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East Midlands Airport (ICAO EGNX) is a major international and cargo airport in Castle Donington, Leicestershire, sitting between Nottingham, Derby and Leicester in the heart of England. Operated by Manchester Airports Group, it combines a busy passenger operation with low-fare carriers and one of the UK's largest freight hubs, all controlled from a distinctive 52-metre air traffic control tower.
East Midlands Airport is a large, controlled aerodrome near Castle Donington, Leicestershire, serving the East Midlands region of England. It began life as a wartime RAF station before its post-war redevelopment into a civilian airport, and today it operates as both a significant passenger gateway for low-fare carriers such as Jet2.com, Ryanair and TUI Airways, and as the UK's leading pure freight airport, home to operators including DHL, TNT and UPS as well as a major Royal Mail air-mail hub. For a simulator pilot, its long, ILS-equipped runway, mixed passenger and heavy cargo traffic, and busy controlled airspace make it an engaging destination.
The airport lies in the heart of England, between Loughborough (10 miles), Derby (12.5 miles) and Nottingham (14 miles), with Leicester some 20 miles to the south and Lincoln 43 miles to the northeast; it serves the wider East Midlands region covering Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Rutland and Derbyshire. It is a controlled aerodrome with its own air traffic control tower, approach, ground and ATIS services.
East Midlands Airport has a single physical runway, 09/27, of hard surface construction and lit, measuring approximately 8888 to 9047 feet depending on direction. Both runway ends are equipped with an ILS, making the field well suited to instrument approaches in poor weather.
Air traffic services are provided across several frequencies: Approach on 134.175 MHz, Tower on 124 MHz, Ground on 121.9 MHz, ATIS on 122.675 MHz, and the airport fire service on 121.6 MHz. An ILS is available on the 09/27 runway for instrument approaches.
The airfield was originally constructed as a Royal Air Force station, RAF Castle Donington, in 1943. A group of local government agencies purchased the former RAF site in 1964 and launched a substantial construction and runway investment programme, after which the airfield was renamed East Midlands Airport to reflect the region it served. It opened for civilian passenger traffic in April 1965, replacing the then-redundant Derby Airport. British Midland was based at the airport until 1982, maintaining its head office and aircraft maintenance base there before relocating its headquarters to Donington Hall. National Express bought the airport from the local councils in 1993, and it was sold, together with Bournemouth Airport, to Manchester Airports Group in February 2001. In 2004 the airport was, for a time, controversially renamed Nottingham East Midlands Airport.
East Midlands Airport remains a major hub for low-fare passenger carriers, including Jet2.com, Ryanair and TUI Airways, connecting travellers to a range of domestic and European short-haul destinations. It is also the UK's number one pure freight airport, handling around 300,000 tonnes of cargo a year and hosting major air-freight operators such as DHL, TNT and UPS, as well as serving as a key air hub for the Royal Mail. The airport is owned and operated by Manchester Airports Group, which also runs Manchester and London Stansted airports, and its air traffic control tower stands just over 52 metres tall.
