Airport type Dual-use Elevation AMSL 3 m / 10 ft 4,485 Concrete | Location Swallow Reef 1,367 4,485 Operator Ministry of Defence | |
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Layang-Layang Airport (English: Swallow Reef Airport) is an airport located on Pulau Layang-Layang (English: Swallow Reef), located in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. It is located about 300 km north of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. The airport serves a Royal Malaysian Navy naval station (Station Lima) and a 3-star diving resort as well as a marine research facility, MARSAL (Marine Research Station Pulau Layang-Layang).
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Background
The airport runway's original length was 1,064 metres, but is now 1,367 metres after the airport expansion was completed in 2003. The airport was built between 1991 and 1995 by the Malaysian government as part of a plan to exploit the tourism potential of the island. The island on which the airport is located is administrated by Malaysia, but as with all of the Spratly Islands, is disputed territory.
The airport is a dual-use airport, serving both military and civilian aircraft. Layang Layang Aerospace operates Nomad N22C aircraft to and from Kota Kinabalu International Airport. The Royal Malaysian Air Force operates C130 Hercules transport planes and CN-235 maritime patrol aircraft to and from Labuan Airport.
Facilities
The airport consists of a paved aircraft runway, two aircraft hangars, a radar station, an air traffic control tower and watchtowers. The runway, made of concrete, is 1367m long and 28m wide. The runway has a Pavement Classification Number of 032RBXU, indicating that the runway is a medium strength rigid pavement, with a high maximum tire pressure.
The aviation facilities on the island allow the operation of C130 Hercules transport planes and CN-235 maritime patrol aircraft of the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF).