RAAF Woomera Airfield RAAF Base Woomera |
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Summary | |||||||||||||||
Airport type | Military | ||||||||||||||
Owner | Air Warfare Centre, DoD | ||||||||||||||
Operator | RAAF | ||||||||||||||
Serves | RAAF Woomera Test Range | ||||||||||||||
Location | Woomera, South Australia | ||||||||||||||
Built | 1947 | ||||||||||||||
Elevation AMSL | 548 ft / 167 m | ||||||||||||||
Coordinates | 31°08′39″S 136°49′01″E / 31.14417°S 136.81694°ECoordinates: 31°08′39″S 136°49′01″E / 31.14417°S 136.81694°E | ||||||||||||||
Map | |||||||||||||||
Location in South Australia | |||||||||||||||
Runways | |||||||||||||||
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Sources: Australian AIP and aerodrome chart
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RAAF Woomera Airfield (IATA: UMR, ICAO: YPWR) is an operational Royal Australian Air Force airfield located 3 nautical miles (5.6 km; 3.5 mi) north of the Woomera Defence Village, in South Australia. Operational management of the airfield (and its satellite airfield "Evetts Field") is under the command and control of Headquarters, Woomera Test Range (which is located approximately 450 km (280 mi) south-east of Woomera, at RAAF Base Edinburgh near Adelaide). The airfield is an integral part of the aerospace test and evaluation role the RAAF Woomera Test Range (WTR) provides for Australia. There are full-time operational staff at Woomera supporting airfield operations, but access to the field is controlled through the WTR headquarters in Adelaide.
Normally, civilian aircraft are not given permission to use the airfield unless such use is related to Defence activities at Woomera.
RAAF Woomera is able to operate all current types of aircraft used by the Australian Defence Forces (ADF), including C-17 Globemasters and all fast-jet types. The airfield can be fitted with an arrestor cable system when required to bring it to normal RAAF operating standards for FA-18 Hornet operations.
The airfield is also well able to handle larger aircraft types such as the C-5 Galaxy and Boeing 747. Large aircraft movements occur often at Woomera in support of ADF test and evaluation activities on the Range.
The centre line of the airfield was surveyed by Len Beadell in early 1947.