Sheffield City Airport to close

Hi all

I usually post in Commercial but thought this might be of interest here…

http://www.thestar.co.uk/headlines/Airport-to-close-due-to.3758371.jp

SHEFFIELD Airport will finally close its doors in the next few weeks, The Star can reveal.
Firms stationed at the airport have received letters from its owners Peel Holdings saying the site will shut down “due to sustained losses” and offices must be vacated by March 6.

Alpha Helicopters, which has run pleasures flights and flying lessons from the airport for the past four years, has been told its four aircraft must vacate the airport’s hangars by March 31.

Michael Wood, an independent aviation consultant from Sussex, said: “It is such a shame. Sheffield is a cracking little airport. There are towns and cities all over the world that would kill to have this type of facility on their doorstep.”

Sheffield Airport stopped using electronic aircraft approach aids – regarded as standard in airports that offer regular scheduled commercial flights – back in 2002. Without them big aircraft firms would have been unlikely to base themselves at Sheffield.

Councillors last year gave permission for the airport to be turned into a business park, a move that will see part of its runway dug up and redeveloped.

But there were still hopes helicopter flights in and out could be retained, and there were talks too about short ‘taxi’ flights to nearby airports. This will not now happen.

Ian