Gloucestershire Airport
Encyclopedia
Gloucestershire Airport , formerly Staverton Airport, is located at Staverton
, in the Borough of Tewkesbury
within Gloucestershire
, England
. It lies 3.5 NM west of Cheltenham
, near the city of Gloucester
and close to the M5 motorway
. According to the sign at the airport's entrance it is Gloucestershire's largest general aviation
airfield. It is regularly used for private charter flights to destinations such as Jersey
and Guernsey
, and the airline Manx2
now operates scheduled flights from the Airport. Manx2
markets the airport as an alternative to Birmingham Airport, England, Bristol Airport
and to a lesser extent London Oxford Airport, this is due the airports ease of use and lack of time spent at the airport compared to its larger counterparts.
it was situated near the present site and later renamed to Staverton after the move. Like other airports, Staverton served as a training base for pilots during the Second World War
and was known as RAF Staverton
. It was later used by Alan Cobham
as he developed in-flight refuelling.
After the war, what is now Smiths Group
used the airport as test site for various aircraft. At the same time the airport provided scheduled service to the Channel Islands
, Dublin and Isle of Man
. In the 1960s the Skyfame Museum, dedicated to WWII aircraft, opened.
In the 1990s both the Police Aviation Services and Bond Air Services stationed helicopters and their headquarters at Staverton. In 1993 Staverton was changed to Gloucestershire Airport in an effort to "...reflect its increasing prominence as the business aviation centre for the county."
The airport houses many flying schools, including the Aeros club, the Staverton Flying School and The Flying Shack and are specialised in helicopter and aeroplane training. Many people opt to do their pilot's licence training at the airport. At Aeros, it is possible to obtain training right up to the Commercial Pilot's Licence / Instrument Rating
or (CPL/IR) standard.
The airport has a Pilot Shop, and is also home to The Aviator restaurant and bar.
Manx2 promotes the airport as "Gloucester (M5) Airport".
flies a minimum of 5x weekly to the Isle of Man during the winter months and up to 25x weekly during the summer peak season. On the Jersey route is flown three times per month during the peak season until it is dropped for the winter months returning for flights between July and September.
have objected to the expansion due to potential for increases in carbon dioxide
emissions.
Staverton, Gloucestershire
Staverton is a village between the city of Gloucester and the town of Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, England, in the borough of Tewkesbury.It is the location of Gloucestershire Airport, which was previously called Staverton Airport and RAF Staverton. It is the home of the Dowty Rotol and...
, in the Borough of Tewkesbury
Tewkesbury (borough)
Tewkesbury is a local government district and borough in Gloucestershire, in the West Country of England. It is named after its main town, Tewkesbury...
within Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It lies 3.5 NM west of Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
, near the city of Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
and close to the M5 motorway
M5 motorway
The M5 is a motorway in England. It runs from a junction with the M6 at West Bromwich near Birmingham to Exeter in Devon. Heading south-west, the M5 runs east of West Bromwich and west of Birmingham through Sandwell Valley...
. According to the sign at the airport's entrance it is Gloucestershire's largest general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
airfield. It is regularly used for private charter flights to destinations such as Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
and Guernsey
Guernsey
Guernsey, officially the Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British Crown dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy.The Bailiwick, as a governing entity, embraces not only all 10 parishes on the Island of Guernsey, but also the islands of Herm, Jethou, Burhou, and Lihou and their islet...
, and the airline Manx2
Manx2
Manx2 Limited is a virtual commuter airline, with its head office in Hangar 9, Isle of Man Airport in Ballasalla, Malew, Isle of Man. It sells flights and services from several airports in the UK with bases in Belfast City, Blackpool, Cardiff and Isle of Man...
now operates scheduled flights from the Airport. Manx2
Manx2
Manx2 Limited is a virtual commuter airline, with its head office in Hangar 9, Isle of Man Airport in Ballasalla, Malew, Isle of Man. It sells flights and services from several airports in the UK with bases in Belfast City, Blackpool, Cardiff and Isle of Man...
markets the airport as an alternative to Birmingham Airport, England, Bristol Airport
Bristol Airport
Bristol Airport may refer to:* Bristol Airport, serving Bristol, England, United Kingdom ** Bristol Airport , a docu-soap based on events at Bristol Airport...
and to a lesser extent London Oxford Airport, this is due the airports ease of use and lack of time spent at the airport compared to its larger counterparts.
History
Originally opened in 1931 and named after Down HatherleyDown Hatherley
Down Hatherley is a civil parish and village in Tewkesbury near Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. It has approximately 165 houses and a population of 450....
it was situated near the present site and later renamed to Staverton after the move. Like other airports, Staverton served as a training base for pilots during the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and was known as RAF Staverton
RAF Staverton
RAF Staverton was a Royal Air Force station near Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.An airfield previously existed at Down Hatherley, and plans were in place pre-war to develop the new site. The RAF took over the site as a training school RAF Training from 10 September 1939 until August 1946...
. It was later used by Alan Cobham
Alan Cobham
Sir Alan John Cobham, KBE, AFC was an English aviation pioneer.A member of the Royal Flying Corps in World War I, Alan Cobham became famous as a pioneer of long distance aviation. After the war he became a test pilot for the de Havilland aircraft company, and was the first pilot for the newly...
as he developed in-flight refuelling.
After the war, what is now Smiths Group
Smiths Group
Smiths Group plc is a global engineering company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It has operations in over 50 countries and employs around 23,550 staff....
used the airport as test site for various aircraft. At the same time the airport provided scheduled service to the Channel Islands
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
, Dublin and Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
. In the 1960s the Skyfame Museum, dedicated to WWII aircraft, opened.
In the 1990s both the Police Aviation Services and Bond Air Services stationed helicopters and their headquarters at Staverton. In 1993 Staverton was changed to Gloucestershire Airport in an effort to "...reflect its increasing prominence as the business aviation centre for the county."
Services and facilities
Many of the flights to and from the airport are for business purposes, but there are also a large proportion of domestic flights, recreational flights, and training flights.The airport houses many flying schools, including the Aeros club, the Staverton Flying School and The Flying Shack and are specialised in helicopter and aeroplane training. Many people opt to do their pilot's licence training at the airport. At Aeros, it is possible to obtain training right up to the Commercial Pilot's Licence / Instrument Rating
Instrument rating
Instrument rating refers to the qualifications that a pilot must have in order to fly under IFR . It requires additional training and instruction beyond what is required for a Private Pilot certificate or Commercial Pilot certificate, including rules and procedures specific to instrument flying,...
or (CPL/IR) standard.
The airport has a Pilot Shop, and is also home to The Aviator restaurant and bar.
Manx2 promotes the airport as "Gloucester (M5) Airport".
Airlines and destinations
Manx2Manx2
Manx2 Limited is a virtual commuter airline, with its head office in Hangar 9, Isle of Man Airport in Ballasalla, Malew, Isle of Man. It sells flights and services from several airports in the UK with bases in Belfast City, Blackpool, Cardiff and Isle of Man...
flies a minimum of 5x weekly to the Isle of Man during the winter months and up to 25x weekly during the summer peak season. On the Jersey route is flown three times per month during the peak season until it is dropped for the winter months returning for flights between July and September.
Expansion plans
Gloucestershire Airport currently plans to expand in order to lengthen a runway. The plans are controversial and have proved divisive amongst the local community and authorities. EnvironmentalistsEnvironmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
have objected to the expansion due to potential for increases in carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
emissions.