S V Choong 4 Report post Posted July 22, 2006 (edited) Just managed to pull up some photos taken in Jan 2001 on my trips back to Tawau, while working for my uncle at Kota Kinabalu during summer break of University. The old Tawau airport was opened during the 1960s and closed at Dec 2001. Here are the photos taken which shows during the final months of operations. Took 9M-MGA back to BKI with my cousin. Basically the old Tawau airport is not too far from town spanning North to South. Normally the flight will take off Southward from North end of runway, then will fly pass the city centre towards the direction of Kalimantan. It will then execute a 160 degree turn and head towards BKI. The lucky ones sitting to the right hand side of the aircraft, like myself here, will get a full view of the township. The Fokker F-50 is just perfect for aerial shots with her wings mounted to top of the fuselage!!! Can you see the relatively short runway of the airport? Captain Radzi has a photo in A.net which looks from the otherside. The hill (green area) near the centre of the photo depicts the Quarry of Tawau. This area is known as the "Hill top" by the locals. They used the bomb method to explode the rocks into pieces. Most of the rocks and stones for buildings, roadings etc are sourced from here. Yes those houses on the sea are build by the illegal immigrants from Indonesia. There aren't many native Malays in Tawau, mostly Bugis and etc. Sorry the windows is badly scratched for some reason. Just took off from BKI airport and passing by the tallest peak at South East Asia, the Gunung Kinabalu. Our state symbol. How many of you know that Mt Kinabalu is also known as "the mountain of a Chinese widow"? Legend has it that a Chinese sailor came to KK during Ming dynasty (I think), he met a local woman and married her. One day he had to return to China, he did and never came back. One day the woman had decided to climb on top of Mt Kinabalu to wait for his return and she turn into a rock "statue" which looks like a woman, now on top of Mt Kinabalu. This is the story I was told when we were at school! Landed and spotted an Fokker F-50 at turn circle 1. During the old days, it will be the F-27 sitting there. Upon landing, I really felt that the old Tawau airport has a really narrow runway and taxiway! No really designed for the Boeing 737s. At old Tawau airport, the Fokker (F-27s and F-50s) always park at turn circle No.1, the Boeing 737s (732 and 734) often parked at turn circle no. 2. Only in rare occassion will you get two Boeing 737s at the same time. Land side of old Tawau airport during her heyday. Two Boeing 737-400s parked at old Tawau airport at the same time. One of them must be going to Sandakan and the other one returning to BKI. Nowdays they use the F-50 to SDK due to the decline in passenger number! Before the closure of old Tawau airport, Air Asia did not make it into old Tawau airport at all. It would be chaotic if they did. Thats all folks. Edited July 22, 2006 by S V Choong Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pieter C. 5 Report post Posted July 22, 2006 Sorry the windows is badly scratched for some reason. Nice pictures, SV, of my beloved Sabah... First thought you would be laying on your stomach in high grass on another hill-side for this Mount Kinabalu shot, till I saw the winglet Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Norman 1 Report post Posted July 22, 2006 Yeah... been to Tawau longgg time ago... Such a small airport with short runway.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Fendy Report post Posted July 22, 2006 i first flew into TWU not long after the f50 incident... it was quite eerie... they have improved alot now! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sim Lim Shen 0 Report post Posted July 23, 2006 SV, Thanks for the photos. I was told the same story on Mount Kinabalu when I was at primary school. Your descriptions and photos of the old Tawau airport reminded me of the old Miri Airport. Before renovation and addition of aerobridge, all flights also did the turn circle and we had to deplane via stairs and walk to the terminal. Such fond memory. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
S V Choong 4 Report post Posted July 23, 2006 Your descriptions and photos of the old Tawau airport reminded me of the old Miri Airport. Before renovation and addition of aerobridge, all flights also did the turn circle and we had to deplane via stairs and walk to the terminal. Such fond memory. I like it when they use two objects that looks like two ping-pong bats to guide the aircraft to turn the circle. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Radzi 2 Report post Posted July 23, 2006 Thanks for the memory, SV. I never went to old Tawau as a captain; it requires a special route qualification due to the short 5800 ft runway. I was in the process of getting it (passed the sim check first) when all RQ to old Tawau suspended due to imminent opening of new Tawau. However I was quite a regular there as a co-pilot, pre 1997. To my knowledge we (MH 734) never operated a regular TWU-SDK flight. To get 2 B734 on the ground must be a rarity; probably one was AOG. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
S V Choong 4 Report post Posted July 23, 2006 (edited) To my knowledge we (MH 734) never operated a regular TWU-SDK flight. To get 2 B734 on the ground must be a rarity; probably one was AOG. Hmm, just around the early 1990s when I am set to depart Tawau to NZ for good, I have taken the TWU-SDK-BKI-KUL flight to KUL on a 734. If I am not wrong, I did take a 732 flight on the TWU-SDK-BKI route as well around end of 80s to early 90s. I don't know why our travel agent booked us on such a long flight, not that I was complaining The 734s did operate from TWU-SDK for a little while. But I believe may be before you joined MAS? This is Captain Radzi's photo on old Tawau airport. Captain, I stared at this photo of yours for almost one hour to study it in details. I can see my house just to the left hand side of the photo. Thanks for taking this photo and it is a blessing for all the folks from Tawau http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0406623/L/ Wow, I didn't know that landing at old Tawau will require a special qualification. During one of my flights in 2001 back to Tawau for Chinese New Year, we landed during bad weather. I can tell some of the folks onboard was really frightened and started praying. The general atmosphere onboard was really nervous. We made a few circle on the air waiting for the cloud to clear a little. Still the memory of the overran incident in 1995 did not help to calm us down. Upon landing, the 734 had full thrust reverser, wheel brakes and speed brakes on. One hell of a experience it was. For those who didn't know, the 1995 crash of the MAS Fokker F-50 was at the end of the runway towards the city side. There is a Chinese temple near the crash site and a monument is said to have been built to remember the incident. I am quite surprised that many of you here have been to Tawau! If I am a West Malaysian, no kidding, this is the last place in Malaysia I would go to. There is just not much things to see, apart from Sipadan. The town is boring if you don't have any friends. Neither there's much to see, it is not a tourist friendly place I must say. My uncles and aunties are West Malaysian and you can tell that they don't like to come to Tawau but they don't mind KK, Sandakan and Labuan so much Edited July 23, 2006 by S V Choong Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Walter Sim 1 Report post Posted July 23, 2006 I am born i Tawau. However no fond memories of it as i left Tawau to KK when i was like 3 years old. BUT! Tawau has the best and the cheapest seafood you can ever find!! If not the best, 2nd best. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sim Lim Shen 0 Report post Posted July 23, 2006 I like it when they use two objects that looks like two ping-pong bats to guide the aircraft to turn the circle. Exactly SV. That's why the ping pong bat concept was so rooted in my mind until TK's photo showing airports are now using electronic sign boards. Man I am still living in stone age Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
S V Choong 4 Report post Posted July 23, 2006 Tawau has the best and the cheapest seafood you can ever find!! If not the best, 2nd best. Thats right. Our west Malaysian relatives from KL and Seremban are highly jealous of us because we can get loads and loads of fresh seafood for a good price too!!! Man I am still living in stone age At least you are not the only one!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Walter Sim 1 Report post Posted July 23, 2006 Thats right. Our west Malaysian relatives from KL and Seremban are highly jealous of us because we can get loads and loads of fresh seafood for a good price too!!! YEAH! i get almost frequent stocks of HUGE PRAWNS and Pomfrets from my Uncle who is a doctor in Tawau. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fitri Shukri 0 Report post Posted July 25, 2006 I am quite surprised that many of you here have been to Tawau! If I am a West Malaysian, no kidding, this is the last place in Malaysia I would go to. There is just not much things to see, apart from Sipadan. The town is boring if you don't have any friends. Neither there's much to see, it is not a tourist friendly place I must say. My uncles and aunties are West Malaysian and you can tell that they don't like to come to Tawau but they don't mind KK, Sandakan and Labuan so much Choong, My first visit to Sabah was in 1998, and it happened to be Tawau was the first town in Sabah I visited. Took a MH KUL-BKI-TWU flight on a B737-400 and it was still the old airport back then. Upon landing, you can immediately see the people who are greeting you at the airport fences. My best experience in Tawau was during my first visit there in August 1998 watching the Armageddon movie at a wooden cinema in Tawau. The atmosphere in the cinema was kampung-like, but the visual and sound system was as good as the modern TGV/GSC in KL's cinema. Funny thing, instead of popcorn, they sold local kerepek/keropok for the moviegoers. Up till today, this is my best memory of going to cinema. While on a visit to Tawau last year, I was also introduced to a special meat, very tasty but hot and good to increase sexual libido . I can't remember which animal the meat is from. But it was at a Muslim restaurant not far from Kinabutan. Going to Sabah again next week. But unfortunately this time, Tawau is not in the itenary. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Raj 0 Report post Posted July 25, 2006 Hey SV, Is the Old Airport still there in Tawau.? Like runway and Terminal etc.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mohd Firdaus Bolong 0 Report post Posted July 25, 2006 Yep,all of the facilities are still there,minus the stairs of course. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fitri Shukri 0 Report post Posted July 25, 2006 Is it true that the old airport might be converted into a military base to house attack and transport helicopters and also for C130 operations? These were what some Tawau residents told me. Personally, I think it is better to centralise all aviation activity at the new airport, military or civilian. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
S V Choong 4 Report post Posted July 25, 2006 (edited) Yup, it is still there and it is a sad sight as it was deserted since the opening of the new airport in 2001. The new airport is bloody far away from town centre (28km, I think). Fitri, I am not sure which wooden cinema you are talking about as from memory there are only two proper cinemas, the Empress and the Emperor. The Emperor was closed during the late 80s, and pirated CD invasion had also forced the Empress to closed during the late 90s. Both cinemas frequently screen latest movies from Hong Kong and occassionally from Taiwan, ROC. From what I saw on the urban planning for the next 10 years for Tawau while I worked for my uncle in KK in 2001, it looks as though the old airport will be the new site for the Tawau district government. It is an elevated site of the town, it makes sense. Now that I looked at the photo from air, it seems that the town has been built around the old airport. Haven't heard about the military base thing but there's a military base just next to the old airport. I reckon landing a C-130 hercules there is probably pushing a little for such a short runway. We certainly wouldn't like the RMAF F-18A Hornet to land there as it will probably shatter our glass at home. If you check Captain Radzi's photos taken at Tawau at A.net, RMAF's jets have been landing there. In my 2 cents opinion, anymore aircraft landing at the old airport will restrict the height of high rise going up, as the town centre is at the end of the runway. So they will probably not going a step backward then by reintroducing the old airport. Edited July 25, 2006 by S V Choong Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Raj 0 Report post Posted July 25, 2006 Yep,all of the facilities are still there,minus the stairs of course. IC, Thanks Firdaus.. SV, You going back to Tawau this year? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
S V Choong 4 Report post Posted July 25, 2006 SV, You going back to Tawau this year? Yup, I am..... Thought I should explain things better Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sim Lim Shen 0 Report post Posted July 25, 2006 SV, Never been to Tawau, and never been to Sabah as a matter of fact. Probably I will bring my family for a vacation next year. You going back which day in November? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
S V Choong 4 Report post Posted July 25, 2006 (edited) Well will tell you over email when I have decided ok? If you wanna go to Sabah, I will suggest you to go to KK for all the nice beaches and resorts and Mt Kinabalu and Sandakan for the Orang Hutan. Tawau.... may be for Mabul and Spidan, plus seafood fest at Semporna? Nothing much to see at Tawau township really. I am sure my fellow Sabahan and Labuanan would agree with me? And even Pieter, the de-facto Sabahan Edited July 25, 2006 by S V Choong Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sim Lim Shen 0 Report post Posted July 25, 2006 Well will tell you over email when I have decided ok? If you wanna go to Sabah, I will suggest you to go to KK for all the nice beaches and resorts and Mt Kinabalu and Sandakan for the Orang Hutan. Tawau.... may be for Mabul and Spidan, plus seafood fest at Semporna? Nothing much to see at Tawau township really. I am sure my fellow Sabahan and Labuanan would agree with me? And even Pieter, the de-facto Sabahan Sure. When you return to Sabah, remember to post photos of the new Tawau airport. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pieter C. 5 Report post Posted July 25, 2006 And even Pieter, the de-facto Sabahan Baaahhhhh, agree about the beaches/resorts here: Nexus Resort Karambunai my favourite one Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BC Tam 2 Report post Posted July 25, 2006 ..... my Uncle who is a doctor in Tawau Dr Sim Yong Sing ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Walter Sim 1 Report post Posted July 25, 2006 spot on hah. How would you know? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
