| Cotswold Airport | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Cotswold Airport control tower | |||
| IATA: none – ICAO: EGBP | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Private | ||
| Owner | Ronan Harvey | ||
| Operator | Kemble Air Services Limited | ||
| Location | Cirencester | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 433 ft / 132 m | ||
| Coordinates | 51°40′05″N 002°03′25″W / 51.66806°N 2.05694°WCoordinates: 51°40′05″N 002°03′25″W / 51.66806°N 2.05694°W | ||
| Website | |||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| m | ft | ||
| 08/26 | 2,009 | 6,591 | Asphalt |
| 08/26 Unlicensed |
450 | 1,476 | Grass |
| Sources: UK AIP at NATS[1] | |||
Cotswold Airport (ICAO: EGBP) (formerly Kemble Airfield), is a private general aviation airport, near the village of Kemble in Gloucestershire, England. Located 4.5 NM (8.3 km; 5.2 mi) southwest of Cirencester, it was built as an RAF base (RAF Kemble). The Red Arrows aerobatics team was based there until 1983. It is home to privately-owned ex-military aircraft such as the Hawker Hunter, BAC Jet Provost, Folland Gnat and English Electric Canberra (operated by Delta Jets), and is used for the storage and scrapping of retired airliners, as well as flying schools, clubs and industry.
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Kemble Air Show and a Battle of Britain Weekend (both held over two days) are held there each year and the airfield is a venue for flying and vehicle rallies.
Cotswold Airport is in a good position for flying training as it is clear of controlled airspace allowing free movement for training aircraft. It is also centrally positioned between Cheltenham and Gloucester and Swindon, with good road and rail links.
There was a threat of closure, due to a mistake the Cotswold District Council made relating to planning permission, when it was sold by the Ministry of Defence. However, this is no longer the case, and the planning status of the airfield has been changed to airport. In July 2007 the airfield was again threatened by the council due to complaints from local residents of noise pollution.
In June 2008 the threat of closure has eased after the Cotswold District Council allowed flying to continue, but in September 2008, North Wiltshire District Council sought to overturn this decision in the High Court as they said the original decision was flawed.
In August 2009 the aiport was awarded a CLEUD (Certificate of Lawful Use) as a commercial airport. This means that the future is assured as an airport and development to that end can occur. Lufthansa Technical Resource Ltd are relocating their Gound Technical Training School to Cotswold Airport and will be opening their purpose-built facility in Spring 2010. This will have the effect of bringing numerous jobs to the local area as well as supporting local infrastructure, such as shops and hotels. There will be some 50 Engineering students at any one time, 365 days a year.
Cotswold Airport has a CAA Ordinary Licence (Number P863) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee (Kemble Air Services Limited). The aerodrome is not licensed for night use.[2]
The airport is the home of the Bristol Aero Collection, a museum that shows aerospace items from the Filton, Bristol, area, mainly aircraft but including missiles and ground vehicles. The collection includes a Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR.1, Bristol Bloodhound surface to air missile, a life size mock-up of the Giotto spacecraft, a Bristol Sycamore helicopter and items related to Concorde.
Aston Down airfield lies three miles to the northwest, and has sometimes been mistaken for Cotswold Airport by visiting pilots. It formerly belonged to the RAF but is now used for gliding by the Cotswold Gliding Club.
The airfield is also used for Formula One straight line testing.[3]
Kemble Airfield is also the operating base of Air Salvage International (ASI),[4] an aircraft boneyard and salvage company.[5]
References
- ^ Kemble - EGBP
- ^ Civil Aviation Authority Aerodrome Ordinary Licences
- ^ McLaren Testing at Kemble
- ^ Air Salvage International
- ^ The Independent: "Jet cemetery: Where do aircraft go when airlines go to the wall? The answer? To a Cotswolds landing strip, which has become the busiest aviation scrapyard in the world."
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Cotswold Airport |
- Cotswold Airport website
- Trans International Airways, Air Charter Broker
- EGBP weather, NOTAMs and pilot reviews
- Pilot resources
- Delta Jets Vintage jet aircraft and advanced flight training
- Bristol Aero Collection
- “fly2help” flying club - a charity offering flying to the disabled
- Cotswold Flying School
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