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Portsmouth Airport (UK)
Encyclopedia
Portsmouth Airport was situated at the northeast corner of Portsea Island
on the south coast of England
and was one of the last remaining commercial grass runway
airport
s in the United Kingdom
.
-London
railway line and the waters of Langstone Harbour
the airport offered little scope of expansion and following some accidents with larger aircraft in the 1960s the airport was finally closed in 1973.
airliner and other civil and military aircraft being present.
) were sent to serve as part of the National Air Communications Scheme while the site and skills at the Portsmouth Airport site were used to repair and modify several thousand military aircraft for return to service.
The company changed its name to Portsmouth Aviation in 1946 with a view to expanding both the aviation and manufacturing sides of the business and the following year their newly designed Portsmouth Aerocar
made its first flight. This five-seat aircraft had an unusual twin-engined, twin-boom, high-wing layout. It was exhibited at the Farnborough Air Show
1948 and 1949 but due to the nationalisation of the rail and air services the company were unable to manufacture orders received for the craft. The company continued to run a smaller air-ferry service to overseas destinations, but development occurred on the manufacturing, repair, design and development sides of the business. The company continues to operate at this site, now offering a range of services beyond aviation.
and the Envoy
light transport aircraft.
Between 1938 and 1945, the factory built several thousand Oxford
twin-engined training aircraft for the Royal Air Force
and other air arms. The company had been acquired by de Havilland Aircraft in 1940. Airspeed converted over 150 Oxfords postwar to civil aviation standards as the Consul
and these were flown until the mid 1950s by small charter and other operators. During the 1950s Airspeed manufactured parts and sub-assemblies at Portsmouth for their new aircraft designs, but in 1960 the firm moved all its remaining operations to Christchurch
Hampshire
.
H&SA have been established on the site for over fifty years. In 1949, the firm designed the Herald single-seat light aircraft, which made a few ground hops at the airfield in 1953. Registered G-ALYA, the sole example was an ultra-light aircraft with a tricycle undercarriage and was powered by a 40 h.p. Aeronca-JAP J-99 engine. The aircraft was dismantled in 1955.
During the late 1970s, the firm was handling the overhaul of light turbine and piston engines for aircraft and other uses. H&SA are still active today (2009).
industry companies remain on the site including Portsmouth Aviation, Hants and Sussex Aviation and FPT Industries
.
The area has several roads named after local significant aircraft industry people especially Norway Road and Neville Shute Way both named after the author Nevil Shute
(Nevil Shute Norway) who was one of the founders of Airspeed Ltd.
Portsea Island
Portsea Island is a small, flat and low lying island just off the south coast of England. The island is totally within, and contains a large proportion of, the city of Portsmouth. It has the third-largest population of any island in the British Isles, after the mainlands of Great Britain and...
on the south coast of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and was one of the last remaining commercial grass runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
s in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Location
Sandwiched between the incoming PortsmouthPortsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
-London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
railway line and the waters of Langstone Harbour
Langstone Harbour
Langstone Harbour is an inlet of the English Channel in Hampshire, sandwiched between Portsea Island to the south and west, Hayling Island to the south and east, and Langstone to the north. Geographically it is a ria....
the airport offered little scope of expansion and following some accidents with larger aircraft in the 1960s the airport was finally closed in 1973.
Construction and opening
The airport was constructed during 1931 and early 1932 as Portsmouth's municipal airport. The airfield's name "Portsmouth" was marked in stone next to a large circle in the centre of the landing area. An opening display was held for the public on 2 July 1932 with an Armstrong Whitworth ArgosyArmstrong Whitworth Argosy
-Video:*-References:NotesBibliography*Mondey, David, ed., The Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia of the World's Aircraft: Military and Civil Aviation From the Beginnings to the Present Day. Secaucus, New Jersey: Chartwell Books Inc., 1978, ISBN 0-89009-771-2....
airliner and other civil and military aircraft being present.
Portsmouth, Southsea and Isle of Wight Aviation
P.S.I.O.W.A. moved to the airport in 1932 (having previously been based on the Isle of Wight under the name Inland Flying Services) and operated the first air ferry service in the South of England, flying passengers from Portsmouth Airport to Ryde on the Isle of Wight. The popularity of air travel grew rapidly and soon P.S.I.O.W.A. were offering high-frequency services between airfields around the South and the Isle of Wight, even joining forces with coach and train services to provide connections from London and Cardiff. The company continued to expand and were using a range of small aircraft including an eight-seat three-engined Westland Wessex G-ABVB by 1936. This aircraft was damaged beyond repair at Ryde on 30 May 1936.Portsmouth Aviation
PSIOWA began to expand rapidly before the war and began to undertake aircraft maintenance and modification in their hangars at the airport, in addition to the successful ferry services. At the start of the Second World War PSIOWA were ordered to stop their flying services in order to concentrate on the manufacture and repair side of the business. PSIOWA planes and pilots (including famous aviatrix, Amy JohnsonAmy Johnson
Amy Johnson CBE, was a pioneering English aviator. Flying solo or with her husband, Jim Mollison, Johnson set numerous long-distance records during the 1930s...
) were sent to serve as part of the National Air Communications Scheme while the site and skills at the Portsmouth Airport site were used to repair and modify several thousand military aircraft for return to service.
The company changed its name to Portsmouth Aviation in 1946 with a view to expanding both the aviation and manufacturing sides of the business and the following year their newly designed Portsmouth Aerocar
Portsmouth Aerocar
|-See also:-References:***...
made its first flight. This five-seat aircraft had an unusual twin-engined, twin-boom, high-wing layout. It was exhibited at the Farnborough Air Show
Farnborough Air Show
The Farnborough International Airshow is a seven-day international trade fair for the aerospace industry which is held in even-numbered years in mid-July at Farnborough Airfield in Hampshire, England....
1948 and 1949 but due to the nationalisation of the rail and air services the company were unable to manufacture orders received for the craft. The company continued to run a smaller air-ferry service to overseas destinations, but development occurred on the manufacturing, repair, design and development sides of the business. The company continues to operate at this site, now offering a range of services beyond aviation.
Airspeed Limited
Airspeed Ltd moved to a new factory at the airport in 1933. Their prewar designs built at the airport included the CourierAirspeed Courier
|-See also:-External links:**...
and the Envoy
Airspeed Envoy
The Airspeed AS.6 Envoy was a British light, twin-engined transport aircraft designed and built by Airspeed Ltd. in the 1930s at Portsmouth Aerodrome, Hampshire.-Development and design:...
light transport aircraft.
Between 1938 and 1945, the factory built several thousand Oxford
Airspeed Oxford
The Airspeed AS.10 Oxford was a twin-engine aircraft used for training British Commonwealth aircrews in navigation, radio-operating, bombing and gunnery during the Second World War.-Design and development:...
twin-engined training aircraft for the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
and other air arms. The company had been acquired by de Havilland Aircraft in 1940. Airspeed converted over 150 Oxfords postwar to civil aviation standards as the Consul
Airspeed Consul
-See also:-References:...
and these were flown until the mid 1950s by small charter and other operators. During the 1950s Airspeed manufactured parts and sub-assemblies at Portsmouth for their new aircraft designs, but in 1960 the firm moved all its remaining operations to Christchurch
Christchurch, Dorset
Christchurch is a borough and town in the county of Dorset on the south coast of England. The town adjoins Bournemouth in the west and the New Forest lies to the east. Historically in Hampshire, it joined Dorset with the reorganisation of local government in 1974 and is the most easterly borough in...
Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
.
Hants and Sussex Aviation
During the late 1970s, the firm was handling the overhaul of light turbine and piston engines for aircraft and other uses. H&SA are still active today (2009).
Subsequent use
The area has been redeveloped as housing, retail and industrial units but a few of the old aircraftAircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
industry companies remain on the site including Portsmouth Aviation, Hants and Sussex Aviation and FPT Industries
FPT Industries
FPT Industries was formed in 1939 as Fireproof Tanks Ltd in the boardroom of Airspeed Ltd at Portsmouth Airport in response to an Air Ministry requirement for the development and manufacture of self-sealing fuel tanks for the impending war with Germany.The intention of the board of directors was...
.
The area has several roads named after local significant aircraft industry people especially Norway Road and Neville Shute Way both named after the author Nevil Shute
Nevil Shute
Nevil Shute Norway was a popular British-Australian novelist and a successful aeronautical engineer. He used his full name in his engineering career, and 'Nevil Shute' as his pen name, in order to protect his engineering career from any potential negative publicity in connection with his novels.-...
(Nevil Shute Norway) who was one of the founders of Airspeed Ltd.
Airspeed Ltd.
Airspeed Limited was established to build aeroplanes in 1931 in York, England, by A. H. Tiltman and Nevil Shute Norway . The other directors were A. E. Hewitt, Lord Grimthorpe and Alan Cobham...