- Proserpine / Whitsunday Coast Airport
Infobox Airport
name = Whitsunday Coast Airport
nativename =
nativename-a =
nativename-r =
image-width =
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IATA = PPP
ICAO = YBPN
type = Public
owner =
operator =Whitsunday Shire Council
city-served =
location = Proserpine, Queensland
elevation-f = 82
elevation-m = 25
coordinates = Coord|20|29|37|S|148|33|1|E|type:airport|display=inline,title
website =
metric-elev =
metric-rwy =
r1-number = 11/29
r1-length-f = 6801
r1-length-m = 2073
r1-surface = Asphalt
r2-number = 06/24
r2-length-f = 3608.92
r2-length-m = 1100
r2-surface = Unmarked Asphalt
stat-year =
stat1-header =
stat1-data =
stat2-header =
stat2-data =
footnotes =Whitsunday Coast Airport airport codes|PPP|YBPN is located approximately 10 km south of Proserpine,
Queensland ,Australia . Major airlines refer to the airport as Whitsunday Coast which often causes confusion as it is not situated close to the coast. Today, the airport's main function is to provide transportation to the tourists who visit theGreat Barrier Reef ,Whitsunday Islands and the towns of Proserpine and Bowen.History
Plans to build an airfield in Proserpine commenced in 1936, however construction was delayed due to a lack of funding. Construction of the airport finally began in 1946.
Saturday, November 3rd 1951 saw the arrival of the first passenger service to Proserpine. It was a flight from Brisbane in a DC3 aircraft, the only aircraft that could land on the then unsealed strip.
Proserpine was previously Class D controlled airspace, however when the air traffic control tower was demolished due to financial cutbacks it was forced to become class G (uncontrolled MBZ on frequency 126.7)
In the past years, there has been an upheaval about the status of the airport as the nearby Laguna Quays development has submitted proposals for an international airport. fact Despite initial construction of a 3km bitumen runway, the airport is in doubt due to legal action from the
Proserpine community and council, who support an upgrade to Proserpine Airport. As a result, theQueensland Government has been forced to execute a lengthy exercise to call for tenders and proposals for the upgrade of either airport, in order to achieve the best tourism outcome for the region. [http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2008/04/10/12135_news.html]In response to the rising cost of oil,
Jetstar andVirgin Blue have both be axed their Sydney-Whitsunday Coast services. The only services that remain are Brisbane-Whitsunday Coast operated by both airlines.Airlines and destinations
References
External links
* [http://www.abc.net.au/tropic/stories/s1603524.htm ABC summary of the history of the airport]
* [http://www.dicksmithflyer.com.au/artman/uploads/unsafe/18chapter17-18.pdf#search=%22proserpine%20tower%22 Dick Smith safety report on Proserpine Tower]
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