Nearest Landing Strip to Bristol

[Bernoulli]

Hello PPRuNers.

I've got a daughter studying at Bristol and I would like to visit her. Between us lies the M6 and the M5. Awful, just dreadful. Crawling congestion, roadworks and average speed cameras. Soul destroying. So, I thought I'd hop into the microlight and, weather permitting, slide serenely down to the Severn. However, I'm struggling to find a landing strip anywhere close to Bristol. Obviously there's BRS up on the hill but that's not what I'm after (I don't suppose that they'd particularly welcome a Skyranger bimbling into their circuit). I've looked at Pooleys. AFE and Lockwood but nothing seems particularly convenient for the city.

Do any of you know of anything that might be suitable for me?

Thanks for any practical suggestions.

Bernoulli

[RAT 5]

It's been a while, but is Filton still there? However, that might involve specials. When I lived there hot-air balloons used to launch from The Downs. I'm sure they are big enough for a micro-light, but the regulations????????

[Jan Olieslagers]

I found a runway near the river Avon but perhaps it is only for gliders? Precious little info on the www, too.

https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=16/51.4102/-2.4493

[tdbristol]

I would give EGGD a try. (I am based there; a DA40.)
There are around 15 GA aircraft based there, including two GA flight schools; they are friendly to GA - just limited on parking space for GA, so you need to PPR via Bristol & Wessex aero club.

There is a very good bus service into town from the airport (runs every 10 mins, £11 return) that goes near to the university.

Suggest you give Bristol & Wessex aero club a call and ask them about flying in: they look after all GA visitors [not with a silly handling charge].
The landing fee might be steep, but may still be your best option.

[hobbit1983]

The only two that might serve are Garston near Chippenham

http://garstonfarm.co.uk/

Or Wadswick near Corsham.

https://wadswick.co.uk/wadswick-airfield/

[garyscott]

Badminton??
http://ukga.com/airfield/badminton
Badminton airfield (http://www.pilotfriend.com/UK_airfields/airfields/BADMINTON.htm)
Badminton Airfield Gloucestershire, airfield card information for pilots (http://airfieldcards.com/index.php/airfields-a/badminton)

[Mark 1]

There's a strip at Felton, about 1 mile NE of Bristol airport and another SE of Bristol at Norton Malreward with a contact number listed for PPR of 07970 496014

[ChickenHouse]

combine https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1I7jI9SVfFly8hX0LfIYcptWL-2Q&hl=en_US&ll=51.42590646953837%2C-2.529132135742202&z=10
(if you go to the little three dots in map legend you can download the respective .kml files for Google Earth)
with the LAAS list http://www.laasdata.com/uploads/The-LAAS-British-Isles-Airfield-Guide.pdf
and get i.e.:

Frogland Cross-Grange Farm/Brickhouse Farm 51.5451 -2.5220
Saltford-Avon Lane 51.4102 -2.4491 (the one Jan mentioned)
Doynton-Rookery Farm (microlight only) 51.4734 -2.4030
High Littleton-Clutton Hill Farm 51.3415 -2.5225
...

You may have to start from there to find out which are open to not based A/C, but does not look that bad for microlights in the area.
If you go to Garston Farm 10 miles east, try Lord Nelson -> http://www.lordnelsonatmarshfield.com and on approach be nice to Colerne MIL ;-).

[Bernoulli]

Thank you all for your replies. I only went into Filton once to take an aircraft for painting. I believe that it's busy now turning itself into lots of houses.:(

I'll have a look at some of the ideas you've put forward and see what's best. It seems surprising that a city the size of Bristol doesn't have something close by to serve light aircraft, rather like Manchester has Barton.

Thanks again people.

[pulse1]

Unless things have changed, the nearest to Bristol, Clutton Hill Farm, don't allow microlights.

[ChickenHouse]

Unless things have changed, the nearest to Bristol, Clutton Hill Farm, don't allow microlights.
Where does this information come from? Yes, the field is private and strict PPR and they do have some struggle with neighbors, so one has to ask very politely to be allowed to land and it has to fit in the daily feelings of everybody there, but a general no microlight?

[piperboy84]

Why not just land at Bristol or do they charge like a wounded buffalo?

[ChickenHouse]

Why not just land at Bristol or do they charge like a wounded buffalo?
A whole bison buffalo right now comes for about $3,040.00 at average weight 320 pounds and weight price approx $9.50.

My last arrival quite a while ago with <2to at Bristol was something like £29 landing fee, £15 ATC, £56 ground handling, £16 apron parking and £25 weekend supplement = £141 total (must miss something as I had about £150 in mind).

A landing would be $172, or 18 pounds of bison buffalo cut from whole, or 1/18th of a whole bison buffalo, or 6 pounds of clear cut Rib Eye Buffalo Steak.

What is the rate for a wounded buffalo and how does it compare to microlights?

;-)

[pulse1]

We did a club fly in to Clutton Hill and the one microlight with us was asked to leave before the neighbours got wind of it. The rest of us went to the local pub for an excellent lunch while we worked out whether to take off up the hill into wind or t'other way round.

[The Ancient Geek]

Bristol can be very expensive if you use the standard airport services.
A lot cheaper if you use Bristol & West Aero Club who have their own facilities on the south side of the field and special arrangements for ATC and landing fees. Not sure but you might need to become a member.

[Flap40]

New Farm?

It's on about a 1 nm final to 27 at Bristol and just to the right of the centreline.

It's on Google Maps.

[surely not]

Are the locals around Clutton Hill savvy enough to know the difference between a 3 axis microlight and a light aircraft? An Ikarus C42 is less noisy than a Cessna 152 so perhaps they actually enjoy aeroplane noise?

[trevs99uk]

These maybe able to help you..

Airfields - Devon Strut (http://www.devonstrut.co.uk/airfields/4536697666)

Airfield Information for private pilots, print the card before you fly (http://www.airfieldcards.com)

The Wessex Strut | The Wessex Region of the UK Light Aircraft Association based at Henstridge Airfield (http://www.wessexstrut.org.uk)

LAA Bristol Wing website (http://www.bristol-wing.co.uk)

[Mixed Up]

Some strips have local authority restrictions on them which don't make much sense to us who are more knowledgeable about aircraft types. An example may be "no microlights". Legally that includes anything classified as a microlight today. But the originally intent, 20 years ago, may have been "no unregulated screaming 2-stroke-powered hang-gliders that go nowhere fast".

Sadly, strip owners have to stick to the law, not common sense.

Some strips are the other way, only allowing microlights. This also makes no sense sometimes, when the same aircraft could be registered as either. An example, I understand, is Westonzoyland, south of Bristol.

[Bernoulli]

The type that I fly is a Skyranger. To the uninformed general public it wouldn't look much different to any other Cessna type. Perhaps a bit quieter though? Still, like they say... rules is rules.

[The Ancient Geek]

Home - Bristol and Wessex Aeroplane Club (http://www.bristolandwessex.co.uk/)