Back to  Home Page  Trip Menu

Blackpool (by Chris Smith)

There are several airports around the UK & Europe of all shapes and sizes that I visited as a child before I was taking numbers or photographing and I often feel a sense of frustration when thinking about what I must have seen back then but will never be able to claim in my logbook. Very slowly, I'm making a point of visiting all of these airports and despite in most cases the traffic that can be found there nowadays is nothing on what I probably saw back in the day, I do feel a sense of closure when I tick these airports off my list. As you've probably gathered by this point, Blackpool is one of these airports.

Whilst under the influence of a Chinese take-away, myself and two friends made a rash, spur-of-the-moment decision to have a daft two-day break in Blackpool, so a couple of days later we were on the road and on our way! The official plan was to visit a few bars, go up the tower, maybe visit a casino etc, but I'd seen my opportunity and had other ideas!! Having said that I did want to focus on the more social side of things so the airport was the first port-of-call and it was a case of get in, log & photograph, get out again.

I was even more pleased to get the opportunity to visit Blackpool since just three weeks prior Colin, Dave & Claire from FoDTVA had flown there in G-BRDO and I'd had to turn down a seat due to work commitments!

I'd heard hangar access was possible at Blackpool without having to endure the hassle of passing through security, despite it being a busier commercial airport than our own. This turned out to be true and of the ten hangars on-site, I got into three by prior arrangement, successfully tried my luck with a further two (although one was a case of peer through a window, they couldn't allow me into the hangar itself) and of the five remaining, two are no longer used for aircraft and thus empty, another was empty due to the company going out of business, one I didn't try as Internet research made it quite clear they would refuse (although on hindsight I should probably have tried anyway) and the final one, embarrassingly, I didn't discover until after the trip whilst looking on Google Earth!! All in all, I had an exceptional result as had I not got any hangar access, a mere eight aircraft would have been logged! Definitely one of the friendliest airports out there by quite some distance and providing you seek hangar access, I think it would be impossible to come here and not have a fruitful visit, despite the small size of the airport.

There's also several aircraft here that visit us on a fairly regular basis, in most cases for crew training, and they've done a good job of evading me, so it was nice to finally nail these aircraft.

Blackpool International Airport (BLK / EGNH)
08-04-2013 ~ 1100 - 1300

MOVEMENTS

REG A/C TYPE OPERATOR NOTES
G-ATRR* Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee Blue Sky Investments Ltd  
G-BAKH* Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee FlyBPL.com  

NORTH EAST APRON

G-GCDD* Cirrus SR20 Stamp Aviation Ltd  
G-OWFS* Cessna A152 Aerobat Westair Flying Services Ltd  
G-REDE* Eurocopter AS365N3 Dauphin II Bond Offshore Helicopters Ltd  
G-VKGO Embraer EMB-500 Phenom 100 M-KICK LP  

G-OWFS - Cessna A152 Aerobat

G-REDE - Eurocopter AS365N3 Dauphin II

SOUTH APRON

G-BFLZ* Beech 95-A55 Baron Private  
G-WCEI* Socata MS.894E Rallye Minerva Private  

G-BFLZ - Beech 95-A55 Baron

WEST APRON

Empty.

BRIAN SEEDLE HELICOPTERS / HELI2000 HANGAR

Didn't attempt access.

HANGAR 3 - HANGAR THREE / MULTIFLIGHT / POOL AVIATION

They allow you to look through the glass window into the hangar for logging purposes (no photographs) and will identify any aircraft within the hangar that can be seen but not read off, but they don't allow you into the hangar itself.

G-BHFI* Reims Cessna F152 BAe (Warton) Flying Club  
G-DAKM Diamond DA40D Diamond Star Private  
G-DOLI* Cirrus SR20 Furness Professional Training Ltd  
G-DYCE* Robinson R44 Raven II Moorland Windows  
G-FOZZ* Beech A36 Bonanza Go To Air Ltd  
G-GMCM* Eurocopter AS350B3 Squirrel TJ Morris Ltd  
G-OGGM* Cirrus SR22 Morson International  
N36VU* Raytheon A36 Bonanza Trevair Inc  

WESTAIR HANGAR

This is one of the companies I pre-arranged access with, just ring the bell and they'll let you in, they asked for my passport, recorded a couple of details from it, but that was it, then you get the freedom of the hangar.

G-ATOO Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee Caralair Aviation Former DTVA resident
G-BELT* Reims Cessna F150J Private  
G-BGHM* Robin R1180T Aiglon Private  
G-BNOJ* Piper PA-28-161 Cherokee Warrior II BAe (Warton) Flying Club  
G-BNOP* Piper PA-28-161 Cherokee Warrior II BAe (Warton) Flying Club  
G-BORL* Piper PA-28-161 Cherokee Warrior II Romeo Lima Flying Group Operated by Westair Flying School
G-BRPL* Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee FlyBPL.com  
G-BRPY* Piper PA-15 Vagabond Private  
G-BVGI* Pereira Osprey II Private Smaller than my car!!
G-BVUN* Vans RV-4 Private  
G-BWFM* Yakovlev Yak-50 Fox Mike Group  
G-BWHI* De Havilland DHC-1 Chipmunk 22 Private Marked WK624
G-DAWG Scottish Aviation Bulldog 120 Private Marked XX522/06
G-GAEB* Aquila AT01 Stamp Aviation Ltd  
G-MAFB* Reims Cessna F406 Caravan II Directflight Ltd "Fisheries Patrol"
G-NSTG* Reims Cessna F150F Westair Flying Services Ltd  
G-SBAE* Reims Cessna F172P Skyhawk BAe (Warton) Flying Club  

G-ATOO - Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee

G-BGHM - Robin R1180T Aiglon

G-BNOJ - Piper PA-28-161 Cherokee Warrior II

G-BORL - Piper PA-28-161 Cherokee Warrior II

G-BVGI - Pereira Osprey II

G-BWFM - Yakovlev Yak-50

G-BWHI / WK624 - De Havilland DHC-1 Chipmunk 22

G-DAWG / XX522/06 - Scottish Aviation Bulldog 120

G-GAEB - Aquila AT01

G-MAFB - Reims Cessna F406 Caravan II - Directflight

G-NSTG - Reims Cessna F150F

G-SBAE - Reims Cessna F172P Skyhawk

HANGAR 2 - FLIGHT ACADEMY BLACKPOOL / FLYBPL.COM

Another company I pre-arranged access with, I was escorted around the hangar by one of the staff.

G-ASFA Cessna 172D Skyhawk Private  
G-AXZP* Piper PA-E23-250 Aztec Private  
G-AYMK* Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee Private  
G-BDGM Piper PA-28-151 Cherokee Warrior Private  
G-BRZS* Cessna 172P Skyhawk YP Flying Group  
G-BSOK* Piper PA-28-161 Cherokee Warrior II Private  
G-BXIA* De Havilland DHC-1 Chipmunk 22 Dales Aviation Marked WB615/E
G-CDBG* Robinson R22 Beta Jepar Rotorcraft  
G-CFPG* AMS-Flight Doo Carat A Private  
G-ENEA* Cessna 182P Skylane Air ADS Ltd  
G-FBPL Piper PA-34-200 Seneca I Purple Horse Sales and Hire Ltd Marked "www.flybpl.com"
G-FTIN* Robin DR400/100 Cadet YP Flying Group  
G-GFAA* Slingsby T67A Firefly Slingsby Flying Group  
G-GFEY* Piper PA-34-200T Seneca II G-GFEY Owners Group c/o Zen Internet Ltd
G-JEMA* BAe ATP PTB (Emerald) PTY Ltd  
G-OMHC* Piper PA-28RT-201 Cherokee Arrow IV FlyBPL.com  
G-OOGS* Gulfstream American GA-7 Cougar Private  
G-OSJF* Piper PA-23-250 Aztec Private  

G-AYMK - Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee

G-BXIA / WB615/E - De Havilland DHC-1 Chipmunk 22

G-CDBG - Robinson R22 Beta

G-ENEA - Cessna 182P Skylane

G-FBPL - Piper PA-34-200 Seneca I

G-GFEY - Piper PA-34-200T Seneca II

G-JEMA - BAe ATP

G-OMHC - Piper PA-28RT-201 Cherokee Arrow IV

G-OSJF - Piper PA-23-250 Aztec

BLACKPOOL AVIATION AND OPERATIONS CENTRE HANGAR

Refused access but realised later the hangar has no aircraft in, it is now used by the airport fire department, Bond helicopters park on the apron outside.

HANGAR 6 - BLACKPOOL AIR CENTRE

Very friendly, they charge £3 and then give you the freedom of the hangar, I make that 15p per aircraft, excellent value for money!!

G-ARJS* Piper PA-23-160 Apache Bencray Ltd c/o Blackpool Air Centre  
G-ASNK* Cessna 205 Justgold Ltd  
G-ATMW* Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee Bencray Ltd c/o Blackpool Air Centre Under quarantine
G-AVUT* Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee Bencray Ltd c/o Blackpool Air Centre  
G-AWAJ* Beech D55 Baron Private  
G-AWKP* CEA DR253 Regent G-AWKP Group Under quarantine
G-AXAB* Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee Bencray Ltd c/o Blackpool Air Centre  
G-AYNN* Cessna 185B Skywagon Bencray Ltd c/o Blackpool Air Centre  
G-AYUV* Reims Cessna F172H Skyhawk Justgold Ltd  
G-AZIB* Socata ST10 Diplomate Private  
G-AZUY* Cessna 310L Private  
G-BBKB* Reims Cessna F150L Justgold Ltd  
G-BIYX* Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee Private  
G-BJZX* Grob G109 Oxfordshire Sportflying Ltd Under quarantine
G-BLWD* Piper PA-34-200T Seneca II Bencray Ltd c/o Blackpool Air Centre Fuselage on wall, wings separate
G-BNXV* Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk Private  
G-BRPE* Cessna 120 Private  
G-BUHO* Cessna 140 Private  
G-HMJB* Piper PA-34-220T Seneca III Private  
G-OWRT* Cessna 182G Skylane Private  
G-REDD* Cessna 310R Private  

G-ARJS - Piper PA-23-160 Apache

G-AZUY - Cessna 310L

G-BLWD - Piper PA-34-200T Seneca II

G-REDD - Cessna 310R

AIR NAVIGATION TRAINING HANGAR

The third and final company I pre-arranged access with, unlike the others though the clubhouse isn't attached to the hangar so you have to go out onto the ramp, I was escorted to the hangar by a member of staff and quickly found myself airside at a passenger airport without having had any security checks, and I couldn't help but feel this is how it should be!

G-APTY* Beech G35 Bonanza Private  
G-AXDK* CEA DR315 Petit Prince Private  
G-AXSW* Reims Cessna FA150K Aerobat Air Navigation and Trading Ltd  
G-BLLP* Slingsby T67B Firefly Air Navigation and Trading Ltd  
G-BRBW* Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee Air Navigation and Trading Ltd  
G-BSKW* Piper PA-28-181 Cherokee Archer II Air Navigation and Trading Ltd  
G-BXOU* CEA DR360 Chevalier Private  
G-BXYO* Piper PA-28RT-201 Cherokee Arrow IV Private  
G-KBPI* Piper PA-28-161 Cherokee Warrior II Air Navigation and Trading Ltd  
G-UANT* Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee Air Navigation and Trading Ltd  

G-APTY - Beech G35 Bonanza

G-BXYO - Piper PA-28RT-201 Cherokee Arrow IV

G-UANT - Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee

SILVERSTAR HANGAR

Company now out of business, but dumped and hidden in-between their hangar and Air Navigation Training's hangar is the following two aircraft, with the fast jet cockpit located nearby in the Air Cadet's compound, incidentally, the fast jet looks to be a Tornado and is reported to be mostly plastic, albeit incorporating parts from real aircraft.

G-BCEX* Piper PA-23-250 Aztec Private  
G-GFIA* Cessna 152 Aircraft Grouping Ltd  
  (Panavia PA-200 Tornado) Air Cadets - 177 Sqdn Cockpit only - a/c type needs confirming

HANGAR 42

Used for airport equipment, Bond helicopters towed in on a night, otherwise empty.

J-MAX AIR SERVICES HANGAR

Rather embarrassingly, I only discovered this remote hangar to the east of the airfield after the trip was over whilst looking on Google Earth. From what I can gather though it's unlikely it would have been open anyway and I'm 99% sure there was nothing parked outside.

OTT

08/04/13

G-BNLG Boeing 747-436 British Airways  
G-BNLM Boeing 747-436 British Airways  

09/04/13

F-GZNJ Boeing 777-328/ER Air France  
N661UA Boeing 767-322/ER United Airlines  

That's it! Aircraft marked * went into the log book. Thanks for reading, more photos can be found at the below link:

DTVA Photos

Back to  Home Page  Trip Menu

Hit Counter

affiliate_link