Durham Tees Valley Airport

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Durham Tees Valley Airport

IATA: MME – ICAO: EGNV
Summary
Airport type Public
Owner Peel Airports (75%) and local authorities (25%)
Operator Durham Tees Valley Airport Ltd.
Serves North East England
Location Darlington
Elevation AMSL 120 ft / 37 m
Coordinates 54°30′33″N, 001°25′46″W
Website www.durhamteesvalleyairport.com
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
05/23 7,516 2,291 Asphalt
Statistics (2007)
Passengers 743,727
Aircraft movements 57,515
Cargo (tonnes) 786
Sources: UK AIP at NATS
UK Civil Aviation Authority[1]

Durham Tees Valley Airport (IATA: MME, ICAO: EGNV) is an airport in North East England, located approximately 10 km (6 miles) east of Darlington, about 16 km (10 miles) south west of Middlesbrough and 39 km (24 miles) south of Durham. The airport serves County Durham, Darlington, Stockton-on-Tees, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, Hartlepool and parts of North Yorkshire.

Durham Tees Valley Airport is one of the UK's smaller airports, but offers links to several domestic and European destinations. The airport has a CAA Public Use Aerodrome Licence (number P518) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers and for flying instruction.

Originally an RAF Station, the airfield became Teesside International Airport in the 1960s, and was renamed Durham Tees Valley Airport in 2004. The majority shareholder in the airport is Peel Airports Ltd who own 75%,[2] while the remaining 25% is owned by a consortium of local authorities, consisting of Darlington, Stockton-on-Tees, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Councils.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] RAF station

Main article: RAF Middleton St. George

The airfield began its life as Royal Air Force Station Goosepool, and in 1941 became RAF Middleton St. George. The RAF station was closed in 1963 and the airfield was put up for sale.

[edit] Teesside International

The former RAF Station and airfield was purchased by the late Cleveland County Council who saw the potential of the airfield as a commercial one, and developed it into a civil airport. The first flight from the airport took place in 1964 with a Mercury Airlines service to Manchester. Princess Margaretha of Sweden opened the international passenger terminal in 1966.

After flights to Manchester the airport continued to develop a small yet strong network of both scheduled and inclusive tour charter routes. In November 1969 the first flight to London Heathrow was operated by British Midland - a route which still exists today.

1990 saw the one millionth aircraft movement at the airport, in the form of a British Midland service to London Heathrow. In 1996 when Cleveland County Council disbanded the airport ownership was divided amongst several Borough Councils.

In 2002 the airport sought a strategic partner to assist with future development and Peel Airports Ltd was selected as the preferred company, taking a 75% stake in the airport with a commitment to invest £20m over the subsequent five years.

[edit] Durham Tees Valley Airport

On 21 September 2004 the airport was renamed Durham Tees Valley Airport as part of a major redevelopment plan. The re-naming was unpopular with some local residents.[3]

The name was changed in order to better place the airport geographically, as many of the airport's passengers, particularly those from outside the UK, were unfamiliar with the location of Teesside, whilst Durham is better known.

In January 2005 a £56 million expansion and development programme was started which to enable the airport to handle up to 3 million passengers annually. Phase one of this development programme has already been completed and has seen the construction of a new access road, as well as a completely new terminal front and interior. Also the airfield lighting has been replaced.

[edit] Future development

In December 2006 Darlington and Stockton Borough Councils approved plans for the first of two expansions for the airport.[4]

The plans include an extended and refurbished terminal, with improved baggage handling and check-in facilities, lounges, office space and retail and restaurant facilities. Also, a Cargo and Maintenance "village" is proposed along with nine additional aircraft stands and 4,500 car parking spaces.

A second planning application has also been approved, for an 18,600sq metre business park with a 100-bed hotel, public house and restaurant. Since these plans were approved, the airport modified the application replacing the proposed Cargo and Maintenance "village" with an Industrial Estate instead.[5]

Building work for both of the above plans has yet to commence.

Plans for an 80-bedroom Hotel have been approved, however Durham Tees Valley Airport opposes these plans as they were made by an outside company.[6][7][8]

[edit] Ground transport

[edit] Bus

Sky Express bus service
Sky Express bus service

The Sky Express bus service was launched in May 2005 and connects the airport with Darlington's Rail Station and Town Hall. Travel is free for bona-fide passengers. The service runs up to every half hour during the day and is operated by Arriva North East.

Arriva also operates services 20 and 74, the 74 runs from Hurworth/Neasham and Darlington to the airport, and the 20 runs from Middlesbrough and Stockton-on-Tees to the airport.

[edit] Car

The airport is close to the A1(M), A19, A66 and the A67, and is well signposted from all major routes. The Highways Agency is currently upgrading parts of the A66, which includes improvement to the junction with the airport's main access road. These works should be completed by late 2008.[9]

[edit] Rail

Whilst the airport has its own railway station this is only served by two trains per week. The airport is currently in negotiations with Network Rail to make the nearby Dinsdale railway station the main rail link for the airport in the short term.[10][11]

[edit] Taxi

Taxis are available directly outside the airport terminal.

[edit] Airlines and destinations

[edit] Scheduled

[edit] Charter

[edit] General aviation

A number of flight training, flying clubs and companies providing business charters are based at the airport.

[edit] Other operators

Durham Tees Valley is a base for FR Aviation, who have a fleet of 7 Dassault Falcon 20's based at the airport. FRA's Durham Tees Valley aircraft fly electronic countermeasure flights for the Royal Air Force and other NATO air forces.

Flight Precision is a Durham Tees Valley based FRA subsidiary who operate four Beech Super King Air B200's.

The Great North Air Ambulance has a single McDonnell Douglas MD902 Explorer based at the airport and the Police have the North East Air Unit based here in the form of a Eurocopter EC-135.

Tees Valley flight training offer PPL and NPPL training as well as night rating training, ground and flight exams.

[edit] Statistics

Number of Passengers Aircraft Movements Cargo
(tonnes)
2000 746,983 54,625 3,011
2001 733,617 58,494 1,926
2002 671,131 52,276 1,006
2003 704,269 51,976 1,087
2004 788,382 49,529 484
2005 900,035 51,714 363
2006 917,963 55,788 457
2007 743,727 57,515 786
Source: CAA Official Statistics [1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ UK Civil Aviation Authority
  2. ^ Peel Airports. Peel Holdings. Retrieved on 2007-03-10.
  3. ^ Airport asked public to pay for new signs. The Northern Echo.
  4. ^ "Airport's £1.3m revamp approved", BBC News, bbc.co.uk, 2006-12-06. Retrieved on 2007-03-10. 
  5. ^ "Airport planning bid 'will be detrimental'", The Northern Echo, The Northern Echo, 2007-09-12. Retrieved on 2007-09-16. 
  6. ^ "Durham Tees Valley Airport oppose new hotel plans", UK Airport News, UK Airport News, 2007-07-27. Retrieved on 2007-09-16. 
  7. ^ "Durham Tees Valley Airport hotel plans approved", UK Airport News, UK Airport News, 2007-08-02. Retrieved on 2007-09-16. 
  8. ^ "War of words over new Durham Tees Valley Airport hotel", UK Airport News, UK Airport News, 2007-08-04. Retrieved on 2007-09-16. 
  9. ^ "Airport welcomes road improvement", BBC News, bbc.co.uk, 2007-02-05. Retrieved on 2007-03-10. 
  10. ^ Airport expansion would add £120 m to local economy. Darlington and Stockton Times.
  11. ^ Planning Committee Minutes. Stockton Borough Council.

[edit] External links

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