Bankstown Airport (IATA: BWU, ICAO: YSBK) is a significant airport and business park located in the City of Canterbury-Bankstown, approximately 26 km from Sydney’s CBD. It features three parallel runways and a small passenger terminal, alongside a business park that accommodates over 160 companies. The airport is well-known for its flying schools, charter services, and private flights, as well as freight and aeromedical operations. Additionally, it supports recreational flying and aircraft maintenance.

Written by Alvis Lam. Last Update: February 2025

Rating
Movements
Photo Locations
Weather
Airport Information
Runways
11L/29R	1.100m (3,609ft)
11C/29C	1.416m (4,646ft)
11R/29L	1.100m (3,609ft)
Terminals	One small terminal located in the Southern end of Airpor Avenue
Spotting Information
Ladder	Not really needed. 1-2 steps are helpful at spot 3 and 4.
Car/Public Transport	You will need a car to access to all of the spots
Drinks/Food	Couple of Fast Food restaurants along the A34 south of spot 1.
Hotels	There’s no hotel nearby.
Season	Winter is the best for spotting at this airport
Security	No problem at all.
Runway Usage
11L/29R	VFR flights arrivals and departures.
11C/29C	IFR flights arrivals and departures. (Business jets, BAE 146…etc)
11R/29L	All circuit training. Is used quite frequent!

	Spot #1 – Roundabout – All runways movements
WHERE	The location is at a dead end roundabout on the southern side of the airprot, located next to a Samsung Warehouse. Access to this spot is by car only via Murray Jones Dr. There’s several parking bay next to the road. The position is elevated and no ladder is needed.
WHAT	11/29L, 11/29C & 11/29R are visible from this spot
TIME	Best in summer from afternoon until the sunset. Spotting here might be an issue, specially  due to the serious heat haze.
MISC.	No facilities from this location. The federal police might come over you and ask what you’re doing.
FOCAL LENGTH	100-400mm can cover most things.

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	Spot #2 – Flight Academy-  11L/C/R arrivals
WHERE	Located on the sidewalk of Tower Road, next to Flight Academy Bankstown. Just get rid of the car there and walk to the approach path.
WHAT	All arrivals for RWY 11L/C/R are visible from this spot. Just position yourself along the sidewalk for the preferred angle.
TIME	Best in summer from afternoon until the sunset.
MISC.	Best in summer from afternoon until the sunset.
FOCAL LENGTH	70-300mm for GA aircrafts. 100-400mm for Small props. Mustang = 200mm; Piper = 300mm

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	Spot #3 – Terminal – Ramps & taxiways
WHERE	The spot is located right next to the small Bankstown Airport terminal. From Marion St drive on Airport Ave all the way down to the terminal. There’s heaps of parking bays around it.
WHAT	Planes parked and on the taxiway on the way to their ramp.
TIME	All day depending on your angle.
MISC.	Toilets are available in the Terminal. If you walk inside the terminal, you may see the BAe 146 real close. Ladder is useful for this spot since there’s high fences.
FOCAL LENGTH	17-70mm.

BWU-Spot3

	Spot #4 – Nancy Ellis Leebold Dr – 29L/C/R movements
WHERE	Spot is almost at the end of Nancy Ellis Leebold Drive, right next to the 29 thresholds. Access is from the south side via the A34. There is Plenty of parking space in front of the fence.
WHAT	All arrivals and line-ups on runway 29L/C/R. Spotting the arrivals is possible without a ladder but for ground you need 1-2 steps. But the fence is not very high. Spotting from 29L is tricky due to distance.
TIME	In winter all day long but backlit in the summer evenings. You are very close so heat haze should be no problem at least for the outer runway.
MISC.	Nothing nearby.
FOCAL LENGTH	24-30mm for Cessna Mustang and Falcon, 70-200 for small prop aircrafts.

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