Częstochowa 2018-12-10
Czestochowa Rudniki airport.
Geographic coordinates: 50.884N 19.203E. Elevation 262 m above sea level (860ft).
History of Czestochowa Rudniki Airport.
After the German aggression on the Republic of Poland in October 1939, part of the Polish territory was included in the raid, and part of it was the General Government, which was to function until the complete liquidation of the Polish nation. The Germans started to build new military facilities, including airports, on their territory. One of them was located near Częstochowa. The construction of the airport in Rudniki near Częstochowa began in 1940. Prisoners of war and forced laborers were used in the construction.
It is worth mentioning that the Mierzęcice-Pyrzowice Airport was also built at the same time. However, that airport was much bigger than the one near Częstochowa.
In Rudniki, a hard runway measuring 1,000 m x 30 m was laid out, which was put into use in 1942. Hangars, barracks (barracks) and technical facilities were built. A railway siding was built from the railway line (currently No. 146) Częstochowa – Chorzew Siemkowice.
In Rudniki, in November 1942, a Luftkriegschule IX unit was created, and then another Segelfliegerschule der Luftwaffe Tschenstochau. Future pilots were trained here on gliding courses.
In January 1945, the airport played an important role in the air war effort. Several Soviet hunting and assault regiments were stationed here.
The date when the Soviets handed over the airport to the Polish Army is unknown. It is known that the Polish Army managed the airport at least since 1953.
Around 1955, Rudniki Airport was expanded. The runway was extended to 2,000 m and widened to 60 m. New taxiways were built. At the eastern taxiway (connector) an Aircraft Standing Plane was built, with dimensions of 120 m x 50 m. Since the airport was treated as a spare (exercise) airport, no facilities in the form of brick barracks, workshops and warehouses were built here. Tents, field kitchens, portable baths, etc. were used as social facilities.
In 1953, the Polish Army classified the airport as a spare one for the 39th Fighter Regiment stationed in Mierzęcice. The 53rd Fighter-Assault Regiment from Mirosławiec with PZL Lim-2 aircraft was stationed here periodically. Then Lim-6 bis planes landed here. The airport was also used by; 6th Fighter Assault Aviation Regiment and 51st Fighter Assault Aviation Regiment. Both units from Pila. After 1968, the airport was used periodically by the 10th Fighter Aviation Regiment from Łask. MiG-21 aircraft of this Regiment were based here in the 70’s and 80’s. The Polish Army resigned from the Rudniki Airport at the beginning of the 1990s. Military planes rarely landed here, and no combat planes landed here.
At the beginning of the 50s, the Częstochowa Aeroclub was established. But the first paratroopers, gliders and pilots of light aircraft appeared here in 1957.
Attempts were made to include the Rudniki airport in the network of domestic airports operated by LOT Polish Airlines. This was achieved in the 1983 season. This was a significant behavior of the communists who, after the suspension of martial law, offered pilgrims going to Jasna Góra a plane ride. At that time, Saint John Paul II the Great visited the homeland. The Warsaw-Częstochowa and Gdańsk-Częstochowa routes were operated by Antonov An-24 aircraft. The route was not successful and seat utilization was low. Generally, a poor society could not afford such a luxury. The ticket cost nearly PLN 1,000, and a worker from the cement plant in Rudniki earned PLN 4,000 – 5,000. PLL LOT also performed several flights on the Częstochowa – Koszalin route.
In addition, the communists explained that commercial communication was launched because the Mierzęcice-Pyrzowice Airport was under renovation. But in such situations, planes were redirected to the Balice Airport near Krakow. Rudniki airport did not have any technical facilities to service commercial aircraft. It had to be created. In the 1984 season, connections were not restored.
In the 1990s and until 2003, PZL An-2 aircraft were periodically based here, which were used to train parachute jumpers. The service of the airport was handled by an army unit in the strength of a platoon. In addition to servicing the aircraft and the airport, the soldiers performed guard duties.
In 2001, the Polish Army transferred the airport to the Military Property Agency. The airport was put up for sale, preserving its aviation character. Since 2004, it is the private owner of the airport.
In the period 2007-2017, the airport was listed in the register of landing sites of the Civil Aviation Authority under item 24. In 2017, the airport was entered into the Register of Civil Airports as a public use airport not subject to certification. This means that planes whose flight does not require the supervision of air traffic control at the Airport can land and take off at the Airport. The airport is approved for air operations performed by: airplanes, helicopters, gyroplanes, gliders, paragliders, powered paragliders, powered gliders, parachutes – in accordance with the provisions for VFR flights during the day and at night for aircraft with a total take-off weight (MTOW) up to 5,700 kg. The heliport is open all year round, day and night. Arrival must be agreed with the manager.
The airport has a post-military infrastructure: RWY hard and ground, taxiways, hangars, warehouses, a fuel base, an air traffic control tower, an aero club building with a cafe. There is a separate parachute zone. There is electricity supply from its own transformer substation and a railway siding, largely dismantled.
By the way, the cost of transforming it into a public use airport not subject to certification is about PLN 1 million. One of the benefits of such transformation is the right to approach the landing of aircraft using the GNSS satellite navigation system. Thanks to this, planes arriving from abroad can land at the airport.
The last major tragedy that took place on July 5, 2014 was the plane crash of Piper PA-31 near Topolowo, in which 11 people died and one was seriously injured.
The airport’s development plans are at the local level, because Pyrzowice Airport is located 65 km away.
Near the Rudniki Airport, in the village of Kościelec, at the intersection of the National Road No. 1 and Mykanowska Street, there is an inn "Samolot". Its highlight is the "Odlot" restaurant located inside the Iliushin Il-18 commercial turboprop aircraft. The aircraft was operated by PLL LOT with registration marks SP-LSD. The aircraft Il-18 W No. 184007102, registration SP-LSD, had its own name "Tobruk". The plane was delivered to PLL LOT as a new one. Built in March 1964. Delivered to LOT Polish Airlines in April 1964. During the service, it was repainted in the former PLL LOT livery for the film. It was withdrawn in January 1991. After a few years it was bought by a private person.
Another LOT Polish Airlines aircraft, Iliuszyn Ił-18 SP-LSH, also serves as a restaurant in the village of Dobrzeków at the National Road No. 81, near Jastrzębia Góra.
Czestochowa Rudniki airport.
The airport is located near the National Road No. 1 (E-75) Cieszyn-Gdańsk, the so-called "gierkówka". Currently (2018), a road junction of the Częstochowa ring road is being built near the airport. The city center is 10 km away.
The airport has a sports character. Its manager is the Częstochowa Aeroclub, and the owner is a private entity. IATA code – THURS. ICAO-EPRU code. Geographic coordinates: 50°53′10.08″N 19°12′08.90″E. Altitude above sea level 262 m above sea level (860ft). The take-off area has one hard concrete RWY in direction 08/26 with dimensions of 2,000 m x 60 m. The threshold of the main DS1 runway has been moved 200 m to the west. Ground trenches and grass were placed in parallel. DS2 with dimensions of 720 x 240 m and DS3 with dimensions of 1,800 x 140 m are usually designated. DS2 and DS3 are marked with white color limiters not more than every 100 m. Each limiter has a minimum size of 3 m x 1 m.
Radio communication – Rudniki Radio – 122.800 MHz. Aeroclub tel: +48 783 995 277, +48 34 32 79 755. The airport can be used by aircraft with a take-off weight of up to 5,700 kg. The landing area is properly lit and ready to accept planes and helicopters using the GNSS satellite navigation system.
Written by Karol Placha Hetman