London International Airport

London International Airport (IATA: YXU, ICAO: CYXU) is located 5 nautical miles (9.3 km; 5.8 mi) northeast of the city of London, Ontario, Canada.

This article is about the airport in London, Ontario, Canada. For international airports serving London, United Kingdom, see Airports of London. For other uses, see London Airport (disambiguation).
London International Airport
London International Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerTransport Canada[1]
OperatorGreater London International Airport Authority
ServesLondon, Ontario
LocationLondon, Ontario
Time zoneEST (UTC−05:00)
 • Summer (DST)EDT (UTC−04:00)
Elevation AMSL912 ft / 278 m
Coordinates43°01′59″N 81°09′04″W
Websitehttps://www.flyyxu.ca
Map
CYXU is located in Ontario
CYXU
CYXU
Location in Ontario
CYXU is located in Canada
CYXU
CYXU
CYXU (Canada)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
15/33 8,800 2,682 Asphalt
09/27 6,300 1,920 Asphalt
Statistics (2022)
Aircraft movements91,103
Number of passengers229,241
Sources: Canada Flight Supplement[2]
Environment Canada[3]
Movements from Statistics Canada[4]
Passenger statistics from London International[5]

In 2018, the airport handled 514,685 passengers,[5] and, in 2011, was the 20th busiest in Canada in terms of aircraft movements, with 94,747.[4] Air Canada Express, Swoop and WestJet provide year-round flights to London International Airport. It also provides services for cargo airlines.

The airport is classified as an airport of entry by Nav Canada and is staffed by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). CBSA officers at this airport can handle aircraft with no more than 180 passengers; however, they can handle up to 450 if the aircraft is unloaded in stages.[2]

History

London Airport, 1929–1942
Airfield circa 1942

In January 1927 the City of London selected a site for an airfield at Lambeth, Ontario near 42°55′00″N 081°17′00″W; the adjacent section of Wonderland Road to the east between Southdale and Exeter was named Airport Road up through 1989 when the town of Westminster was established and all rural roads were named by the town. A group of local businessmen acquired the site in 1928 and by 3 May 1929 an airport license was issued to London Airport Ltd.[6] The London Flying Club was formed in 1928 and became a tenant of the new airport.[note 1] The airfield was used for flying instruction, private aviation, and for air mail. By 1933 it had become too small for some commercial aircraft.

The London Flying Club continued to use the Lambeth airfield until 7 August 1942.

London City Airport, 1940–1945

In 1935 the city decided to replace the original London Airport. Site surveys and consultations took place and on 9 September 1939, at the start of World War II, work began on a new airport located near Crumlin. The city leased the new airport to the Government of Canada, Department of Transport on 24 January 1940 for the duration of the war.

Runways 14-32 and 05-23 were paved and ready for use by July 1940 and the Royal Canadian Air Force established RCAF Station Crumlin on part of the airport.[7][8] This air station was host to No. 3 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) and No. 4 Air Observer School (AOS), both part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.

The airport remained under civilian management and was used for civil and military aviation during the war years. The licence for London City Airport was issued on 6 May 1941. Improvements made during this time include:

  • main terminal building (civilian) opened in July 1942
  • Trans-Canada Airlines began serve to the airport in July 1942.
  • runway 08-26 added in 1943.

British Commonwealth Air Training Plan operations ended on 31 December 1944 with the closure of No. 4 Air Observer School.

The Royal Air Force Transport Command, No. 45 Group established the Mosquito Preparation and Despatching Unit at London on 10 January 1945. This detachment had twenty three members and test flew De Havilland Mosquitos built in Toronto before they were flown overseas.[9]

After the war the airport remained under the control of the Department of Transport.[note 2]

Aerodrome information

In approximately 1942 the aerodrome was listed at 43°02′N 81°09′W with a Var. 5 degrees W and elevation of 899 feet (274 m). Two runways were listed as follows: [10]

Runway name Total length Total width Paved length Paved width
5/23 3,400 feet (1,036 m) 500 feet (152 m) 3,150 feet (960 m) 150 feet (46 m)
4/22 3,400 feet (1,036 m) 500 feet (152 m) 3,150 feet (960 m) 150 feet (46 m)

Postwar RCAF operations 1945–1961
The Canadair CT-133 aircraft mounted in front of the main terminal building

After World War II RCAF reserve or auxiliary squadrons were given the task of defending Canada's major cities.[11] 420 Squadron reformed as City of London 420 (Fighter) Auxiliary Squadron at the airport in September 1948. Initially equipped with Harvard aircraft, the squadron upgraded to Mustangs in 1952 and Canadair CT-133 jets in 1954. The squadron disbanded in 1957. Air Defence Command reformed 2420 Aircraft Control and Warning (Auxiliary) Squadron at London on 1 July 1956. 2420 trained Fighter Control operators and disbanded on 31 May 1961.

RCAF Station London opened in 1950 to support a NATO Induction and Training Centre, later moved to Centralia. The station closed on 30 September 1958.

As a tribute to this period, a Canadair CT-133 aircraft in former Royal Canadian Air Force livery is mounted in front of the main terminal building.

Capital improvements since 1950
Interior of London International Airport

The airport has been continuously improved since World War II as navigation and air traffic control systems evolved, and as commercial aircraft became larger and larger. These improvements include:

  • 1950, installation of the Instrument Landing System (ILS) on runway 14-32
  • 1955, runway 14-32 lengthened to 6,000 feet to accommodate the Vickers Viscount
  • 1960, Meteorological Branch weather station opened
  • 1965, new terminal building opened
  • 1968, Air Canada begins DC-9 jet service
  • 1974, runway 14-32 lengthened to 8,800 feet to accommodate DC-8, Boeing 707 and 747, and L-1011 aircraft
  • 1988, runway 05-23 decommissioned
  • 1990, new radar system installed
  • 1998, control of the airport was transferred from Transport Canada to the Greater London International Airport Authority
  • 2003, main terminal building completely renovated and expanded
  • 2019, taxiway G is completely rebuilt

Recent history

The airport posted a record 683,000 travelers in 2019 and is forecasting 400,000 passengers in 2023.[12]

Airlines and destinations

Passenger
AirlinesDestinations
Air Canada ExpressToronto–Pearson[13]
Air Transat Seasonal: Cancún, Punta Cana
Flair Airlines Seasonal: Calgary, Cancún (begins November 29, 2023),[14] Orlando/Sanford (begins January 22, 2024),[14] Vancouver
Sunwing Airlines Seasonal: Cancún, Cayo Coco, Punta Cana, Varadero
Swoop Abbotsford
WestJet Calgary
Seasonal: Edmonton

Other tenants

London International Airport Fire Crash and Rescue Station provides fire and rescue operations at the airport with three crash tenders based on Blair Boulevard.

Statistics

Annual traffic
Annual passenger traffic at YXU airport. See Wikidata query.

Ground transportation

Shuttle service is available for passengers wishing to connect to flights at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Toronto.

London Transit Commission provides bus service between the airport and Fanshawe College.[20]

Airshow London

The airport is home to the annual Airshow London, the largest military airshow in Canada. It showcases ground and air display of military aircraft from the air forces of Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom.[21]

See also

Notes
  1. In 1927 the Government of Canada started a program to stimulate the growth of civil aviation through the creation of flying clubs. Groups that could provide a suitable airfield with facilities and at least 30 members were supplied with two aircraft and awarded $100 for each member who qualified as a pilot. The London Flying Club was established under this program.
  2. Many municipalities in Canada declined to accept responsibility for their airports after the war and so the Government of Canada, Department of Transport became the operator of most of the larger airports in the country.

References
  1. "The page has moved - La page a été déménagée". www.tc.gc.ca. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  2. Canada Flight Supplement. Effective 0901Z 16 July 2020 to 0901Z 10 September 2020.
  3. Synoptic/Metstat Station Information Archived 2011-12-01 at the Wayback Machine
  4. "Aircraft movements, by class of operation and peak hour and peak day of movements, for airports with NAV CANADA towers, monthly". www.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  5. London International (January 2023). "Publications". flyyxu.ca. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  6. McGrath, T.M. (1992). History of Canadian Airports (2nd ed.). Ottawa: Lugus Publications in co-operation with Transport Canada. ISBN 0-921633-11-4.
  7. Hatch, F. J. (1983).The Aerodrome of Democracy: Canada and the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, 1939-1945. Ottawa: Directorate of History, Department of National Defence. ISBN 0660114437
  8. Military Bruce Historical Writings by Bruce Forsyth Archived 2013-10-23 at the Wayback Machine
  9. Christie, Carl (1995). Ocean Bridge The History of RAF Ferry Command. Toronto and Buffalo: University of Toronto Press. p. 229. ISBN 978-0-8020-8131-5.
  10. Pilots Handbook of Aerodromes and Seaplane Bases Vol. 1. Royal Canadian Air Force. c. 1942. p. 132.
  11. anonymous. "Air Reserve". Canadian Forces. Retrieved 19 Nov 2014.
  12. https://aviationweek.com/special-topics/crossover-narrowbody-jets/london-international-expands-its-network
  13. "YXU Arrivals & Departures". Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  14. "Flair Airlines NW23 Network Expansion – 01AUG23". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  15. Executive Aviation
  16. "Trek Aviation". www.trekaviation.com. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  17. Flite Line Services Kitchener Inc. "Flite Line Services London". fliteline.ca. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  18. Group, Data Recovery. "Forest City Flight Centre - CYXU London Airport". forestcityflightcentre.com. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  19. "427 (London) Wing". 427wing.com. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  20. https://www.londontransit.ca/route/route-36-fanshawe-college-london-airport-effective-april-30-2023/
  21. "Homepage". Retrieved 2 August 2023.
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