Aberporth
ABERPORTH: Military aerodrome, in 2000s civil aerodrome (also known as BLAENANERCH)
By 2015 for some astonishing reason, named as WEST WALES AIRPORT
ICAO code: EGFA
Operated by: 1990: MoD (PE)
2000: MoD(PE) DERA Aberporth
Military users: WW2: RAF AACU 70 (Training) Group
595 Sqdn (Hurricanes/Martinets/Spitfires/Vengeance TTs)
Post 1945: RAF MoD(PE) DERA DETO A&SCS
636 VGS
Location: N of A487, 4nm ENE of Cardigan
Period of operation: 1940 to present day
Note: This map is reproduced with the kind permission of Pooleys Flight Equipment Ltd. Copyright Robert Pooley 2014.
Runways: WW2: NNE/SWW 685 grass NE/SW 883 grass
NW/SE 690 grass
2000: 08/26 915x23 hard 04/22 541x32 grass
NOTES: In 1985 the aerodrome was operated by the Royal Aircraft Establishment and by 2000 it was an MoD aerodrome with gliding.
THE BARMY ARMY
This is a fine example to illustrate exactly why I would like all the ‘Generals’ in the local government 'Barmy Army' rounded up and preferably subjected to public executions, as an act of kindness to the rest of us. In WW2 the aerodrome was in CARDINGANSHIRE; but in the 1980s this County had become part of DYFED. However, on my modern map the County is shown as CEREDIGION. Is it not surely about time the rest of us rounded these maniacal idiots up and stopped them forever from destroying our sense of identity and our history? Just a thought of course.
RE-INVENTING ITSELF
In 2005 I learnt that ABERPORTH was in the process of re-inventing itself as a regional “airport” in much the same way HAVERFORDWEST has done. In my estimation without the presence of regular commercial flights, passenger, charter and freight, (visits by executive choppers and jets do not count), no aerodrome should be allowed to describe itself as an airport. This could well be happening of course but I have found no proof to date - can anybody say otherwise?
It appears that the term AIR PORT came about in roughly the 1930s (possibly earlier?) when flying boats were flying out of SOUTHAMPTON WATER on flights connecting to points around the British Empire. Prior to this, Landing Grounds for land based aircraft were generally known as 'aerodromes', a term borrowed from the French. The use of the name AIR PORT, (soon shortened to AIRPORT), was then quickly adopted as a matter of inferring prestige, even when no international flights were being conducted.
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