Operations During COVID-19 Restrictions

Since Tuesday 24th March 2020, Recreational General Aviation (GA) flights have been prohibited under Government COVID-19 guidance. As a result, Blackbushe closed to the majority of traffic from this point. We have remained available to support certain types of flights that are considered essential under UK Government, Department for Transport (DfT), and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) advice. These include:

• Police and Heli-Med Air Ambulance (HEMS) Flights

• Medical Flights (Patient or Organ Transport)

• Flights supporting the national infrastructure

  • Survey Flights for Electricity, Gas, Rail etc.

  • Transport of vital equipment, medicines etc.

• Business Flights (where the flight is transporting persons for essential business which cannot be done from home)

In addition, the CAA have authorised GA flights for maintenance checks, ferry, and engine health.

• Maintenance Flights - check flights post-maintenance in accordance with usual regulations

• Ferry Flights - flights to or from maintenance facilities for essential maintenance where such a facility is not available at the aircraft’s current location. Blackbushe does not have such a facility, and so these flights will continue.

• Engine Health Flights - flights to prevent corrosion in critical engine parts which might present a safety issue when restrictions are eventually lifted

  • Where required by engine manufacturer

  • No more than once every four weeks

  • No more than 30 minutes unless specified greater by the engine manufacturer

  • Either within the aerodrome circuit, or within 10 nautical miles of the aerodrome

  • Not below 1,000ft, except when landing or taking off (including within the Blackbushe circuit at 800ft)

  • Only solo pilots - no passengers permitted

ENGINE HEALTH FLIGHTS ON SATURDAY 25TH APRIL 2020

Blackbushe closed on Tuesday 24th March 2020 to recreational GA. As four weeks have now passed, many owners of resident aircraft need to conduct Engine Health Flights in accordance with CAA rules.

Blackbushe Airport will be accommodating these by opening for one day on Saturday 25th April 2020. Several operators have informed us their flights will be approximately 1 hour, as Continental and Lycoming both specify 1 hour flights for their engines and a large number of Blackbushe aircraft have these engines.

Pilots have been required to book slots with the airport between 09:00 and 18:00 local. Flights will be staggered throughout the day to enable social distancing measures to be observed.

We appreciate that local residents unfamiliar with the rules on GA flights may be concerned to see aircraft flying again from Blackbushe whilst other restrictions remain in place. Please be assured that we are opening strictly in accordance with DfT and CAA guidance, and are complying with social distancing during all operations at the airport.

Once these flights have been completed there will be no need for further Engine Health Flights for another 4 weeks. Maintenance and ferry flights will still continue.