City Airport Manchester
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| City Airport Manchester Manchester/Barton Aerodrome |
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| IATA: N/A – ICAO: EGCB | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Public | ||
| Owner | Peel Group | ||
| Operator | City Airport Manchester Ltd | ||
| Serves | Manchester/Salford | ||
| Location | Barton-upon-Irwell, Eccles | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 73 ft / 22 m | ||
| Coordinates | |||
| Website | |||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| m | ft | ||
| 09R/27L | 621 | 2,037 | Grass |
| 09L/27R | 518 | 1,699 | Grass |
| 02/20 | 528 | 1,732 | Grass |
| 14/32 | 396 | 1,299 | Grass |
| Source: UK AIP at NATS | |||
City Airport Manchester, (formerly Barton Aerodrome) (IATA: N/A, ICAO: EGCB) is a general aviation airport in Barton-upon-Irwell, Eccles, in the city of Salford, Greater Manchester, England. It is five nautical miles (9.3 km) west of Manchester and was the United Kingdom's first purpose-built municipal airport. Featuring four grass runways, it is one of the busiest general aviation airports in the UK. The airfield operates seven days a week, from 9 am until sunset for fixed wing aircraft. Commercial, military, police and air ambulance helicopters can operate during the hours of darkness by arrangement, as the airfield can be equipped with portable runway lighting.
The airport is also used as a refuelling stop for light aircraft and helicopters which are flying up and down the United Kingdom. However, it lies on the edge of Chat Moss and the aircraft movements area still suffers from prolonged periods of waterlogging, restricting fixed wing operations at those times.
Manchester Barton Aerodrome has a CAA Ordinary Licence (Number P886) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee (City Airport Manchester Limited). The aerodrome is not licensed for night use.[1]
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[edit] History
Construction of Manchester's new municipal aerodrome at Barton, Eccles (Borough of Eccles) started in autumn 1928 to replace the temporary Manchester (Wythenshawe) Aerodrome. The grass airfield and large hangar were completed in January 1930, when the first passenger charter flight occurred. Imperial Airways operated a thrice-weekly scheduled service to London's (Croydon Airport) via Birmingham during summer 1930, subsidised by the councils of Manchester and Birmingham.
A control tower and associated wireless station were completed in spring 1933, the first at a municipal airport outside London, and able to communicate with aircraft in flight and give pilots bearings from the airfield. The tower is currently operational and is believed to be the oldest in Europe still in use for its original purpose.
Scheduled services resumed in August 1934, when Croydon-based Railway Air Services commenced a Croydon-Barton-Belfast-Glasgow route. Linking services to Liverpool, Blackpool and the Isle of Man were introduced in spring 1935. Other smaller airlines operated short-lived services from Barton until June 1938, when all schedules transferred to the newly completed larger Ringway Airport which between 1940 and 1957 also accommodated RAF Ringway.
During World War II, Barton was requisitioned and used for military aircraft repair and overhaul, carried out by civilian firms including Air Taxis Ltd and David Rosenfield Ltd. Aircraft types involved were Avro Ansons, Dominies, Fairey Battles, Fairey Fulmars, Hawker Hurricanes and Corsairs, followed by the scrapping of Fairey Swordfish. Over 700 Percival Proctor training and communications aircraft were assembled and tested at Barton by F.Hills & Son of Trafford Park. There is a concrete air-raid bunker dating from this period hidden under overgrown vegetation near to the main road (A57) still at the site.
Lancashire Aero Club operated from Woodford Aerodrome before World War II, but moved to Barton in 1946 and remain based until 2007. Manchester University Air Squadron was based in one of the wartime built western hangars between 1946 and 1953, when the unit moved to RAF Woodvale near Southport, Lancashire.
The airport was owned by Manchester City Council until 2003 when Manchester Ship Canal Developments, (of which Peel Holdings Group is the majority shareholder), purchased the land, hangars and other buildings. The airport is now run by a subsidiary of Peel Airports, City Airport Manchester Ltd.
City Airport Manchester has changed relatively little since its opening, and is considered a good example of the airfields of the 1930s. There are several historical items of note at Barton; a small museum in the visitor centre displays documents from the history of the original Manchester Airport. The Bomber Command Association also has a display at the Barton Visitor Centre.
The airfield has been used as a setting for numerous films and TV programmes, amongst them "Brass" (where Barton masqueraded as Croydon), Mersey Beat, GBH and Island at War. The distinctive control tower featured prominently in the making of those programmes and films. The control tower underwent a major programme of rebuilding and refurbishment in 2006 and is protected by its grade II listed status.
[edit] Based Operators
[edit] Flight Academy
Flight Academy offer flight training in both helicopters and fixed wing aircraft.
[edit] Greater Manchester Police Air Support Unit
Greater Manchester Police base their helicopter at the airfield in a remote secure area. The unit is active 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
[edit] Heli North West
Heli North West is a helicopter training school flying Robinson R22 and Enstrom helicopters. They also fly the Robinson R44 and Bell 206 Jetranger
[edit] LAC Flying School
LAC Flying School operates a range of aircraft types including PA28s, Cessna 152/0s, Grob 115s and a Cessna 172 for both training and hire. The school also offers trial flights.
[edit] Malcolm Dobson Instructor Services
Malcolm Dobson Instructor Services provide training for the written examinations for Private Pilot's Licence courses, specialising in RT exams.
[edit] Mainair
Mainair is a microlight training organisation, flying both flex-wing and three axis Ikarus aircraft as well as the new generation Flight Design CTSW, the world's fastest microlight.
[edit] Manchester Helicopter Centre
The Manchester Helicopter Centre provides helicopter flight training using Enstrom helicopters and was the first helicopter flying school in the North West of England.
[edit] Ravenair
Ravenair base several Piper PA-38 Tomahawk aircraft at City Airport Manchester, providing Private Pilot Licence training and in support of aeronautical degrees for the nearby University of Salford. Ravenair has its offices in the airfield's clubhouse, and also provide catering facilities.
[edit] Helicopter out of hours movements
City Airport Manchester can operate during the hours of darkness by arrangement for commercial, military, police and air ambulance helicopters, as the airport can be equipped with portable runway lighting. This facility proves very popular, especially during football matches at nearby Old Trafford, (Manchester United) and City of Manchester Stadium (Manchester City). The airport is also a discreet and efficient location to drop off and collect VIPs visiting the local area.
[edit] Rescue and fire fighting
City Airport Manchester operates Category 1 Rescue and Fire Fighting, utilising a Toyota Hilux Double Cab as a fire tender. Equipped with 80 gallons of foam/water mix, a variety of extinguishers including foam, water, carbon dioxide, powder and halon.
The RFFS also carries first aid and rescue tools, and is one of the few GA airfields to employ full time staff to operate the RFFS all year. This ensures a speedy and efficient response to any aircraft finding itself in difficulty at the airport or in the local area.
[edit] References
- Manchester's early airfields: establishment, development and operations. R.A.Scholefield. An extensive article in Moving Manchester, Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, Manchester, 2004. ISSN 0950-4699.
- The Lancashire Aero Club : Three Score Years and Ten. Peter Maher, 1992. Lancashire Aero Club. ISBN 0 9524099 0 9.
[edit] External links
- City Airport Manchester website contains airport operational information
- Flight Academy
- LAC Flying School
- Manchester Helicopter Centre
- Mainair Flying School
- Ravenair
