Pilot reviews of Newtownards Airfield
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| “ | Flew to Newtownards on the 1st August 2015 in my Cessna 172, from City airport Manchester,flew direct out over Southport pier to overhead Isle of Man, and then onto Strangford Lough and track up to Newtownards. Excellent Service provided by Ronaldsway allowing me to have clearance to route overhead the airfield, and later passing me to Belfast for Traffic Service, before coasting in to Northern Ireland. Weather was good most of the day except when I coasted back in, on return at Blackpool, but still good enough for routing back to City Airport Manchester. Newtownards Airport is excellent airfield to visit, restaurant was excellent good food lots of choice, had a short walk down to the Newtownard town centre, people are friendly and helpful. Overall enjoyed my flight and stay, will be back.
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| “ | Flew into Newtownards on Sunday 17th, from North Weald, quite a long trip there and back in a day in my 172, but fortunately the wind was light and variable, so three hours up and two hours fifty back.
Coasted out at Prestatyn and went direct overhead Ronaldsway, the transit was very easy, the controllers were very helpfull all the way.
Had terrific service from Haywarden, Liverpool, Ronaldsway and Belfast before settleing into the circuit at Newtownards, very freindly welcome, the runways are in very good condition. There is a very nice clubhouse, which was very busy, our lunch was a little slow in coming but very nice and reasonably priced.
The scenery en route was fantastic albeit the forward viz was not brilliant, quite hazy, but still a great trip.
Reccommended ” |
| “ | Flew to Newtownards on Saturday 29 August as part of Westair’s fly-out from Blackpool (and on to Donegal and Enniskillen). Three of us had to turn back from our Donegal leg due to weather and had the pleasure of landing at Newtownards twice!
The staff were very friendly, helpful and full of good local information. After three of us diverted back into Newtownards for fuel before returning to Blackpool, they arranged taxi’s for us and recommended a local pub, (Romas – excellent and well worth a visit). The taxi was only £3.00 each way too: excellent value. Tea, coffee and biscuits were available in the very nicely appointed club-house and the locals were all very friendly and chatty.
The position of the airfield at the top of Strangford Lough, and the monument on top of the hill to the west of the airfield (virtually a non-radio NDB!) made finding the airfield very easy. The approaches to the main runway from the north were over high ground giving a rather different perspective to the approach than normal (and catching out one of our aircraft), and are part of the reason for a displaced threshold. The runways themselves were very well surfaced and maintained.
The Chinese restaurant is, sadly, long gone (having burned down some time ago), but the facilities at the airfield are fine and a taxi into a very interesting and bustling town with excellent eateries (I really must commend Romas – which despite it’s name is a pub, not an Italian restaurant, and it is just lovely with excellent food).
Well worth a visit: make sure that you fill in the GAR forms and send them to PSNI at least 12 hours before arrival, but other than that, the airfield is easy to find, easy to use and friendly with it.
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| “ | Hi. On Tuesday of this week, we had the good fortune to visit Newtonards airfield in our Gazelle Helicopter YU-HDL, returning to Lancashire in England, from Weston in the ROI.
The initial reception, refuelling and general service was very good and my co-pilot Colin Taylor and I were very impressed. What happened next, however, was service beyond what any aviator would ever expect! Our trusty gazelle flatly refused to start. We requested ground power, but still it wouldn't start. We suspected that maybe we required extra volts/amps to start the engine so a bigger unit was produced on loan from another helicopter operator, still no start. The fuel bowser was put into service, revving its engine with our leads connected, still no start. A small crowd of friendly helpers gathered and for many hours, from lunch time to evening, mobile phones were busy with people offering advice or help. I was taken by car to a farm to pick up some larger tractor batteries, an engineer who worked for an airline tinkered with our astazou engine. The area was littered with batteries, chargers, leads and helpers. I have never seen anything like it. The airfield staff worked ceaselessly to try and remedy our plight. Suddenly in early evening a whining screaming noise came from the jet engine...it had started! We did not have time to take names or thank the many helpers. Our cancelled flight plan was massaged back into life over the radio, thank you Belfast City Airport and we rocketed into the air and over the water towards home! Our heartfelt thanks to everyone concerned. What a wonderful airfield, what wonderful staff and visiting crews and helpers. We will certainly visit Newtonards again...with a fresh battery...and would recommend this airfield to any aviator....thanks again! Roger Griffiths. Griffair Helicopters. ” |
| “ | Visited 26th June 2006. At the head of Strangford Lough, so particularly easy to find. Coming from the east, Flight Information Service from Scottish Info. and then Belfast City. Need to watch for microlights in the circuit, Belfast airspace above and, on final for Rwy 16, a radio antenna on the police station. Three runways, well surfaced and flat.
Superb scenery starts at the end of the runway, with the lough and its islands and, to the south, the Mourne Mountains.
Probably the friendliest airfield I've visited. ” |
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