Sigiriya Airport

Last updated
Sigiriya Airport
Summary
Airport typeMilitary/Public
Owner Government of Sri Lanka
Operator Sri Lanka Air Force
Serves Dambulla
Location Sigiriya, Central Province, Sri Lanka
Opened1942, 1985
Closed1946
In use1942 - 1946
1985 - Present
Commander C. P. Gunatileke
Elevation  AMSL 192 m / 630 ft
Coordinates 07°57′21.20″N80°43′41.20″E / 7.9558889°N 80.7281111°E / 7.9558889; 80.7281111
Map
Sri Lanka relief location map.jpg
Airplane silhouette.svg
GIU
Sigiriya Airport
Runways
Direction LengthSurface
mft
04/221,7685,801Asphalt

Sigiriya Airport( IATA : GIU, ICAO : VCCS) is an air force base and domestic airport located in central Sri Lanka. [1] Located near the city of Dambulla, the airport is also known as SLAF Sigiriya. [2]

Contents

History

Sigiriya Airport was first opened in 1942 as an airfield established by the Royal Air Force during World War II. A number of RAF squadrons (8 (1945), [3] 160 (1943-44), [4] 200 (1944-45), [5] 203 (1944-45), [6] 354 (1944) [7] ) and other units were stationed at the airfield during and immediately after the war. [8] With the end of the war, and subsequently no use for the airfield it was abandoned by the RAF in 1946. [9]

On 19 April 1985, the airfield was opened again for the Sri Lanka Air Force by Lalith Athulathmudali, then Minister of National Security and Deputy Minister of Defence, on the invitation of Air Marshal Donald Perera, Commander of the Air Force.

Airlines and destinations

AirlinesDestinations
Air Senok Charter: Colombo–Ratmalana [ citation needed ]
Cinnamon Air Colombo–Bandaranaike, Trincomalee
FitsAir Charter: Colombo–Ratmalana [ citation needed ]
Helitours Charter: Colombo–Ratmalana,[ citation needed ] Hambantota–Mattala [ citation needed ]

References

Citations

  1. ↑ "VCCS - Sigiriya" (PDF). Aeronautical Information Services of Sri Lanka, Airport & Aviation Services. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  2. ↑ "VCCS - Airport". Great Circle Mapper. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  3. ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 26.
  4. ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 64.
  5. ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 67.
  6. ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 68.
  7. ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 88.
  8. ↑ "RAF Sigiriya". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  9. ↑ "Sri Lanka Air Force Sigiriya". Sri Lanka Air Force. Retrieved 13 March 2014.

Bibliography


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