Description

Begumpet Airport at Hyderabad, also known as Hyderabad Old Airport, is a civil enclave located in Begumpet. The airport is home to the Rajiv Gandhi Aviation Academy (RGAA) and the Begumpet Air Force Station of the Indian Air Force. The Navigation Training School of the Training Command, Indian Air Force, formerly known as the Navigation and Signals School (N&SS), is based here. Begumpet used to be International and Domestic airport of Hyderabad, until the opening of the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport on 23rd March 2008 after which Begumpet ceased all commercial civil operations. The last commercial flight to take off was Thai Airways International flight TG 330 to Bangkok on 22 March 2008.Begumpet is now used for military aviation training and for flights carrying VIPs.The Civil Aviation Ministry has put the proposal of starting an ATC training centre in the Begumpet Airport.HistoryBegumpet Airport was established in the 1930s by the last Nizam of Hyderabad with formation of Hyderabad Aero Club. Initially it was used by Nizam of Hyderabad as domestic and international airport for The Nizam's Deccan Airways, one of the premier and the earliest airline in British India. The terminal building was created in 1937. A new terminal building came up on the south side in 1972 and later became the main airport. The older terminal hitherto was referred to as 'Old Airport' at Begumpet. The new terminal building consisted of two check-in terminals; Rajiv Gandhi International and NTR National with a common arrival module.