London Biggin Hill Airport’s long-running efforts to upgrade its runway and all-weather status are set to yield results with the roll-out in the next few months of four measures that should make it a more compelling option for business aircraft heading to the UK capital. The privately-owned airport’s efforts owe as much to determination as innovation, with large investments made and up to five years expended seeking the required Civil Aviation Authority blessing.
In the first quarter of 2025, the agency is allowing live trials of a new Runway 3 approach that will mean its main runway has an IFR approach at both ends. “This means a more stable approach with a constant descent and aircraft will spend less time flying over local residents,” explained Biggin Hill commercial director Robert Walters. “It means that many U.S. corporate operators, with company offices nearby here in the London area, will now feel able to use the airport.”
Another factor that has discouraged some operators from flying into Biggin Hill has been the lack of 24/7 weather service. This is now fixed with the activation of AutoMet en-route weather software that makes real-time data automatically available to flight crews.
Weather On Demand
“This is very good for transatlantic flights,” Walters said. “Until now, operators were faced with taking off from the U.S. at around 11 p.m. UK time and not knowing what the local weather would be here until air traffic control opens at 6.15 a.m. That can mean very little warning [if the weather worsens] and it can make people nervous. Now, they can get constant updates during the night.”
Another important investment at Biggin Hill has been made in a new instrument runway visual range system that accurately shows the horizontal visual range and is connected to the weather information service. Until now, the contour of the main runway has meant that the airport was restricted to stating maximum visibility as being 750 meters (about 2,460 feet), but the additional capability gives crews more complete information.
The airport has also committed to contractors who will resurface the runway and install new LED lighting along the centerline and edges. Costing around $27 million, this work will be done at night to avoid disrupting traffic and will provide improved situational awareness for operators.
“All of these improvements combined make us much more on par with other London-area airports,” Walters said. While overall traffic levels so far this year have been close to those in 2023, the airport is seeing a higher proportion of larger aircraft.
Generating Local Jobs
Biggin Hill’s other big-picture objective is to serve as a generator of growth for the local economy so that its surrounding community sees tangible benefits in terms of good-quality jobs. Eight years ago, the airport conducted an employment study that found that, for every 1,000 aircraft movements, 40 jobs were generated. An update to this research conducted in recent weeks found that this number has increased to 88 jobs per 1,000 movements.
“Part of that is driven by us not just being a taxi rank for aircraft,” Walters concluded. “Our ambition is to be a full-service center, an aerospace center, and a home base for more operators and companies. That is starting to play out through [service providers] such as Bombardier, Oriens Aviation, and Zenith.”
The airport is still pursuing its ambition to be home to a new aerospace skills college. After Marshall Aerospace pulled out of a planned partnership, it is now working with Bombardier to resurrect this plan. Also on the cards is a new accommodation block to house skilled workers who commute to and from their remote homes to work multi-day shifts in what is a high-cost area for housing.