History of Bournemouth Airport and Flying Club

One of the first aviations events at Bournemouth took place in 1910. The event was marred by the death of Charles Rolls, of the Rolls Royce partnership, whose aircraft stalled and crashed in front of the main grandstand.

During the beginning of WWI the Royal Flying Corps were trained on an airfield which was later built on allowing the expansion of Bournemouth town. Later on in the war Marconi had a developmental laboratory in the town experimenting with air to ground radio transmissions.

The Schneider Trophy was held at Bournemouth in 1919. Only one pilot completed the course due to fog, however, he was disqualified as he was racing around the reserve marker buoy.

Bournemouth Airfield was based on a local racecourse for several years until a mid-air collision stopped flying on the site. 

In the 1930’s Bournemouth Airfield was surveyed by Sir Alan Cobham but it was only after WWII the foundations for the runways were laid out of rubble from bombed buildings in Southampton.  The airport became more prominent after Flight Refuelling moved to the site, the airport became busy and has evolved into the thriving airport it is today.  The airport now benefits from two tarmac runways (08/26) and is 2271metres long.  The airfield is fully under ATC (Air Traffic Control) and situated in Class D airspace.  The airport also has ILS (Instrument Landing System) as well as NDB (Non Direction Beacon), both ideal for instrument training.

Bournemouth Flying Club has been in existence since the mid 1930’s and was originally based on the London to Bournemouth Road at Christchurch.  ‘A & G’ started life in 1973 at Shoreham Airport and moved to Bournemouth in May 1980.  A & G was owned by K.W. and W.R. Norris and was re-named AG Aviation (UK) Ltd.  The company successfully expanded and in the late 1980’s early 90’s the Flight Center and restaurant under went major refurbishment.  In 1998 The Flight Centre was taken over by Cabair, who renamed it Bournemouth Flying School, the restaurant was leased independently.  Cabair sold the Flight Centre and restaurant to the Club’s current owners in 2004.  The name was changed to Bournemouth Flying Club, it is still owned and run privately.