Departure
96%
vs 95% ▲ 1
MY FS FLIGHTS
MY FS FLIGHTS
London Southend Airport (EGMC) lies on the northern edge of Southend-on-Sea in Essex, about 36 miles east of central London, and is best known to airline passengers as a base for easyJet while also supporting a busy mix of general aviation, flying training and business jet traffic. Its single long, lit runway with ILS on both ends and full air traffic control make it an accessible and well-equipped destination for visiting VFR and IFR pilots alike.
London Southend Airport sits between Southend-on-Sea and Rochford in Essex, and has grown from a First World War flying ground into a licensed international airport handling scheduled, charter, cargo and business flights alongside general aviation and pilot training in both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. It is operated by London Southend Airport Company Limited under a CAA Ordinary Licence, and its good weather record makes it a popular diversion alternative for other London airports. For a visiting sim pilot it offers the appeal of a controlled, ILS-equipped field with a strong wartime pedigree and a lively contemporary flying scene.
The airport is located about 2 miles north of Southend-on-Sea town centre and roughly 36 miles east of central London, straddling the boundary between the City of Southend-on-Sea and the Rochford District. It sits within controlled airspace served by its own approach, radar and tower services, and its position on the Essex coast close to the Thames Estuary places it near the wider London terminal control area.
Southend has a single physical runway aligned 05/23, surfaced in asphalt and lit, with instrument landing systems serving both directions. Runway 05 is 6,045 feet long and Runway 23 is 5,705 feet long, and the field elevation is 46 feet.
Pilots can expect to work Southend Approach and Radar on 130.775 MHz, Southend Tower on 127.725 MHz, and the airport ATIS on 121.8 MHz. Both runway ends are served by ILS, supporting instrument approaches in addition to visual joining.
The airfield's origins go back to the First World War, when it was established by the Royal Flying Corps as the largest flying ground in Essex with the greatest number of based units. The Royal Naval Air Service took it over in May 1915 before it passed back to become RFC Rochford on 4 June 1916. During the Second World War the site, known as RAF Rochford, played a night fighter role, and personnel of 121 Squadron flew Supermarine Spitfires from the airfield, including during the Battle of Britain period. Southend later became a major civil airport, and was the United Kingdom's third-busiest airport during the 1960s behind only Heathrow and Manchester, before passenger numbers declined through the 1970s as Stansted took on the role of London's third airport. Following its purchase by Stobart Group in 2008, a major development programme delivered a new terminal and control tower, extended the runway, and brought rail access via the new Southend Airport railway station on the Shenfield to Southend line. easyJet opened a base at the airport in April 2012, and Aer Lingus Regional began Dublin services the following month, driving a rapid rise in passenger numbers through the following years. In March 2024 the Carlyle Group, together with Cyrrus Capital Partners, took ownership of the airport with plans for further investment.
Southend today combines scheduled passenger, charter, cargo and business aviation with general aviation flying and pilot training in both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, operating under a CAA Ordinary Licence held by London Southend Airport Company Limited. The former terminal building is now run by the London Southend Jet Centre, a fixed-base operator handling executive aircraft, and a number of companies within the airport boundary, including flying clubs and aircraft maintenance firms, support the field's varied flying activity.
