Parafield Airport was named the Non-RPT Certified Airport of the Year in the 2013 National Airport Industry Awards, presented in Darwin last night.
The airport won for its community consultation as part of the 2012 Master Plan process.
Managing Director Mark Young said the award recognised the level of professionalism at Parafield in involving the community in its activities.
“Parafield Airport has set new benchmarks for communicating and working closely with the local community, which in turn has allowed us to better understand the views of nearby businesses and residents,” he said.
“For example, as a direct result of our lead up to consultation during the master planning process, we set up a technical working group, which reports back to the community aviation consultative group, to look at initiatives to reduce the impact of aircraft noise and improve the efficiency of our operations.
“Parafield Airport is one of Australia’s leading airports for the provision of flight training, and it’s critical that these operations can work in harmony with the local community."
Parafield Airport is a significant employer and contributor to the economy of South Australia. As the home base for Flight Training Adelaide, UniSA Aviation Academy and TAFE SA, the airport provides pilot training facilities for Virgin Australia, QantasLink and Cathay Pacific.
Other GA airport winners were:
Non-certified aerodrome – joint winners
Exmouth Aerodrome, WA
Gannawarra Shire Council – Cohuna Aerodrome Upgrade Phase 1
Regional Airport – 50,000 - 499,000 passengers
Mildura Airport and Wagga Wagga Regional Airport joint winners
Portland Airport, Victoria
Individual Award for Airport Excellence, Non-RPT Certified Airport
Neil Cooper, La Trobe Regional Airport