Any airstrips in Southport? (just n lvpo'le)

[nouseforaname]

Hi,

I'm planning a trip up to Southport this afternoon. Trying to land somewhere other than Liverpool or Blackpool because of landing fee's and taxi fee's!

Anyone know of any strips just North of Liverpoole in the Southport area?

Any info would be really really appreaciated!

thanks,

[Zlin526]

You could always land on the beach. Southport Sands was/is a licensed airfield:ok:

[Red Four]

RAF Woodvale is close to Southport. They do have civvy aircraft based there, dont know how they would react to visitors however.

[18greens]

Most RAF fields will accept visitors except in extreme circumstances.

Just give the gate a call and they will put you in touch with somone who can arrange it. The only difficulty is how much they will charge you but its usually in the £20-30 range.

[Squadgy]

Dependent on your ac type you could try Ince (just near Woodvale), it's a microlight strip but is useable by STOL types

http://www.wlms.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ibfc.htm

[tonyhalsall]

If you want to try Ince ring up first 0151 929 3319. Occasional GA visitors are welcome but we appreciate noise abatement in the surrounding sensitive built up area's of Formby and Ince Blundell

The field has been waterlogged recently, but someone may well be there today to at least pick up the phone and advise you.

If you PM me I will give you personal mobile of CFI who will most certainly be there today.

Don't land on the beach at Southport or any other local beaches.

[Squadgy]

Don't land on the beach at Southport or any other local beaches

Why? Southport Beach is/was a licenced airfield:confused:

[tonyhalsall]

1) Try getting PPR for Southport beach
2) The 'strip' was once used by one aircraft for pleasure flights
3) The 'strip' of hard sand is not visible from the air
4) The beach has a lot of soft sand, excercising dogs, horses and humans and there is not a distinctly separate 'strip'
5) The local council will have your gonads for breakfast if you try and land on the beach and you will not help the cause of the Ince Blundell Flying Club who have been trying to negotiate the re-opening of the 'strip' for some time.
I am sure there are other reasons, but there are 5 good one's to be going on with

Squadgy - You are logged as being from the NW?

[Squadgy]

Tony, thanks. Yes I am NW based, but don't haven't flown onto beach locations (yet). I wasn't aware of Ince's interest in the beach or that the Council objected to its use. The last communication those outside the 'loop' had was the ending of it's licenced status in c2001. IIRC PPR was gained via a club at Blackpool. Your original post just made me curious as to why anything had changed use wise other than the unlicencing.

There are other beach strips which are used in the NW however e.g. Pilling Sands which are in regular use and agree that detailed knowledge of the surface (& tide),conditions as well as PPR are a must.

[drauk]

Try this for a list:

fly.dsc.net (http://fly.dsc.net/u/Info?id=14710187&limit=20)

Many of them are listed as "disused or unlicensed" but you could start by following each link then clicking Photo and seeing if it looks like an airstrip, then do a bit of googling.

[jayemm]

I realise this will be no help now, but I visited Woodvale today, which is well located for Southport, Bootle and Liverpool. It's a very good airfield, with helpful ATC. They ordered me a taxi which had arrived by the time I had got out of the aircraft!

However, there are a few things to be aware of:

1. They are strictly PPR (I faxed my details the day before)

2. The landing fee is £20 - £30, but that's with a Crown Indemnity waiver. We have Crown Indemnity Insurance but I didn't have the certificate with me, so had to pay another £20.

3. They have no fuel.


I'll go back, but next time with the certificate.

[tonyhalsall]

Squadgy,

Southport Beach really is a no go at the moment.

Pilling Sands is much further north, up by Fleetwood, and is really great. It has become a bit of a Mecca for micro's and STOL types on sunny week-ends. The cafe on the point does yummy food and is normally packed out with bikers flashing their polished toys as well - so if you like bikes as well!!!

Middleton Sands is further round the coast than Pilling and was once very popular as well, but after 9/11 an exclusion zone was placed around the power station and whilst you can ring and get an exemption it is not the same as it was.

Where are you flying from? Are you training or are you a PPL holder? I trained at Blackpool in 1987, but now operate a 3 axis micro from Ince.

Tony

(Just one thing - the anti microlight brigade at Blackpool have been complaining about the 'dangers' of aircraft landing on the beach at Pilling. Seemingly, they have no concerns and no problems with quad bikes and stolen cars tearing the beach up - but aircraft landing - huh!!)

[DuncanF]

Just to add my £0.02 ... my parents live in Southport and some time ago I planned a trip into Woodvale.

Spoke to a helpful chap there called Sqn. Ldr. Roxburgh. I had even arranged to park up overnight. So it's definitely a viable option. Unfortunately clag down to the ground near Manchester left me grounded at home.

As for Southport beach, loads of quicksand if you get off the beaten track. So possibly not only your gonads in the councils' hands, also your pride and joy in the bowels of mother earth ...

Duncan

[Squadgy]

Tony, check your PMs!

[jabberwok]

If Southport (Birkdale Sands) is no longer a kosher airfield to fly into then someone ought to strike it from the records. It is still allocated an ICAO code of EGCO!

Having said that Wrexham (Borras) is still listed as EGCE but I thought that closed years ago when they started digging pits either side of the runway. Is it still there?

Southport has had a number of airfields in the past. Hesketh Park opened in 1910, Blowick in 1911, Birkdale in 1919 and, just half a mile up the beach, Birkdale Sands in 1920.

Lots of info on the above in an exhibition in the pier..

[Davidt]

Dont forget Burscough disused if you making a list still looks viable from the air but it aint!

Southport Sands was licenced for the use of one C172 who used to run sight seeing trips in the hight of summer, only worked three or four months of the year. I havent seen it there for maybe three years? If anyone has a Pooleys or AFE handy I think its stricly PPR from the Council and as others have said you wont get it!

Woodvale used to be strictly no visitors based a/c only, nice to hear they are relaxing that rule.

[jayteeto]

I flew over ince site this week in the police helicopter and all the area is VERY wet/flooded. The last couple of days will have helped but not that much I fear.

[jabberwok]

Dug this out in a 2001 dated page in Bottlang:

Southport (Birkdale Sands)
4' EGCO N53:38.7 W003:01.7
Apt operator (01704) 547811 or (01253) 349072
03/21 Sand 2887ft. LDA 03 2690' LDA 21 2690'. PPR. Summer only, availability subject to tidal variation. Fire 1.