The Abandoned Airport You've Probably Never Heard Of: Sheffield City Airport
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The same applies further up the country in Middlesbrough - with Teeside International airport. Middlesbrough simply isn't big enough or has enough people living in the area who would travel internationally to warrant having its own airport. Better to travel further and fly from Newcastle airport - which is bigger, has better facilities, flies to more destinations. and is therefore better connected in the first place.
Both Sheffield City Airport, and Teeside International Airport have been a colossal waste of money. money that SHOULD have gone into creating more jobs in other industries - in both cities regional areas.
Date: 2023-08-20
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Comments and reviews: 19
Shadowdashie
South Yorkshire police took over the old fire station hence helipad old watch tower was used for ground maintenance staff when looking after the ground used to work as contractor on the site the old hangers ended up storage after the site closed to be a business park that back circa 2017 the terminal building was just turned to offices with a cafe which was not that great. used to be fun working on the site seeing how it used to be Air ambulance had a office a helicopter there for a time to. South Yorkshire police rented the run way if you see old police interceptors you would some times see it on the show they called it run way road. Was good working on there though interesting
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South Yorkshire police took over the old fire station hence helipad old watch tower was used for ground maintenance staff when looking after the ground used to work as contractor on the site the old hangers ended up storage after the site closed to be a business park that back circa 2017 the terminal building was just turned to offices with a cafe which was not that great. used to be fun working on the site seeing how it used to be Air ambulance had a office a helicopter there for a time to. South Yorkshire police rented the run way if you see old police interceptors you would some times see it on the show they called it run way road. Was good working on there though interesting
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chris
I cannot believe its been closed so long and changed so little. I started earning my private pilots license there in around 2005, turning up once a month until it closed. I've not been up there since, but seeing the runway now mostly gone but the apron intact is quite weird indeed. Ultimately I ended up continuing my ppl at Doncaster, and moving from the tiny runway (it can't have been much bigger than the runways of many private airstrips) of Sheffield to landing little Cessna 152s on the great big thing that built for the nuclear bombers was an adjustment for sure.
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I cannot believe its been closed so long and changed so little. I started earning my private pilots license there in around 2005, turning up once a month until it closed. I've not been up there since, but seeing the runway now mostly gone but the apron intact is quite weird indeed. Ultimately I ended up continuing my ppl at Doncaster, and moving from the tiny runway (it can't have been much bigger than the runways of many private airstrips) of Sheffield to landing little Cessna 152s on the great big thing that built for the nuclear bombers was an adjustment for sure.
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Pilot
Once the greatest nation for aviation power in the world, slowly being killed by the political misbehave. So sad to see many airports even GA airfields are shutting down to build housing or industrial estates. Freedom of flying is declining and many pilot training schools have closed down where as most of students moving to US or Spain for cheaper training. Once the best aerospace engineering companies like Avro or BAE are not there anymore like before. Government should influence higher than this to improve British Aviation again.
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Once the greatest nation for aviation power in the world, slowly being killed by the political misbehave. So sad to see many airports even GA airfields are shutting down to build housing or industrial estates. Freedom of flying is declining and many pilot training schools have closed down where as most of students moving to US or Spain for cheaper training. Once the best aerospace engineering companies like Avro or BAE are not there anymore like before. Government should influence higher than this to improve British Aviation again.
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wooltweed
The run way could have been extended into the wasteland and the road could have gone underneath, the run way wasnt directed towards the M1.
The wasteland was part of an old railway goods yard. The planes generally took off and headed over catcliffe. I worked close by and walked around the area very often in my lunch break. I used the airport for a trip to Amsterdam and Belfast City. It made perfect sense.
However sometimes we found ourselves returning to Manchester or Leeds and getting a coach back to Sheffield.
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The run way could have been extended into the wasteland and the road could have gone underneath, the run way wasnt directed towards the M1.
The wasteland was part of an old railway goods yard. The planes generally took off and headed over catcliffe. I worked close by and walked around the area very often in my lunch break. I used the airport for a trip to Amsterdam and Belfast City. It made perfect sense.
However sometimes we found ourselves returning to Manchester or Leeds and getting a coach back to Sheffield.
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Mikls
Another political vanity project. Local politicians with ridiculous ideas and wasting masses of public money on a site that simply was not even suitable for an airport. Classic waste. 75, 000 passengers! To show how ridiculous that is the railway station at Sheffield has 9. 2 million passers. Think of the similar waste on the previous World Student Games in Sheffield in 1991 and the Don Valley Stadium - the taxpayers will still be paying the debts well into the Century. Never let politicians spend money.
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Another political vanity project. Local politicians with ridiculous ideas and wasting masses of public money on a site that simply was not even suitable for an airport. Classic waste. 75, 000 passengers! To show how ridiculous that is the railway station at Sheffield has 9. 2 million passers. Think of the similar waste on the previous World Student Games in Sheffield in 1991 and the Don Valley Stadium - the taxpayers will still be paying the debts well into the Century. Never let politicians spend money.
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Pablo
Sheffield City was never going to emulate London City - the latter city being the financial capital of Europe. Lots of extremely wealthy business people within a short taxi ride. The industrial estate that replaced the airport provides hundreds of high skilled jobs. Boeing, Rolls Royce, McLaren to name a few. Its ironic that now there are potentially far more potential business fliers on its doorstep. although I suspect still not enough to keep an airport viable.
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Sheffield City was never going to emulate London City - the latter city being the financial capital of Europe. Lots of extremely wealthy business people within a short taxi ride. The industrial estate that replaced the airport provides hundreds of high skilled jobs. Boeing, Rolls Royce, McLaren to name a few. Its ironic that now there are potentially far more potential business fliers on its doorstep. although I suspect still not enough to keep an airport viable.
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Trevor
I disagree with you about the future of airports like this. 1, 200 M is enough for modern 100 seater jet aircraft to lift a reasonable load and fly a reasonable distance. As you said, it was the lack of radar that killed this airport. Not having this meant that risk adverse airlines were unwilling to expose their aircraft to an unknown traffic environment for little or no return. When ADSB is compulsory airports like this will have a future.
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I disagree with you about the future of airports like this. 1, 200 M is enough for modern 100 seater jet aircraft to lift a reasonable load and fly a reasonable distance. As you said, it was the lack of radar that killed this airport. Not having this meant that risk adverse airlines were unwilling to expose their aircraft to an unknown traffic environment for little or no return. When ADSB is compulsory airports like this will have a future.
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Tracie
This is the way Cardiff Wales Airport is going since Drakeford has decided the Welsh shouldn't go abroad so it is practicly shut, bought from tax payers money by the Welsh Government from our taxes. I maybe wrong but the Spanish owners bought Cardiff and Bristol to run down Cardiff so everybody would fly from Bristol, tbh, Cardiff is the best airport I have ever flown from with one of the longest runways in the UK
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This is the way Cardiff Wales Airport is going since Drakeford has decided the Welsh shouldn't go abroad so it is practicly shut, bought from tax payers money by the Welsh Government from our taxes. I maybe wrong but the Spanish owners bought Cardiff and Bristol to run down Cardiff so everybody would fly from Bristol, tbh, Cardiff is the best airport I have ever flown from with one of the longest runways in the UK
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jimhawkins2
Doncaster-Sheffield, with its long runway, is actually quite a busy cargo hub. For really small airports that somehow survive, pay a visit to Humberside Airport. From where we live, in Hull, Manchester is a pain in the arse to get to - as is Leeds-Bradford. I hope the smaller regional airports survive and thrive - I never want to travel via Gatwick or Heathrow ever again if I can avoid it!
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Doncaster-Sheffield, with its long runway, is actually quite a busy cargo hub. For really small airports that somehow survive, pay a visit to Humberside Airport. From where we live, in Hull, Manchester is a pain in the arse to get to - as is Leeds-Bradford. I hope the smaller regional airports survive and thrive - I never want to travel via Gatwick or Heathrow ever again if I can avoid it!
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Anthony
The main issue here is that Sheffield just isnt London. Given this and the fact that Manchester & Leeds are are so close, theres no sufficient economic driver to justify this airport. The airport probably could have been expanded, but the cost for returns would have been prohibitive. Perhaps if the runway would have been longer, the airport would have survived.
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The main issue here is that Sheffield just isnt London. Given this and the fact that Manchester & Leeds are are so close, theres no sufficient economic driver to justify this airport. The airport probably could have been expanded, but the cost for returns would have been prohibitive. Perhaps if the runway would have been longer, the airport would have survived.
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Soi
They could have extended the runway, technically there is no reason why the M1 could have gone into a tunnel, that's the plan at Heathrow if the third runway is built, the M25 disappears in to a tunnel. I realise the cost involved at Sheffield was probably why the idea to do that never got anywhere, not enough traffic to justify it.
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They could have extended the runway, technically there is no reason why the M1 could have gone into a tunnel, that's the plan at Heathrow if the third runway is built, the M25 disappears in to a tunnel. I realise the cost involved at Sheffield was probably why the idea to do that never got anywhere, not enough traffic to justify it.
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Ed
Great video. I work at the AMRC which is partly on the site of the old airport and also across the other side of the parkway. Quite a succesfull redevelopment of the area beyond a simple industrial estate. The AMRC is mostly the reason the likes of Rolls-Royce and Boeing now have facilities here.
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Great video. I work at the AMRC which is partly on the site of the old airport and also across the other side of the parkway. Quite a succesfull redevelopment of the area beyond a simple industrial estate. The AMRC is mostly the reason the likes of Rolls-Royce and Boeing now have facilities here.
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Andy
This is similar to Coventry airport, which, at one time, started to do international passenger flights. The intention was to act as an alternative to Birmingham. I did fly to Germany from there before they shut it down again. I believe it now only handles general aviation and some freight.
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This is similar to Coventry airport, which, at one time, started to do international passenger flights. The intention was to act as an alternative to Birmingham. I did fly to Germany from there before they shut it down again. I believe it now only handles general aviation and some freight.
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Lauren
The airport was simply in the wrong place - it was on the outskirts with no tram or rail service, so add an hour or more to most travel times and/or taxi fares and take pot luck with the traffic. At that point you may as well go for a better airport with more flights and facilities.
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The airport was simply in the wrong place - it was on the outskirts with no tram or rail service, so add an hour or more to most travel times and/or taxi fares and take pot luck with the traffic. At that point you may as well go for a better airport with more flights and facilities.
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Mike
I seem to recall the South Yorkshire police helicopter was based here for a time after the airport closed before it was moved to Leeds. Built about the same time as the also Ill fated Don Valley athletics stadium for the world student games, also long gone.
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I seem to recall the South Yorkshire police helicopter was based here for a time after the airport closed before it was moved to Leeds. Built about the same time as the also Ill fated Don Valley athletics stadium for the world student games, also long gone.
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Mark
I used to fly from Sheffield Airport every week. I worked in Amsterdam and then latterly Stockholm, I used to fly KLM to Amsterdam then when that service ended Sabena to Stockholm via Brussels. It was so handy as I live in Rotherham.
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I used to fly from Sheffield Airport every week. I worked in Amsterdam and then latterly Stockholm, I used to fly KLM to Amsterdam then when that service ended Sabena to Stockholm via Brussels. It was so handy as I live in Rotherham.
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lol
watching this as Doncaster has just closed, which is a massive shame for someone who lives In Rotherham and loves aviation! I think South Yorkshire Police used to operate helicopters from Sheffield airport, not sure if they still do.
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watching this as Doncaster has just closed, which is a massive shame for someone who lives In Rotherham and loves aviation! I think South Yorkshire Police used to operate helicopters from Sheffield airport, not sure if they still do.
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EdgyNumber1
A shame they couldn't have kept it as a flight club and school training airport, perhaps with light aircraft maintenance businesses. Land is valuable though, so Peel will be making more profit from property rent.
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A shame they couldn't have kept it as a flight club and school training airport, perhaps with light aircraft maintenance businesses. Land is valuable though, so Peel will be making more profit from property rent.
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Graham
There were plans to open an airport in Sheffield since the 1940s. Norton airfield was the original site proposed. This received support from the Sheffield City Council. There was a story in the Star during the 1950s.
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There were plans to open an airport in Sheffield since the 1940s. Norton airfield was the original site proposed. This received support from the Sheffield City Council. There was a story in the Star during the 1950s.
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