Coffs Harbour Tower

	Tower Information, Views and History Location - Coffs Harbour Airport, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales Postal Address - PO. Box 542, Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450 Height - 20m to top of roof Date Constructed - 1985 - 1986

Coffs Harbour Tower is responsible for the Coffs Harbour control zone and associated control area steps within 22nm of CH below 4500ft. This airspace is classified as non-radar Class D. It is currently staffed by five air traffic controllers. Movements for 2001 were 39,000, of which 15,000 were IFR (Instrument Flight Rules).

Due to the close proximity of the ocean, the dimensions of the tower cab are larger than other similar towers constructed about this period. The reason for this being, to enclose all the external steel work, thus protecting it from corrosion and so prolonging its life.

The interior of the tower cab is due for refurbishment in 2002, the first since its commissioning.

From the tower, to the south is the township of Sawtell (5km), to the west the foothills of the Great Dividing Range (7km), to the north the city of Coffs Harbour and the harbour and jetty area (4km) and to the east the north coast railway line and the Tasman Sea (500m)

The first Senior Air Traffic Controller was Kevin Gale, a former member of the Airservices Australia board.

Facilities

Coffs Harbour runways are 03/21 (2080M) and 10/29 (849M). There are no precision approaches to any runways. There are non-precision approaches for Runway 03/21 and circling approaches using GPS, VOR/DME, and NDB.