London Southend Airport
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| London Southend Airport Southend Airport |
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|---|---|---|---|
| IATA: SEN – ICAO: EGMC | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Public | ||
| Operator | London Southend Airport Company | ||
| Serves | Southend, Essex and East London areas | ||
| Location | Southend | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 49 ft / 15 m | ||
| Coordinates | |||
| Website | |||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| m | ft | ||
| 06/24 | 1,605 | 5,266 | Asphalt |
| Statistics (2007) | |||
| Aircraft Movements | 39,881 | ||
| Passengers | 49,311 | ||
| Source: United Kingdom AIP [1]
Statistics from the UK CAA[2] |
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London Southend Airport or Southend Airport (IATA: SEN, ICAO: EGMC) is a regional airport in south east England, in the county of Essex.
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[edit] Location
The airport is closer to Rochford than it is to Southend. A frequent rail service runs from Rochford (3/4 mile away) to London (Liverpool Street) with a journey time of approximately 50 minutes, and taxis are available outside the terminal.
[edit] Operations
Southend Airport mainly operates ad-hoc passenger charter and business flights, cargo flights, pilot training (in both aircraft and helicopters), and recreational flying. Maintenance services for aircraft up to Boeing 757 and Airbus A321 size are available. The airport is run by London Southend Airport Co Ltd , which employs over 90 people. On 28th January 2008 it was announced by the airport that it is up for sale, in order that the investment needed to fulfil the potential of the airport is available.
Southend Airport has a CAA Ordinary Licence (Number P801) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee (Regional Airports Limited)[3].
Regular public air services are scheduled flights to Jersey on summer Saturdays and Wednesdays, operated by Flybe, and to Le Touquet in France, operated by based operator Flywatch Air Services. Since June 7, 2006, a regular service to Cologne has been operated by Flightline, on behalf of Ford Motor Company to transport its employees. This service is not available to the public.
In terms of percentage growth in passenger numbers, Southend was the fastest growing airport in the U.K. during 2006, according to CAA statistics.
Aircraft can be chartered from based operators Flightline, Flywatch Air Services, Kudos Aviation, Trans Euro Air and 247Jet. Ground handling at the airport is provided by the airport owned 'Southend Handling', who can assist companies, groups or individuals in chartering aircraft to or from the airport.
Annual seafront airshows off Southend and Clacton fronts result in extra aircraft being based at the airport for the duration of the displays.
Companies located at and around the airport employ over 1000 skilled workers, providing services such as engineering and maintenance work on airliners, including re-spraying, refurbishment, upgrades to avionics, manufacture of aircraft seats and the installation of new or hush-kitted engines.
ATC Lasham is the major engineering company at the airport, in previous times known as ATEL (Aviation Traders Engineering Limited, founded by the late Sir Freddie Laker of Skytrain fame) and Heavylift Engineering. Other companies include Air Livery (aircraft re-finishing), Avionicare, BAC Engineering, Flightline Aircraft Engineering, IAVNA (airport visual aids), Inflite Engineering (previously 'World Aviation Support' and 'BAF Engineering'), IPECO/Benson-Lund and JRB Aviation.
Southend Airport has an excellent weather record, which means that smaller airliners use it as a diversion alternative when adverse weather or other incidents cause aircraft to divert from either Stansted or London City Airport.
The airport is also popular with film-makers, who find that the airport is able to accommodate their needs better than busier airports.
[edit] Facilities
It has a cafe and departure lounge for passengers, spectators and private pilots, and a photo booth. Bus services are available from the public road fronting the airport entrance to Southend town centre and also Rochford, Hockley and Rayleigh.
[edit] Flying clubs
The Airport is home to several Flying Clubs:
- Flight Centre Flying Club
- Seawing Flying Club
- Southend Flying Club
- Willowair Flying Club
[edit] Aviation history
A preserved Avro Vulcan may be seen from the road into Rochford. The Vulcan usually undertakes fast taxi runs along the runway once or twice a year (Vulcan Restoration Trust). There is no longer a museum at this airport which once reverberated to flying car ferries such as the piston-engined Bristol Freighter and the Aviation Traders Carvair.
British World Airlines, who previously operated as British Air Ferries and, before then, as Silver City Airways, owned many Vickers Viscount turboprop airliners, fitted out for passenger and cargo operations. These aircraft, dating from the mid/late 1950s to the early 1960s, were originally owned and operated by BEA, one of the two main predecessors of the present-day British Airways. Powered by four Rolls-Royce Dart turboprop engines, these graceful airliners were sold in the late 1990s, shortly before the cessation of operations by British World.
Channel Airways, one of the UK's five leading Independent airlines of the 1960s, had its administrative headquarters as well as its main operational base at the airport until its demise in February 1972.
Southend Airport handled more traffic than Stansted until well into the 1970s, making it London's "de facto" third airport.[4]
In 2002/3 a debate centered on the possible relocation of St Laurence and All Saints Church, (a Grade 1 listed church), further away from the side of the main runway. This was opposed by English Heritage, some local residents, Councillors and the Church. The planning application was rejected by Southend Council.[5].
A compromise scheme was implemented resulting in slightly shorter licensed runway lengths. However this enabled passenger flights to be restarted using regional jet/turboprop aircraft similar to those already in use at London City airport.
[edit] Military history
The airfield was established by the Royal Flying Corps during World War I.
In 1939 the Air Ministry requisitioned the airfield and it became RAF Rochford during World War II. It became a satellite base. In World War II it became a fighter base squadrons of Supermarine Spitfires and Hawker Hurricane fighters, as well as the Bristol Blenheim fighter-bomber. Many of the 50 pillboxes, that were design to protect the airport from paratroop landings, still survive, as does the underground defence control room, which is near to Southend Flying Club. A further 20 or so pillboxes also remain in the surrounding countryside. In 1946 the airfield was decommissioned from military use and civil aviation returned in 1947, as did the Southend Municipal Airport name.
Canewdon, a couple of miles to the north east of the airport, was the location of one of the World War II Chain Home radar stations. One of the 360 foot high transmitter towers can still be seen near Great Baddow (2007).
[edit] Future developments
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This article or section contains information about planned or expected public transportation in the United Kingdom.
It may contain information of a speculative nature and the content may change significantly as more information becomes available.
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The airport has planning consent to build a new terminal and railway station on the eastern boundary of the airport. Construction of the rail station is planned for 2009, the new terminal at a later date.
The airport's ambition to restart passenger flights dovetails with Government aims outlined in the White Paper on airport development and the strategic Thames Gateway development. Undoubtedly the airport will have a supporting role to play in the 2012 London Olympics in East London, for which it is well situated.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ UK Aeronautical Information Service
- ^ Aircraft Movements, Air Passengers by Type and Nationality of Operator
- ^ Civil Aviation Authority Aerodrome Ordinary Licences
- ^ Southend Airport up for sale by Kevin Done, Aerospace Correspondent at ft.com, published/last updated: January 28, 2008, 13.36 (GMT)
- ^ Committee meeting minutes (PDF). Historic Built Environment Advisory Committee meeting minutes (2003-02-20). Retrieved on 2007-11-01.
[edit] External links
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