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'City Airport Manchester', (formerly Barton Aerodrome) is a general aviation airport in Barton-upon-Irwell, Eccles, in the City of Salford, Greater Manchester, England. It is five nautical miles (9.3 km) west of Manchester and was the United Kingdom's first municipal airport. Featuring four grass runways, it is one of the busiest general aviation airports in the UK. The airfield operates seven days a week, from 9 am until sunset for fixed wing aircraft. Commercial, military, police and air ambulance helicopters can operate during the hours of darkness by arrangement, as the airfield can be equipped with portable runway lighting.
The airport is an important stopping off point for light aircraft and helicopters flying up and down the UK as it is centrally located and has a large supply of aviation fuel available, Avgas 100LL and JetA1. However, it lies on the edge of Chat Moss and the aircraft movements area still suffers from prolonged periods of waterlogging, restricting fixed wing operations at those times.
Manchester Barton Aerodrome has a CAA Ordinary Licence (Number P886) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee (City Airport Manchester Limited). The aerodrome is not licensed for night use.^[1] It is sometimes used by Manchester United F.C..

Contents

History

Based Operators

Flight Academy

Greater Manchester Police Air Support Unit

Heli North West

LAC Flying School

Malcolm Dobson Instructor Services

Mainair

Manchester Helicopter Centre

Manchester Advanced Flight Training

Ravenair

Helicopter out of hours movements

Rescue and fire fighting

References

External links

History

Construction of Manchester's new municipal aerodrome at Barton started in autumn 1928. The grass airfield and large hangar were completed in January 1930, when the first passenger charter flight occurred. Imperial Airways operated a thrice-weekly scheduled service to London (Croydon) via Birmingham during summer 1930, subsidised by the councils of Manchester and Birmingham.

A control tower and associated wireless station were completed in spring 1933, the first at a municipal airport outside London, and able to communicate with aircraft in flight and give pilots bearings from the airfield. The tower is currently operational and is believed to be the oldest in Europe still in use for its original purpose.
Scheduled services resumed in August 1934, when Croydon-based Railway Air Services commenced a Croydon-Barton-Belfast-Glasgow route. Linking services to Liverpool, Blackpool and the Isle of Man were introduced in spring 1935. Other smaller airlines operated short-lived services from Barton until June 1938, when all schedules transferred to the newly completed larger Ringway airport which between 1940 and 1957 also accommodated RAF Ringway.
During World War II, Barton was requisitioned and used for military aircraft repair and overhaul; also construction of over 700 Percival Proctor aircraft by F.Hills & Son of Trafford Park. There is a concrete air-raid bunker dating from this period hidden under overgrown vegetation near to the main road still at the site.
Lancashire Aero Club operated from Woodford Aerodrome before World War II, but moved to Barton in 1946 and remain based until 2007. Manchester University Air Squadron were based in one of the wartime built western hangars between 1946 and 1953, when the unit moved to RAF Woodvale near Southport.
The airport was owned by Manchester City Council until 2003 when the Peel Holdings Group purchased the land, hangars and other buildings. The Airport is now run by a subsidiary of Peel's, City Airport Manchester Ltd.
City Airport Manchester has changed relatively little since its opening, and is considered a good example of the airfields of the 1930s. There are several historical items of note at Barton; a small museum in the visitor centre displays documents from the history of the original Manchester Airport. The Bomber Command Association also has a display at the Barton Visitor Centre.
The airfield has been used as a setting for numerous films and TV programmes, amongst them "Brass" (where Barton masqueraded as Croydon), ''Mersey Beat'' and ''Island at War''. The distinctive control tower featured prominently in the making of those programmes and films. The control tower underwent a major program of rebuilding and refurbishment in 2006, and it is is protected by grade II listed status.

Based Operators

Flight Academy

Flight Academy offer flying training in both helicopters and fixed wing aircraft.

Greater Manchester Police Air Support Unit

Greater Manchester Police base their helicopter at the airfield in a remote secure area. The unit is active 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Heli North West

Heli North West is a helicopter training school flying Robinson R22 and Enstrom helicopters. They also fly the Robinson R44 and Bell 206 Jetranger

LAC Flying School

LAC Flying school operates a range of aircraft types including PA28s, Cessna 152/0s, Grob 115s and a Cessna 172 for both training and hire . The school also offers trial flights.

Malcolm Dobson Instructor Services

Malcolm Dobson Instructor Services provides training for the written examinations for Private Pilots Licence courses, specialising in RT exams.

Mainair

Mainair is a microlight training organisation, flying both flex-wing and three axis Ikarus aircraft.

Manchester Helicopter Centre

Manchester Helicopter Centre provides helicopter flying training using Enstrom F28 aircraft.

Manchester Advanced Flight Training

Manchester Advanced Flight Training offers training for pilots to become flying instructors.

Ravenair

Ravenair base several Piper PA-38 Tomahawk aircraft at City Airport Manchester, providing Private Pilot Licence training and in support of aeronautical degrees for the nearby University of Salford. Ravenair has its offices in the airfield clubhouse, and also provide catering facilities.

Helicopter out of hours movements

City Airport Manchester can operate during the hours of darkness by arrangement for commercial, military, police and air ambulance helicopters, as the airport can be equipped with portable runway lighting. This facility proves very popular, especially during football matches at nearby Old Trafford, (Manchester United) and City of Manchester Stadium (Manchester City). The airport is also a discreet and efficient location to drop off and collect VIPs visiting the local area.

Rescue and fire fighting

City Airport Manchester operates Category 1 Rescue and Fire fighting, utilising a Toyota Hilux Double Cab as a fire tender. Equipped with 80 Gallon of Foam/Water mix, a variety of extinguishers including foam, water, CO₂, powder and halon.
The RFFS also carries first aid and rescue tools, and is one of the few GA airfields to employ full time dedicated staff to operate the RFFS all year. This ensures a speedy and efficient response to any aircraft finding themselves in difficulty on the airport or in the local area.

References

1. Civil Aviation Authority Aerodrome Ordinary Licences


★ ''Manchester's early airfields: establishment, development and operations''. R.A.Scholefield. An extensive article in ''Moving Manchester'', Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, Manchester, 2004. ISSN 0950-4699.

★ ''The Lancashire Aero Club : Three Score Years and Ten''. Peter Maher, 1992. Lancashire Aero Club. ISBN 0 9524099 0 9.

External links

★ City Airport Manchester website contains airport operational information

★ Flight Academy

★ LAC Flying School

★ Manchester Helicopter Centre

★ Mainair Flying School

★ Ravenair