London’s Biggin Hill Airport is on the verge of receiving final approval for longer opening hours, which should revolutionise the airport’s prospects for attracting overseas visitors. On the back of that increase in activity, it has a range of plans for developing its very large and undeveloped hill-top site.
The airfield already has three FBOs and a total of six MRO shops. Connections such as Signature having FBOs at both Biggin Hill and Teterboro, N.J., will help boost transatlantic traffic once the hours extend, believes Biggin Hill Airport business development director Robert Walters. Meanwhile Rizon Jet’s luxurious and very large FBO facility at Biggin Hill (Booth X106) is also likely to see activity picking up to new levels–with the helicopter shuttle to London Battersea Heliport being another major advantage the airport has. Operated by Castle Air using AgustaWestland 109s from Rizon’s facility, it can be used by all visitors to the airport and involves a flying time of only 6 minutes. According to Walters this was a key factor in attracting at least two owners to base their aircraft at Biggin.
The opening hours should be extending to a window from 6.30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday to Saturday rather than the current 7.30 a.m. to 9.00 p.m. Monday to Friday (although an hour either way may be granted with prior permission). Hours on Sundays and holidays would be 8 a.m. to 10.30 p.m. (or possibly 11 p.m.) rather than the current 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (which also applies on Saturdays as well at present).
“This could be fantastic for us,” said Walters. “We’re excited that we could get the U.S. arrivals in at 6.30 in the morning and out later at night. It is installing improved taxiway lighting and “the project for the new Runway 03 GPS approach is fully underway and we’re hoping it will be ready some time next year.” This will be a full PRNAV/LPV approach (i.e. CAT 1 equivalent), and there will be GPS overlay procedure for Runway 21.
The smaller runway (11-29) may become a taxiway, in which case the airfield may establish an alternative grass runway for light aircraft, in case there is a strong cross-wind on the main runway. There are several FBO and maintenance facilities along 11-29 that need access to taxi to the main runway, and the airport is planning for the expected increase in traffic.
Another increase in traffic could come from possible curbs on operations at RAF Northolt where attention was focused on the need for Civil Aviation Authority oversight by a recent High Court ruling. Walters says that one UK AOC holder has since carried out a full audit of Northolt and found that it does not meet its minimum safety standards for civil operations, for the aircraft that they fly. He did not elaborate on this but believes there should be a “level playing field.” Airports such as Biggin Hill have had to reduce usable runway lengths and have other constraints while RAF Northolt has not had to do this, yet most of its traffic is now civil, and mainly business aviation and charter.
Walters says that the airport’s vision has three aspects: being a gateway to London, a home for base aircraft, and an aircraft servicing center. Parking aircraft is also cheaper than at other London airport, at approximately $6,000 rather than $23,000 for five days. At present there are 56 based jets and 200 GA aircraft/helicopters, said Walters. Meanwhile activity has increased including a “51 percent uplift in aircraft over 20 tons.”
Plans are still underway for a 4-star hotel near the Rizon facility, an Aviation Training Academy, another large hangar for aircraft and a totally new terminal building, which could be built in around three years from now. For now the airport is about to carry out a major refurbishment of its existing facility based on feedback from customers, though the existing structure and integral tower will remain for now.