Rand Airport History

Nadia van Rooyen
Sep 3, 2023
2 min read

Anybody that has ever lived in the vicinity of the Rand Airport has run out of their homes at least once to catch a glimpse of aircrafts approaching Rand Airport, especially the iconic Harvard aircrafts.

I am sure many of you have wondered about the history of Rand Airport before. Here is a brief history of the airport many of us have visited before. It officially opened as an international airport in 1931. The main terminal was designed to resemble an aeroplane when seen from the air. On the 21st of Dec 1931 the first flight of Imperial Airways arrived from London. In 1935 SAA moved its headquarters and maintenance division from Durban to Rand Airport. It served as South Africa’s main international airport until 1948 but due to an increase in passengers and aircraft size, airlines started to relocate to other airports with longer runways.

It would continue to serve as an international airport through to the end of World War II.

During the war the South African Air Forces used Rand Airport as a base to service and maintain their fleet and store ammunition and bombs. Some Harvard's that were maintained and serviced in the new hangars are still housed at Rand Airport to this day. Although now privately owned and used in aerial displays. Due to Rand Airport’s colourful history the main terminal building was declared a National Heritage site.

Rand Airport continues to play an important role in aviation, despite no longer having international status which it lost in October 1999. Rand Airport was privatized in October 2000 and is still a busy airport and provides facilities for private and commercial ventures.

The beacon light at Rand Airport is on at night from 18:00pm until 06:00am and is visible from 70 miles out at 7500 feet. It has been and still is a welcome sight and beacon for any pilot finding himself confused at night by the lights over Johannesburg and guides many pilots into the safety of the airport. Some airline pilots use the light as a checkpoint on their finals into OR Tambo International Airport.

One of the major events on the calendar for aviation enthusiasts is the yearly Rand Air Show which takes place in the last quarter of the year. Various aircrafts are on display that captivates young and old. Many future pilots realised their dreams of aviation while watching this show.

With the vast history that is Rand Airport, what better place to have the SAA Museum. The South African Airways Museum is a “working” museum, where you learn about early aircrafts, step aboard a Boeing 747 and get the inside story of our airline industry.

SAA Museum

As a whole Rand Airport is more than just an airport with runways and planes taking off.

Take a day and experience everything there is to offer at the history rich Rand Airport.

Rand Airport

Other things you can also do at Rand Airport

Academy B&B

Experience a once in a lifetime aerobatic flip in the famous Harvard Aircraft or stay in a B&B that looks out on the runway.

Harvard Cafe