Newquay Airport

Cornwall Airport Newquay RAF St Mawgan
IATA: NQY ICAO: EGHQ
Summary
Airport type	Public / Military / Commercial spaceport
Owner	Cornwall Council
Operator	Cornwall Airport Ltd.
Serves	Newquay and Cornwall
Location	Mawgan in Pydar, Cornwall
Opened	1962
Hub for	Eastern Airways
Elevation AMSL	390 ft / 119 m
Coordinates	50°26′27″N 004°59′43″W
Website	cornwallairportnewquay.com
Map
EGHQ Location in Cornwall Show map of Cornwall EGHQ EGHQ (England) Show map of England EGHQ EGHQ (the United Kingdom) Show map of the United Kingdom
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 12/30 2,744 9,003 Grooved Asphalt
Statistics (2023)
Passengers 408,870 Passenger change 2022/23 67.1% Aircraft Movements 19,384 Movements change 2022/23 21.3%
Sources: UK AIP at NATS[1] Statistics from the UK Civil Aviation Authority[2]

Cornwall Airport Newquay (IATA: NQY, ICAO: EGHQ) is the main commercial airport for Cornwall, England located at Mawgan in Pydar, 4 NM (7.4 km; 4.6 mi) northeast of the town of Newquay on Cornwall's north coast. Its runway was operated by RAF St Mawgan before 2008, and is now owned by Cornwall Council and operated by Cornwall Airport Ltd.

The airport handled 461,300 passengers in 2017, a 24.2% increase over the previous year.^[2] Newquay has a CAA Public Use Aerodrome Licence that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction. The Cornwall Air Ambulance is based at the airport. Since 2012, the airport has hosted the Aerohub enterprise zone. The 2,744 metre (9,003 ft) runway can take the largest and fastest of civil and military aircraft, having been built and maintained for decades as an RAF maritime operations base. The US Navy were present with the USN AWD storage facility and Joint Maritime Facility. With the end of the Cold War and changes in American political priorities, the Americans pulled out of all involvement with the base by the end of 2009. The last RAF flying squadron based at St Mawgan was 203(R) Squadron which moved out in 2008, while part of the site continues to be used by the RAF.^[3]

The airport is also the location of Spaceport Cornwall. The facility has the capability to launch small space satellites into low Earth orbit using an air-launch-to-orbit type system.^[4]

History

Military use

The airfield was opened in 1933 as a civilian facility, but was requisitioned at the outbreak of World War II and named RAF Trebelzue to support other bases in the Cornwall area. The base was renamed RAF St Mawgan in 1943, after expansion. The facility was then handed to the USAAF and there were a number of improvements, including the building of a new control tower and expansion of the current runway. The airfield was put under maintenance in 1947, and reopened as a Coastal Command base in 1951.

Since 1951, aircraft squadron which have operated at the station have included 7 Sqn., 22 Sqn., 203 Sqn. (Sea King OCU, 1996–2008); 220 Sqn (later renamed 201); 228 Sqn. (later renamed 206), both Long Range Reconnaissance Squadrons; No. 42 Squadron RAF (BAe Nimrod) (disbanded 1992), No. 236 Operational Conversion Unit RAF, the Nimrod front-line conversion-to-type unit (1970-1992). In addition, Royal Air Force Regiment squadrons No. 1 Squadron RAF Regiment and 2625 Sqn (Royal Auxiliary Air Force) were present. 2625 Sqn was disbanded on 1 November 2006, whilst 1 Sqn RAF Regt relocated to RAF Honington. The others relocated or closed. In 2005, RAF St Mawgan was one of the bases shortlisted to house the new Joint Combat Aircraft (JCA) in 2013, but in November 2005, it was announced by Minister of State for the Armed Forces Adam Ingram that the operation would be based from Scotland. Helicopter maintenance (HMF) also ceased here in late 2006.^{[citation needed]}

Flying operations at RAF St Mawgan (on the opposite side of the runway to the civil terminal) ceased in December 2008.

Transition to fully civilian airport

Looking over the apron at Air Southwest and Flybe jets at Newquay Airport in June 2007

In 2006, the airport introduced a £5 per passenger airport development fee, payable by all departing passengers via an ATM type machine prior to passing security.^[5] This resulted in Monarch Airlines axing its route from the airport (to Málaga) and in Ryanair reducing the number of flights, though this was later restored. In 2015, it was announced that the £5 development fee would be scrapped in March 2016. Before 2008, the airport operated as dual civilian/military airport, with the civilian side known as Newquay Civil Airport. In 2008, the airport closed from 1 to 19 December, to allow time for the takeover of the airfield navigation services (i.e. air traffic control) from RAF St Mawgan and to fully meet CAA standards. After further inspections by the CAA, flights recommenced on 20 December 2008.^[6]

By virtue of a statutory instrument issued on 22 September 2009, Newquay Airport is subject to current airport bylaws, per section 63 of the Airports Act 1986.^[7]

An extension opened in 2006 increased the terminal's size by 20%, allowing the airport to handle up to 450,000 passengers a year. In January 2008, Cornwall County Council approved plans for an expanded arrivals hall and departure lounge; a new retail outlet; a business lounge; and new airfield structures. In May 2008, the new arrivals and baggage reclaim area was opened; unlike the old arrivals hall, this allowed domestic and international flights to be processed simultaneously. It also added a gate to the departure lounge. The expansion of the airport was criticised in 2007 by a number of environmental groups. This opposition was based not only on environmental concerns (given that the majority of flights are short-haul and to destinations that could be served by rail), but also socio-economic concerns that airport expansion would lead to a greater demand for second homes in Cornwall, adding to already inflated local house prices.^[8]

Civil airport operation

The Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair pulled out of the airport in 2006, ceasing flights to London Stansted and Girona-Costa Brava Airport.^[9] In November 2008, Newquay Airport released its draft master plan, outlining its plans for the airport until 2030.^[10] In July 2011, the airport's main carrier, Air Southwest, announced the end of all flights from Newquay effective 30 September 2011, leaving the airport with only three year-round scheduled routes.^[11]

In May 2013, Flybe announced it would cease flying to Gatwick, leaving Newquay with year-round flights to just the Isles of Scilly and Manchester. On 2 December 2013, Flybe announced they had agreed a deal with Newquay which would secure the future of the Gatwick route until the end of October 2014, so that a public service obligation (PSO) subsidy could be finalised. Under the new deal Flybe was to operate two daily flights, with the afternoon service being dropped.^[12] Ryanair returned to the airport in April 2016, after the £5 development fee was scrapped.^[13]

On 5 March 2020, Flybe ceased trading, leaving Cornwall with no year-round direct flights to London once again. British Airways announced a six-flight-per-week summer schedule to London, commencing initially in Easter 2020. However, the COVID-19 pandemic's impacts on aviation resulted in the service launch being postponed. The service was eventually launched on 24 July 2020, albeit as a year-round service under a Public Service Obligation Emergency Order which lasts until February 2021. During this period, Department for Transport will run the tender process for the four-year contract which will begin in March 2021.^[14]

Aerohub enterprise zone

In August 2011, the UK government announced that the airport's bid to host an enterprise zone for aerospace businesses had been successful.^[15] The Aerohub enterprise zone was launched in April 2012.^[16] In September 2014, the UK's Homes and Communities Agency and the European Regional Development Fund agreed to fund the construction of a £6 million Aerohub Business Park.^[17] Organisations attracted to Aerohub by 2014 included Classic Air Force and the Bloodhound Supersonic Car project.^[16]

From 29 March 2013, Classic Air Force has operated from the airport using a variety of aircraft,^[18] including the world's oldest flying British jet aircraft and the only flying Gloster Meteor T7.^[19] From April 2013 until 2017, it has also operated a museum in the 70,000 square feet (6,500 m²) Hangar 404, which was previously used to service the Hawker Siddeley Nimrods of RAF St Mawgan.^[18] Some of the now-closed museum's exhibits remain elsewhere on the airfield under different ownership. Since 2015, a new venture known as 'Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre' (CAHC), was opened at the Aerohub.^[20]

Testing of Bloodhound SSC at speeds of over 200 mph (320 km/h) was performed on the runway in 2017,^[21] in preparation for a 500 mph (800 km/h) test run on its new specially created race track at Hakskeen Pan, South Africa in 2019, leading to an attempt on the land speed record in the future.^[22] Plans have been submitted to build the world's deepest artificial pool in Cornwall to train astronauts and help advance undersea robotics.^[23]

A Cycle-hub is due to be built near Newquay Aerohub Business Park on council-owned land and is the result of a partnership between British Cycling, Cornwall Council and Sport England.^[24]

Potential future uses

In September 2013, the National Aeronautical Centre (NAC) at Aberporth Airport in West Wales announced that it would use Newquay as its second airport for testing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).^[25] The NAC said it was attracted by the length of the runway and the facilities of Aerohub. The test flights would require 3,000 square miles (7,800 km²) of segregated airspace over the sea.^[26] In March 2015, the airport reported that the establishment of this segregated area had not yet been agreed with the Department for Transport, who stated that negotiations with international bodies to create an appropriate regulatory framework for UAVs were still taking place.^[27]

In July 2014, Newquay was one of eight airports shortlisted by the Civil Aviation Authority as a possible site for a British commercial spaceport.^[28] The shortlist was reduced to six airports in March 2015, with Newquay still a candidate.^[29] The selection process was abandoned in May 2016 after the Department for Transport announced it would be creating regulatory conditions allowing any suitable location wishing to become a spaceport.^[30]

Airlines and destinations

The following airlines operate regular scheduled flights to and from Newquay:^[31]

Airlines	Destinations
Aer Lingus	Seasonal: Dublin
Eastern Airways	London–Gatwick
easyJet	Seasonal: Manchester[32]
Edelweiss Air	Seasonal: Zurich
Eurowings	Seasonal: Düsseldorf
Isles of Scilly Skybus	Seasonal: Isles of Scilly
Loganair	Aberdeen,[a] Isle of Man,[b] Manchester[33] Seasonal: Edinburgh,[33] Glasgow (begins 31 May 2025),[34] Newcastle upon Tyne
Ryanair[35]	Alicante, Dublin, Faro, London–Stansted, Málaga Seasonal: Edinburgh[36]

Traffic statistics

Passengers and aircraft movements

Cornwall Airport Newquay
passenger totals 2015–2023 (thousands)

Traffic statistics at Cornwall Airport Newquay^[2]

Year	Passengers[c]		Aircraft[d]		Freight
	Numbers	% change	Numbers	% change	Tonnes	% change
2015	251,987		22,848		0
2016	371,500	47.4	30,417	33.1	2	nm
2017	461,300	24.2	37,113	22.0	12	500.0
2018	456,888	1.0	41,172	10.9	3	75.0
2019	461,478	1.0	46,338	12.5	2	33.3
2020	67,877	85.3	34,398	25.8	2
2021	105,554	55.5	32,062	6.8	0	100.0
2022	244,675	131.8	24,625	23.2	0
2023	408,870	67.1	19,384	21.3	1	nm

Routes

Busiest routes to and from Cornwall Airport Newquay (2023)^[2]

Rank	Airport	Total passengers	Change 2022 / 23
1	London-Gatwick	83,948	30.1%
2	Manchester	75,091	24.3%
3	Dublin	60,453	247.5%
4	Faro	35,678	75.0%
5	Alicante	34,204	12.4%
6	London-Stansted	27,280	New Route
7	Málaga	26,158	New Route
8	Edinburgh	20,867	62.7%
9	Belfast-City	13,802	New Route
10	Aberdeen	12,412	47.3%

Spaceport Cornwall

Cosmic Girl carrying LauncherOne–only one flight of the Virgin Orbit system was carried out from Spaceport Cornwall

History

In June 2019, the UK government and Cornwall Council announced they were prepared to invest up to £20M into the airport to create Spaceport Cornwall as a base for Virgin Orbit. The system, in support of the UK space industry,^[37] would launch satellite carrying rockets to space from under the wing of a converted Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747 jumbo jet by the early 2020s dependent on the business case put forward.^[38] On 5 November 2019, the UK Space Agency announced that it would provide £7.35M to establish Virgin Orbit operations at Spaceport Cornwall.^[39]

On 30 September 2022, Spaceport Cornwall was officially launched, with the opening of their Space Systems Integration Facility (SSIF).^[40] The spaceport will also be home to the Centre for Space Technologies consisting of the SSIF and the Space Systems Operation Facility, an adjacent R&D work and office space. The spaceport, working with new businesses in the local area and the University of Exeter aim to be the first to reach Net Zero globally.

On 16 November 2022, it was announced that Spaceport Cornwall had been granted an operating licence by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) allowing it to send satellites into space.^[4]

As of December 2023, Spaceport Cornwall are working on system development and UK return missions with launch operators Sierra Space and Space Engine Systems. In addition, the spaceport is in discussions with an established horizontal launch provider with a view to support UK launches from mid-2025.^[41][42]

Virgin Orbit

The first launch from the spaceport using the Virgin Orbit LauncherOne system took place on 9 January 2023 with a payload of several small satellites. However, after being released by its carrier aircraft, the LauncherOne rocket suffered an upper stage engine anomaly at approximately 180 km (112 miles) altitude on its ascent into space, failing to achieve orbit and resulting in the loss of the payload.^[43][44] The flight was the only one carried out from the spaceport using the Virgin Orbit system.

After failing to secure new investment, Virgin Orbit halted operations in March 2023 and filed for bankruptcy in the US in April 2023. They later agreed to sell key assets to other aerospace companies and ceasing operations.^[45][46][47]

Flight no.	Date and time (UTC)	Rocket	Payload	Orbit	Customer	Outcome
1	9 January 2023 23:11[48][49]	LauncherOne (Flight no.6)	AMAN, CIRCE A & B, DOVER, ForgeStar-0, IOD-3 Amber, Prometheus 2A & 2B, STORK-6	Low Earth	ETCO, Dstl / NRL, RHEA Group, Space Forge, Satellite Applications Catapult, UK Ministry of Defence / NRO, SatRevolution	Failure
		Start Me Up mission. First mission from Spaceport Cornwall. The rocket suffered an anomaly and failed to achieve orbit, falling back to Earth. Loss of payload.[50][43]

Based units

Newquay airport is home to:

• Cornwall Air Ambulance since its introduction in 1987. As of 1 April 2020^[update], the trust operates an AgustaWestland AW169.^[51]
• HM Coastguard have a small operations base and operate two Sikorsky S92 helicopters from Newquay Airport.^[52]

Notes

1. Aberdeen service is a continuation of the Manchester service as the same flight number
2. Isle of Man service is a continuation of the Manchester service as the same flight number
3. The number of domestic and international passengers handled
4. The number of all aircraft takeoffs and landings at the airport

References

1. "Nats | Ais - Home". Nats-uk.ead-it.com. Retrieved 18 April 2015.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
2. "Annual airport data 2023: Tables 3, 9, 12 and 13.pdf". UK Civil Aviation Authority. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
3. "RAF St Mawgan". Royal Air Force. Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
4. "Spaceport Cornwall granted operating licence". BBC News Website. 16 November 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
5. "Airport Development Fee". Newquay Cornwall Airport. Archived from the original on 20 December 2008.
6. "Newquay Cornwall Airport reopens to commercial flights under new civilian licence - DN - Defence Notes - Shephard Media". shephardmedia.com. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
7. "The Airports Byelaws (Designation) Order", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 22 September 2009, SI 2009/2576
8. "Newquay Airport The Case Examined" (PDF). Groundswell Cornwall. October 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 November 2008. Retrieved 9 February 2008.
9. "Ryanair returns to Newquay Cornwall Airport". Archived from the original on 18 December 2010.
10. "The Newquay Cornwall Airport Draft Masterplan". Archived from the original on 7 March 2009.
11. "Air Southwest is to cease flights". BBC News. 14 July 2011. Archived from the original on 15 January 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
12. "Government funding secures Cornwall to London air link". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 1 February 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
13. "Ryanair announce new flights for 2016". Cornwall Airport Newquay. Archived from the original on 25 September 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
14. "Services - 348245-2020 - TED Tenders Electronic Daily". ted.europa.eu. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
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16. "Aerohub at Newquay Cornwall continues to attract businesses". Airport World. 27 November 2014. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
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18. FlyPast. Stamford, Lincolnshire: Key Publishing Ltd. March 2013. p. 6.
19. "Gloster (Armstrong Whitworth) Meteor T7". Classic Air Force. Archived from the original on 5 October 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
20. "Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre". padstowlive.com/. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
21. "BLOODHOUND Dynamic testing – Run reports". BLOODHOUND SSC. 16 October 2017. Archived from the original on 17 October 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
22. "BLOODHOUND 500 – SOUTH AFRICA 2019". 15 December 2017. Archived from the original on 24 July 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
23. "Plans to build world's deepest pool in Cornwall to train astronauts". The Guardian. 2 June 2021. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
24. "Cornwall cycling hub 'to form Tour of Britain legacy". BBC. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
25. "UAV testing in Aberporth expanding to use Newquay Cornwall Airport". BBC News Online. 11 September 2013. Archived from the original on 13 February 2015. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
26. "Drones to fly out of Newquay testing site". BBC News Online. 11 September 2013. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
27. Gallacher, Neil (6 March 2015). "Newquay Airport: Government 'to oppose drone testing'". BBC News Online. Archived from the original on 6 March 2015. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
28. Sample, Ian (15 July 2014). "Space race: eight sites shortlisted for UK's first commercial spaceport". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 17 July 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
29. Amos, Jonathan (3 March 2015). "UK ministers issue spaceport shortlist". BBC News Online. Archived from the original on 3 March 2015. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
30. McArdle, Helen (20 May 2016). "UK spaceport competition axed in favour of licensing model". The Herald - Scotland. Archived from the original on 11 June 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
31. cornwallairportnewquay.com - Where can I fly retrieved 21 August 2022
32. https://ukaviation.news/easyjet-announces-new-routes-from-newquay-cornwall/
33. Liu, Jim. "Loganair NS24 Service Changes – 25FEB24". Aeroroutes.com. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
34. https://airlinergs.com/loganair-launches-glasgow-newquay-route-for-summer-2025/
35. "Ryanair NS23 Network Additions Summary – 26MAR23". Aeroroutes.
36. "Ryanair Moves Additional Routes to Ryanair UK in NS23". Aeroroutes.
37. "The UK Space Industry". UK Parliament House of Commons Library. 23 April 2021.
38. Amos, Jonathan (4 June 2019). "Investment offer to take Cornwall and Virgin into orbit". BBC News Website - Science & Environment. Archived from the original on 14 June 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
39. "U.K. Government to fund spaceport improvements for Virgin Orbit". 6 November 2019.
40. "Countdown to Cornwall: Spaceport Cornwall Officially Open for Business". Spaceport Cornwall Website. 30 September 2022. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
41. "Sierra Space Enters into International Agreement with Spaceport Cornwall for Dream Chaser® Spaceplane; Bolsters UK Space Industry". Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC). 9 June 2021.
42. "Looking Back: A Year of Inspiration and Innovation". Spaceport Cornwall. 20 December 2023.
43. "LauncherOne: Virgin Orbit reveals why UK's first rocket launch failed as it plans further attempts". Sky News. 12 January 2023.
44. "UK space launch: Historic Cornwall rocket launch ends in failure". BBC News. 10 January 2023.
45. "Virgin Orbit: Richard Branson's rocket firm files for bankruptcy". BBC News. 4 April 2023.
46. Sheetz, Michael (30 March 2023). "Virgin Orbit fails to secure funding, will cease operations and lay off nearly entire workforce". CNBC. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
47. Browne, Ed (10 January 2019). "Virgin Orbit: Facts about the bankrupt air-launch provider". SPACE.com - Future US, Inc. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
48. Morris, Steven (9 January 2023). "UK's first orbital rocket mission takes off from Cornwall". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
49. Graham, William (9 January 2023). "Virgin Orbit fails on first mission from the UK with Start Me Up". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
50. "Virgin Orbit Update on UK Mission Anomaly". Virgin Orbit. 14 February 2023.
51. "Aircraft Data G-CRWL, 2019 Leonardo AW-169 C/N 69100". airport-data.com. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
52. Bristow Group. "Latest News - bristowgroup.com". Bristow Group. Retrieved 9 September 2020.

External links

Media related to Newquay Cornwall Airport at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website
• Aerohub Enterprise Zone