aviation - the past, present and future of flight

engineering and charter services as well as

its sister company, Liverpool Flying School,

in addition to operating a scheduled Embraer

EMB 110 Bandeirante service to Cork in the

Republic of Ireland.

In 2000, work started on a new air traffic

control tower on the south side of the

runway – becoming operational in January

2002. A year later, a glidepath (providing

vertical guidance) element was added to the

instrument landing system (ILS) on Runway

09 (a localiser giving lateral guidance had

been installed in 1983). Runway 27 had an

ILS installed many years ago.

In 2003 passenger figures were just short

of 2m per year.

Ravenair, which had moved in during

1998, when its facility at Manchester Airport

was earmarked for closure to make way for a

second runway, built a hangar at its new base

in 2002, after being awarded the concession

for dealing with visiting general aviation

aircraft, handling and engineering services.

Ravenair now operates the Business

Aviation Centre in conjunction with Liverpool

Aviation Services, providing facilities for

general and business users, including

a passenger lounge, operations centre,

conference and training facilities.

The original terminal has been restored

and transformed into an hotel. A small

number of historic aircraft, looked after by a

preservation group, are situated on what was

the airport’s former apron, although this area

is now no longer part of the airfield.

NAME CHANGE

The facility received a massive publicity

boost in 2001 when it was renamed Liverpool

John Lennon Airport (LJLA) at a ceremony

attended by his widow, Yoko Ono.

Airport Chairman, Robert Hough, said

at the time: “Throughout the world, John

Lennon is synonymous with Liverpool. He is

an integral part of Merseyside’s heritage and

the new name places the airport firmly on the

international map.”

Yoko Ono added: “I was honoured and

delighted when I first heard of the proposal

to name the airport here in Liverpool after

John. As a gateway to the region, this will be

seen by millions of passengers and is a fitting

tribute to the memory of my late husband. I

am proud to be here today to celebrate one of

Liverpool’s greatest men.”

The biggest investment to date has been

a new terminal that completely encompassed

the 1986 building. Costing £32.5m, the first

phase opened in January 2002.

Yoko Ono returned in March of that year

to unveil a statue of her late husband that

now sits on a mezzanine floor overlooking the

check-in and arrivals area. Four months later,

on July 25, The Queen performed the official

opening of the terminal.

Initially designed to handle 3m passengers

per year this was soon increased with a

planned extension to cope with 4.5m.

BUDGET BOOM

The new terminal was designed to appeal to

low-cost operators. It is geared for easy transit

to reduce boarding delays. There are no

airbridges allowing operators use both doors

on the aircraft to achieve faster deplaning and

22 Aviation News incorporating Jets April 2018

A British Eagle Viscount at Liverpool in July 1964. The carrier flew to a range of destinations from

the airport. Bob O’Brien

A British Midland Fokker F27-200 in 1985. The airline was a major operator at Liverpool from

1978 to 2001. Bob O’Brien

The new terminal building is just minutes from the multistorey car park. Key-Andy Martin

A charter flight from Italy carrying football fans for a European

soccer match on Merseyside. Martyn Cartledge/aspphotography.net

20-24_liverpoolDC.mfDC.mfDC.indd 22 02/03/2018 14:01