Oxford Airport has opened a new GA terminal and lounge in a bid to increase the flow of business aviation traffic visiting the airport. The facility offers a lounge, airside terrace, crew kitchen, visiting pilots’ office and meeting rooms.

As part of the airport’s programme to better cater for its general and business aviation clientele, the new facility compliments other established amenities on the airfield, including the restaurant, café, pilots’ shop, cash point and the sports centre with gym, squash courts and a solarium.

The new lounge offers IT access, complimentary refreshments, business services and a satellite TV, VHS and DVD as well as pilot rest rooms and wash facilities.

“Previously we had a temporary, smaller lounge in an alternative building, which didn’t have airside frontage,” said James Dillon-Godfray, head of marketing and development. “The building we are in now is immediately adjacent to the corporate aircraft apron area and it has a larger capacity, so we can accommodate about 16 people.”

The new facility had been planned for some time and the airport took the decision to move the GA terminal to its new location as it was deemed the most suitable position on the airfield and would therefore best serve visiting pilots.

“What’s driven the project is the considerable decline in pilot training activity,” said Dillon-Godfray. “Oxford has historically been dominated by pilot training but a year and a half ago, half of the training capacity was moved to the US.

“We saw a decline from the 150,000 yearly movements to about 70,000 movements. It’s a significant drop and, as a consequence, we have got less crowded skies, greater capacity and a renewed focus on trying to attract as much business aviation traffic as possible.”

Last year the airport increased the licensed length of the runway by 10 per cent; it is now 1,319 m, with a total length of 1,552 m. “The length increase, which is now the same as London City, allowed about another 18 business jet types to operate here,” said Dillon-Godfray.

“Operating privately, any business jet can use Oxford. We could, in principle, get a BBJ in here but the largest size aircraft we see here routinely are Gulfstream Vs. We predominantly see Hawkers, Falcons and Gulfstreams.”

Oxford Airport benefits from few restrictions on operations, with no capacity, noise or hours of operation limitations, as well as reduced costs. “For parking, hangarage and landing fees, we are typically half the price, sometimes a third of the price, of some of the London hub alternative airports,” said Dillon-Godfray.

The airport is looking to further expand in the future, with plans to develop the site and encourage

a greater number of business aviation movements.

“We have been doing a lot to enhance all the infrastructure and amenities on the airfield,” commented Dillon-Godfray, “specifically for the business aviation community. We also aim to increase hangarage as well as other aspects of the airfield.”