An 80% share of Norwich airport has recently been privatised, with the local authorities retaining a 20% share. The airport has a large potential market from East Anglia and has good accessibility by road and ample parking. There are regular bus services and taxis to Norwich and surrounding areas including Thorpe railway station. The airport has modern passenger and cargo terminals with short check-in times, a business lounge and onsite accommodation.
The airport is outside controlled airspace and has two runways capable of taking aircraft up to the size of Boeing 757 aircraft operating under weight restrictions. There is PAPI and ILS available for the main runway and there are both onsite and offsite ATC located at nearby RAF Coltishall. There is four miles of farmland to the east that could be used to extend the main runway to allow unrestricted operations of commercial jets which would eliminate the need for international flights to be routed through hub airports such as Amsterdam.
2.2 Cambridge Airport
Cambridge airport location map
Cambridge airport aerial photo
Cambridge airport is located to the East of Cambridge which is in Cambridgeshire. The airfield was built for RAF pilot training in 1937 in anticipation of world war two. Over half the RAF pilots in service during world war two were trained at Cambridge. In 1954 the main concrete runway was constructed and subsequently extended.
The airport provides a North London base for corporate and executive aircraft and facilities for scheduled and charter operations and uunlike most civil airports it has 24 hour capability with no slot restrictions. However due to competition from nearby Luton and Stansted airports and noise restrictions there are few scheduled and charter services. Instead the focus is on general aviation, business operations and test flights conducted by Marshal Aerospace. Marshall Aerospace has extensive manufacturing, maintenance, cargo facilities and large hangers at Cambridge. The airport is also the home of Cambridge Aero Club which has been established for over 60 years.
Cambridge airport is owned and operated by an aircraft engineering company called Marshall Aerospace which is based there. The airport has a large potential market from East Anglia and has good accessibility by road and free parking. It is close to the A14, M11 corridor and the M25 and London are less than an hour’s drive south. There is a £2 million new passenger and cargo terminal short check in times, an executive lounge and nearby accommodation. There are regular bus services and taxis or private chauffeurs available to the City centre or railway station.
A £1.5 million new Air Traffic Control Tower became operational in 2000 which can provide area radar and precision radar approach. The main runway is 1950 metres long, is equipped with ILS and can accept aircraft up to the size of the Boeing 747 operating under weight restrictions. Cambridge airport is outside controlled airspace but close enough to allow easy integration with the existing airways in south eastern England. The main runway cannot be extended any further because obstructions exist at either end. Regional Planning Guidance for East Anglia predicts that more homes will be necessary around Cambridge and has identified Cambridge airport as a potential site for housing development.
2.3 Alconbury Airport
Alconbury airfield location map
Alconbury airfield aerial photo
Alconbury airfield is located 4 miles northwest of Huntingdon in Huntingdonshire. The airfield opened in 1938 as a satellite airfield for nearby Wyton. It was the first satellite airfield to be built in England and would allow aircraft to be diverted if the parent airfield was likely to be attacked. During world war two the airfield was upgraded to class A status with 3 concrete runways which could now accept Boeing 747 aircraft. After the war it served as a USAF watch station until 1995.
Alconbury airfield is owned by the Ministry of Defence and in 1997 became listed for protection against alternative land use schemes until 2007. Much of the airfield infrastructure and facilities including the runways, taxiways and control towers remain intact. The location is ideal and has excellent accessibility and a large potential market. These could be used to develop the airfield into a prosperous cargo and passenger airport.
3. SELECTION RATIONAL
Aerotech have analysed the above sites and found Alconbury to be the best site in terms of commercial and development potential. It has the best location in terms of accessibility and market. It also has the least restrictions and the longest runway and could be integrated with surrounding rail and road networks.
Plan of the proposed Alconbury airport
The brown field site could be developed into a business airport with a focus upon freight. It could offer dedicated air freight provisions with an express parcel hub, aircraft maintenance and low cost passenger services. The airport would be developed by integrating the airfields existing infrastructure with that of Huntingdonshire. This would involve the modernisation of both airside and landside provisions including the main runway and taxiways and construction of passenger and cargo terminals.
The East Coast Main Line that passes close to the east of Alconbury airfield and runs through Peterborough and Huntingdon would be an important point of access to the airport. This would have additional tracks laid down to cope with the extra traffic and the line would be extended into the airport where onsite passenger and freight stations would be built. The major roads and junctions around Alconbury airfield would be improved to accommodate larger volumes of traffic with heavier and wider loads too. This would involve revising the A1/A14 junction to allow movements in all directions and building a road to the northeast to provide access from the north.
Alconbury airport could open by 2011. It would have the facilities to process 1.3 million tonnes of freight annually by 2030 and have aircraft maintenance facilities similar in size to those of Marshall Aerospace Cambridge. The airport would also have a passenger terminal capacity of about 5mppa which would reach full capacity by 2030.
Plan of the proposed Alconbury airport
4. S.W.O.T. ANALYSIS OF ALCONBURY AIRFIELD
4.1 Strengths
- long runway capable of taking Boeing 747 size aircraft without restriction and the second runway still exists and could be opened in the future to increase capacity and allow flights when there is too strong a crosswind to use the main runway.
- due to the low population immediately around Alconbury airfield, no flight time or aircraft type restrictions would exist allowing older aircraft and night time operations.
- accessibility to a strong market from the north, east and west via the M1 and A14 motorways and the nearby East Coast Main line which will be linked to the airport.
- improvements to road and rail links will reduce the chances of congestion, with high quantities of bulky freight being transported mostly by rail efficiently.
- no restrictions on future growth at Alconbury airfield
- outside controlled airspace but close enough to allow easy integration. This has advantages for both commercial operations and general aviation.
4.2 Weaknesses
- only a skeleton infrastructure exists and this will need much development which will require a great deal of investment compared to the other sites which have existing facilities such as terminals, Air Traffic Control Towers, etc.
- no current operations and none could commence until development had been completed.
4.3 Opportunities
- it is sufficiently remote from large population centers to allow night time operations.
- operations from Cambridge airport could be relocated at Alconbury airfield in order to share finance, expertise and facilities including Marshall Aerospace and GA flying clubs.
- a workforce will be needed to develop the site which could involve jobs for local people.
- 12,000 jobs at all levels of skill are expected to have been created once the airport opens.
4.4 Threats
- noise pollution may upset residents and wildlife in the Huntingdonshire and could lead to restrictions being imposed upon times of operation.
- the roads around Alconbury airfield may not be able to cope with extra traffic heading to and from the airport and this may result in regular congestion which could affect the airport.
- the East Coast Main Line may not be able to cope with the freight services despite the extra lines around the Alconbury airfield due to bottle necks further along the line.
5. P.E.S.T. ANALYSIS OF ALCONBURY AIRFIELD
5.1 Political
- Alconbury airfield would be an integrated transport system that is more sustainable than conventional airports which are often poorly planned.
5.2 Economic
- the local population is large enough to provide for the predicted 12,000 jobs.
- there will be greater investment in industry and services around the area and increased tourism will mean more money being spent in Huntingdonshire.
- the road and rail networks around the area are good but will be further improved.
5.3 Social
- convenience of local airport with low cost passenger operations.
- new transport links including a bus service for the airport and area in general will benefit local residents.
5.4 Technological
- existing RAF perimeter fences will be used alongside modern baggage scanning to ensure safe and secure operations.
- both passenger and cargo terminals with high capacities. There will also be sufficient seats and plenty of entertainment and refreshment services at the airport. Plus there will be onsite hotels and cheap multi-storey car parking.
- the ATC will be onsite and will build upon existing facilities.
6. CONCLUSION
The southeast of England is a prosperous region for commercial airport operations and has a strong market which demands airport development. In the southeast Norwich airport, Cambridge airport and Alconbury airfield are the best sites to develop for the reasons explained above. Out of these it is clear from the above information that Alconbury airfield in Huntingdonshire is the best airfield in terms of accessibility, integration with the surrounding infrastructure, size of potential market and existing facilities.
7. RECOMMENDATIONS
On the basis of the investigation findings Aerotech are confident that Peel Airports would benefit most from taking over Alconbury airfield and developing it into a commercial airport with a focus upon business operations such as cargo transit, executive chartering and general aviation.
Peel Airports should enter partnership with Marshall Aerospace in the development of Alconbury airfield. This should involve the closure of the existing site of Cambridge airport and relocation of operations to Alconbury airfield. The new airport could be named “Cambridge and Alconbury” in order to retain the famous brand name of Cambridge. The move would allow Peel Airports to share the finance and expertise of Marshall Aerospace and afford Cambridge local authorities the land for extra housing.
8. NOTES
- To view maps in more detail please increase page size or use a magnifying glass!
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This project was based upon commercial and development potential and does not account for the actual decisions of the Government!
9. REFERENCES
VA103 Lectures 2004
Microsoft Auto Route was used to create location Maps