Ywol

Correct name for Illawarra/Wollongong Airport

There has been a lot of discussion and some very opinion based editing around this topic. I propose to compile a list of references and throw some light into the discussion. Hopefully this will result in improvements to the page which are fact based.Ywol (talk) 02:27, 24 March 2018 (UTC)

So let's begin with the existing wiki entry which has correctly identified that the owner/operator of the airport calls it Illawarra Regional Airport (IRA). Media reports also often use this name. On this basis, one editor has deleted any edit which references the name Wollongong Airport. That "Illawarra Regional Airport" is a relevant name is not in dispute. What has to be resolved is whether "Wollongong Airport" is also common usage, and whether it is really appropriate to edit out any reference to the use of that name. Ywol (talk) 02:29, 24 March 2018 (UTC)

So let's look at usage of the name Wollongong Airport. Firstly, here is an example where the ABC references Wollongong Airport; "One of the pilots on the aircraft's final flight pokes his head out of the cockpit hatch after landing at Wollongong Airport".

All airline flights use the name Wollongong as their flight destination, and the information boards at other airports will always display the name Wollongong. This is important, as it is this usage that will commonly be seen outside of the Illawarra Region.Ywol (talk) 02:43, 24 March 2018 (UTC)

At an official level, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology has its weather station located at: "Station Details ID: 068241 Name: WOLLONGONG AIRPORT Lat: -34.56 Lon: 150.79 Height: 8.0m".

Next let's look at what name is used by the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS), the largest entity to use the airport. Here is what it uses to describe its location: "HARS – the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society is an all volunteer group of Aviation Professionals and Enthusiasts who have premises at Wollongong Airport (YWOL), Albion Park just over an hour by road South of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia."Ywol (talk) 02:46, 24 March 2018 (UTC)

Another airport business is Sydney Microlight Centre which describes its location as "Wollongong Regional Airport" while Touchdown Helicopters uses both names: "Based at Wollongong's Illawarra Regional Airport" To illustrate the lack of clear consensus over the Airport's common name, the largest charter and air training operator on the site uses "Albion Park Regional Airport in the Illawarra 20 minutes south of Wollongong" to name its location. The official website of the airport and the aviation regulator both use the term "Wollongong Aerodrome" The general media for travel reporting commonly uses the term Wollongong "with domestic airline, Jetgo Australia, recently launching direct flights from Wollongong".Ywol (talk) 02:54, 24 March 2018 (UTC)

In a general community sense in the Illawarra region, the names Wollongong Airport, Albion Park Airport and Illawarra Regional Airport are used interchangeably. For example the large community facebook page is named WollongongAirport, uses the term Wollongong Illawarra Regional Airport as a long name and Wollongong Airport for short.

Outside of the Illawarra, the airport is widely known by several specific groups. Commercial and private pilots (and CASA) who use the terminology "Wollongong Airport", "Wollongong", "WOL" or "YWOL". For example NSW Air in its description of endorsements for pilots writes: "Wollongong Airport is within 30 miles of an ILS (NOWRA) which is a great location as it gives Student exposure to Class C airspace and operations within a Military Control Zone". Airline passengers will always see the term "Wollongong" as a destination on information boards when flying to the airport from other airports. Ywol (talk) 03:08, 24 March 2018 (UTC)

On a global scale, aviation and airport websites most commonly use the name Wollongong Airport. Global media reports will often refer to Wollongong Airport rather than IRA: "Australia's JetGo chosen for Wollongong airport flights".Ywol (talk) 03:26, 24 March 2018 (UTC)

In summary there is a large body of documentation that clearly identifies the name "Wollongong Airport" as widely and commonly used, both officially and generally.Ywol (talk) 03:41, 24 March 2018 (UTC)

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