Teesside Airport Movements Trip Reports

Netherthorpe Airfield

14 August 19 - David Thompson

A first visit to Netherthorpe in South Yorkshire for me and as I was unsure of any reception I would receive and the owners attitude to aviation enthusiasts I emailed in advance asking for PPR , but never received a reply ! Undaunted and committed to calling on my way south to RAF Cosford via Halfpenny Green , I had three days to fill , I arrived as the rain did but was happily granted full air-side access which I took full advantage of although all of the hangars were closed and well and truly spotter proof bar one small gap in a door through which the Nipper was noted . The Apache and Comanche were the pick of the bunch for me , the Apache in particular of which G-INFO shows a change of ownership in progress so a possible saviour awaits , hopefully one with a lot of time , skills and probably deep pockets to get it airworthy again or perhaps just off to a new home as a source of spares ?

I was just about to leave but decided to try for access to the Dukeries hangar which was granted even though it was lunchtime and the staff were both friendly and patient as I did my best to photograph the two Aerobats in the roof although one still evaded a positive identification . A subsequent email for help regards this , like my initial request for access , has not been replied too so perhaps best just to knock on their respective doors on arrival and ask !

Dukeries Aviation Hangar

G-BFPH F172K Skyhawk mtce

G-OKED C150 NFD 11 July 2019 , mtce

Stored dismantled in the roof are two Aerobats ;

G-BBKF and possibly G-PHLY , previously G-BBKU which has been reported as being wfu here ? I also noted mention of Aerobat G-BDNR on a maintenance schedule so that could well be here to or even the unidentified second airframe in the roof space ?

Parked outside

G-ASMW C150D

G-BNME C152 dismantled

G-CIFC Tobago XL Lincoln Aero Club , Sturgate

G-EOHL C182L Skylane ARC exp 18 July 2019 , minus propeller

G-PHOR FRA150L Aerobat

G-PHUN ditto

G-ROLY F172N Skyhawk

The resident Phoenix Aircraft fleet comprises ;

G-ASMW ,G-AVYT (not seen today) , G-PHOR , G-PHUN , G-PNIX (not seen today) and G-ROLY .

Hangared

G-ONCS Nipper T.66

All of the hangars appeared to be spotter proof apart from this sighting and the others alongside it were not identified !

Parked outside beyond the clubhouse

G-APXJ PA-24 Comanche 1959 vintage and ground runs but never flies !

G-ARJT PA-23 Apache PTF exp 18-8-2007 , CoO in progress 6-8-2019

G-AVTP F172H Skyhawk

G-AVUG C150

G-AVZV F172H Skyhawk

G-AXNS B121 Pup

G-AYRG F172K Skyhawk

G-BBKY C150

G-BBTB FRA150L Aerobat

G-BFHU C152

G-BIZG C152

G-BMCV C152

G-BNTD PA-28 Cherokee Warrior II

G-BPCI R172K Hawk XP

G-BRNK C152

G-BUUX PA-28 Cherokee

G-CIIR FRA150L Aerobat

G-GBRB PA-28 Cherokee

G-IMIK PA-28 Cherokee previous reg G-ATNB easily visible on fuselage

G-OPYE 172S Skyhawk

G-VANA GA8 Airvan usually based at Grindale with Skydive UK

The Apache sits forlornly beyond the hangars in its own patch of long grass but with a change of ownership in progress it may well see it move on or even fly again?

NB ; it seems that the CoO is actually a cancellation and de-registered by the CAA wef 18 October so perhaps the Apache’s future is not guaranteed after all ?

Halfpenny Green Airport

(Wolverhampton Airport)

14 August 19 - David Thompson

My next stop after leaving Netherthorpe was a rather round-about journey down to Halfpenny Green thanks I think to my SatNav seemingly taking into account the time of day and prevailing road situation and like Netherthorpe the prevailing weather conditions were wet , very wet !

Another first visit for me too and a PPR request which was replied to by Brian Rawlings the Airport Operations Manager who I met in Unit 9 opposite the control tower and easily found by following the signed directions from the car park as well as the painted line on the floor . Once I had signed in , donned my hi-viz and briefed by Brian I was free to roam with the only restrictions being no hangar access and view from the doors only and no access to the area beyond Air Midwest were the PDG helicopter base is .

Apart from the PDG enclave which is ‘new build’ the majority of the buildings in use date back to the airfields wartime use as a flying training airfield , opened in 1941 as RAF Halfpenny Green and what remains of the communal and dispersed sites can still be seen to the south beyond Crab Lane opposite the main airport entrance . Everything you need to know and more can be found on the airports website , link here ; https://www.wolverhamptonairport.co.uk/ .

Gate

XW434/9091M/78/MY Jet Provost T5A needs some TLC !

Parked out

G-AZMZ MS893A Rallye Commodore 180

G-BBDC PA-28 Cherokee

G-BDUO C150

G-BHNO PA-28 Cherokee Archer II

G-BNSZ PA-28 Cherokee Warrior II

G-BPDT ditto

G-BSDN PA-34 Seneca II NFD 29 March 2016, dumped in long grass

G-BZEC C152

G-CECG Jabiru UL-D