Sydney - Camden or Bankstown?
 

I am flying from WA and have to pick up a pax who is arriving into Sydney next week.

Which is the easiest GA airport to get into in the greater Sydney area? I am instrument rated, if that makes a difference. I am unfamiliar with local reporting points so hopefully arriving IFR will help.

My pax is happy to be picked up from either Camden or Bankstown (or somewhere else??)

Camden further out but cheaper if you are parking. My aircraft cost $8 per day at Camden but $70 per day at Bankstown.

Trade off is Bankstown is closer to city.

If your passengers are from Southern Sydney why not consider Wollongong, Albion Park. Train station across the road.

Thanks! My friend is flying commercial into SYD, so Wollongong might be a bit of a stretch :)

I won't be parking - hopefully a quick scoop and run.

So ease of arrival and departure is the main consideration here.

Haven't been to Camden myself but Bankstown is easy enough, if you arrive IFR they'll help you in, as always just tell them you're unfamiliar. Just check the ERSA first as the arrival altitude (ie circuit height) changes depending on which runway is in use, that is one that catches people out.

There is a very convenient "Terminal" at Bankstown that your friend can wait in if they're there for a short while, but it's not exactly comfortable, no Aircon or other facilities, just a few seats and a toilet but you can park directly outside it and pick them up without any hassles then be back on your way out.

Of course if your friend can get to Camden easily enough then that would save the extra bit of flying and therefore possibly end up cheaper? But convenience wise for them I'd say Bankstown would be your better option.

Bankstown has a tower and the few times I have flown in (IFR) they have been easy to deal with. The standard IFR routes work pretty smoothly from the South & West.

Bankstown is probably an easier destination for Sydney's unreliable taxi's.

Bankstown has some coffee shops / sandwich shops if you end up needing to kill some time.

Wollongong might be easier than you imagine and depending on time of day may not be much slower to get to than Bankstown. Its pretty quick driving South from Kingsford-Smith. I wouldn't dismiss it lightly. A mix of train to get out of the airport environs then Uber might go well.

Bankstown Airport has no coffee or sandwich shops.

The poor bastard (tourist) who was dropped at Bankstown by taxi would not agree with the assessment above considering he was laden with luggage and asking where Virgin check in was...

Camden has a tower too, and there's a convenient RNAV from the west.

As your friend is coming into Mascot Wollongong is definitely the easiest.

Airport train to Wolli Creek then Illawarra train to Sutherland then off the same platform #2 the train to Albion park.

Out of the station across the road and into the airport.

Bonus is you can look at the HARS collection including the new Convair 440.

Travel time Wollongong from mascot should be around 90 minutes at a cost of about $20 as opposed to a $120 cab fare to YSBK

Cheers


John

All good options and reassuring re Bankstown IFR. I shall put it to my friend to decide then.

I would never have thought of Wollongong as an alternative pickup point for SYD but it's tempting!

Thanks again, everyone!