Isle Of Wight airports

[D7666]

Wasn't sure which forum to put this under, but concerns airport - if that is the term in this case !

Question that came up in the pub over xmas.

Isle of Wight airports.

Assume NO alterations to civils infrastructure (e.g. lengthening or strengthening runways or taxiways) but assume the necessary paperwork is done, what is the largest current commercial passenger aircraft type that could operate a normal public advertised scheduled service to and from Isle Of Wight - and which field would it use there ? Assume that ground handling, fuel, etc, is in place.

Mods feel free to shunt elsewhere if this be the wrong forum.

[BA318]

Can’t answer your questions but reminded me of Wight Airlines who ran a short lived LCY service. https://onthewight.com/wight-airlines-review-london-in-30-minutes/amp/

[TartinTon]

Bembridge would appear to be the only paved runway. Their website gives fees for anything up to a "heavy" twin e.g. an islander so that would limit it to a max of 9 seats.

Runway is only 831 metres.

[Blink182]

Twin Otter could easily operate from Sandown or Bembridge.

[renfrew]

Going way back BKS and Starways had Dakota services into Bembridge.

[simoncorbett]

Also 748’s Hawker siddeley not Boeing… 😀

[Albert Hall]

There was a British Midland Dash 7 Bembridge-Jersey charter on Saturdays one year, taking over from a Brymon Twin Otter if I remember rightly.

Given the competition from Red Funnel, Wightlink and Hovertravel, hard to see how an air link would bring a real USP nowadays. I’m sure I saw something recently about Loganair and Hovertravel already working together.

[Mickey Kaye]

Did either of the isle of wight have instrument approaches?

I remember bembrisge having an NDB 'IW' but cant remember anything else

[Jamesair1]

I don't know the details but there was once a NCL - ISLE OF WIGHT service, may have been operated by BKS

[barry lloyd]

I don't know the details but there was once a NCL - ISLE OF WIGHT service, may have been operated by BKS

Shown here as a route from the timetable images site. This is from the 1957 timetable, but no schedule is shown inside.

http://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/ns/ns57su/ns57su-2.jpg

[roger4]

Sandown's 884m runway 05/23 is grass (well, technically half of it is astroturf). However both here and at Bembridge all taxiways/parking areas are grass, so that would rule out most larger aircraft. I don't believe either airfield has any nav aids.

So I like the Twin Otter suggestion, in part as it remains in production.

My earliest recollections of aviation on the Isle of Wight (early 1960s) are of seeing DH Heron's operating in/out of Sandown and the ground staff had to run down the runway waving their arms in order to clear sheep off the runway ahead of any movements!

[Flightrider]

There was a British Midland Dash 7 Bembridge-Jersey charter on Saturdays one year, taking over from a Brymon Twin Otter if I remember rightly.

Not quite! Airport Timetables UK for 1988 shows a Saturday Brymon Twin Otter operating between 28 May and 17 September for Warner Holidays:
BC691 BHX 1215 - 1310 IWB
BC694 IWB 1340 - 1420 LTN
BC693 LTN 1450 - 1530 IWB
BC692 IWB 1600 - 1655 BHX

The British Midland Dash 7 was in 1991 and ran for a short season only, 11 May to 8 June and again 7 September to 5 October for Bath Travel. BD8510 arrived at Bembridge (listed as BBH by that time) from Jersey at 1610 and departed to Jersey at 1640.

[DaveReidUK]

BD8510 arrived at Bembridge (listed as BBH by that time) from Jersey at 1610 and departed to Jersey at 1640.

Bembridge still has an IATA code, in fact, although nowadays it's BBP.

[whiowhio]

Ah YES Roger4! Remembering My School days at Sandown Secondary Modern wotching the "North South Airlines" DH114 Heron, regular DH104 Devon's and DH89A Dragon Rapide G-ALAX of Saunders Roe head-out on something regular morning services. These views, from my targeted 'classroom window-seat', were the events leading to my aeronautical apprenticeship at Portsmouth with Hants&Sussex Aviation !!! Yay.

[D7666]

Ta for all the replies.

Twin Otter was one I thought of, but being a layman on these things, was not sure enough to suggest it.

As usual with these questions, more new gen came out of it - I was aware of the older historical operations but not of the 1980s Wight or Brymon or B-Mid operations.

Nor had I seen
https://www.timetableimages.com/
before so Ta on that one too.:ok:

[pulse1]

My company was based on the old Portsmouth Airfield site and the owners, Portsmouth Aviation, were my landlords. When I retired they gave me a book about the aviation services between Portsmouth and Sandown. I did fly into Portsmouth once before it was closed after two 748s skidded on the the Eastern Road in one particularly wet day.

[OldBristolFreighter]

When I was very young, on my 2nd flight, flew Portsmouth – Sandown a.m. returning p.m. This would be mid to late 1950’s.

Don’t remember all the details but I think it was Sandown, it was certainly somewhere that required sheep-clearance prior to landing. Dragon Rapide looking bi-plane. Lady pilot, (shock horror to a young lad in those days) arrived about ½ hour late for outbound flight.

(First flight was Northolt to Channel Islands BEA DC3, I remember that well).

[Buster the Bear]

Not quite! Airport Timetables UK for 1988 shows a Saturday Brymon Twin Otter operating between 28 May and 17 September for Warner Holidays:
BC691 BHX 1215 - 1310 IWB
BC694 IWB 1340 - 1420 LTN
BC693 LTN 1450 - 1530 IWB
BC692 IWB 1600 - 1655 BHX

The British Midland Dash 7 was in 1991 and ran for a short season only, 11 May to 8 June and again 7 September to 5 October for Bath Travel. BD8510 arrived at Bembridge (listed as BBH by that time) from Jersey at 1610 and departed to Jersey at 1640.

Unfortunately, the Luton route never happened. I do remember the local press talking about it. A very good friend worked at Bartram’s Travel and she phoned me, as the route was in the Summer 1988 brochure.

[D7666]

Unfortunately, the Luton route never happened. I do remember the local press talking about it. A very good friend worked at Bartram’s Travel and she phoned me, as the route was in the Summer 1988 brochure.
ahhhh now thanks for that me being a Luton resident I was a bit puzzled why I either not remembered or not heard of that at the time; if it never happened then that explains it

TBH I'm not sure I have personally seen a Twin Otter at Luton on anything to anywhere at any time. Not an excuse to list them all!

[GALWC]

A lad, circa 1955, first ever flight, Channel Airways Rapide Portsmouth to Sandown and return. 17/6d return (less than a modern pound). Proper terminal at Portsmouth. Same lady captain (probably ex ATA). Must have been an omen as my first commercial command was Rapide GAHXW, and 7 happy years flying it (and Daks and Doves).
In more recent times I have frequently flown my own full Baron into both places, and Bembridge would be my best bet - Sandown a bit slippery when wet.

[Asturias56]

Often thought there was a good case to concrete the whole island over and turn it into the only airport in S England with HK style connections to the mainland :E
Oh - maybe keep the prisons

Hat, coat..........................

[Level bust]

If you read Mary Ellis's book, 'A Spitfire Girl' there is mention of Isle of Wight flights in there when she was running Sandown.

[2Planks]

Venture Quays and the Columbine Building are still there in Cowes, so to answer the OP: What’s the biggest floatplane still available?!