Newtownards Airport

Newtownards Airport (ICAO: EGAD) is a local airfield in Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland. It is located 8.5 NM (15.7 km; 9.8 mi) east[1] of Belfast. This airport not only offers light aircraft flights but offers Helicopter flights which are operated by HeliPower. This airport also has an onsite restaurant called Cloud Nine.

Newtownards Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OperatorUlster Flying Club
ServesNewtownards
Elevation AMSL9 ft / 3 m
Coordinates54°34′52″N 005°41′31″W
Websiteulsterflyingclub.com
Map
EGAD
Location in County Down
EGAD
Location in Northern Ireland
EGAD
Location in Ireland
EGAD
Location in the UK
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
03/21 791 2,595 Asphalt
08/26 566 1,857 Asphalt
15/33 640 2,100 Asphalt
Sources: UK AIP at NATS[1]

Airfield history and operations

Newtownards airport opened in August 1934 and until the construction of Sydenham airport (Belfast Harbour) in March 1938 was served by UK scheduled internal passenger and mail flights.

It is the home airfield of the Ulster Flying Club. The Ulster Flying Club (UFC) was founded in 1961 and over the subsequent years has grown to become Northern Ireland's largest flying school and one of the largest, non commercial training, flying organizations in Northern Ireland. The club manages the airfield's facilities. The clubhouse is currently open to the public for snacks and for viewing activities at the airfield, as a new clubhouse was opened in 2005 after the destruction of the last clubhouse by a fire in 2004. Many private pilot owners and self-build constructors base their aircraft in the several hangars on the airfield.

The Ulster Flying club has continued to develop as a centre for private flying and so the end of existing runways were re-surfaced and the grass strip tarmaced.

The Ulster Flying Club has recently allowed the Airfield to be used for various events including Air Display days and also Motorsport Events. Most recently Car Culture Live 2015.

Airfield licence

Newtownards Aerodrome has a CAA Ordinary Licence (Number P659) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee (Ulster Flying Club (1961) Limited).[2]

Ulster Flying Club

The Ulster Flying Club provides both leisure flights and flight training for those who wish to pursue a pilot's licence. The club operates a fleet of five fixed wing aircraft. It consists of three C-172 SP's and two C152's.

The UFC operates the G-UFC tail registration with the following: G-UFCE, G-UFCG, G-UFCI (G1000 glass cockpit)- Cessna 172's. G-UFCN, G-UFCP - Cessna 152's.

G-UFCO was involved in a fatal crash in April 2018.[3]

Radio Frequencies

The airfield operates an A/G service and until 25 October 2018 the frequency was 128.300mhz, it has since moved to an 8.33 channel and is now 128.305[4]

Night Flying Development

Recently added new PAPIs on 21/03 and lights on 15/33 have allowed the airfield and UFC to safely carry out night flying and flying in bad visibility.

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gollark: Being in packs != being in zips or whatever.
gollark: Yes, it is.
gollark: Well, actually I think most are under OSS licenses and do, but not all.

References
  1. Newtownards - EGAD
  2. Civil Aviation Authority Aerodrome Ordinary Licences
  3. Two dead in County Antrim light aircraft crash
  4. "Ards airfield frequency change". Left Downwind. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
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