RAAF Base Richmond
| RAAF Base Richmond | |
|---|---|
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| Characteristics | |
| ICAO code | YSRI |
| IATA code | XRH |
| Coordinates | |
| Height above MSL | 22 m (72 ft ) |
| Transport links | |
| Distance from the city center | 50 km southeast of Sydney |
| Basic data | |
| opening | 1916 |
| operator | Royal Australian Air Force |
| Start-and runway | |
| 10/28 | 2134 m × 45 m asphalt |
The RAAF Base Richmond ( ICAO : YSRI , IATA : XRH ) is a military airfield 50 km northwest of Sydney and 2 km east of the city of the same name Richmond . In Australia, the base is best known as the home airfield of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport aircraft.
history
RAAF Base Richmond was the first Royal Australian Air Force airfield in the state of New South Wales and the second ever. A military aviation school was set up on the airfield as early as 1916. In 1925, the 3rd Squadron was set up as the first flying unit , and the facility has had its current name ever since. Between 1923 and 1936 the base was a secondary airfield in Sydney. That is why Sir Charles Kingsford Smith , after whom Kingsford Smith International Airport was named, landed on the base in 1928 after his trans-Pacific flight. A few years later, New Zealand aviation pioneer Jean Batten landed here after flying solo from England.
When the Second World War broke out , the 3rd, 6th, 9th and 22nd Squadron were stationed in Richmond . Shortly after the outbreak of war, the 8th Squadron was set up in September 1939 and the 11th Squadron a few weeks later .
During the war in the Pacific , the square became an important military facility in the country. Over the years, Richmond has developed from a fighter aircraft base to the most important home base for Australian transport aircraft and has since become the RAAF's most important logistical hub.
The C-130 Hercules has been stationed in Richmond since 1959, first the A series with the 36th and from 1966 also the E series with the 37th Squadron . The C-130H was the 36th as a C-130A replacement in 1978 and 1999 the C-130J of the 37th squadron as a replacement for the C-130E. Since 2006, all C-130H and J have belonged to the 37th Squadron, which the C-130H is decommissioning in 2012.
After three decades of service, the five Boeing 707 tanker and transport aircraft of the 33rd Squadron were retired in 2008. The successor, the Airbus A330 MRTT (KC-30A), is stationed at RAAF Base Amberley , which is now another important logistics base.
Todays use
Currently (2015) the 37th Squadron with its C-130J machines is the only airborne unit permanently stationed in Richmond. Since June 2015, Richmond has also been temporarily home to the ten Alenia C-27J Spartans ordered in 2012 for the 35th Squadron , the permanent replacement for the Caribous, which were stationed at RAAF Base Townsville until 2009 . In 2019, the 35th season will also move to Amberley.
In addition, there are a number of other regular units for performing the tasks of the base as well as the 22nd (City of Sydney) Squadron , a reserve unit.
Furthermore, aircraft of the Qantas Group ( Qantas Airways and Jetstar Airways ) are painted on the basis .
Richmond is also the preferred location for the construction of a second international airport for Sydney to relieve Kingsford Smith International Airport .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Richmond on track for second airport , The Sydney Morning Herald, March 17, 2009
- ↑ Airlines push for second airport at RAAF base ( Memento of the original from July 17, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , The Australian dated July 13, 2009
