Blackpool Airport
On 15 October 2014, the airport's terminal and Air Traffic Control provision was closed, with the last scheduled flights to Dublin and the Isle of Man leaving in the late afternoon.The company holds EASA Part 145 approvals for various Bell, Leonardo, Sikorsky, Airbus, Robinson, Guimbal and MD helicopters.[6] There are many other companies situated on the airfield which offer flying lessons, training, private aircraft hire and maintenance facilities.Railway Air Services commenced schedules to Blackpool from 15 April 1935, linking the airport with the Isle of Man, Manchester and Liverpool.This produced 2,584 Wellington medium bombers, several hundred of which were assembled and flown from Stanley Park Aerodrome before landing at Squires Gate for testing and delivery.[3] Speaking about the sale, Julian Kearsley, strategic director of business services at the town hall, who helped broker the deal, said: "The airport is a key element in terms of developing the new Blackpool."[3] In the first decade of the 21st century, the airport steadily expanded, accommodating further helicopter operations for British Gas and attracting scheduled flights from budget airlines Jet2 and Ryanair.It used to serve seven destinations from the airport—five in Spain (Palma, Alicante, Murcia, Tenerife South, Málaga), one in Portugal (Faro), and a domestic service to Belfast.Until January 2006 an Avro Vulcan bomber (registration XL391) was on static external display close to the entrance to the airport.[16] However, after finding out that the condition of the aircraft was so poor that moving it would be extremely challenging and that it would cost over £20,000, in addition to the reported £1,000 a week storage charge,[17] Ollerenshaw pulled out of the deal and later relinquished ownership of the plane back to the airport.Two Jetstream 31s were based at the airport to support the operation, however, the service ended in June 2007 as the routes had not proved viable.[22][23] After the £10 Airport Development Fee was introduced at the start of 2009, a new airline was sought to replace Ryanair on its very popular route to Dublin.On 28 January 2012 plans were unveiled to launch a twice-weekly service to Albert - Picardie Airport with Danish Air Transport using an ATR-72 aircraft.On 4 April 2014 it was announced, via an update on the Dart Group website, that holidaymakers from across Lancashire would enjoy further choice in the summer of 2015, with a new Spanish destination from the airport.The terminal had been left empty and unused since the airport closed in October 2014, and all the landside and airside equipment was auctioned off in 2015.The airport has seen a steady increase in general aviation, business jet, and the occasional military movements since re-opening in 2014.In June 2022 there was speculation about reopening the airport by the then prime minister Boris Johnson, who stated that it would make "a fantastic business case".[35] For many years Blackpool has been the base of an offshore helicopter operation, flying crews to and from the Irish Sea oil and gas fields since the early 1980s.On 5 May 2020 it was announced that NHV Helicopters had won a long-term contract with Spirit Energy to provide passenger transfer services in support of their East Irish Sea operations.
Blackpool CouncilBlackpoolSt Annes-on-the-SeaLancashireCoordinatesRunwaysAsphaltCivil Aviation Authorityairportthe FyldeBorough of FyldeBalfour BeattyDublinIsle of ManIrish SeaEurocopter EC135North West Air AmbulanceManchester BartonSquires Gate railway stationSquires GateBlackpool RacecourseWorld War IRailway Air ServicesStanley Park AerodromeAmy JohnsonAir Transport AuxiliaryVickersRoyal Air LaoVickers ViscountAir MinistryWorld War IINo. 63 SquadronNo. 75 SquadronNo. 215 SquadronNo. 96 SquadronNo. 256 SquadronNo. 308 Polish Fighter SquadronRAF Coastal CommandRAF WartonBritish ArmyWeetonKirkhamguest housesWinter Gardensbasic trainingMinistry of Aircraft ProductionVickers-ArmstrongsWellingtonmedium bombersHawker AircraftHawker HunterfightersJersey EuropeanShort 360Isle of Man Air ServicesLancashire Aircraft CorporationGeneral AviationBritish Gasbudget airlinesRyanairAlicanteMurciaTenerife SouthMálagaBelfastMonarchAvro VulcanregistrationFalklands ConflictBritish North West AirlinesCitywingJetstream ExpressBelfast City AirportAberdeen AirportSouthampton AirportJetstream 31sWolverhampton AirportExeter AirportLondonderry Eglinton AirportBlackpool GazetteAer ArannAlbert - Picardie AirportDanish Air TransportJet2.comDalamanLanzaroteJerseyMenorcaDart GroupExeterenterprise zoneBlackpool and the Fylde Collegebusiness jetBabcock MCSAgustaWestland AW169HFB 320 Hansa JetMunichPontinsMesserschmitt-Bölkow-BlohmWarton AerodromeDouglas C-47EurocopterAS365NG-BLUNPiper PA-28 CherokeeFylde CoastNational Air Traffic ServicesUK Civil Aviation AuthorityThe ScotsmanAirliner WorldAir Accidents Investigation BranchPublic transport in the FyldeAirportsUnited KingdomBritish Crown DependenciesBritish Overseas TerritoriesGatwickHeathrowSouthendStanstedBiggin HillLydd/AshfordOxfordBirminghamBournemouthBristol