Rand Airport
IATA: QRA – ICAO: FAGM
Summary
Airport type		Public
Operator		Rand Airport Management Company (Pty) Ltd.
Location		Germiston, Gauteng
Elevation AMSL		5,482 ft / 1,671 m
Coordinates		26°14′33″S 28°09′04″E / 26.2425°S 28.15111°E / -26.2425; 28.15111Coordinates: 26°14′33″S 28°09′04″E / 26.2425°S 28.15111°E / -26.2425; 28.15111
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
	ft	m
11/29	5,617	1,712	Asphalt
17/35	4,898	1,493	Asphalt

Rand Airport (IATA: QRA, ICAO: FAGM) is an airport in Germiston, South Africa. It was constructed in the 1920s as the main airport for Johannesburg, but the city outgrew it and replaced the airport with the larger Jan Smuts International Airport in the 1950s.

South African Airways has donated two Boeing 747s to the "South African Airways Museum Society" which are on display at the airport.

Contents 1 History 2 Rand Airport Today 3 Aeronautical Information 3.1 Navigational Aids[5] 3.2 Communication 3.3 Notes 4 Hot and High conditions 5 Notable Accidents and Incidents 6 Airlines and destinations 7 Nearby tourist attractions 8 External links 9 References

[edit] History

At one time, Rand Airport was the busiest airport in the southern hemisphere. During the 1980s, several corporate and charter operators moved to Lanseria Airport due to safety concerns, as the runway at Lanseria is considerably longer than those at Rand Airport. The main runway, 29/11, has since been lengthened, but not to any large degree.

In October 2000 the airport was privatized. The operators at Rand Airport formed a consortium and held 50% stake. An empowerment group called Mayondi holds 30% and the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Council holds 20%.^[1]

[edit] Rand Airport Today

Today, Rand Airport is still a busy airport. The airport hosts Air Charter Operators, Flying Schools and a number of Aircraft Maintenance Organizations, as well as Pilot Shops, Car Hire and other enterprises.^[2] The consortium has embarked on a revamp campaign, emphasizing, “It has the potential to become the complete integrated Airport Park” which will include hotels, shopping and an Industrial Park.^[3] The airport also hosts an annual Air show.^[4]

[edit] Aeronautical Information

[edit] Navigational Aids^[5]

Type	Identification	Frequency
NDB	RA	337.5
NDB	RD	307.5
VOR/DME	RAV	117.7

[edit] Communication

• Communication frequencies
  • Rand Tower 118.7 MHz
  • Radar approach (west) 123.7 MHz
  • Radar approach (north) 134.4 MHz
  • Radar approach (south and east) 124.5 MHz

[edit] Notes

1. Standard Terminal Arrival Routes (STARs)are published for this airport.
2. Powerlines on runway 17 approach
3. Radio masts in the area

[edit] Hot and High conditions

Rand Airport is notorious for its hot and high conditions and relatively short runways. Situated at an altitude of 5500 feet (or 1600 meters) above sea level, the density altitude is as high as 8000 feet when the outside air temperature(OAT) is 30°C. Special consideration must be given to flight planning in the summer when the ambient temperature is that high; there have been many accidents at this airfield as a result of reduced aircraft performance under these conditions. A compounding factor is the lack of forced landing fields or areas, as the airport is surrounded by urban sprawl. This prompted an exodus of corporate and charter operators to Lanseria Airport in the 1980s(see above).

[edit] Notable Accidents and Incidents

• On Aug 2, 1995, an Antonov An-2, tail number RA-05708, on a cargo flight from Rand airport to Jamba, Angola, crashed shortly after takeoff killing all three persons on board. The accident was attributed to the cargo which was not properly secured and shifted during the initial climb out, rendering the aircraft uncontrollable.^[6]
• On December 6, 1999 a Piper PA31-350, ZS-OJY, crashed shortly after takeoff after suffering an engine failure. All 10 people on board were killed. ^[5]

[edit] Airlines and destinations

• Phoebus Apollo Aviation

[edit] Nearby tourist attractions

• Germiston Lake
• Carnival City Casino
• Gold Reef City

[edit] External links

• Official site
• South African Airways Museum Society
• Airport information for FAGM at World Aero Data. Data current as of October 2006.

[edit] References

1. ^ http://www.randairport.co.za/randairport_about.htm
2. ^ http://www.randairport.co.za/randairport_comonair.htm
3. ^ http://www.randairport.co.za/index.html
4. ^ http://www.randairport.co.za/randairport_new.htm
5. ^ ^{a b} http://www.caa.co.za/
6. ^ http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19950802-0