Newtownards Airport

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Newtownards Airport
Newtownards Aerodrome - geograph.org.uk - 35306.jpg
Summary
Airport typePublic
OperatorUlster Flying Club
ServesNewtownards
Elevation AMSL9 ft / 3 m
Coordinates54°34′52″N 005°41′31″W / 54.58111°N 5.69194°W / 54.58111; -5.69194Coordinates: 54°34′52″N 005°41′31″W / 54.58111°N 5.69194°W / 54.58111; -5.69194
Websiteulsterflyingclub.com
Map
EGAD is located in County Down
EGAD
EGAD
Location in County Down
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
03/21 791 2,595 Asphalt
08/26 566 1,857 Asphalt
15/33 640 2,100 Asphalt
Sources: UK AIP at NATS[1]

Newtownards Airport (ICAO: EGAD) is a local airfield in Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland. It is located 8.5 NM (15.7 km; 9.8 mi) east[1] of Belfast. This airport not only offers light aircraft flights but offers Helicopter flights which are operated by HeliPower, Microlight flights operated by NI Microlights and flight simulator training by AlphaTech. This airport also has an onsite restaurant called Cloud Nine.

Airfield history and operations[]

Newtownards airport opened in August 1934 and until the construction of Sydenham airport (Belfast Harbour) in March 1938 was served by UK scheduled internal passenger and mail flights.

It is the home airfield of the Ulster Flying Club. The Ulster Flying Club (UFC) was founded in 1961 and over the subsequent years has grown to become Northern Ireland's largest flying school and one of the largest, non commercial training, flying organizations in Northern Ireland. The club manages the airfield's facilities. The clubhouse is currently open to the public for snacks and for viewing activities at the airfield, as a new clubhouse was opened in 2005 after the destruction of the last clubhouse by a fire in 2004. Many private pilot owners and self-build constructors base their aircraft in the several hangars on the airfield.

The Ulster Flying club has continued to develop as a centre for private flying and so the end of existing runways were re-surfaced and the grass strip tarmaced.

The Ulster Flying Club has recently allowed the Airfield to be used for various events including Air Display days and also Motorsport Events. Most recently Car Culture Live 2015.

Airfield licence[]

Newtownards Aerodrome has a CAA Ordinary Licence (Number P659) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee (Ulster Flying Club (1961) Limited).[2]

Ulster Flying Club[]

The Ulster Flying Club provides both leisure flights and flight training for those who wish to pursue a pilot's licence. The club operates a fleet of five fixed wing aircraft. It consists of three C-172 SP's and two C152's.

The UFC operates the G-UFC tail registration with the following: G-UFCE, G-UFCG, G-UFCI (G1000 glass cockpit)- Cessna 172's. G-UFCN, G-UFCP - Cessna 152's.

G-UFCO was involved in a fatal crash in April 2018.[3]

Radio Frequencies[]

The airfield operates an A/G service and until 25 October 2018 the frequency was 128.300mhz, it has since moved to an 8.33 channel and is now 128.305[4]

HeliPower[]

HeliPower operates leisure and charter flights as well as helicopter fight training for the PPL (H) pilot licence. They operate several rotary aircraft including Robinson R22, R44 and Bell Jet Ranger

NI Microlights[]

NI Microlights is an independent flight school operating from the airfield. They offer a range of Microlight services including NPPL tuition and trial flights, flight tests, aircraft sales, servicing, permits and repairs. Training is carried out on the Thuster Microlight aircraft (fixed wing), and the P&M GT450 (flexwing)

AlphaTech Flight Simulator Training[]

AlphaTech carry out flight simulator training for the Airbus A320 series of aircraft. They operate a fixed base simulator training device, which is used for professional pilot flight training, SimPilot training and flight experiences.

Night Flying[]

Recently added new PAPIs on 21/03 and lights on 15/33 have allowed the airfield and UFC to safely carry out night flying and flying in bad visibility.

O'Neill Aircraft Maintenance[]

Aircraft maintenance for permit and vintage aircraft is carried out by a small group of aircraft engineers based in the O'Neill hangar. Annual permit inspections, kit build projects, routine maintenance, engine and airframe repairs are carried out by Light Aircraft Association (LAA) and British Microlight Aircraft Association (BMAA) approved inspectors.

References[]

  1. ^ a b Newtownards - EGAD
  2. ^ Civil Aviation Authority Aerodrome Ordinary Licences
  3. ^ Two dead in County Antrim light aircraft crash
  4. ^ "Ards airfield frequency change". Left Downwind. Retrieved 21 February 2019.

External links[]

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