Swansea Airport () is located in the middle of Fairwood Common on the Gower Peninsula to the west of Swansea, Wales.
Operations
Swansea Airport has a CAA Ordinary Licence (Number P867) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee, fixed wing light aircraft experience flights and flying lessons are conducted by the Cambrian Flying Club, microlight flying lessons are also conducted by the Gower flight centre. The airport has two runways: 04/22 and 10/28. A part of the disused runway 15/33 is now used as taxiway Bravo.
The airport is mainly used to handle helicopters and privately-owned aircraft. The Wales Air Ambulance used to operate from the airport but has now moved to a purpose-built site
The airport is also used by corporate aircraft as well as police, military and naval helicopters.
Several small general aviation companies conduct fixed-wing pilot training; and parachuting operations; from the airport.
On 17 January 2023, it was announced that Swansea Airport would begin running scheduled services later in the year. This was subsequently announced as a route between Swansea and Exeter from the end of March 2023, with plans for additional routes later in the year.
As of 1 October 2023, the landlord, the City and County of Swansea has initiated legal proceedings to reclaim the lease from Swansea Airport Ltd, after the CAA suspended the operating license for systemic failure of safety rules. The council have also been liaising with Swansea Airport Stakeholders Alliance, a group of operators and supporters regarding the interim operation of the airport to protect the locally-based businesses.
Facilities
Located on the eastern part of the site is the airport's only terminal building. The control tower is integrated into the terminal building. The airport has two hangars. The airport is covered by CAT1 fire cover.
The airport may be reached via the A4118, running through the Gower Peninsula. Being quite distant from any major routes and having to use mainly suburban roads, it takes approximately 20 minutes to reach from the nearest M4 junction.
History
Swansea Airport was built on what was originally common land during the Second World War. The aerodrome was declared operational on 15 June 1941 as RAF Fairwood Common, after taking nearly a year to develop. It was built as a day and night fighter station within 10 Group RAF Fighter Command. The aerodrome became a sector station in October 1941, taking on the responsibility for the air defence of South and West Wales including shipping in the Bristol and St George's Channels.
The aerodrome fulfilled a variety of military roles during the Second World War, with the addition of an Armament Practice Camp in October 1943 which expanded into an Armament Practice Station in July 1945 following which it went into 'care and maintenance' in October 1946. Finally decommissioned by the RAF in spring 1949, private flying started in July 1949 with the formation of Swansea Flying Club at the renamed Fairwood Common Airfield. The airfield hosted a number of air races and motor/motorcycle races but it was not until 1957 that Swansea Corporation allowed Cambrian Airways to run the airport for them on a commercial basis. Renamed Swansea Airport, it was officially opened on 1 June 1957 with Cambrian Airways inaugural flight arriving from Jersey. Then in the following 12 years, a variety of airlines operated through the airport with varying degrees of success. Cambrian Airways operated services to Jersey and Guernsey; and Morton Air Services operated a service to Gatwick. Scheduled regular flights then ceased in 1969. During the 1970s and 1980s, mostly ad hoc and summer charter flights continued to operate, mainly by Dan Air/Skyways. However, for a period at the end of the 1970s Air Anglia flew a Piper PA-31 Navajo Chieftain on a year-round scheduled service linking Norwich and Newquay via Birmingham and Swansea.
The 1990s saw the arrival of Heli-air Wales to the airport, and so began the era of Helicopter Training in South Wales. In April 2000, Swansea entrepreneur Martin Morgan via his company Jaxx Landing Ltd., bought the remaining lease. Ambitious plans were put in place to upgrade the then run-down facilities. The airport changed ownership again in 2003, when the Morgans sold their interest in the airport to Swansea Airport Limited, owned by Air Wales owner and director Roy Thomas, who was appointed CEO of the airport company.
