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Doncaster Sheffield Airport

Coordinates: 53°28′31″N 01°00′15″W / 53.47528°N 1.00417°W / 53.47528; -1.00417
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"Robin Hood Airport" redirects here. For the airport in Big Rapids, Michigan, see Roben-Hood Airport.

Doncaster Sheffield Airport

Robin Hood Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerPeel Group
OperatorDoncaster Sheffield Airport Limited
ServesSouth Yorkshire, Lincolnshire
LocationFinningley, near Doncaster, South Yorkshire
Opened28 April 2005 (2005-04-28)
Closed30 November 2022 (2022-11-30)
Passenger services ceased4 November 2022 (2022-11-04)
Elevation AMSL56 ft / 17 m
Coordinates53°28′31″N 01°00′15″W / 53.47528°N 1.00417°W / 53.47528; -1.00417
Map
DSA is located in South Yorkshire
DSA
DSA
Location in South Yorkshire
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
02/20 2,893 9,491 Asphalt
Statistics (2019)
Passengers1,407,862
Passenger change (18–19)Increase15.2%
Aircraft Movements23,043
Movements change (18–19)Increase21.7%
Sources: UK AIP at NATS[1]
Statistics from the UK Civil Aviation Authority[2]

Doncaster Sheffield Airport (IATA: DSA, ICAO: EGCN), formerly named and commonly referred to as Robin Hood Airport, was an international airport in Finningley near Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England, in operation between 2005 and 2022. The site lies 6 mi (10 km) south-east of the centre of Doncaster and 19 mi (31 km) east of Sheffield.

History

[edit]

1915–1995: RAF Finningley

[edit]
Main article: RAF Finningley

The airport was opened as Finningley Airfield in 1915.

During the First World War, it was a base for the Royal Flying Corps to intercept German Zeppelins targeting industrial cities of Northern England. In the Second World War the airfield was primarily used for training,[3] serving RAF Bomber Command crews; only a few combat missions took off. It was a key facility for nuclear-armed Vulcan bombers in the Cold War before downgrade to training in the 1970s / 1980s and decommissioning by 1995.[4]

The long runway was a Space Shuttle emergency landing site.[citation needed]

2005–2016: Robin Hood Airport

[edit]

Following the end of scheduled services from Sheffield City Airport, Peel Group opened former RAF Finningley as Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield in April 2005.[5][6] The Robin Hood label controversially referenced historical accounts placing him in nearby Barnsdale Forest not Sherwood Forest but 11,000 people petitioned to oppose the name.[7]

Promoters initially hoped for 25 million passengers a year.[8] In 2007, one million used the airport. This decreased to 700,000 in 2012, before increasing to just 1.25 million in 2016.[2]

2016–2022: Doncaster Sheffield Airport

[edit]

In December 2016, Robin Hood Airport rebranded as Doncaster Sheffield Airport.[citation needed]

Flybe closed its facility at the airport in 2019, relocating crew and aircraft,[9] though Wizz Air based two aircraft there in 2020.[10][11] However in 2022, it too announced the end of flights from the airport[12] stating the airport operators were "unable to guarantee the terms of its commercial agreement".[citation needed] That left TUI Airways as the airport's sole regular customer.[12]

Robin Hood statue at Doncaster Sheffield Airport
Robin Hood statue by Neale Andrew at Doncaster Sheffield Airport

After an extended review and public consultation,[13][14] Peel proposed an expansion of their adjacent Gateway East property development[15] and the airport closed. TUI operated the final flights on 4 November 2022,[15] and Wizz Air transfered its routes to Leeds Bradford Airport.[16]

Doncaster Council applied for judicial review of the closure process but was refused.[17] In response, the Mayor of Doncaster announced the council's intention to compulsory purchase.[18]

Nevertheless, air traffic control was withdrawn from the airport in December 2022,[19] and the Civil Aviation Authority began to reclassify surrounding airspace.[20]

Post Closure

[edit]

After protracted negotiation,[21][22][23] in March 2024 the Mayor confirmed a 125 year lease to take over the airport had been signed.[24] She subsequently stated an operator had been identified and that she hoped the airport could re-open by Spring 2026.[25]

On 12 November 2024, the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority agreed to £3m funding of reinstatement activities and commercial negotiation,[26] as part of a £138m budget to re-open the airport.[27] Flydoncaster Ltd was incorporated on 8 November 2024.[28]

Facilities

[edit]

The airport has a single runway designated 02/20, with dimensions of 2,895 by 60 m (9,498 by 197 ft). It was designed for long-range nuclear bombers and so is wider and longer than other commercial airports in the north of England.[citation needed]

The passenger terminal had 24 check-in desks, six departure gates and three baggage carousels.[when?][citation needed]

A 102 bed Ramada Encore hotel opened in 2008.[29] It is situated less than ten minutes walk from the Terminal building but is now used to hold immigrants awaiting decisions on their asylum cases.[citation needed][when?]

There are four on-site car parks.[30]

Airport business park

[edit]

In 2014, a 10-hectare (25-acre) site on the airport's business park became part of Sheffield City Region Enterprise Zone.[31]

Hangars

[edit]

No. 3 Hangar was occupied by 2Excel Aviation providing Design, production and Maintenance services. Defence company BAE Systems formerly operated its Aircraft Maintenance Academy from No. 3 Hangar at the airport, before moving to Humberside Airport.[citation needed][when?] Other companies that operated within the hangars included Bespoke Training Systems Limited, a Cessna Citation service centre.[32][when?]

Flight training

[edit]

The airport was home to Yorkshire Aero Club[33] and Hummingbird Helicopters.[34][when?]

Statistics

[edit]

Traffic statistics

[edit]
Doncaster Sheffield Airport
passenger totals 2005–2019 (millions)
Traffic statistics at Doncaster Sheffield[2]
Year Passengers
handled 		Passenger
% change 		Cargo
(tonnes) 		Cargo
% change 		Aircraft
movements 		Aircraft
% change
2005 600,907 Steady 31 Steady 6,914 Steady
2006 900,067 Increase49.8 167 Increase438.7 10,642 Increase 53.9
2007 1,078,374 Increase19.8 1,602 Increase859.3 12,667 Increase 19.0
2008 968,481 Decrease10.2 1,350 Decrease15.7 13,066 Increase 3.1
2009 835,768 Decrease13.7 344 Decrease74.5 10,854 Decrease 16.9
2010 876,153 Increase4.8 216 Decrease37.2 11,030 Increase 1.6
2011 822,877 Decrease6.1 102 Decrease52.8 11,876 Increase 7.7
2012 693,661 Decrease15.7 276 Increase170.6 11,724 Decrease 1.3
2013 690,351 Decrease0.5 354 Increase28.3 11,197 Decrease 4.5
2014 724,885 Increase5.0 858 Increase142.4 11,697 Increase 4.5
2015 857,109 Increase18.2 3,201 Increase273.1 11,998 Increase 2.6
2016 1,255,907 Increase46.5 9,341 Increase191.8 16,098 Increase 34.2
2017 1,335,590 Increase6.3 8,656 Decrease7.3 17,435 Increase 8.3
2018 1,222,347 Decrease8.4 7,107 Decrease17.8 18,930 Increase 8.5
2019 1,407,862 Increase15.2 17,647 Increase148.3 23,043 Increase 21.7

Busiest routes

[edit]
20 busiest routes to and from Doncaster Sheffield Airport (2019)[35]
Rank Airport Passengers
handled		 % change
2018–19
1 Bucharest 96,612 Increase 52.0
2 Katowice 82,279 Increase 1.1
3 Gdańsk 80,842 Increase 10.1
4 Alicante 68,583 Increase 9.7
5 Warsaw 67,711 Decrease 1.5
6 Vilnius 58,793 Increase 43.3
7 Palma de Malloca 55,197 Increase 4.4
8 Poznań 54,514 Increase 7.9
9 Tenerife–South 51,309 Decrease 0.6
10 Amsterdam 48,840 Decrease 16.2
11 Riga 43,937 Increase 3.6
12 Málaga 42,299 Decrease 12.5
13 Budapest 42,116 Increase 592.6
14 Cluj Napoca 41,165 Increase 14.3
15 Lanzarote 39,993 Increase 1.5
16 Kraków 39,345 n/a
17 Wroclaw 35,194 Decrease 1.4
18 Debrecen 33,605 Increase 2187.6
19 Dublin 29,779 Decrease 11.5
20 Paphos 24,528 Increase 9.4

Vulcan XH558

[edit]
Main article: Avro Vulcan XH558

In 2011, the Vulcan to the Sky Trust flew Avro Vulcan XH558 to the airport, its former operational base. It was the last airworthy example of the Vulcan bomber fleet, restored to flight by the trust in 2007.[36] XH558's final flight was a display over the airport, on 28 October 2015.[37]

In 2022, the trust announced it would leave the airport because the lease could not be renewed.[38] Nevertheless, as of October 2024, the trust and XH558 remained at the airport awaiting negotiations with a new operator.[39]

Transport

[edit]

The airport is close to M18 motorway junction 3 and a road to it was completed in 2018.[40]

Doncaster railway station on the East Coast Main Line, and the Frenchgate Interchange are 7 mi (11 km) away.[citation needed]

The airport abuts the Doncaster to Lincoln railway line, and plans for a station to replace one that closed in 1961 were granted planning permission in 2008. However, a 2012 report by Network Rail stated that more trains on the line would be required to make it viable.[41] There have been proposals for a dedicated link to the East Coast Main Line.[42]

Accident

[edit]

On 15 August 2014, aircraft G–GAVA, operating a Links Air flight from Belfast City Airport, crashed on landing at the airport following a landing gear failure; this caused substantial damage to the aircraft. One passenger was taken to hospital with minor injuries. The airport was closed for several hours.[43][44]

In media

[edit]

In 2007, the airport featured in the BBC Two documentary Should I Really Give Up Flying? Brian Blessed explored local attitudes to flying.[citation needed]

It has been a location for television series including ITV's Emmerdale,[45] BBC One's drama Hustle,[46] and In the Club.[citation needed]

The airport appeared in Four Lions[47] and was a settings for the BBC mockumentary Come Fly with Me. Matt Lucas and David Walliams spent two weeks at the airport filming.[48]

RAF Finningley was destroyed by a Soviet nuclear warhead in 1984 TV film Threads.[49]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Doncaster Sheffield – EGCN". Nats-uk.ead-it.com. Retrieved 24 November 2013.[permanent dead link‍]
  2. ^ a b c "UK Annual Airport Statistics". CAA. 3 March 2017. Archived from the original on 11 February 2017. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  3. ^ Delve 2006, pp. 127–128.
  4. ^ Delve 2006, p. 132.
  5. ^ "Background Information". Durhamteesvalleyairport.com. 10 February 2012. Archived from the original on 6 November 2013. Retrieved 24 November 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. ^ "Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield". Flights Network. Archived from the original on 7 September 2008. Retrieved 30 October 2008.
  7. ^ "Airport's new name misses target". BBC News. 12 November 2004. Archived from the original on 9 January 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  8. ^ "Doncaster Sheffield Airport's future in doubt". BBC News. 13 July 2022. Archived from the original on 13 July 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  9. ^ Dyson, Molly (4 April 2019). "Flybe to stop using Embraer jets". Buying Business Travel. Archived from the original on 4 April 2019. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  10. ^ "Wizz Air announces new base and major expansion at Doncaster Sheffield Airport". Wizzair.com. 13 August 2020. Archived from the original on 1 September 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  11. ^ "Doncaster Sheffield Airport -". Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  12. ^ a b Eisling, Stefan (28 September 2022). "Rückzug von Wizz bricht britischem Flughafen das Genick". aerotelegraph.com (in German). Archived from the original on 2 October 2022.
  13. ^ "Review into Doncaster Sheffield Airport future extended". BBC News. 23 August 2022. Archived from the original on 24 August 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  14. ^ "Doncaster Sheffield airport consultation extended". Travel Weekly. 24 August 2022. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  15. ^ a b "Bosses confirm closure of Doncaster Sheffield Airport". ITV. 26 September 2022. Archived from the original on 26 September 2022. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  16. ^ Himefield, Dave (29 September 2022). "Doncaster Sheffield Airport closure update as Wizz Air confirms flight transfer to Leeds Bradford". leeds-live.co.uk. Archived from the original on 5 October 2022.
  17. ^ "Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Judicial review over airport closure refused". BBC News. 1 December 2022. Archived from the original on 2 December 2022. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  18. ^ Kessen, David (1 December 2022). "Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Officials start the process of nationalising airport". The Sheffield Star. Archived from the original on 3 December 2022. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  19. ^ Burke, Darren (2 December 2022). "Over and out:' Air traffic control ends at Doncaster Sheffield Airport as talks go on". Doncaster Free Press. Archived from the original on 2 December 2022. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  20. ^ "Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Airspace to be downgraded". BBC News. 2 December 2022. Archived from the original on 3 December 2022. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  21. ^ Mower, Shannon (27 October 2022). "Doncaster Sheffield Airport: 'Credible offer' submitted to owner Peel Group, claims mayor". Yorkshire Post. Archived from the original on 7 January 2023. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  22. ^ "Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Owners reject council offer to buy site". BBC News. 14 January 2023. Archived from the original on 16 January 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  23. ^ Kershaw, Tom (25 September 2023). "Doncaster Sheffield Airport latest as mayor sees 'light at the end of the tunnel'". examinerlive.co.uk. Archived from the original on 28 September 2023. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  24. ^ "News". South Yorkshire MCA.
  25. ^ Ashton, Lucy (4 November 2024). "Doncaster Sheffield Airport could reopen for flights in 2026". BBC News. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  26. ^ Davies, Phil. "Regional leaders agree £3m to support Doncaster Sheffield airport reopening". Travel Weekly. Archived from the original on 14 November 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  27. ^ Ashton, Lucy. "Doncaster Sheffield Airport costs expected to rise, meeting hears". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  28. ^ "Flydoncaster Ltd". Companies House. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  29. ^ "Ramada Encore Hotel Lands at Airport Business Park". Robin Hood Airport. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  30. ^ "Car parking | Doncaster Sheffield Airport". flydsa.co.uk. Archived from the original on 7 May 2017. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  31. ^ Newton-Syms, Ellie (11 March 2014). "Sheffield City Region Enterprise Zone announces expansion plans". The Business Desk. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
  32. ^ "Cessna announces first UK Citation Service Centre". FLYER. 25 September 2012. Archived from the original on 3 January 2017. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  33. ^ "Yorkshire Aero Club". Archived from the original on 23 December 2019. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  34. ^ "Welcome to Hummingbird Helicopters". Archived from the original on 2 September 2018. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  35. ^ "International Air Passenger Traffic To and From Reporting Airports for 2019 Comparison with 2018" (PDF). CAA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 March 2020. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
  36. ^ "Welcome Home – Vulcan XH558 returns to Doncaster". Global Aviation Resource. 5 April 2011. Archived from the original on 26 November 2015.
  37. ^ "Final Flight report". Vulcan To The Sky. 30 October 2015. Archived from the original on 9 January 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  38. ^ "Doncaster: Vulcan XH558 to be moved from South Yorkshire home". BBC News. 15 August 2022. Archived from the original on 15 August 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  39. ^ "Update from Vulcan to the Sky Trust". Vulcan to the Sky. 31 October 2024.
  40. ^ "Second phase of 'hugely significant' Great Yorkshire Way in Doncaster completed". BDaily News. 15 June 2018. Archived from the original on 27 August 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  41. ^ Network Rail, Route Specifications 2012 – London North Eastern, p. 76
  42. ^ "Proposed £280 million Doncaster airport rail link could create 70,000 jobs". Doncaster Free Press. 21 March 2018. Archived from the original on 14 July 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  43. ^ "Robin Hood airport remains closed". The Guardian. 16 August 2014. Archived from the original on 18 July 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  44. ^ Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident British Aerospace 3102 Jetstream 31 G-GAVA Doncaster/Sheffield-Robin Hood Airport (DCA)". aviation-safety.net. Archived from the original on 18 July 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  45. ^ "Emmerdale filming takes place at Doncaster's Robin Hood Airport". Doncaster Free Press. 26 January 2017. Archived from the original on 18 February 2017. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
  46. ^ "Robin Hood Airport". Robin Hood Airport. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  47. ^ "Four Lions (2010) : Filming Locations". IMDb.com. Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  48. ^ Burke, Darren (14 July 2022). "Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Call for TV's David Walliams and Matt Lucas to join fight". Doncaster Free Press. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  49. ^ Hogan, Michael (9 April 2018). "Britain after the atomic bomb: why Threads is more terrifying than ever". The Telegraph. Retrieved 14 June 2023.

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Delve, Ken (2006). The Military Airfields of Britain – Northern England : Co. Durham, Cumbria, Isle of Man, Lancashire, Merseyside, Manchester, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, Yorkshire. Marlborough: Crowood Press. ISBN 1-86126-809-2.
[edit]

Media related to Doncaster Sheffield Airport at Wikimedia Commons

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