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Avalon Airport is the second busiest of the four airports serving Melbourne (in passenger traffic) and is located in Avalon, Victoria, Australia, to the south-west of the state capital Melbourne and north-east of the city of Geelong. The airport is operated by Avalon Airport Australia Pty Ltd (AAA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Fox Group Holdings Pty Ltd and is situated on a 1,753 hectare site, 40 minutes drive from Melbourne’s Central Business District and 20 minutes from Geelong. The airport's location between Melbourne and Geelong makes it both a capital city airport and a regional airport, servicing a large regional catchment in western Victoria and providing connections to tourism destinations such as the Great Ocean Road. Since Linfox Group’s purchase of the airport in 1997, Avalon Airport’s aviation operations have grown significantly as it has established itself as a second gateway to the Melbourne and Geelong regions. Today, the airport contains land and facilities that are surplus to current and projected aviation requirements. This provides the opportunity to pursue property development projects for a wider range of activities, which support Avalon Airport’s growth as an airport and as a major employment centre for the region. The business has an established a vision for Avalon Airport: “to be a World Class Centre of Aviation Excellence”, achieved via four pillars of activities: passenger operations, technical aviation operations, freight operations and retail and commercial developments.〔Avalon Airport Draft 2013 Master Plan〕 The airport has a single runway in addition to a helipad. Avalon is currently served by one passenger airline, Jetstar Airways, which started domestic flights in 2004.〔Business Summary | Avalon Airport (Avalon Airport Business Summary Comments) http://www.avalonairport.com.au/corporate/about-avalon/business-summary/〕 The airport is also leased by Qantas as a heavy maintenance facility, operates freight and ground handling services and is the site of the biennial Australian International Airshow.〔AIRSHOW 2015 - AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL AIRSHOW AND AEROSPACE & DEFENCE EXPOSITION - 24 February to 1 March 2015 GEELONG VICTORIA (AIRSHOW 2015 - AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL AIRSHOW AND AEROSPACE & DEFENCE EXPOSITION - 24 February to 1 March 2015 GEELONG VICTORIA) http://www.airshow.com.au/airshow2015/index.asp〕 Unlike Melbourne Airport, which is governed by the Commonwealth Airports Act, Avalon Airport falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Defence, and is privately leased by Linfox Group. ==History == The airport is located on land of the original indigenous owners, the Wuthaurung People,〔''From Duck Ponds to Lara,'' by Lara Heritage Festival Committee, 2004〕 and a scatter stone area is preserved on the Avalon Airport site, out of respect for the original owners.〔Avalon Airport Draft Environment Plan 2013〕 The land has undergone many changes over the past century. In the beginning, the airport was a sheep and cattle farm and homestead, founded by James Austin, an immigrant from Glastonbury, Somerset, England. James established his farm and named the homestead “Avalon” after the isle of Avalon at Glastonbury, the mythical island in the Arthurian legend. In 1952 the Commonwealth Government bought 4,333 acres at Avalon for just 110 pounds, as the land was deemed to be of poor quality farmland due to the abundance of volcanic rock littering the surface.〔''From Duckponds to Lara,'' published by the Lara Heritage Festival, 2004, edited by Mary Budd, Caroline Delaney and John Grainger〕 The airport was opened in 1953, to cater for the production of military aircraft. Previously, the Government Aircraft Factories at Fisherman's Bend, Melbourne had used a runway beside the factory. However, newer jet aircraft required a longer runway for safe operations, and the Fisherman's Bend runway was being encroached upon by development. A runway was built by Country Roads Board, with the first plane landing on 3 April 1953 – a four-engined Avro Lincoln heavy bomber flown from Fishermans Bend. The English Electric Canberra light bomber was under construction at same time at the new airport. In 1959, Qantas established a training base at the site. In 1961, Government Aircraft Factories combined with The Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation, and built and serviced 110 Mirage fighters at the site, and in 1970 Jindivit Target Aircraft transferred to Avalon Airport from Fishermen’s Bend, adding production of 170 Nomad and 75 Hornet military jets, in addition to servicing of other jets. In 1985 the Government Aircraft Factories changed its name to ''Aerospace Technologies of Australia'' (ASTA). Aircraft produced during this time included the CAC Sabre jet fighter, GAF Jindivik remotely piloted aircraft, and Nomad civil aircraft. Under the ASTA banner, engines for the Dassault Mirage III jet fighters were produced, as well as assembly of the F/A-18 multirole combat aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). In October 1988, the ASTA Aircraft Services division took the first Boeing 747 to Avalon for servicing and maintenance. By December 1993, fifty 747 aircraft had been through the Avalon facility, and 820 people were employed at the site. October 1995 saw a Cathay Pacific Lockheed L-1011 flown to Avalon for scrapping by ASTA Aircraft Services, in what was a one off event. Training of pilots from Japan's All Nippon Airways commenced at the airport on 8 September 1993. On 27 June 1995 Aerospace Technologies of Australia was privatised by the Commonwealth Government,〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=SUPERANNUATION (CSS) CONTINUING CONTRIBUTIONS FOR BENEFITS REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT) 1995 NO. 349 )〕 selling the aircraft divisions to Rockwell Australia Limited, and the airport operations to Avalon Airport Geelong Pty Ltd.〔 The ASTA airliner overhauling facility was closed in 1997.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Property Council of Australia — Geelong Fights Back )〕 The first scheduled passenger flights out of the airport were operated by Hazelton Airlines, who commenced flights between Avalon Airport and Sydney in February 1995. 36-seat Saab 340 aircraft were used for the service. The service was discontinued after a short time due to a lack of passengers. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Avalon Airport」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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