The Oldest Airport In Malaysia

[M. Sofian H. 0]

 

Dalam tahun 1935, Lapangan Terbang Pulau Pinang telah dibuka dengan rasminya berikutan pendaratan sebuah kapal terbang dari Syarikat Penerbangan Imperial, 'Arethusa' di lapangan terbang ini. Upacara pendaratan ini telah disaksikan oleh sebahagian besar penduduk-penduduk Pulau Pinangl, termasuk Residen Councillor Pulau Pinang.

 

Lapangan terbang ini adalah berbentuk bulat, panjang garis lintangnya ialah 1,000 ela dan dikelilingi oleh tembok setinggi 4 kaki untuk menghalang banjir disebabkan air pasang. Pendaratan kapal terbang ini telah dilakukan di atas dua landasan, satu daripadanya landasan tar sepanjang 930 ela dan lebar 60 ela, satu lagi landasannya ialah sepanjang 800 ela dan lebarnya 200 ela dibina di atas tanah yang ditanam rumput.

 

Di samping itu lapangan terbang ini mengandungi beberapa bangunan antaranya sebuah terminal yang dibina di Bangunan Kawalan, sebuah kelab dan dua buah 'Hanger' yang diperbuat daripada besi waja.

 

Dengan pembukaan lapangan terbang ini, ia merupakan satu detik bersejarah dalam perkembangan sistem perhubungan dan pengangkutan di Malaysia. Ia telah memberi perkhidmatan penerbangan tempatan antara Kuala Lumpur, Singapura dan Pulau Pinang, di samping perkhidmatan pendaratan penerbangan di antara Eropah dengan negara-negara Asia Tenggara dan Australia.

 

Anybody know about the first airport operation in Malaysia?

[S V Choong 4]

Would that involve the inclusion of Singapura? I believe we share a common historical link

[Mohd Azizul Ramli 2]

The answer is neither Penang nor Sungai Besi.

 

The oldest airport in Malaysia is Tekah Airport (IATA coded TPG), a small commercial airport in Taiping, Perak. It has been chosen as the hub for Global Flying Hospitals (GFH), an international body that brings humanitarian medical support to developing countries.

 

Tekah Airport with its wooden aerodrome is the oldest airport built in Malaysia. It was built by the British in 1929. Along with Alor Setar Airport, both were the earlist airports in the then Malaya. However, in 1933 more airports were built in Selangor and Penang (as your article mentions), and the Tekah Airport no longer hold the importance.

Edited September 29, 2007 by Mohd Azizul Ramli

[M. Sofian H. 0]

Thanks Azizul..... anybody have pic?

[Radzi 2]

[M. Sofian H. 0]

is it still operation?

[Geoff R. 0]

Looking at Google Earth and Radzi's photo it does not look if it is used or has been used for some time.

 

Any one been here recently?

 

Geoff

[N Azman 0]

I heard the academy boys and girls fly there on occasions. Maybe the students themselves can confirm this.

[KK Lee 5]

The oldest airport in Malaysia is Tekah Airport (IATA coded TPG), a small commercial airport in Taiping, Perak. It has been chosen as the hub for Global Flying Hospitals (GFH), an international body that brings humanitarian medical support to developing countries.

 

Bet my 2 cents, the government will spend RM500 millions to RM3.0 billions to upgrade the TPG to accommodate the GFH aircrafts. Whether this project to go ahead or not, will depend on who will secure the TPG upgrading work.

 

[Kader 0]

just flew by taiping 2 days ago, if you can see on the right hand end of runway, theres a small road crossing... i SAW people on bikes using that road as shortcut..

[Kader 0]

Here's the pix