Aberporth Airport


Aberporth Airport is situated southwest of Aberporth, Ceredigion, Wales. The airport is being developed as West Wales Airport for domestic flights. It is also developing as a centre for the deployment of civil and military unmanned aerial vehicles, known as 'drones'. The airport underwent major improvements in 2008 which extended the length of the runway from.
The site was previously RAF Aberporth, a former Royal Air Force satellite station which used by the RAF Army Cooperation Command, the site was also used the Royal Aircraft Establishment, the Defence Research Agency and the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency under the control of the Ministry of Defence until 2001.
During 1956, a brand-new asphalt runway was built, with other extensions of the hangar apron occurring during 1968 and 1971.
During the 1960s Aberporth was the HQ of the RAE Ranges Division.

History

RAF Aberporth 1940-46 & 1959-84
The following military units were posted here at some point:
  • 'B' Flight of No. 1 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit RAF
  • 'L' Flight of 1 AACU became No. 1608 Flight RAF
  • Detachment of 'O' Flight of 1 AACU
  • 'Q' Flight of 1 AACU became No. 1609 Flight RAF
  • 'X' Flight of 1 AACU became No. 1621 Flight RAF
  • Detachment of No. 6 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit RAF
  • Detachment of No. 6 Air Observers School RAF
  • Detachment of No. 7 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit RAF
  • Sub site of No. 7 Maintenance Unit RAF
  • No. 595 Squadron RAF
  • * 'A' Flight
  • * 'B' Flight
  • * 'C' Flight
  • Detachment of No. 2758 Squadron RAF Regiment
  • Detachment of University of Wales Air Squadron
  • Aberporth Station Flight
  • No. 29 Joint Services Trials Unit
  • No. 1 Light Anti-Aircraft Practice Camp
  • No. 1 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Practice Camp
RAE Aberporth 1939-73
The following units were posted here at some point:
  • Bloodhound Firing Unit with the Bristol Bloodhound Surface-to-air missile
  • Guided Weapons Range Unit
  • Operations and Engineering Wings of No. 21 Joint Services Trials Unit
  • No. 23 Joint Services Trials Unit
  • RAF Unit Aberporth
  • Central Timing Unit
  • Guided Weapons Trials Wing, RAE Aberporth
Polish Army Resettlement Corps Depot 1946-50
The airfield was used as a Polish Army Resettlement Corps Depot between 1946 and 1950.

MOD Aberporth

The nearby range, MoD Aberporth started out as a Second World War British Army firing range. Due to the threat of Nazi Germany invasion, the Projectile Development Establishment moved from Fort Halstead to the range during 1940, with the Royal Air Force Combined Services Projectile Development Establishment being in existence between September 1943 and January 1945. The site was an outstation of PDE Fort Halstead and Royal Arsenal Woolwich.
The range was previously the Aberporth Anti-Aircraft Artillery Range and the Projectile Development Range along with The Aberporth Range. The Clausen Rolling Platform was built there to test radar and launchers against the rolling motion of ships at sea, without needing to go to sea.
It is used for testing rockets by the British military, as well as for launching civilian rockets for atmospheric research. The site is currently managed by QinetiQ with air traffic services provided by NATS.

Current use

The airport is mainly used for testing unmanned aerial vehicles in an area called the West Wales UAV Centre which is connected to the Welsh Government created ParcAberporth.
No. 636 Volunteer Gliding Squadron RAF was present between October 1996 and December 2001
Aberporth Aerodrome has a CAA Ordinary Licence that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee. The aerodrome is not licensed for night use.
The airfield is being used as a base for Thales Watchkeeper WK450 military unmanned aerial vehicle trials over Cardigan Bay. On 13 June 2018 a Watchkeeper crashed into a lane near the airfield; there were no injuries.