| |
|
It's only public air service involves scheduled flights to Jersey on summer Saturdays. The airfield is primarily used for recreational flying, pilot training in both light aircraft and helicopters, and the maintenance and modification of airliners which is important to the local economy.
This maintenance work is relatively major in scale and ranges from professional re-painting through the renewal of seating, upgrades to avionics and installation of hush-kits on engines, to the conversion of passenger aircraft into cargo carriers. This involves skilled trades within an internationally competitive industry.
Management would like to revive its status as a passenger airport but many neighbouring residents feel otherwise.During the early years of the 21st century a fierce debate centered on the idea of relocating an ancient protected church further from the end of the main runway so that heavier aircraft (including passenger carrying aircraft) could use that runway without compromising modern safety rules even during conditions of low visibility. Aircraft arriving for maintenance can be contrived to arrive and depart lightly loaded and in good weather, so a tall obstacle near the runway threshold is less of a safety issue. Some such engineering work has recently been attracted from Lasham in Hampshire.
The simple modern terminal sometimes comes to life when weather or other incidents cause aircraft to divert in quantity from either Stansted or London City Airport over a limited period. It is also popular with film-makers who use the building to represent the air terminal of somewhere less inclined to interrupt actual travellers during daylight hours. Generally it functions as a cafe/lounge for spectators and private pilots. Some busy pubs and retail warehouses front the road between the air terminal and the traditional town centre. A preserved Avro Vulcan may be seen from that road. There is no longer a museum at this airport which once reverberated to flying car ferries such as the piston-engined Bristol Freighter.
Military History
The airfield was originally established by the Royal Flying Corps during World War I. In World War II it became an important fighter base for the RAF. Many of the 50 pillboxes, that were design to protect the airport from paratroop landings, still survive, as does the underground defence control room. A further 20 or so pillboxes also remain in the surrounding countryside.
Of related interest, 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 now be found near Great Baddow (2003).