Seletar Airport | |||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
| Owner/Operator | Changi Airport Group | ||||||||||
| Serves | Singapore | ||||||||||
| Location | Seletar,North-East Region, Singapore | ||||||||||
| Opened | 28 February 1928; 97 years ago (1928-02-28) | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 11 m / 36 ft | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 01°25′01″N103°52′04″E / 1.41694°N 103.86778°E /1.41694; 103.86778 | ||||||||||
| Website | www | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
  XSP/WSSL XSP/WSSL (Southeast Asia) Show map of Southeast Asia XSP/WSSL XSP/WSSL (Asia) Show map of Asia | |||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||
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01°25′08.4″N103°51′57.0″E / 1.419000°N 103.865833°E /1.419000; 103.865833
Seletar Airport (/səˈliːtɑːr/sə-LEE-tar;IATA:XSP,ICAO:WSSL) is a civilianinternational airport serving thenorth-east region ofSingapore. It is located approximately 16 km (9.9 mi) northwest fromChangi Airport, the country's main airport, and about 16 km (9.9 mi) north from the main commercial city-centre.
The airfield was originally opened in 1928 asRAF Seletar, a military airbase of the BritishRoyal Air Force (RAF). The base was transferred to Singapore in 1971. TheGovernment of Singapore intended for Seletar Airport and the surrounding areas to function as the operating aerodrome for their plan to expand Singapore's status as anindustrial aviation hub, today known as theSeletar Aerospace Park.[2]
Today, Seletar Airport mostly servesturbo-prop and smallerprivate and business jet airlines and aircraft. It helps to serve as a secondary destination to Singapore for turbo-prop aircraft to decrease the load on Changi Airport, which has heavy air traffic primarily airlines. The airport is able to serve aircraft with sizes up toBoeing 757.[3]
The runway designation is 03/21, where the precise headings on ground of the actual runway are 033° / 213°.[4]
RAF Seletar was aRoyal Air Force station inSingapore between 1928 and 1971. Plans for establishing an airfield, flying boat and naval base in Singapore were first agreed by the RAF in 1921. In 1923, two sites in the northern region of the island were approved. The first planes to arrive at the base were fourSupermarine Southampton seaplanes on 28 February 1928.
RAF Seletar was also used for civilian flights from 1930 to 1937, from which operations were succeeded byKallang Airport.
Amy Johnson landed at Seletar in May 1930 on her UK – Australia flight in herGipsy Moth named 'Jason'.Amelia Earhart also landed there in June 1937 on her world flight attempt in anLockheed 10 Electra.
With the threat of war in the area, the RAF started building up their forces in the Far East in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Seletar airfield was the target ofcarpet bombing whenJapanese navy bombers conducted thefirst air raid on Singapore, sometime after their ground forcesinvaded Kota Bahru. It was abandoned when the Japanese tookJohor Bahru, which brought their artillery in range of the airfield.
When the Japanese launched their invasion ofMalaya andSingapore, Seletar housed four RAF units.205 Sqn operatedConsolidated Catalina flying boats, andNo. 36 andNo. 100 Squadron RAF operated obsoleteVickers Vildebeest torpedo bombers (as well as fiveFairey Albacores acquired by 36 Sqn to supplement its Vildebeests). These flying squadrons were serviced by 151 Maintenance Unit RAF.
21 Squadron,Royal Australian Air Force was also based at Seletar in 1941–42, and was in the process of converting from lightly armedCAC Wirraway trainers toBrewster F2A Buffalo fighters, when hostilities began.
These units stayed until January–February 1942, soon before the surrender to the invading Japanese.[5]
During the Japanese occupation, Seletar as was in the case ofSembawang came under theImperial Japanese Navy Air Service whileTengah fell under the jurisdiction of theImperial Japanese Army Air Force. From 1942 through 1945, a number of IJN squadrons were based or transited through Seletar mainly, for training. Among the units known to be based at Seletar during this time were936thKōkūtai (B5N Kate,D3A Val andE13A1 Jake),381st Kōkūtai (A6M Zero andJ2M Raiden). The601st Kōkūtai was also stationed there for training early before its destruction on board Japanese aircraft carriers during theBattle of the Philippine Sea (Marianas Turkey Shoot) in June. Seletar's present runway was built during the Japanese Occupation.
After World War II, the base went back to the RAF and, in the late 1940s and 1950s, the base was heavily involved in theMalayan Emergency, withBeaufighters,Spitfires andMosquitos based there while operating against Malayan Communist insurgents. Among the many squadrons based there during this time were Nos60, 81 and205 Sqns of theRAF.[6] The base was also the home of 390 MU – the Maintenance Base for the whole of theRAF Far East Air Force - FEAF.
During the 1960s, RAF Seletar was home base to No's103 and110 Squadrons, both of which were equipped withWestland Whirlwind Mk 10 helicopters and to34 Squadron, which was equipped withBlackburn Beverley transports. All three Squadrons (among several others) were involved with support of operations inNorth Borneo during theIndonesia-Malaysia confrontation. From June 1962,66 Squadron (led by Sqn Leader Gray) with theirBristol 192 Belvedere helicopters were also based at Seletar, and were sent on frequent tours and detachments toKuching, Brunei,Labuan andButterworth as part of the Borneo hearts and minds campaign (the squadron was later disbanded in March 1969).[6] The helicopter squadrons provided a search and rescue service for the Singapore area. The station was also, at that time, home to209 Squadron, equipped withSingle andTwin Pioneer aircraft.65 Squadron based at Seletar operatedBloodhound Mk II surface-to-air missiles as anti-aircraft defence from 1 January 1964 until the squadron was disbanded on 30 March 1970 with the equipment and role handed over to 170 Squadron,Republic of Singapore Air Force.[6]Auster aircraft were flown during the Emergency and Confrontation periods in troop/enemy spotting patrols.
In December 1966, threeAndover CC Mk1 arrived to replace the ageingVickers Valetta C1 aircraft of52 Sqn. 52 Squadron was later reformed in March 1967 after the arrival of a further three aircraft. By now, Confrontation had finished and with no purpose the squadron moved to Changi in 1968 before being disbanded in January 1970.[6]
The RAF station closed at the end of March 1971 (seeEast of Suez) and Seletar was handed over to Singapore'sDepartment of Civil Aviation.[7]
Several aircraft types flew their last RAF operational sorties from Seletar including theShort Singapore flying boat (Mk.IIIK6912 ofNo. 205 Squadron RAF 14 October 1941, aircraft transferred toNo. 5 Squadron RNZAF),[8]Supermarine Spitfire (PR.XIXPS888 of 81 Sqn 1954),De Havilland Mosquito (PR.34RG314 of 81 Sqn 1955),Short Sunderland flying boat (GR.5ML797"P" of 205 Sqn, 15 May 1959) andBristol Beaufighter (TT.XRD761 Station Flight 1960). The Short Sunderland flying boats started in RAF service fromSeletar on 22 June 1938 with230 Sqn,[9] a sister squadron of 205 Sqn.
The formative years of the SADC (later the RSAF) was established at Seletar Airbase in September 1968, with the setting up of the Flying Training School (FTS) utilising threeCessna 172G/H on loan from the Singapore Flying Club. The subsequent arrival of eight new Cessna 172Ks in May 1969, took over the duty from the former and contributed to the increase of training tempo for more selected trainees to participate in the basic flight-training course.
On 29 October 1977, four armed Vietnamese hijacked a domestic Air Vietnam flight fromSaigon, Vietnam toPhu Quoc island west of Saigon, and forced the aircraft, aDouglas DC-3, to land at Seletar Airport.[7][10] The hijackers killed two Vietnamese crew members and seriously wounded a third.[10] The hijackers were seeking political asylum in Singapore and eventually surrendered themselves to Singapore authorities.[10]
Changi Airport Group took over the management of the airport from theCivil Aviation Authority of Singapore on 1 July 2009.[11]
As part of the Seletar Aerospace Park programme, therunway was extended to 1,840 metres in 2011 to enable larger and heavier aircraft to use the airport.[12] The airport'savionics systems were also upgraded.[13]
The airport underwent refurbishment in 2015 as part of plans to relieve pressure on Changi Airport by increasing Seletar Airport's capacity and move smaller and slower aircraft from Changi to Seletar airport.[14]
A new passenger terminal building opened on 19 November 2018, replacing the previous passenger terminal.[15] The terminal houses four check-in counters, six immigration lanes, two security screening stations and a gate holdroom that can accommodate 200 passengers.[16][17][18]
In 2018, the use of theInstrument Landing System (ILS) at Seletar Airport by Singapore was disputed by Malaysia, saying that the flight path used by the system may encroach into its airspace.[19] In 2019, an agreement was reached between the two countries whereby Malaysia will immediately suspend its permanent restricted area in the airspace overPasir Gudang, while Singapore will similarly suspend its implementation of Instrument Landing System (ILS) procedures for Seletar Airport.[20]
Seletar Airport now operates as ageneral aviation airport, mainly for chartered flights, private aircraft operations and training purposes. The airport is currently open for arrivals and departures from 07:00 LCL until 22:00 LCL. It has a single runway with 27 aircraft stands, 100 square metres of warehouse space and can handle 840 tons of freight per day. In 1998, the airport recorded receiving a total of 7,945 scheduled flights, handled 23,919 passengers and 6,025 tons of cargo. The airport fire service, AES Seletar, is provided by Changi Airport Group. AES Seletar has 1 station housing 6 apparatus (water tender, foam tender and others) and provides Level 7 protection.[21]
The Republic of Singapore Flying Club andSeletar Flying Club are situated at Seletar Airport. The renownedSingapore Youth Flying Club has its headquarters built on western side of the airport'srunway. Completed in June 2003, the clubhouse also has its own parking bays for its fleet ofDiamond DA40. In addition, the rotary training unit of Republic of Singapore Air Force – 124 Squadron, has a training detachment at the civilian airport although it is normally headquartered atSembawang Air Base.
Previously,Berjaya Air operated scheduled flights toTioman andRedang. The Berjaya Air service ended on 31 October 2010 and relocated toChangi Airport, though was discontinued after four years.[22] Berjaya Air has since returned to Seletar from Redang on a charter basis.[23]
Due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, the number of daily commercial flight operations at the airport severely declined. Airport operations were also subjected to new processes and rules laid down by the Singapore governmentMinistry of Health and according to the Infectious Diseases Act.[24][25] On 13 June 2022,Firefly marked the resumption of flights to the airport since the suspension of commercial flights due to the pandemic.[26]
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Berjaya Air | Charter:Redang[27] |
| Firefly | Kuala Lumpur–Subang[28][29] |
Twobus services (103 and 117) are available from the old airport terminal.
Since 14 October 2018, Service 102[30] also serves the new airport terminal of Seletar Airport, with a bus stop within the Passenger Terminal Building. Service 102 allows access to theNorth East Line viaSengkang andHougang station.
Passengers heading to Changi Airport can alight at the Jalan Kayu roundabout and transfer to bus 858. Connections to Tampines, Bedok, Pasir Ris & Serangoon via services 168, 39 and 103 are also possible here.
While there are currently noMass Rapid Transit (MRT) services in the vicinity, passengers may transfer to service 103 at Aft Baker St bus stop to head toYishun MRT station on theNorth–South Line.[31] Geographically, the closest MRT station isSengkang MRT/LRT station on theNorth East Line viaThanggam LRT station on theSengkang LRT line's West Loop.
Taxis are available at thetaxi stands located outside the departure hall. There is an additional airport surcharge for all trips originating from the airport.[32]
All pick-ups by private transportation occur at the arrival pick-up point.[32]
Both countries said in a joint statement that the agreement was made "in the spirit of bilateral cooperation".
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