Kingscote Airport

Kingscote Airport

Kingscote Airport

Terminal at Kingscote Airport
IATA: KGC – ICAO: YKSC
Summary
Airport type Public
Operator Kangaroo Island Council
Serves Kangaroo Island
Location Cygnet River[1]
Elevation AMSL 24 ft / 7 m
Coordinates 35°42′50″S 137°31′18″E / 35.71389°S 137.52167°E / -35.71389; 137.52167Coordinates: 35°42′50″S 137°31′18″E / 35.71389°S 137.52167°E / -35.71389; 137.52167
Map
YKSC

Location in South Australia

Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
01/19 1,402 4,600 Asphalt
06/24 1,134 3,720 Gravel
15/33 1,164 3,819 Gravel
Statistics (2010/11[2])
Passengers 51,021
Aircraft movements 2,398
Sources: Australian AIP and aerodrome chart[3][4]

Kingscote Airport (IATA: KGC, ICAO: YKSC) is located 6.5 nautical miles (12.0 km; 7.5 mi) southwest[3] of Kingscote, the main town on Kangaroo Island. The airport is the sole airport for Kangaroo Island.[5] The airport is serviced by regular public transport and many charter flights. The airport is managed by the Kangaroo Island Council, who has operated the airport since 16 June 1983.

Airline history

Guinea Airways operated the first commercial service to Kangaroo Island, commencing in the 1930s. In 1959, the airline was acquired by Airlines of South Australia (ASA), a subsidiary of Ansett Airlines. The airline's final service was on 4 April 1986. ASA primarily operated Convairs, Douglas DC-3 and Fokker F-27 aircraft. A Piaggio P166 was used infrequently in the 1970s, whilst Rossair operated Cessna 402s in an arrangement with ASA to replace the F27s in off-peak times.

Following the withdrawal of ASA, Kendell Airlines (another Ansett subsidiary), operated 19-seat Fairchild Metroliners and 34 seat SAAB aircraft to the Island. Upon Ansett's ultimate demise in 2002, Regional Express (Rex) acquired the Kendell aircraft and continued services which are maintained today.

In competition with the larger aircraft, and generally with more flexible timetables, a succession of smaller airlines from the 1980s tried with varying success to maintain a 'second string' presence. The most successful, Emu Airways, commenced in 1980 and made its final flight in November 2005. Emu flew Piper Chieftain aircraft to Kingscote, American River, Penneshaw and Parndana, before air regulations dictated abandonment of all airstrips except Kingscote. Air Kangaroo Island (formerly Air Transit), flew Cessna 402s to the island during the 1990s. Keith Stevens operated Albatross Airlines for much of the 1980s and early 1990s.

From 1986 to 1990, Lloyd Aviation operated Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante aircraft, before flying the Irish-made Short 330. For several years during the 1980s, Commodore Airlines (eventually becoming State Air) offered another alternative service. QantasLink briefly operated a service after the demise of Emu Airways, commencing 18 December 2005,[6] but withdrew less than six months later. Qantaslink also operated direct flights from Kangaroo Island to Melbourne, the first time the route was operated. Air South started operations using a Cessna Titan in January 2007 but ceased regular flights on 17 October 2009 [7]

Airlines and destinations

AirlinesDestinations
Lucas Air Adelaide
Regional Express (Rex) Adelaide

Statistics

Kingscote Airport was ranked 60th in Australia for the number of revenue passengers served in financial year 2010-2011.[2][4]

Annual passenger and aircraft statistics for Kingscote Airport[4]
Year[2] Revenue passengers Aircraft movements
2001-02
63,445
8,640
2002-03
64,101
7,679
2003-04
62,677
6,622
2004-05
64,661
6,305
2005-06
60,252
3,541
2006-07
59,155
4,154
2007-08
63,985
5,744
2008-09
59,587
4,754
2009-10
54,480
3,256
2010-11
51,021
2,398

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Kangaroo Island Council development plan" (PDF). Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI). 20 February 2014. pp. 111 & 271. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 Fiscal year 1 July - 30 June
  3. 1 2 YKSC – Kingscote (PDF). AIP En Route Supplement from Airservices Australia, effective 10 November 2016, Aeronautical Chart
  4. 1 2 3 "Airport Traffic Data 1985-86 to 2010-11". Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE). May 2012. Retrieved 27 June 2012. Refers to "Regular Public Transport (RPT) operations only"
  5. ↑ Kangaroo Island Council (May 2013). "A Business Case for the Upgrade of the Kangaroo Island Airport at Kingscote" (PDF). p. 17. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  6. ↑ "Other News - 10/31/2005". Air Transport World. 1 November 2005. Retrieved 20 August 2011.
  7. ↑ https://apps.contact-technology.co.nz/TakeFlitePublicsth/%28S%28qrnx0irylo0lvv55jvg0ix45%29%29/Default.aspx
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