Kent International Airport Manston Airport
IATA: MSE - ICAO: EGMH
Summary
Airport type		Public
Operator		Infratil
Serves		Kent
Elevation AMSL		178 ft (54 m)
Coordinates		51°20′32″N, 001°20′46″E
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
	ft	m
10/28	9,029	2,752	Asphalt/Concrete

Kent International Airport (IATA: MSE, ICAO: EGMH) is an airport in Kent, England. It was formerly called RAF Manston (a Royal Air Force airfield) – also, previously known as London Manston Airport. Image File history File links Kia22. ... An IATA airport code, also known an IATA location identifier, IATA station code or simply a location identifier [1], is a three-letter code designating many airports around the world, defined by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). ... The ICAO (IPA pronunciation: ) airport code or location indicator is a four-letter alphanumeric code designating each airport around the world. ... Infratil is a New Zealand-based infrastructure investment company. ... The Kent coat of arms For other uses, see Kent (disambiguation). ... The term above mean sea level (AMSL) refers to the elevation (on the ground) or altitude (in the air) of any object, relative to the average sea level. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... The metre (American English:meter) is a measure of length. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... The metre (American English:meter) is a measure of length. ... Asphalt is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits. ... Concrete being poured, raked and vibrated into place in residential construction in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ... An IATA airport code, also known an IATA location identifier, IATA station code or simply a location identifier [1], is a three-letter code designating many airports around the world, defined by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). ... The ICAO (IPA pronunciation: ) airport code or location indicator is a four-letter alphanumeric code designating each airport around the world. ... The Kent coat of arms For other uses, see Kent (disambiguation). ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto)1 Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Monarch Queen Elizabeth II... RAF Manston was a Royal Air Force station, now known as Kent International Airport. ... The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ...

Kent International Aerodrome has a CAA Ordinary Licence (Number P880) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee (Infratil Kent Facilities Limited)^[1]. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is the public corporation which oversees and regulates all aspects of aviation in the UK. It was established in 1972. ...

History

Main article: RAF Manston

At the outset of the Great War, the Isle of Thanet was equipped with a small and precarious landing strip for aircraft at Westgate, above the cliffs at the foot of the sea where a seaplane had been based at the end of the promenade. RAF Manston was a Royal Air Force station, now known as Kent International Airport. ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ... The Isle of Thanet is an area of northeast Kent, England. ... Westgate can refer to: Places in England: Westgate, County Durham Westgate, Lincolnshire Westgate, Newcastle upon Tyne Westgate, Norfolk Westgate Common, in West Yorkshire Westgate Hill, in West Yorkshire Westgate-on-Sea, in Kent Westgate Street, in Norfolk Westgate Shopping Centre, in Oxford Places in the United States: Westgate, Iowa Westgate...

The landing grounds atop the cliff soon became the scene of several accidents, with at least one plane seen to fail to stop before the end of the cliffs and tumble into the sea which, fortunately for the pilot, had been on its inward tide.

In the winter of 1915-1916 these early aircraft first began to use the open farmlands at Manston as a site for emergency landings. Thus was soon established the Admiralty Aerodrome at Manston. It was not long after this that the training school, set up originally to instruct pilots in the use of the new Handley Page bombers, was established, and so by the close of 1916 there were already two distinct units stationed at Manston, the Operational War Flight Command and the Handley Page Training School. Flag of the Lord High Admiral The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the United Kingdom responsible for the command of the Royal Navy. ... The Handley Page Type O was an early bomber aircraft used by Britain during World War I. At the time, it was the largest aircraft that had been built in the UK and one of the largest in the world. ...

Its location near the Kent coast gave Manston some advantages over the other previously established aerodromes and regular additions in men and machinery were soon made, particularly, in these early days, from Detling. By 1917 the Royal Flying Corps was well established and taking an active part in the defence of England. The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of World War I. // Formed by Royal Warrant on 13 May 1912, the RFC superseded the Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers. ...

In World War II, after an eventful Battle of Britain during which Manston was heavily bombed, Barnes Wallis used the base to test his bouncing bomb on the coast at nearby Reculver prior to the Dambusters raid. [1] Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Combatants United Kingdom Including combatants from:[1] Poland New Zealand Canada Czechoslovakia Belgium Australia South Africa France Ireland United States Jamaica Palestine Rhodesia Germany Including combatants from Italy Commanders Hugh Dowding Hermann Göring Strength 754 single-seat fighters 149 two-seat fighters 560 bombers 500 coastal 1,963 total... Sir Barnes Neville Wallis Sir Barnes Neville Wallis, CBE, FRS, RDI, commonly known as Barnes Wallis, (September 26, 1887 – October 30, 1979) was an English scientist, engineer and inventor. ... DrakrCS 09:49, 15 May 2007 (UTC) Remains of Reculver Church viewed from the west. ... Combatants No. ...

Hawker Typhoon and Meteor squadrons were both based at Manston during the war. Being close to the front-line and having a long and broad runway the airfield became something of a magnet for badly damaged aeroplanes that had suffered from ground fire, collisions, or air attack but retained a degree of airworthiness. The airfield became something of a "graveyard" for heavy bombers and no doubt the less-damaged portions of aircraft landing or otherwise arriving here sometimes provided spare parts for other allied aircraft in need of repair. The museums on site displays some startling aerial views dating from this era and the post-war years. The Typhoon was a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft starting in 1941. ... The Gloster Meteor was the Allies first operational jet fighter. ...

During the Cold War of the 1950s the United States Air Force used Manston as a Strategic Air Command base for its fighter and fighter-bomber units. For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... The United States Air Force (USAF) is the aerial warfare branch of the United States armed forces and one of the seven uniformed services. ... For the film of the same name, see Strategic Air Command (film) The Strategic Air Command (SAC) was the operational establishment of the United States Air Force in charge of Americas bomber-based and ballistic missile-based strategic nuclear arsenal from 1946 to 1992. ...

The USAF withdrew from Manston in 1960 and the airfield became a joint civilian and RAF airport and was thence employed for occasional package tour and cargo flights, alongside its continuing role as an RAF base. The Air Cadets used the northern side of the airfield as a gliding site, and an Air Experience Flight flying De Havilland Chipmunks was based there. Thanks to its broad long runway, (built during World War II, along with Woodbridge's, to allow returning damaged bombers a longer than usual runway to land on) Manston was used as a diversionary airfield for emergency military and civilian landings. An Air Experience Flight is a training unit of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve whose main purpose is to give introductory flying experience to Air Cadets or the RAF section of the Combined Cadet Force. ... The de Havilland Chipmunk is a tandem two seat single engined training aircraft, and was the standard primary trainer for the British military though most of the post-war years. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... RAF Woodbridge is a former Royal Air Force station situated to the east of Woodbridge in the county of Suffolk, England. ...

From 1989 Manston became styled as Kent International Airport, and a new terminal was officially opened that year by the Duchess of York. It is allegedly listed by NASA, although never used, as an emergency diversionary landing strip for the space shuttle programme. Sarah, Duchess of York (born Sarah Margaret Ferguson, 15 October 1959) is the former wife of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, fourth in line to the British throne. ... The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an agency of the United States government, responsible for the nations public space program. ... For the current mission, see STS-118 NASAs Space Shuttle, officially called Space Transportation System (STS), is the United States governments current manned launch vehicle. ...

Source: Kent aviation: Roy Humphreys

Post-1990

Manston is now a wholly commercial airport. In 1998 Thanet District Council produced the Isle of Thanet local plan which recognised the economic development potential of abandoned parts of the old military airfield, particularly on its north western edge.

After this plan was published, the Ministry of Defence announced plans to sell off RAF Manston. After a ruling by the British Labour Government's Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, instructing government departments to generate money by the sale of surplus assets, following the example of the Thatcher government, the Ministry of Defence sold the site. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and the headquarters of the British Armed Forces. ... The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister responsible for all economic and financial matters. ... For others with the same or similar names, see Gordon Brown (disambiguation). ...

Rapid development began in 2004 in an attempt to make it a budget airline hub and an Irish airline EUjet formed in 2002 began scheduled flights in September 2004 with a small fleet of Fokker F100 airliners. Car parking areas were built and a direct coach service from Bluewater via Chatham was instituted to support this enterprise, which follows the low fare, no-frills, web-marketing style pioneered by ryanair in the UK. Unfortunately on 26 July 2005 all EUjet operations were suspended along with all non-freight operations at the airport due to financial difficulties with the airport and airline's owner PlaneStation. Their business plan was ambitious and their bankers had lost patience, causing both businesses to fail and leading to many passengers being stranded abroad. Infratil, a Wellington, New Zealand based company subsequently bought the airport interest from the administrators and, having experience of managing an airport in Scotland, Prestwick, might pursue a more measured development programme, perhaps winning back some freight operations reportedly deterred by Planestation. Boeing 737-200 of low-cost Irish airline Ryanair A low-cost carrier (also known as a no-frills or discount carrier) is an airline that offers low fares but eliminates most traditional passenger services. ... EUjet was a low-cost airline based at Shannon Airport, Ireland. ... The Fokker F100 is a small twin-turbofan regional airliner from the Fokker company. ... An Airbus A340 airliner operated by Air Jamaica An airliner is a large fixed-wing aircraft with the primary function of transporting paying passengers. ... , Bluewater interior This article is about a shopping mall. ... , Chatham is a large English town that developed around an important naval dockyard on the east bank of the River Medway to the south-east of London in the county of Kent. ... Ryanair (ISEQ: RYA, LSE: RYA, NASDAQ: RYAAY) is an Irish airline headquartered in Dublin, with its biggest operational base situated in London Stansted Airport in the UK. It is Europes largest low-cost carrier and it is one of the worlds largest and most successful airlines (whether in... is the 207th day of the year (208th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Infratil is a New Zealand-based infrastructure investment company. ... This article is about the country. ... Glasgow Prestwick International Airport (IATA: PIK, ICAO: EGPK) is a facility situated north of the town of Prestwick in Ayrshire, Scotland. ...

Following the RAF's departure local MP, Dr. Stephen Ladyman opposed the decision to sell the base to a property developer (Wiggins Group PLC). The ministry sold the site at the end of March, 1999 for the sum of £4.75m. The airfield comprises 700 acres (2.8 km²). Dr Stephen John Ladyman (born November 6, 1952) is a British politician, and Labour Party member of Parliament for Thanet South. ...

Kent International Airport was initially a 38 acre (150,000 m²) civilian area within the former RAF Manston including the existing terminal building and an apron where passengers embark and the largest of freighters may be loaded. The runway however, is not included within this enclave. In 1988 the owners of Kent International Airport negotiated a 125 year legal agreement with the RAF obliging the Air force to maintain the runway, the air-traffic control and to provide ongoing emergency services. The cost of providing runway maintenance, air-traffic control and Fire and Rescue services had been estimated at up to £3,000,000 per annum by the MoD.

The RAF faced a compensation claim of £50-100 million if they then closed the base and terminating their earlier agreement with Kent International Airport. The Wiggins Group therefore purchased the Kent International Airport and inherited the legal agreement obliging the RAF to continue maintenance of the airfield. Within six months the RAF announced that they were leaving the airfield and Wiggins as the successful bidders then purchased the remainder of the airfield.

Picturesque private aircraft based here include a Boeing Stearman and an Iskra jet trainer once serving the Yugoslav Air Force. Two museums can be found on the northern edge of the airfield providing a glimpse of the aerodrome's military heritage. WAVE in a Boeing Stearman N2S US Navy training aircraft. ...

Constraints

Manston has only one runway with its glidepath crossing Ramsgate, a Victorian seaside resort of some 40,000 residents. The town is situated about a kilometre from the eastern end of the runway. To one side of the runway lies the village of Cliffsend where housing stands within 200 m of the runway. Manston village stands to the north east of the passenger terminal. Ramsgate is an English seaside town on the Isle of Thanet in East Kent. ...

A 1993 report from the Department of Trade and Industry examined runway capacity in the South East and found that Manston was unsuitable for development as a major airport considering this proximity to the town. However the sale went against the local council's plan at a loss of about £65,000,000.

In July 1998 the government issued a White Paper outlining its intention to develop an 'integrated transport strategy'. A white paper is an authoritative report. ...

The RAF Manston History Museum is still on the site, as is the Spitfire and Hurricane memorial. The Supermarine Spitfire was an iconic British single-seat fighter, which was used by the British Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries during the Second World War, and into the 1950s. ... The Hawker Hurricane was a British single-seat fighter aircraft designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. ...

The airport & runway were also used for the making of the James Bond movie Die Another Day the airport was transformed into a North Korean airbase Flemings image of James Bond; commissioned to aid the Daily Express comic strip artists. ... Die Another Day is a 2002 spy film. ... North Korea, officially the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK; Korean: Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk; Hangul: 조선민주주의인민공화국; Hanja: 朝鮮民主主義人民共和國), is a country in eastern Asia...

Recent news

On 26 July 2005 London Manston Airport Plc went into liquidation. Operations were temporarily suspended, along with Manston's air traffic zone and radar services, until a new buyer could be signed-up. A sale of Manston to Infratil (owner of Glasgow Prestwick International Airport) was completed on 26 August 2005. [2]. is the 207th day of the year (208th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Infratil is a New Zealand-based infrastructure investment company. ... Glasgow Prestwick Airport (IATA: PIK, ICAO: EGPK) is an international airport serving Glasgow, situated north of the town of Prestwick in South Ayrshire, Scotland. ... is the 238th day of the year (239th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

One year later, in July 2006, a charter route between Kent Manston, and Norfolk, Virginia was announced and was scheduled to begin service in 2007 but has since been cancelled due to low bookings. It was to be operated by tour operator Cosmos, in conjunction with Monarch Airlines. Motto: Crescas (Latin for, Thou shalt grow. ... Monarch Airlines Boeing 757-200 in the old livery, Alicante Airport, Spain. ...

Concerns over multi-million pound fraud at Planestation seem surprising to some extent by KCC hiring former Planestation directors to advise on the efficacy of US flight links.^{[citation needed]} Reports of removal of noise monitors by Infratil and failure to repair radar continue to grow.^{[citation needed]}Cargolux started flying for Ghana Airways from Accra to MSE in 17 April 2007. Cargolux (Cargolux Airlines International) is a cargo airline based in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. ... Ghana Airways Ghana Airways was an airline based at Kotoka International Airport, Accra, Ghana. ... is the 107th day of the year (108th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...

The Kent Escape flights were operated by Sky Wings using an MD-83 until August. The Reg of the aircraft was SX-BSW. Seguro then swapped operators due to problems. From 16 August the flights were taken over by Bmi (airline) .^{[citation needed]} The Douglas DC-9 is a twin-engined jet airliner, first manufactured in 1965 and, in much modified form and under a succession of different names, still in production today as the Boeing 717. ... bmi is a scheduled airline based in the United Kingdom. ...

Cargo airline DAS Air Cargo has a maintenance hangar at the airport. The facility is used for maintenance on their own aircraft as well as those of World Airways, Gemini Air Cargo and Avient Aviation. DAS Air Cargo is Ugandan cargo airline based at Entebbe. ... World Airways is an American non-scheduled airline currently headquartered in Peachtree City, Georgia. ... Gemini Air Cargo MD-11 Gemini Air Cargo is a cargo airline headquartered in Dulles, Virginia, USA. It operates worldwide cargo schedules and charters on a wet-lease basis. ... Avient Aviation is a freight charter airline based in Zimbabwe. ...

There are some reports of expanding the runway to handle heavy loaded 747-400's and maybe the A380F.^{[citation needed]}

Charter Airlines & Destinations

• Air Malta (Malta) [One off charter 20 November 2007]
• Astraeus (Funchal) [One off charter 9 April 2008]
• Eurofly (Naples) [One off charter 28 September 2007]
• Skywings (Alicante, Faro, Palma-Mallorca) [Operate May-October 2007]
• Smart Wings (Prague) [One off charter 14 December 2007]

Air Malta is the national airline of Malta, based in Luqa. ... Aeolus (or Aiolos, Αἴολος) in Greek Mythology was the Keeper of the Winds. ... Eurofly is a low cost and charter airline based in Milan in Italy. ... Smart Wings is a low-cost airline based in Prague, Czech Republic. ...

See also

• List of RAF stations
• United States Air Forces in Europe
• United States Air Force in the United Kingdom

List of RAF stations is a comprehensive list of all stations of the Royal Air Force past and present. ... Emblem of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe. ... Since the end of World War II The United States Air Force has maintained air bases in the United Kingdom. ...

References

1. ^ Civil Aviation Authority Aerodrome Ordinary Licences

• United Kingdom AIP

Aeronautical Information Publication (or AIP) is defined by ICAO as a publication issued by or with the authority of a state and containing aeronautical information of a lasting character essential to air navigation. ...

External links

• Kent International Airport website (official)
• Kent International Airport website (unofficial)
• RAF Manston official history
• Manston Museums directory
• Spitfire & Hurricane Memorial Museum
• An emergency landing sequence at RAF Manston
• Thanet Flying Club / TG Aviation