Story ID: 329
Blackbushe Invests in Alternative UK Bizav Gateway
By: Charles Alcock
Caption: New hangars and a terminal are part of a $20 million modernization project
Word Count: 538
Business aircraft operators seeking new landing options in the London area may want to take a fresh look at Blackbushe Airport (EGLK). The facility’s private owners are investing around $20 million to upgrade the site, where a pair of four-bay hangars will open by year-end, with two more planned in 2027 along with a new general aviation terminal building.
Blackbushe, which is a first-time exhibitor at NBAA-BACE, is located about five miles north of Farnborough Airport, offering a similar drive time into central London. Business operations director Rebecca Cornthwaite told AIN that the facility is providing light business jets with an alternative to capacity-constrained London-area airports. 
Currently, general aviation activity—including a flight school owned by the airport—accounts for around 95% of activity at Blackbushe. The airport’s management team has stressed that it is not looking to replace the general aviation community, but pointed out that, even at 5% of total traffic, business aviation already generates around 20% of its income. The site also continues to see demand from helicopter operators.
Blackbushe’s single Runway 7/25 is 4,215 feet long and 151 feet wide, and is equipped for visual approaches with high-intensity edge lighting and PAPIs. For private operations, the airport can accommodate jets up to the size of Dassault Falcon 8Xs and Gulfstream G550s, but it has wider appeal for commercial flights with aircraft such as the Pilatus PC-24 and PC-12, as well as Beechcraft King Airs.
No Movement Constraints
Unlike its  Farnborough neighbor, Blackbushe Airport is not constrained by a cap on annual movements. According to airport managing director Chris Gazzard, Blackbushe is drawing interest from operators seeking workarounds to weekend restrictions at Farnborough and other locations. 
Standard daily operating hours at Blackbushe are from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time, with extensions available until 10 p.m. subject to a supplementary landing fee that also applies on public holidays. The airport, which is closed only on December 25, offers taxi times to and from the runway of just two minutes.
Landing fees (excluding 20% VAT) range from around £225 ($301) for a Beechcraft King Air to £600 for a Dassault Falcon 8X or Gulfstream G550, with these charges reduced by £100 for based operators. Overnight aircraft parking costs between £37.50 and £250, with no charge for same-day visits.
Gazzard said the availability of hangars will make Blackbushe more “weather resilient” for business aircraft operators. Around 150 prospective clients have already put themselves on a waiting list for hangar space. He expects the new terminal to also be popular, especially with air charter operators.
According to Cornthwaite, Blackbushe has potential to attract a wide array of support companies as the operator base expands. In particular, the airport is keen to attract maintenance, repair, and overhaul providers.
In August, private flight group Flexjet relocated its European helicopter operations base to EGLK. Flexjet’s fleet of Sikorsky S-76 and Agusta AW139 helicopters is operating from a hangar at Blackbushe, supporting shuttle flight services for customers arriving and departing on airplanes at the nearby Farnborough Airport and other London-area airports such as Biggin Hill, Luton, and Stansted. The operator is considering moving other managed helicopters to Blackbushe.
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