RMAF Kuala Lumpur
Sungai Besi Air Base
Simpang Airport

TUDM Kuala Lumpur
Pangkalan Udara Sungai Besi
Lapangan Terbang Simpang
Sempang Airport in 2023
Summary
Airport typeMilitary
OwnerMinistry of Defence (Malaysia)
OperatorRoyal Malaysian Air Force
LocationKuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Closed16 March 2018 (2018-03-16)
Passenger services ceased30 August 1965 (1965-08-30)
Time zoneMST (UTC+08:00)
Elevation AMSL111 ft / 34 m
Coordinates03°06′41″N 101°42′10″E / 3.11139°N 101.70278°E / 3.11139; 101.70278
Maps
Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory in Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory in Malaysia
WMKF is located in Kuala Lumpur
WMKF
WMKF
WMKF is located in Peninsular Malaysia
WMKF
WMKF
WMKF (Peninsular Malaysia)
WMKF is located in Malaysia
WMKF
WMKF
WMKF (Malaysia)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
04/22 1,199 3,934 Tarmac (closed)
Sources: AIP Malaysia[1]
Simpang Air Base
RAF Kuala Lumpur
Part of Royal Malaysian Air Force
TypeAir Force Base
Site information
ConditionMilitary Airport
Site history
Built1952
In use1952-2018
Battles/warsMalayan Emergency

RMAF Kuala Lumpur (ICAO: WMKF) was an air base in Kuala Lumpur. It is also known as Sungai Besi Air Base, Simpang Airport, Old Airport.[2]

History

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, it was used by the Royal Malaysian Air Force (Malay: Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia), Royal Malaysian Police Air Wing Unit and the air unit of the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department.

The Royal Selangor Flying Club (Malay: Kelab Penerbangan Diraja Selangor) also flies from Simpang 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 housed the RMAF Museum, which was the only aviation museum in Malaysia but ceased operation for the construction of the Bandar Malaysia North station.[5] There was no entrance fee and there was 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 were accessible, like the de Havilland Dove.

The airport has ceased operation as of 16 March 2018.[6] The air base will be relocated to Sendayan in Negeri Sembilan.

See also

References


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