| Cotswold Airport Kemble Airport |
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| Cotswold Airport control tower | |||
| IATA: none – ICAO: EGBP | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Private | ||
| Owner | Ronan Harvey | ||
| Operator | Kemble Air Services Limited | ||
| Location | Cirencester | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 436 ft / 133 m | ||
| Coordinates | |||
| Website | |||
| Map | |||
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EGBP
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| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| m | ft | ||
| 08/26 | 2,009 | 6,591 | Asphalt |
| 08/26 Unlicensed |
450 | 1,476 | Grass |
| Sources: UK AIP at NATS[1] | |||
Cotswold Airport (ICAO: EGBP) (formerly Kemble Airfield) is a private general aviation airport, near the village of Kemble in Gloucestershire, England. Located 4.5 NM (8.3 km; 5.2 mi) southwest of Cirencester, it was built as an RAF base (RAF Kemble). The Red Arrows aerobatics team was based there until 1983. It is home to privately-owned ex-military aircraft such as the Hawker Hunter, BAC Jet Provost, Folland Gnat and English Electric Canberra (operated by Delta Jets), and is used for the storage and recycling of retired airliners, as well as flying schools, clubs and industry.
Cotswold Air Show and a Battle of Britain Weekend (both held over two days) are held there each year and the airfield is a venue for flying and vehicle rallies.
Cotswold Airport is in a good position for flying training as it is clear of controlled airspace allowing free movement for training aircraft. It is also centrally positioned between Cheltenham and Gloucester and Swindon, with good road and rail links.
There was a threat of closure because of a mistake the Cotswold District Council made relating to planning permission when it was sold by the Ministry of Defence. However, this is no longer the case, and the planning status of the airfield has been changed to that of airport. In July 2007, the airfield was again threatened by the council due to complaints from local residents of noise pollution.
In June 2008, the threat of closure has eased after the Cotswold District Council allowed flying to continue, but in September 2008, North Wiltshire District Council sought to overturn this decision in the High Court as they said the original decision was flawed,
In August 2009, the airport was awarded a CLEUD (Certificate of Lawful Use) as a commercial airport so the future is assured as an airport and development to that end can occur. Lufthansa Resource Technical Training Ltd are relocating their EASA Part 147 Approved Basic Training facility to Cotswold Airport and will be opening their purpose-built facility in Spring 2010. This will have the effect of bringing numerous jobs to the local area as well as supporting local infrastructure, such as shops and hotels. There will be some 50 engineering students at any one time, 365 days a year.
Cotswold Airport has a CAA Ordinary Licence (Number P863), which allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee (Kemble Air Services Limited). The aerodrome is not licensed for night use.[2]
The airport is the home of the Bristol Aero Collection, a museum that shows aerospace items from the Filton, Bristol area, mainly aircraft but including missiles and ground vehicles. The collection includes a Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR.1, Bristol Bloodhound surface to air missile, a life size mock-up of the Giotto spacecraft, a Bristol Sycamore helicopter and items related to Concorde.
Aston Down airfield lies 3 mi to the northwest and has sometimes been mistaken for Cotswold Airport by visiting pilots. It formerly belonged to the RAF but is now used for gliding by the Cotswold Gliding Club.
The airfield is also used for Formula One straight line testing.[3]
Cotswold Airport is home to Chevron Aircraft Maintenance Ltd.[4] Chevron is an Easa part 145 approved aircraft maintenance facility and has been based at Cotswold Airport since January 2004, Specialising in the Base maintenance and storage of aircraft. Chevron Aircraft Maintenance holds Base maintenance approval on Bae146/RJ series aircraft, line maintenance approvals on Bombardier Challenger 600 Series and Bae ATP. Easa part 145 approval number UK145.01181.
Cotswold Airport is owned by Ronan Harvey who resides now in Vanuatu, but his daughter, Suzannah Harvey, holds a full-time position on the board of directors.
Cotswold Airport is also the operating base of Air Salvage International (ASI),[5] an aircraft boneyard and salvage company.[6]
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