Simpang Airport

Sempang Airport
Kuala Lumpur Old Airport
RMAF Kuala Lumpur
Simpang Air Force Base

Lapangan Terbang Simpang
Lapangan Terbang Kuala Lumpur
TUDM Kuala Lumpur
IATA: KULICAO: WMKF
Summary
Airport type Military
Operator Royal Malaysian Air Force
Location Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Time zone MST (UTC+08:00)
Elevation AMSL 111 ft / 34 m
Coordinates 03°06′41″N 101°42′10″E / 3.11139°N 101.70278°E / 3.11139; 101.70278Coordinates: 03°06′41″N 101°42′10″E / 3.11139°N 101.70278°E / 3.11139; 101.70278
Map
WMKF

Location in West Malaysia

Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
04/22 1,199 3,934 Tarmac
Sources: AIP Malaysia[1]
Simpang Air Base
RAF Kuala Lumpur
Part of Royal Malaysian Air Force
Type Air Force Base
Site information
Condition Military Airport
Site history
Built 1952
In use 1952-Present
Battles/wars Malayan Emergency

Sempang Airport (ICAO: WMKF) is an airport in Kuala Lumpur. It is also known as TUDM Kuala Lumpur, Old Airport, Sungai Besi Airport or Sempang Air Force Base.[2]

It served as the main airport for Kuala Lumpur from 1952 to 1965 under the name Kuala Lumpur International Airport,[3] until the main airport was moved to Subang International Airport. It was the first airport to serve Kuala Lumpur and currently remains as the only airport to be located within the boundaries of Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory.

Formerly known as RAF Kuala Lumpur, today it is used by the Royal Malaysian Air Force (Malay: Tentera Udara DiRaja Malaysia), Royal Malaysian Police Air Wing, and the air unit of the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department.

The Royal Selangor Flying Club (Malay: Kelab Penerbangan Di-Raja Selangor) also flies from Sempang Airport. The four Cessna 172N Skyhawk aircraft belonging to the club are based at this airport.[4]

The airport was supposed to be demolished to make way for a housing estate, but that plan was cancelled and the airport is still used for air force flights. There had been non-fatal accidents before, involving single engine airplanes, at the surrounding roads and flyovers which are usually very busy during rush hours.

The airport also houses the TUDM Museum, which is the only aviation museum in Malaysia. There is no entrance fee, and there are a total of 18 aircraft at the museum, including a de Havilland Tiger Moth and one of the few surviving Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneers. Some of the aircraft are accessible, like the de Havilland Dove.

References


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