Forrest Airport
Airport in Western Australia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Forrest Airport (IATA: FOS, ICAO: YFRT) is an airport located in the hamlet of Forrest, Western Australia. The airport is clearly visible from the Indian Pacific train, which services the Trans-Australian Railway.
Forrest Airport | |||||||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||||||
| Operator | Fayburn Pty Ltd. | ||||||||||||||
| Location | Forrest, Western Australia | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 511 ft / 156 m | ||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 30°50′19″S 128°06′46″E | ||||||||||||||
| Website | http://www.forrestairport.com.au | ||||||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||||||
  YFRT Location in Western Australia | |||||||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||||||
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| Sources: Australian AIP and aerodrome chart[1] | |||||||||||||||
History
The airport was built by the Department of Civil Aviation in 1929 as a fuel stop for West Australian Airways which had won a government contract to carry mail between Adelaide and Perth using the de Havilland Hercules.[2] In the 1930s the Douglas airliner Bungana, also known as the mail plane, was a regular visitor on interstate flights.[3][4]
During World War II it was operated by the Royal Australian Air Force as a transit and fuel stop, and a communications base.[5] and has been the site of various military visits to the location over time.[6]
Current usage
It remains in use as an important stopping place for refuelling short range planes, for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the Australian Defence Force.[7][8]
Forrest Airport terminal building
