Aberporth Airport
Aberporth Airport (ICAO: EGFA) (Welsh: Maes Awyr Aber-porth) is situated southwest of Aberporth, Ceredigion, Wales. The airport is being developed as West Wales Airport for domestic flights.[2] It is also developing as a centre for the deployment of civil and military unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), known as 'drones'. The airport underwent major improvements in 2008 which extended the length of the runway from 945 to 1,257 m (3,100 to 4,124 ft).
West Wales Airport West Wales/Aberporth Airport | |||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
| Operator | West Wales Airport Ltd. | ||||||||||
| Serves | Cardigan | ||||||||||
| Location | Aberporth | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 428 ft / 130 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 52°06′53″N 004°33′34″W | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
  EGFA Location in Wales | |||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||
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History
The following military units were posted here at some point:
- 'B' Flight of No. 1 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit RAF (1 AACU) (October 1941 - March 1942)[3]
- 'L' Flight of 1 AACU (October 1941 - November 1942)[4] became No. 1608 (Anti-Aircraft Co-operation) Flight RAF (November 1942 - December 1943)[5]
- Detachment of 'O' Flight of 1 AACU (May - June 1942)[4]
- 'Q' Flight of 1 AACU (June 1941 - November 1942)[4] became No. 1609 (Anti-Aircraft Co-operation) Flight RAF (November 1942 - December 1943)[5]
- 'X' Flight of 1 AACU (September 1940 - November 1942)[4] became No. 1621 (Anti-Aircraft Co-operation) Flight RAF (November 1942 - December 1943)[5]
- Detachment of No. 6 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit RAF (January - May 1941)[4]
- Detachment of No. 6 Air Observers School RAF (June 1942 - January 1943)[6]
- Detachment of No. 7 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit RAF (May 1941 - January 1942)[4]
- Sub site of No. 7 Maintenance Unit RAF (1940)[7]
- No. 595 Squadron RAF (December 1943 - April 1946)[8]
- No. 636 Volunteer Gliding Squadron RAF (October 1996 - December 2001)[9]
- No. 2758 Squadron RAF Regiment[10]
- Combined Services Projectile Development Establishment (September 1943 - January 1945)[11]
- Detachment of University of Wales Air Squadron[12]
Current use
The nearby range, MoD Aberporth, is used for testing rockets by the British military, as well as for launching civilian rockets for atmospheric research. The site is currently managed by QinetiQ.
Aberporth Aerodrome has a CAA Ordinary Licence (Number P859) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee. The aerodrome is not licensed for night use.[13]
The airfield is being used as a base for Thales Watchkeeper WK450 military unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) trials over Cardigan Bay. On 13 June 2018 a Watchkeeper crashed into a lane near the airfield; there were no injuries.[14][15]
References
- Citations
- West Wales/Aberporth – EGFA
- West Wales Airport
- Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 61.
- Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 62.
- Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 128.
- Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 50.
- Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 176.
- Jefford 1988, p. 98.
- Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 148.
- "Aberporth (Blaenannerch) (West Wales)". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
- Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 95.
- Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 285.
- Civil Aviation Authority Aerodrome Ordinary Licences Archived 28 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- Lewis, Mike (14 June 2018). "Fire crews called after drone crash near West Wales Airport". Cambrian News. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
- Adam Lusher; Helen Hoddinott (21 June 2018). "A£1m military drone flew over a packed primary school sports day – then there was a crash". The Independent. Archived from the original on 22 June 2018. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
- Bibliography
- Jefford, C. G. (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
- Sturtivant, R.; Hamlin, J. (2007). Royal Air Force flying training and support units since 1912. UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 978-0851-3036-59.