Departure
94%
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MY FS FLIGHTS
MY FS FLIGHTS
Bembridge Airport is a small unlicensed aerodrome on the eastern tip of the Isle of Wight, a mile or so south-west of Bembridge village, and the historic home of Britten-Norman, birthplace of the Islander. It offers a single hard runway and an A/G radio service, and remains a popular General Aviation destination for visiting light aircraft, subject to prior permission.
Bembridge Airport is a small, unlicensed General Aviation aerodrome on the eastern side of the Isle of Wight, close to the village of Bembridge. It is best known as the birthplace of the Britten-Norman Islander, whose prototype first flew from the airfield in 1965, and the site remains adjacent to the Britten-Norman works. For a visiting sim pilot it offers a straightforward hard-runway strip, a relaxed A/G-controlled environment and a strong sense of General Aviation history.
The airfield lies within uncontrolled airspace over the eastern Isle of Wight, about a mile south-west of Bembridge village. It is one of four airstrips on the island and one of two larger airfields, the other being Isle of Wight/Sandown Airport, roughly four miles to the south-west.
Bembridge has a single hard-surfaced, lit runway aligned 12/30. The 12 threshold gives a landing length of 2,533 feet, while the reciprocal 30 threshold gives 2,446 feet. Field elevation is 30 feet.
Radio communication is provided on an Air/Ground basis under the callsign Bembridge A/G, on a frequency of 123.25 MHz. There is no ILS or other instrument approach aid at the airfield.
The village of Bembridge itself, immediately to the north-east of the airfield, serves as the principal visual reference point when inbound. The airfield sits close to the Isle of Wight's eastern coastline, with Sandown Airport visible some four miles to the south-west as a secondary reference for pilots transiting the area.
Bembridge Airport opened in 1920 on land belonging to Bembridge Farm, with commercial airline services beginning in 1934 and terminal facilities built to support them. The airfield closed during the Second World War. It returned to prominence in the post-war GA era and, on 13 June 1965, hosted the first flight of the Britten-Norman Islander prototype, a high-wing twin-engine monoplane developed by John Britten and Desmond Norman, both former de Havilland trainees. Britten-Norman went on to establish production adjacent to the airport, with its concrete airstrip and two large hangars, one of which housed the company's offices. The airfield has also seen gliding activity historically, operated at one stage by the Vectis Gliding Club, though gliding no longer takes place there.
Bembridge remains an active but unlicensed aerodrome open to visiting non-resident aircraft, with prior permission required (PPR) before arrival. The airfield reopened to visiting traffic in May 2020 following a period of closure, with PPR handled through an online process. Britten-Norman continues to have a presence adjacent to the airfield, reflecting its long association with the site, though gliding operations formerly based there have ceased.
