View Full Version : Busiest GA airfield...
SpeedbirdXK8
2nd Sep 2008, 21:05
Quick (ish) straw pole. Does anyone know or have an opinion which is the busiest GA airfield for visiting aircraft in the UK?
flightlevel1985
2nd Sep 2008, 21:26
Id say Wycombe
dwshimoda
2nd Sep 2008, 21:31
During the week, try Cranfield. With Cabair and all the other schooles there it can be quite hectic. If I remeber rightly, the worst I ever had was joining the circuit as number 7!!!
Interesting question thoguh - any reason for it?
DW.
SpeedbirdXK8
2nd Sep 2008, 21:47
DW: I am interesting in visiting aircraft and numbers if possible. I think you are correct about Cranfield due to the number of flying schools but as said I am interested in visiting aircraft.
I put my hat in the ring and suggest White Waltham.
My reasons? All will be revealed. Some of you will remember I was on the Flying TV idea a while ago, which, is still in development.
dwshimoda
2nd Sep 2008, 21:51
Speedbird,
Yes - for what you want, Cranfield would be no good - just the same old aircraft doing endless circuits - it's rare that anything really exciting visits!
Haven't been to Wycombe or White Wltham, but have to say that at the weekend North Weald and Kemble both have many different visitors.
Look forward to when you reveal your reasons!
DW.
bad bear
2nd Sep 2008, 22:05
Lasham can and do manage over 100 movements in an hour, anyone beat that?
not many visitors though
False Capture
2nd Sep 2008, 22:25
White Waltham.:ok:
ProcATCO
2nd Sep 2008, 22:43
Swansea!
On a nice weekend day - 2 fixed wings schools, microlight school, helicopter school, RAF Air Cadet gliding, about 40 visitors, and a parachute operation, all in Class G airspace!!
Makes for an interesting mix!!!!!!!!!
:uhoh: :ok:
Quick (ish) straw pole. Does anyone know or have an opinion which is the busiest GA airfield for visiting aircraft in the UK?
Wycombe Air Park had 92,000 movements in 2007 (down somewhat from the 175,000 in 1989)
Duchess_Driver
2nd Sep 2008, 23:25
Busiest for movements or busiest for visitors....???
For visitors, I'd put a couple of quid on Shoreham or I.O.W. (Sandown or Bembridge) on a summer weekend afternoon.
But then again, what do I know?
lauchiemb
3rd Sep 2008, 12:50
Oxenhope is not the busiest.
Biggin Hill for Visiting GA And Biz.
Luton or Farnborough for Visiting Biz.
What About Southend Also.
Them thar hills
3rd Sep 2008, 18:35
Straw pole !
Sorry, I'm better with electricity poles :ouch:
matspart3
3rd Sep 2008, 19:00
Gloucester has between 85 - 90 000 movements per annum, lots of visitors
PlasticPilot
3rd Sep 2008, 20:14
Technically, Gatwick is open to GA - assuming you're ready to pay 250£ (off-peak) or 650£ (on peak).
As a non-UK based pilot, Waltham on a nice day sounds freaky, Biggin-Hill (IFR) was fine.
matspart3
3rd Sep 2008, 20:40
Number of movements in 2007 from the CAA website. Wycombe, Cranfield and Oxford don't report, but they'd all be somewhere near the top of the list too
GLOUCESTERSHIRE 78694
SHOREHAM 70420
BIGGIN HILL 69244
BLACKPOOL 58824
COVENTRY 54925
NORWICH 54086
EXETER 50062
SOUTHEND 39881
CAMBRIDGE 38983
SWANSEA 26663
LYDD 24725
CARLISLE 23363
HAWARDEN 22801
BEMBRIDGE 13354
Genghis the Engineer
4th Sep 2008, 11:19
For visiting aircraft, my personal experience would suggest Sandown, possibly followed by Popham.
G
I think visiting pilots tend to judge things on the basis of how bad the mayhem in the circuit is, in which case Wellesbourne and Stapleford would win hands down, but only if you visit on a nice Sunday :)
Fitter2
4th Sep 2008, 16:33
Bad Bear is underestimating the peak movement density at Lasham. 100 glider competitions have been held, launching all competitors in a 1 hr period.
That's 3 movements per launch - Tug + glider takeoff, 1 tug landing, 300 movements per hour.
All with no form of ATC (the NATS senior executive who watched couldn't quite understand how it all worked).
Day to day operations are admittedly less intense, but do include the odd 737.