Coal Aston Airfield

Coal Aston Airfield
Hangars at Coal Aston Airfield
Turning onto runway 11 at Coal Aston Airfield. Farmhouse can be found by following the farm track
IATA: none – ICAO: EGCA
Summary
Airport type	Private
Owner/Operator	Richard Valles
Elevation AMSL	720 ft / 219 m
Coordinates	53°18′17″N 001°25′50″W / 53.30472°N 1.43056°W / 53.30472; -1.43056Coordinates: 53°18′17″N 001°25′50″W / 53.30472°N 1.43056°W / 53.30472; -1.43056
Map
Coal Aston Location in Derbyshire
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 11/29 600 1,969 grass

Coal Aston Airfield (ICAO: EGCA), also known as Apperknowle Airstrip, is located 4 NM (7.4 km; 4.6 mi) north of Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England The unlicensed airfield consists of a single grass runway on a ridge of high ground east of and above Dronfield, close to the villages of Apperknowle and Coal Aston, some 10 km (6.2 mi) south of central Sheffield. It is operated from a nearby farmhouse and prior permission is required for landing. The airfield or more accurately, airstrip, took over from the legacy RAF Coal Aston Airfield, which was situated on what is now the present day Jordanthorpe estate. The original RAF Coal Aston Airfield had existed until the 1920s.

The older hangar at Apperknowle is a "Blister" made famous in the inter war years. It was erected by United Steel Companies Limited, (Later to become British Steel) in 1961. This airstrip was then at its maximum length of a full 800 yards. A second hangar was later erected in the 1980s and this sits alongside the original. In 1995 the airstrip achieved permanent permission for use as an airfield. A recognition very rarely given. One of a very few remaining traditional "grass strip" airfields in Derbyshire. Movements are few. The length of the airstrip reduced from 720 metres to 600 metres in 2015 in keeping with the intent to only have a small scale operation. Low environmental impact Europa aircraft have been continuously based there since the mid 1990s. A public footpath follows the northern and western edge. There is no public right of way across the strip. The field is grazed by cattle. Overnight parking is possible and hangarage may be available. A range of aircraft types may be accepted at the owners' discretion, including non-radio traffic. It was a general aviation airfield.^[1] But these days it has become a simply beautiful example of a classic airstrip for light aircraft.

The strip, approximately 600 metres (1,970 ft) long,^[2] has a dip in the middle and a hump at the 11 end.^[1]

Europa takes off along 29

References

3. Pooleys Flight Guide June 2016

4. Flight magazine April 1961