Bayt al-Falaj Airport
Bayt al-Falaj Airport مطار بيت الفلج | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Summary | |
| Airport type | Military/Defunct |
| Owner | Sultanate of Oman |
| Location | Muscat, Oman |
| Opened | 1929 |
| Closed | Late 1980s |
| Coordinates | 23°35′41″N 58°33′01″E / 23.59472°N 58.55028°E |
| Map | |
  Bayt al-Falaj Airport Location in Oman | |
Bayt al-Falaj Airport (Arabic: مطار بيت الفلج) was an airfield in Bayt al-Falaj that served as the first airport in Oman; it was used by the Royal Air Force and by the Royal Air Force of Oman.[1]
History
Bayt al-Falaj Airport was founded by Said bin Taimur and was established in 1929. It was used by the Royal Air Force and by the Royal Air Force of Oman, as well as civilian airlines like Gulf Aviation. The aircraft of Gulf Aviation that operated in Bayt al-Falaj were Short SC.7 Skyvans, De Havilland Doves, and similar planes.[2][3] The aircraft managed by government operators included Short SC.7 Skyvans, Douglas DC-3s, and similar planes on the airfield.
Gulf Aviation ended up filing for bankruptcy in 1974 and merged with Gulf Air in the aftermath, being a shared airline owned by the governments of Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi (later UAE).
The Bayt al-Falaj Airport stopped operating flights in 1973 and was replaced by Seeb International Airport.[4][5] With all airport operations ceased, the airport's runway was later converted to a driving school.[1]
Facilities
Bait Al Falaj Airport had some, but not well-developed, facilities. It had a communication centre and a customs office.[6]
The airport also had four taxiways and one runway that was originally sand/dirt but later was upgraded to asphalt.
Air Services
The Petroleum Development Oman operated flights at the airport, as well as Gulf Aviation, Pakistan International Airlines, and British Overseas Airways Corporation.
PIA flew Fokker F27 Friendships to the airport from Gwadar, meanwhile Gulf Aviation operated DC-3 flights.[6]
Reason for Closure
The airport was closed because of the mountainous terrain around it, and of course, it was too small for Muscat.
References
- ^ a b ishnum munshi (2017-03-15). Oman's first airport: Bait Al Falaj old runway, 1991 Oman (& Honda Road, Ruwi High St ). Retrieved 2025-07-14 – via YouTube.
- ^ "In Pics: 50-year journey of the airports in Oman". Oman Observer. 2021-04-25. Retrieved 2025-07-15.
- ^ "Home". Amazing Oman. 2025-03-02. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ MA, JOHN BAILEY BSc (2013-09-10), Beit Al Falaj Airfield Muscat, retrieved 2025-07-14
- ^ Kothaneth, Lakshmi (2018-03-19). "From Bait al Falaj to Seeb to Muscat airport..." Oman Observer. Retrieved 2025-07-15.
- ^ a b www.omanairports.co.om http://web.archive.org/web/20250327171708/https://www.omanairports.co.om/images/publications/publications-1697876704-omanairportsbooklet-eng.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2025-03-27. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
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