Pilot reviews of Gamston Airport

“I fly from Gamston. Note that the Diamond cafe closed at the end of March 08 (probably too out of the way to attract enough customers). Hopefully someone else will set up shop as the bacon butties etc will be missed. Meanwhile there is the usual tea/coffee/snacks from the vending machine in the visitors lounge area.

I may be biased, but I find Gamston is a very efficient businesslike GA airport. There is no club, or clubby atmosphere, but I want to fly, not socialise.

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“Retford (Gamston) Airport, of wich i and my dad is based. Gamston is a spot on "businesslike" airport. Very professional lounge with apron view. Fantastic on-stand fuel facilities with a fuel bowser that comes to YOU! Large hangerage room with one more hanger to be built soon making even more room. ATC is spot on! allways happy to see you and the welcome in the terminal is fantastic. Diamond cafe' has closed (mainly because no one could find it and it was in the wrong place with no runway or apron views. could do with a cafe' been in the old tower area or some where wheres theres views of the runway and apron. Airport is easy to find by navigation made easy by the on-field VOR. The gliders are NO LONGER operating!! Nice long runway (long enough for a Cessna Citation and King Air`s one of we are flying. With the closure of Sheffield City AIrport (EGSY) i largely recommend Gamston for the new base of aircraft currently at Sheffield.

Truely 10/10

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“Very pleasant visit here. Chap in tower very friendly, as were few locals whom we spoke to. Overnight parking/Land Fee (waivered due to fuel uplift) and half a tank on a C150 came to around £60, not bad. Would call in again. PC in briefing lounge for flight planning use.”

“A frequent stop off place for a quick coffee and rest stop but not a destination for a fly out to my mind. All the flying facilities are first class and the staff are helpful and curteous but generally most visitors are left to sort themselves out. I am sure there is a cafe but I have never been when its open. Tea and coffee making facilities are available and are spotlessly clean as are the loos.”

“One of the less friendly airfields for GA. Twr staff extremely miserable”

“Nice airfield, the runway's nice and long, when I was there the cafe wasn't the best, A/G was good enough, nothing overly special.”

“Two recent visits to Gamston made on the 23/11/03 and 07/12/03.
Recently resurfaced decent length runway - 1200+m - and nice and easy to find thanks to the VOR located on the field. Watch out for gliders using the runway on the west side of the field.
The main change here is the opening of a new cafe located on the first floor of the Diamond hangar (main UK distributors for the Katana).
Very friendly ATC, marked parking "stands". Go to the tower marked "C" to pay your landing fee - just £10 for a PA.28.161
To find the cafe, which is not obvious, leave the tower via the back door and head out in to the car park at the rear, turn left along the back of the hangars and go in the door and up the stairs of the third hangar down - marked Diamond Supplies and Cafe. On the first floor is a pilot's supplies shop, a Katana simulator and an excellent cafe.
Good range of food, friendly staff, plenty of seats and tables and good opening hours too.
They told us today that the burgers, pie and mash, sandwiches, toasties, all day breakfast, bacon and sausage butties, chip butties etc will be extended to add chips and potatoes in the new year. Superb place for a nice lunchtime break.
ATC seemed happy for us to view the contents of the hangars without going inside which included 2 x King Air 200's, a Citation C550 and a Citation Jet, a Swedish PA.24 and a couple of American. Two new hangars to the right of the tower housed a couple of Cub's, a Sky Arrow and a few other goodies.”