Adelaide's Premier Aviation Web Site

AAL UPGRADES TO BEGIN THIS YEAR

Upgrades to Adelaide Airport facilities are to begin this year. These include a multi-level car park, pedestrian plaza and changes to access roads.

Airservices Australia also has a new control tower on the board and this is due to be completed around December 2011.

Airport Watch Story moved HERE

More news in our BLOG.

5DME for all the latest Aviation Enthusiast Pictures, News, photos and video from Adelaide and Country South Australia.

Our immediate coverage is of Adelaide and near-by airports, such as Parafield, Aldinga. We do, where possible cover other airports in the state such as for airshows and special events. You will also find aviation news and information relating to aircraft and aviation services here on 5DME.

There are interviews, aviation stories, aeronautical terms, Scanner frequencies and a glossary. 5DME endeavours to cover all aspects of aviation, airports and related services in South Australia.

We also support the local aviation community and aviation enthusiast groups, aero clubs and more.

New Control Tower Facility at Adelaide Airport

Today (30 July 2010) Airservices Australia marked the commencement of construction of a new $16.9million Hi-Tech Control Tower at Adelaide. The tower will be 44m high and by strange coincedence located mid-point between where the old terminal control tower and the original temporary control tower that was used in the late 1950s.

Airservices CEO, Greg Russell, said the location took into account recent and future developments at Adelaide Airport, including its multi-million the development of the new terminal.

The new tower's tech compliment will include customisable touch-screens for controllers to perform tasks. It will be similar to the glass-cockpit in modern aircraft incorporating flight and operational data, voice communications and surveillance.

“Airservices is committed to using the latest technology to safely and efficiently manage passenger aircraft throughout Australia, particularly at our major airports,” Mr Russell said.

“The tower will greatly enhance our service delivery in Adelaide. It ensures we are in a position to meet the anticipated growth for air services and provide safe, efficient air traffic operations in Adelaide well into the future.”

Photo: David Wilkie

(Artist's impression)

The tower will be a concrete construction, with control cabin panels assembled at ground level and lifted into place by crane. Specialised single pane glazing on the cabin will ensure stringent optical, thermal and acoustic performance to ensure controllers can carry out their tasks safely.

Nigel Daw (5DME) & Greg Russell (CEO, Airservices Australia)

Building contractor Hansen Yuncken is expected to complete works by late 2011. A three-month commissioning period will follow bringing the new tower into service by early 2012.

5DME will be following the construction of the tower and the decommissioning of the current tower.

Tower history information by Nigel Daw [play]

...Story by David Hales with sources from Airservices Australia, AAL & Hansen Yuncken
...Photos by David Wilkie

JASDF 747 visits Adelaide

A special guest at Adelaide today was a Japan Air Self Defense Force 747 on a familiarisation flight. The aircraft performed a touch-and-go before making a full stop landing. There could be a possibility of two more visiting YPAD in the future.

Video of push-back and takeoff (play) 24MB

This would have to be the cleanest 747 we have seen. It is a credit to Japan.

More photos in the 5DME Gallery in a few days.

Adelaide Airport Development Plan

This week 5DME have started a record of the upgrades at Adelaide Airport. We have taken many photos and videos to follow the current layout through to the new design plan. As the process is about to begin we will make a record each week or so and you can keep up to date.

More information to follow. SEE PAGE HERE

National Jet Systems (now Cobham) - 20th Anniversary in Australia

by Nigel Daw.

On 27/6/90 the BAE146/100 VH-NJC arrived at Adelaide on delivery to National Jet. On 1/7/90 it undertook a proving flight on the Adelaide/Moomba closed charter operation for Santos and on the following day was the first official service.

To this day NJS/Cobham continue with the contract. Aircraft types used have been BAE146/100, BAE146/200 & DHC8/311. A Jetstream 41 occasionally undertook ad-hoc services.

Prior to NJS operating the charter Dehli Australia used the PA31 DAP, followed by Williams General Aviation with PA31 & CE 550, Airlines of SA with F27 followed by the Lloyd Aviation F28/4000 VH-LAR from 1985 to 1990.

History happens every day.