Atlantic Flight Training Coventry Airport Update

The Board of Directors for airport operator West Midlands International Airport Ltd voted recently to close Coventry Airport due to financial reasons. This has resulted in a halt of airside operations. When the management of Atlantic Flight Training learned of this decision we immediately repositioned our training aircraft to nearby Wellesbourne Airport (15 miles away) where we have requisitioned the necessary facilities to continue operations uninhibited. We have also made arrangements for the continued utilization of Cranfield Airport for Instrument flight training.

Atlantic Flight Training ground school continues to run uninterrupted from Coventry Airport where we continue to maintain our corporate offices and ground school infrastructure.

We have confirmed that the airport Administrator and the Coventry City Council are currently in discussion with a group that is interested in purchasing the airport management lease. While we anticipate that Coventry Airport will reopen in the near future we are monitoring the situation closely and simultaneously reviewing options for the possible permanent relocation of Atlantic Flight Training.

In the interim, we have adequate facilities in place to continue providing the highest quality pilot training for our cadets and will continue to do so with minimal interruption.

Below are recent photographs of our facilities at Wellesbourne, which is located 15 miles from Coventry Airport. Our Cadet housing facility will remain unchanged, and the daily commute to the flight school will continue as it has been, with a 5 minute increase in commute time only.

Briefing room at Wellesbourne


Flight Planning at Wellesbourne
 

Cranfield Operations & simulator
 

The temporary facility has been approved by the UK CAA, and includes all necessary amenities including Operations, Flight Planning and student lounge area. On-Track, a small FTO located at the airfield, is also providing WiFi internet, kitchen, toilets, and an additional briefing room that could be used when available. A restaurant is also available onsite.

On-Track also has a full pilot shop on the premises and the airport has a restaurant where the cadets can eat and lounge between or after flights. We are providing two trips per day with the minibus for flying cadets to commute between their housing, AFT and Wellesbourne so flight training continues with minimal interruptions.

We have been assured by the Administrator of Coventry Airport and our solicitor at Price Waterhouse Cooper that access to our facilities at Coventry will and must remain uninterrupted, which will permit continued utilization of ground school and administrative offices.

Long-term plans:

It is anticipated by many Coventry Airport operators that the airport will resume operations with new management in place in the coming weeks. We would not know at this stage what conditions the airport would be reopened and if all facilities would remain in place and if the CAA would license it as it was previously.

We are reviewing other airports and facilities in case Coventry does not re-open, and we expect to take a decision by mid-January. In the meantime, all operations are running normally.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us on 0845 4500530.