Newtownards Airport
| Newtownards Airport | |
 | |
|---|---|
| Code | , ICAO: EGAD |
| County | County Down |
| Public airfield | |
| Operator | Ulster Flying Club |
| Location | Newtownards J49267275 54°34’52"N, 5°41’31"W |
| Runway(s) | 2,595 feet (Asphalt) 1,857 feet (Asphalt) 2,100 feet (Asphalt) |
| Website | ulsterflyingclub.com |
Newtownards Airport (ICAO: EGAD) is a local airfield in Newtownards, County Down. It is located 8.5 nautical miles east 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.
Airfield history and operations
Newtownards airport opened in August 1934 and until the construction of Sydenham airport (Belfast Harbour) in March 1938 it was served by scheduled internal passenger and mail flights.
Today Newtownards 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 Ulster's largest flying school and one of the largest, non-commercial training, flying organizations in Ulster. 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 tarmacked.
The 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 Civil Aviation Authority 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).[1]
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 SPs and two C152s.
The airfield operates an A/G service and until 25 October 2018 the frequency was 128.300 MHz, it has since moved to an 8.33 channel and is now 128.305[2]
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.