Ceduna Airport | |||||||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||||||
| Operator | District Council of Ceduna | ||||||||||||||
| Location | Ceduna | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 77 ft / 23 m | ||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 32°07′50″S133°42′35″E / 32.13056°S 133.70972°E /-32.13056; 133.70972 | ||||||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||||||
  YCDU Location in South Australia | |||||||||||||||
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| Runways | |||||||||||||||
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| Statistics (2016) | |||||||||||||||
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Ceduna Airport (IATA:CED,ICAO:YCDU) is a public airport inCeduna,South Australia. The airport, which is owned by theDistrict Council of Ceduna is located adjacent to theEyre Highway, approximately 2 km (1.2 mi) east of the town. It is the westernmost airport that receives regular passenger service in South Australia and is critical infrastructure for the surrounding remote and sparsely populated region. In addition to scheduled flights toAdelaide, the airport caters to charters in support of the mining industry,general aviation, theRoyal Flying Doctor Service,aerial firefighting and occasional military use.[2]
An aerodrome was first established at Ceduna by theCivil Aviation Branch in 1928, ahead of the commencement of a transcontinentalairmail service between Adelaide and Perth byWest Australian Airways.[3]
The first flight arrived in May 1929, with regular services established in June of the same year.[4] It was cited as an important stopping point on the air route in 1934.[5]
The Department of Civil Aviation recognised Ceduna's importance as an intermediate landing ground on an inter-capital air route, in 1939 announcing plans to install lighting to allow emergency landings at night andradio direction finding equipment at the aerodrome.[6][7] During World War II, theRoyal Australian Air Force used Ceduna as a staging base for moving aircraft between the East and West coast.Ceduna was a focus formissionary work, with theBush Church Aid Society supporting their local health care facilities with an aviation operation based out of the airport between 1938[8] and the 1960s.[9][10] Flying DoctorFreda Evelyn Gibson[8] and writerMacarthur Job began their careers from this base.[11]
In 1950, the Department of Civil Aviation acquired land around the airport, and the current terminal facilities were constructed in 1951. The airport's national importance declined as airlines introduced more capable aircraft that could fly between Adelaide and Perth non-stop. Scheduled services connecting to Adelaide were maintained byAirlines of South Australia from the 1960s through to the 1980s[12] and later byKendell Airlines,[10] although these did not always operate directly.[10] Ownership of the airport was transferred to the local council in 1991.[13]
In 2003,Rex Airlines introducedSaab 340 aircraft on the Adelaide-Ceduna route which had previously been operated by smallerMetroliners. This increase in capacity saw the number of passengers using the airport increase from around 10,000 per year to over 25,000 in 2009–10. By 2013, Rex were operating 12 services per week on the route.[10] The apron was expanded to better accommodate simultaneous handling of these larger aircraft in 2015. In 2020, despite daily flights being reduced to just two per week as a result ofCOVID-19 travel restrictions, the council committed to a modest expansion of the terminal building to enlarge the drop off and departures areas, as well as an undercover baggage claim area and new restroom facilities.[13]
Similar to much of the Eyre Highway's alignment close to theGreat Australian Bight, Ceduna Airport occasionally experiences issues with fog.[14] The main runway, 11/29 is 1,740 m (5,710 ft) long by 30 m (98 ft) wide. Thiscode 3C runway is equipped with pilot-operated lighting for night operations and can handle aircraft up to the size of aBoeing 737 with some restrictions. A secondary gravel runway, 17/35 is 1,014 m (3,327 ft) long and only suitable for aircraft under 5,700 kg (12,600 lb)maximum takeoff weight,[1] however the council has identified potential extension and surfacing of this runway should expansion be required to accommodate regular operation by larger aircraft due to prevailing winds and approach paths that avoid overflying the town.[10] As an uncontrolled airport with a typically a low volume of traffic, pilots are required to communicate via aCommon Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) to safely co-ordinate arrivals and departures. ANon-Directional Beacon (NDB) navigation aid remained in operation at the airport as of March 2023.[1]
The small passenger terminal, apron and general aviation parking are located on the northeastern side of the airport with direct access to the Eyre Highway. BothAvgas andJet A fuel are available in the precinct.[1] TheBureau of Meteorology maintains an office andweather radar facility on airport land, south of the main runway.
| Airlines | Destinations |
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| Rex Airlines | Adelaide |
