Turnberry Info.

[tonyhalsall]

Anyone got any info about Turnberry?

It doesn't feature in my AFE Guide.

Any other strips in/around that area?

Thanks

Tony

[CSX001]

It is a very fine VOR.... ;)

Charlie

[tonyhalsall]

Smartass!!!

The strip next to it!!! - I have been told it is on the golf course and can only be used in Summer??

Tony

[Circuit Basher]

There's a little strip called Prestwick 20 miles up the road.... ;)

A good historic background to Turnberry is here (http://www.maybole.org/places/turnberry/airfield.htm).

According to this site (http://www.tedacria.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Abbridged%20Airfield%20List.pdf), (which is not an official source) it's not got an ICAO ident, but isn't shown as closed.

Unfortunately, the gash charts that I have at work with me have a gap between Liverpool and Prestwick (and Turnberry's just off the bottom!), I don't have my Pooleys in work with me, so I can't see whether it's shown as an active airfield.

From the various Web sources I've looked at, I believe that it's probably disused (overgrown by golfers :)) and may just be farm strip if anything.

[grow45]

I drive past it fairly regularly and it still seems to be in reasonable condition. I believe the local gyrocopter manufacturer http://www.gyrocopters.co.uk/index.html (URL included for contact details) uses it for testing his products and a call or e mail may elicit more info.

grow45

Edited to mention that Castle Kennedy (about 40 miles south but possibly equally handy if you are heading for South West Scotland) is in the process of reopening now that West Freugh nr Stranraer has closed. About 600x15 metres of concret/tarmac. Further info from Stair Estates on Tel 01776-702024 - Fax 706248 - e-mail : [email protected].

[Keef]

Turnberry (Girvan). AFAIK it's still nominally open, but I've not heard of anyone landing there lately.

It's still shown as open on the latest half-mill I have in front of me, but it's not in any of the flight guides I have.

There is a "driving challenge" held periodically at "Turnberry Old Airfield" which doesn't sound too good. Bit like a certain Top Gear Airport in the South...

[WorkingHard]

Not available for use by fixed wing on orders of Westin Group (the owners) PM if you need more

[Keef]

WH - would be interested in more detail if you have it - like when the fixed-wing access went away. Useful for A4A purposes...

[flying snapper]

Don't think it is in use at all now. I recently got my PPL at Prestwick and we used to train over the Turnberry area. As far as I could see, it was as a previous reply mentioned, now overrun with golfers. We were always told that we could use it in an emergency but I would not want to land there in anything BUT an emergency. The only remaining obstacle free runway is in a dreadful condition. I think that helicopters can land near the hotel though.

Best idea is to land at Prestwick. It is only a couple of minutes down the road by car from the Turnberry Hotel.

Phone the Prestwick Flight Centre 01292 476523 for all the latest info (I believe we are getting controlled airspace soon!)

[WorkingHard]

Keef - withdrawn from use in 2002. owners do not like possible liability. Runway IS perfectly useable BUT watch out the local police use it constantly for ground traing

[Keef]

WH - Many thanks for that. Another one lost :{

[Martinburney]

Hi All

I have it logged as disused but the grid ref is NS209072 or Lat / Long N5519.55-W00449.40.

Incidently there is a book due out very shortly on Turnberry by Margaret Morrel. I think that she has a website, if not her e mail address is [email protected]

Regards Martin Burney

[Keef]

Thanks, Circuit Basher for that URL - I'll cross-check the information on there against the A4A Airfields List. I doubt there'll be any significant differences, but every cross-check helps, as it's important to have accurate up-to-date information for lobbying purposes.

I'm always very grateful (on behalf of A4A) to receive information on airfields open and closed. I have all the information from the published flight guides, but there is far more that is not in the public domain but which is extremely useful when we are fighting to defend airfields under threat.

I'm sad to read that another "promulgated as active" airfield has quietly closed. We're down now to 131 licenced, 50 military open to GA, and 21 unlicensed but freely available to GA.

There's an undefined (and probably undefinable) number of "private" strips that are available if the pilot asks - best estimate I have is that there are 518 of those (bound to be wrong). Then there are the places that don't accept GA or "dissuade" it such as EGLL, and then there are glider and microlight fields...

Sadly, there are a few airfields/strips whose owners don't want their existence known about, because of the threats to their continuation that might mean. That says something about "complainers" who don't know an airfield is there until someone else tells them, but will then go out of their way to get it closed down.


Martin:
The "official" ARP for Turnberry is the CAA one (I suggest), which is 551933N 0044928W. That's where the "ring" is on our charts. There are at least half a dozen different locations given in different publications - most (but not all) of them somewhere on the airfield.