946-52 – Charter & private flights only;
1952 – First scheduled flights begin on the appointment of long-term Commandant, Jim Denyer;
1967 – New terminal opens;
1978 – Attains Regional Airport Status;
1982 – More major development work;
1989 – Retirement of Jim Denyer;
1991 – Metro rail link opened, connecting airport to Newcastle Central Railway Station;
1993 – More terminal expansion;
2000-04 – Yet more improvements to the terminal buildings;
2013 – Airport Master Plan unveiled, itemising development proposals up to 2030.

Passenger numbers (approx):
1951 – 5,300;
1957 – 34,000;
1960 – 119,000;
1965 – 254,000;
1970 – 417,000;
1975 – 695,000;
1980 – 1,027,000;
1988 – 1,500,000;
1993 – 2,000,000;
2000 – 3,209,000;
2007 – 5,651,000 (peak);
2012 – 4,366,000.


[taken from Small Enough to Conquer the Sky by John Sleight (Newcastle City Libraries & Arts, 1993), with supplemental information from Wikipedia]

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