Weston Airport

Infobox Airport
name = Weston Airport
nativename = Aerphort Weston


image-width = 290
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IATA = WST
ICAO = EIWT
type = Non State - Public PPR - Training Facility
owner = Jim Mansfield
operator = Weston Airport Ltd.
city-served = Dublin
location = Leixlip, Co. Kildare
elevation-f = 155
elevation-m = 47.74
coordinates = Coord|53|21|08|N|06|29|10|W|type:airport
website = http://www.westonairport.com
metric-elev =
metric-rwy =
r1-number = 07/25
r1-length-f = 3,000
r1-length-m = 924
r1-surface = Asphalt
stat-year =
stat1-header =
stat1-data =
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stat2-data =
footnotes =

Weston Airport Airport codes|WST|EIWT, or Aerphort Weston in Irish, is a private executive airport located on the R403 regional road at Leixlip, County Kildare 13km west of Dublin, in Ireland. Its traffic is primarily business charters as well as private and commercial training.

History

Weston Aerodrome was originally founded in 1931 (licensed circa 1937) by Darby Kennedy - who from the early 1950s operated a number of DeHavilland Dragons and Dragon Rapides aircraft commercially from the Weston flying field. Also operated was a flying school for Private pilots with several Tiger Moth trainer biplanes, an Auster high-wing monoplane and from 1960 two Morane-Saulnier-Rallye four-seater low-winged aeroplanes.

Several air displays were organised over the years, and Weston was also the base for the air combat film "The Blue Max" which starred George Peppard in 1966. The aircraft ground scenes were shot at the airfield (which is not to be confused with RAF Weston-on-the-Green, which has no tarmac runway, in England).

The airport came to public attention in early 2007, when a plane operating out of Weston was detained in Belgium, and five people were arrested in Dublin, Belgium and Holland and up to 50kg of heroin was seized as part of an Irish-led drug traffiking investigation. [ [http://www.irishexaminer.com/breaking/story.asp?j=173375340&p=y733759zx&n=173375949&x= Weston airport in Kildare operating without legal permission] - Irish Examiner] .

Development

Weston is now owned by Jim Mansfield which was bought in 2001 for €7 million, and is thought to be planning development - such as runway extension of 07/25 from 924m to 1410m with new lighting, a second runway for training purposes, and the opening of new taxi-ways.Fact|date=May 2008 The main terminal was completed in 2007 along with the control tower and other services.Fact|date=September 2008 Weston is Class C airspace and uses the ICAO identifier "EIWT".Fact|date=September 2008

Today the airport is primarily used for flight training, executive flights and "wealthy" private general aviation. It has also been suggested on enthusiast and piloting websites, along with in local media (in both positive and negative light) that the aerodrome may someday become an "airline airport".Fact|date=April 2008

Companies based at Weston Airport include:
* Jet365 (Private Charter Company)
* Longborough Aviation
* National Flight Centre NFC (Pilot Training)
* European Helicopter Academy EHA (Pilot training)
* Skytrace Flight Training (Pilot Training)
* EireCopter Helicopters (Pilot Training)
* Flightwise Ltd.
* Premier Aviation Services Ltd.
* The Hotel Bravo Flying Club
* WrenAir (Private Charter Company)

Airport Data

* Aerodrome licensed for: International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Category A & B aircraft
* ICAO RFF: Category 2, with up to Category 7 available on request
* Operating Hours: Strictly PPR 0800 - SS +30
* Aerodrome elevation: AMSL 155 ft / 47.74 m
* Runway Surface: Asphalt
* Take off distance available (TODA): 924m for both runways
* Landing distance available (LDA): 924m for both runways
* RWY07 924m X 23.5m
* RWY25 924m X 23.5m
* Lighting: Pending
* Weston Tower: 122.4 MHz
* Weston ATIS 118.875 MHz
* Weston Ground 119.425 MHz
* Navigation aids: DVOR / DME ‘WST’ 114.7 CH 94X

ee also

* Jim Mansfield
* Leixlip
* Kildare
* Dublin

References

External links

* [http://www.westonairport.com Weston Executive Airport] Official site