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Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Difference between revisions
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Doncaster Sheffield Airport is | '''Please Note: Doncaster Sheffield Airport is now closed as of November 2022, please read the below section "Airport Closure" for further detail.''' | ||
Doncaster Sheffield Airport is | Doncaster Sheffield Airport is situated to the South-East of Doncaster, and was formerly known as RAF Finningley. Doncaster Sheffield Airport was a Regional Airport that served scheduled Passenger flights, complemented by Business flights, Cargo flights and General Aviation until its closure in November 2022. | ||
Doncaster Sheffield Airport was also home to numerous flying schools, including Yorkshire Aero Club and Doncaster Sheffield Flight Training (DSFT). 2 Excel Aviation also had a base here at Doncaster Sheffield, where they operate and maintain aircraft for the Oil Spill Response team, notably a fleet of 2 Boeing 727s and several Piper PA-31s. 2Excel also operated flights for HM Coastguard with a fleet of 3 Beechcraft King Air's. | |||
More recently, Doncaster has been home to 4 Vulcanair P68's operated by the National Police Air Service (NPAS) out of their own purpose built Hangar at the Airport. | |||
==Airport Closure== | |||
In June 2022, Wizz Air UK announced its withdrawl from Doncaster Sheffield Airport, stating that the airport operators were "unable to guarantee the terms of its commercial agreement". As a result of this, TUI Airways became the sole based operator. | |||
In July 2022, it was announced that "Aviation activities on the site may no longer be commercially viable". Peel Airports proceeded to launch a Consultation period to evaluate options which was originally due to last until late August. Peel stated the airport had "never achieved the critical mass required to become profitable". The closure proposal drew strong local reaction, with an on-line petition established by local spotter Yorkshire Plane Spotting that eventually collected over 100,000 signatures. As well as this, a Facebook group "SAVE Doncaster Sheffield Airport" was established with over 15,000 members at the time of writing. | |||
In late August 2022, the consultation period was extended until 16 September, with the result of the consultation announced on 26 September. On 26 September, it was announced that aviation activities would be wound down from 31 October 2022, after 17 years of operation. The airport's sole based operator TUI operated its final flights on 4 November 2022. | |||
Wizz Air had announced it would transfer its Doncaster Sheffield routes to Leeds Bradford Airport. They also operated the airport's final scheduled departure on 29 October 2022. | |||
Following this, other based operators such as 2Excel, NPAS, Yorkshire Aero Club and Hummingbird Helicopters begun the process of vacating the site along with all aircraft. | |||
The provision of Air Traffic Control Services was withdrawn as of 18:00 on the 30th November 2022, with the following days allowing for safely switching off all of the related equipment. | |||
The CAA are currently working through an Airspace Change Procedure to remove the Doncaster Sheffield Airport airspace, following the withdrawl of Air Traffic services. | |||
Negotiations are reportedly ongoing between an interested buyer and Peel Airports Group over the acquisition of the site, with Peel also proposing a leasehold of the site to Doncaster Council. | |||
==Official Spotting Locations== | ==Official Spotting Locations== | ||
There are no official spotting locations at Doncaster Sheffield Airport. | |||
==Other Spotting Locations== | ==Other Spotting Locations== | ||
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To access this location, go back to the roundabout previously mentioned and take the exit signposted Finningley. Once you are in the village, the road bends round to the left, keep following the road until you see the “The Harvey Arms” pub, and turn down the street to drive past it (also called Old Bawtry Road). Keep driving down this road and you will come to several gaps in the hedges where cars park up to the fence to watch the activity. A few lay-bys are also available for cars to park. You can then walk down the road, past the large concrete blocks blocking car park access, and further down the path you will come to a raised mound with some blocks to stand on, allowing you to be above the fence. At this location there is only space for 3 spotters so if something special or important is arriving or departing it is advised to arrive earlier to get a space, otherwise shooting through the fence is the only option. | To access this location, go back to the roundabout previously mentioned and take the exit signposted Finningley. Once you are in the village, the road bends round to the left, keep following the road until you see the “The Harvey Arms” pub, and turn down the street to drive past it (also called Old Bawtry Road). Keep driving down this road and you will come to several gaps in the hedges where cars park up to the fence to watch the activity. A few lay-bys are also available for cars to park. You can then walk down the road, past the large concrete blocks blocking car park access, and further down the path you will come to a raised mound with some blocks to stand on, allowing you to be above the fence. At this location there is only space for 3 spotters so if something special or important is arriving or departing it is advised to arrive earlier to get a space, otherwise shooting through the fence is the only option. | ||
===Terminal side=== | ===Terminal side=== | ||
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Security sometimes ask you to vacate this location, although this doesn’t happen very regularly. | Security sometimes ask you to vacate this location, although this doesn’t happen very regularly. | ||
A kit lens would be suitable and would be best for this location as you are very close to the aircraft. | A kit lens (or other suitably small lens) would be suitable and would be best for this location as you are very close to the aircraft. | ||
====Stands 1 and 2==== | ====Stands 1 and 2==== | ||
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==Locations to Avoid== | ==Locations to Avoid== | ||
===Runway 20 approach mound=== | |||
This location is situated opposite the Chinese takeaway in Finningley. To access this location, park outside the takeaway and look opposite for the gap in the bushes, climb through this gap and walk up and along the hill on the right or left side. This gives you a clear view of aircraft on approach for runway 20 as well as the Vulcan XH558 which you can see parked directly opposite. | |||
As far as I know, spotting at this location is possible and many spotters use it. However I hear rumors that security and the airport staff are not particularly keen on people using it, and it was reported in May 2021 that the location is now inaccessible due to the airport owners installing fencing that blocks access. | |||
===High Common Lane Farmer's Fields=== | ===High Common Lane Farmer's Fields=== | ||
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==Regular Traffic== | ==Regular Traffic== | ||
The airport goes through phases of being quite busy, | The airport goes through phases of being quite busy, interspersed with hours of nothing. Unfortunately much of the movement occurs before 9.30am and after 7pm, with only 2-3 movements in between. Most days there is no activity at all between 8am and 1pm. | ||
Consult the schedule before setting off to avoid hours of nothing. | Consult the schedule before setting off to avoid hours of nothing. | ||
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Astral Aviation Boeing 747 Freighter arrives into Doncaster, usually on a Tuesday. Usually in the afternoon but sometimes in the early morning - flight number 8V2601 | Astral Aviation Boeing 747 Freighter arrives into Doncaster, usually on a Tuesday. Usually in the afternoon but sometimes in the early morning - flight number 8V2601 | ||
==Facilities and Transportation== | ==Facilities and Transportation== | ||
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The 57C bus runs directly to the Airport Terminal Building. | The 57C bus runs directly to the Airport Terminal Building. | ||
==External Links== | |||
[http://www.forums4airports.com/forum441.html Doncaster Airport Forum] Dedicated aviation forum for spotters and aviation enthusiasts as well as aviation professionals. This forum is also home to a number of other airport forums for airports around the UK. | |||