Pilot – June 2018

pilotweb.aero | Pilot June 2018 | 21

Notes

for the first time via qualified
met observers in its ATC team.
Preparatory work is complete
and regulatory approval from
the CAA should follow a
three-month trial to prove the
reliability of observations and
the data produced.
‘This will result in a significant
enhancement of weather
information available to aircrew
of conditions when entering
the challenging airspace and
operating environment of the
London heli-route system,’
the operator says. ‘Work also
continues with the regulator and
airspace manager to secure the
future of the London Heliport
as the airspace and operating/
regulatory environment evolves
and new helicopter types and
technologies emerge.’

„ GA-vs-housing
needs: a balancing act
Prior to his appointment
as Home Secretary, then
Secretary of State for Housing,
Communities and Local
Government Sajid Javid, MP
committed to ensuring that
the UK’s £3bn GA sector
can develop. In a letter to
the All-Party Parliamentary
Group (APPG), he wrote: “It
is important to ensure that
we balance the economic
contribution of the general
aviation sector with housing
and commercial priorities, and
that we identify exactly how
this contribution is delivered,
and what constitutes the

critical infrastructure that is

necessary to deliver them.”

The letter was in response to

the APPG’s comments on the

draft National Planning Policy

Framework (NPPF), which

for the first time contains a

reference to the importance

of GA. The draft framework

was being consulted on until

10 May, and the APPG has

campaigned to see four more

minor amendments to further

strengthen the future of GA

aerodromes.

Commenting on Sajid Javid’s

letter, Grant Shapps, MP,

Chair of the now-153-strong

all-party group, said: “We

welcome the commitment

from the Secretary of State for

Housing that his Department

will work with the Department

for Transport to ensure our

valuable General Aviation

sector can develop. General

Aviation in the UK contributes

£3bn directly to UK plc every

year, and employs more than

38,000 people in highly skilled

science, technology, engineering

and mathematics jobs. It’s so

important that Government

departments work together

hand-in-glove, if we want to

continue to train the pilots, air

traffic controllers and engineers

we need for the future.” More

details at: generalaviationappg.

uk/parliamentary-group-

on-general-aviation-calls-

for-united-response-to-

governments-planning-

consultation/

„ Further expansion

at Solent Airport

Following last December’s

opening of five new GA

hangars at Solent Airport (the

former HMS Daedalus naval

air station), in April Fareham

Borough Council completed

a further six business

hangars at the site. The first

hangars, built at a cost of

£2.6 million were for private

owners, whilst the new

buildings, which cost £3.5

million, are for businesses

in the aviation, aerospace

and marine sectors. The

hangar development

coincides with the expansion

of the Innovation Centre at

the airport. Its £7 million

extension will provide 3,400

square metres of new floor

space, 33 new offices, five

new workshops and spacious

new conference facilities.

Andy Wannell, Director of

Finance and Resources for

Fareham Borough Council

said: “This site has an aviation

history that can be traced

back for 100 years. When we

acquired the site in 2015, our

vision was for Daedalus to

become a premier location

for aviation, aerospace

engineering and advanced

manufacturing businesses.

Our aim is for Solent Airport

to become an attractive

destination for visiting aircraft,

but also offer the hangarage,

facilities and services to

attract more corporate and

commercial aviation activities.

Storage facilities for aircraft

were not only very limited,

but the hangars were built

in the early days of the

airport’s life... The Daedalus

site has already made a

huge contribution to aviation

history. This development

will ensure that [this] will

continue into the future,

become a major aviation

hub in the south as part of

an Enterprise Zone creating

many skilled employment

opportunities for local people.

We anticipate that it will

create 3,500 new local jobs

over the next ten years.”

Solent Airport currently

handles some 30,000 flights

per year, with plans to grow

this in the medium term.

„ Oxford expansion

A new 16,000-square-foot

hangar was being completed

at Oxford Airport in April. It

will be able to house aircraft

up to Bombardier Global

Express size and will have

office space. Further planned

expansion includes a new

101-room Premier Inn hotel

to be built at the airport’s

entrance, catering for aircrew,

owners and pilots bringing

aircraft in for maintenance

and friends and families

visiting trainees at CAE

Oxford Aviation Academy and

Airways Aviation. The hotel

is scheduled to open in the

summer of next year.

Oxford's new hangar includes office space