The airport is home to numerous fixed-wing and helicopter flying schools and also caters to charter and private business flights, freight, aeromedical services, recreational flights, aircraft maintenance businesses, private aircraft and emergency services.

The plan to build an airport at Bankstown was put on hold until it was established in 1940, after the commencement of World War II when the Department of Civil Aviation attained 630 acres (2.5 km2) of land for development as a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) facility.

The urgency was such that work began immediately; the Act permitted construction to begin even before the land had been officially resumed by the government.

[9] In September 1982, a Socata TB10 Tobago light aircraft was stolen by 26-year-old student pilot Philip Henryk Wozniak, who committed suicide by intentionally crashing on the airport, also destroying a parked Douglas DC-3 and Piaggio P.166 in the process.

Bankstown has its own dedicated air traffic control tower, operated by Airservices Australia, and uses Class D airspace procedures.

The terminal plays host to numerous events year round such as the annual Sydney Aviation Model Show.

[24][25] The collection remains in storage in Camden under the control of the family of the now deceased original private collector, with access restricted to aviation restoration experts.