Humberside Airport
HUMBERSIDE: Civil regional airport (previously known as RAF KIRMINGTON)
A PICTURE GALLERY IN AUGUST 2018
Note: Pictures by the author.
ICAO code: EGNJ IATA code: HUY
Military users: WW2: RAF Bomber Command 1 Group
166 Squadron (Vickers Wellingtons then Avro Lancasters)
Operated by: 1980s to 2000: Humberside International Airport Ltd
Activities: Post 1945: Airline, charter, GA business, private and training
British airline users: Air Anglia, Airtours International, Air UK, Britannia Airways, Eastern Airways, Humber Airways, Thomson fly
Foreign airline users: Air Europa, Air Malta, Balkan, Futura, Intersun, KLM, Newair and TUI.
Charter/air taxi: Eastern Airways, Lease-Air
Flying club/schools: Frank Morgan School of Flying, Humber Flying Club, Humberside Flight Training, Lease-Air, Soloflight Aviation, Triple ‘A’ Flying
Helicopter ops: Bond Helicopters
Also, in the 2000s, Bristow were operating helicopters on behalf of HM Coastguard. In 2018, (see my picture), operating at least two Sikorsky S-92A types, G-MGCH and G-MCGK.
Location: S of A18, 5nm NE of Brigg
Period of operation: 1942 to present day (Continuous operation?) It appears KIRMINGTON probably opened as a civil aerodrome in 1972
Noye: This map is reproduced with the kind permission of Pooleys Flight Equipment Ltd. Copyright Robert Pooley 2014.
Runways: WW2: 03/21 1829x46 hard 09/27 1432x46 hard
14/32 1280x46 hard
1990: 03/21 1554x45 hard 09/27 1054x44 hard
2000: 03/21 2196x45 hard 09/27 1054x30 hard
2010 03/21 2196x45 hard 08/26 1054x30 hard
NOTES: In 1975 it seems KIRMINGTON was simply a private aerodrome and yet to be developed into a regional airport.
WORLD WAR TWO
In 1943/44 RAF KIRMINGTON was is the forefront on Bomber Command operations and lost 921 aircrew during this period. I would highly recommend reading Kevin Wilson’s book ‘Men of Air’ whereby he describes in great detail the appalling regime ‘Butcher’, (as he was commonly known by RAF aircrew in those days), rather than ‘Bomber’ Harris as he is now known, submitted his “old lags” to. Harris and his senior staff members planned raid after raid to take place in conditions and over routes, time and time again.
Perhaps hindsight is a wonderful thing, but studying the records it certainly does so often appear to be a regime specifically designed to give the Germans maximum advantage in inflicting damage and casualties. In some ways the approach the RAF staff took resembles the trench mentality used by Army ‘top brass’ in WW1? Chuck enough across and some will get through! Needless to say, by just producing a somewhat personlised ‘Guide’ I can freely express opinions which may well be totally unacceptable compared to somebody producing a learned tome on the subject. This said, as the years of research passed I have felt an increasing sense of anger, often bordering on outrage, learning how so many raids were planned and executed.
Just one small note, Kevin Wilson also mentions that when KIRMINGTON was developed the Station also encompassed a local pub – which remained open!
Note: These pictures from two postcards were kindly sent by Mike Charton who has an amazing collection. See, www.aviationpostcard.co.uk
Can anybody provide information about the Fokker F.27 or possibly F.50 in the first postcard?
A STORY
During the 1980s my brother often used to fly in here from HEATHROW with Air UK in a Shorts 360, usually routing via NORWICH. Here is a story he has e-mailed me:
"On one memorable occasion, Christmas 1989, I was flying Humberside-Heathrow-Zurich, and the crew could not get the plane started because of a duff battery. They brought in a replacement + charger still to no avail. Probably an alternator and charging system malfunction and they thought it better to keep the plane on the ground."
"Air UK hired a taxi, we had seat allocations (only four on plane + crew) + our Air UK lunch boxes on our lap, and trundled off to Heathrow. 'Good afternoon lady & gentlemen and we apologize for the delay in our flight today. Weather is forecast to be overcast upon arrival and we will be cruising at a planned altitude of just above sea level and our route will take us A180, M180, A1. Due to turbulence on M1, M25, M4 with a short approach under the tunnel. So buckle up and enjoy the flight, and please let us know if there is anything that we can do to make the flight more comfortable'.
"Actually, the driver had never driven south of Lincoln so I had to navigate, but yes we did deplane somehow, arriving in the madness of a Friday evening before Christmas and 'deplaned' on the apron, Terminal 1, where the aircraft would normally taxi to!"
They did things differently in those days - can you imagine this sort of arrangement today? My brother also added this: "I flew Air UK a lot in the 1980's, Humberside-Schipol route (Shorts 360 and Fokker F27 Friendship), and Aberdeen-Stavanger route (Fokker F27). During the day, the Shorts 360 would carry passengers, and at night seats were removed and it would transport courier types packages to a central depot in Maastricht."
THE SITUATION IN 2018
I suppose it is fair to say that raising the profile of HUMBERSIDE airport has been, and still is, a labour of love in some respects. But, the signs are that things are improving. On a visit in August 2018 I was given a brochure for the airline services available.
ABERDEEN was served daily except for Saturdays.
AMSTERDAM was served daily all year round.
BOURGAS - BULGARIA Thursdays & Sundays from May to September
ICELAND Three flights spaced from December 2018 to February 2019
BERGAMO - ITALY Two flights, one in June and the next September 2018
JERSEY Flights from April to September
LAPLAND (To where?) Two day trips and three 'Short Break' trips. November, December & January 2019
MADEIRA One flight in October
MEDITERRANEAN CRUISES: Four flights, May and October 2018, the same in 2019
NORTHERN LIGHTS (To where?) February 2019
NORWEGIAN FYORDS (To where?) April to October
PALMA - MAJORCA 1st May and 23rd October 2018. 7th May and 22nd October 2019
VENICE - ITALY One flight 14th September
VIENNA - AUSTRIA One flight 21st September
Note: For what is worth, and obviously nobody listening of course, I have been banging on for many years about the value of using regional airports to suite customer demands. Here, it is happening!
A PICTURE
On our 1992 trip flying around many of the British airports, Aussie Brown and myself landing here for a brief visit on the 25th November at 12.40. There appeared to little or nothing happening regarding airline activity, but I suspect most of this tended to happen in the morning and evening - with the notable exception of a Danish Newair Jetstream, OY-CLB. We did note and appreciate that, considering our obvious 'celebrity status', arriving in arguably the finest classic aircraft type of all time, a Cessna 172, (yes indeed, check the production figures), ATC decided to park us on the main apron close to another aeroplane with equal celebrity carrying credentials.
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