Derby Airport (also known as Derby Municipal Airport, Burnaston Airport and during the Second World War as RAF Burnaston) was an airport located at
Burnaston,
Derbyshire, England. Opened in 1938 as the commercial airport serving
Derby, it was superseded by
East Midlands Airport in the 1960s but continued as an airfield until the spring of 1990.
The site is now occupied by a
Toyota car factory, which started operations in December 1992.
History
The airport was created at the suggestion of Captain Roy Harben
DFC, a veteran of the
Royal Flying Corps
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
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, who persuaded the
Air Ministry that a flying school was required. The airport served the nearby town (now city) of
Derby and was initially owned by
Derby Corporation
Derby City Council is the local government unitary authority for Derby, a city in the East Midlands region of England. It comprises 51 councillors, three for each of the 17 electoral wards of Derby. Currently there is no overall control of the co ...
, which acquired the Burnaston House estate for £21,500 in 1936.
The airport was opened for training flights in 1938, with the official opening performed by the
Secretary of State for Air
The Secretary of State for Air was a Secretary of State (United Kingdom), secretary of state position in the British government, which existed from 1919 to 1964. The person holding this position was in charge of the Air Ministry. The Secretar ...
,
Kingsley Wood, in June 1939.
Plans to develop the airport for commercial flights were interrupted by the Second World War, when Burnaston was used by the
Royal Air Force (RAF).
RAF Units;
* No. 3 Basic Flying Training School RAF
*
No. 16 Elementary Flying Training School RAF
*
No. 16 Reserve Flying School RAF
*
No. 30 Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School RAF
*
No. 30 Elementary Flying Training School RAF
This is a List of Reserve flying schools of the Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air ...
*
No. 49 Gliding School RAF
In the post-war era
Derby Aviation (later Derby Airways) began operating a number of scheduled services from Derby, the first route being to
Jersey in 1953. During this time, Burnaston House served as the airport's terminal building. Commercial flights ceased in the 1960s when services were transferred to the newly opened
East Midlands Airport nearby.
The airfield continued to be used by flying clubs until being closed altogether in March 1990 to make way for the construction of the
Toyota car plant.
Following the closure of the airport,
Derby Airfield, a three-runway grass airfield, opened nearby.
See also
*
Derby Airfield
*
Tatenhill Airfield
References
Bibliography
*
{{Defunct airports in the United Kingdom
Airports in the East Midlands
Defunct airports in England
1938 establishments in England
1990 disestablishments in England
History of Derby
Airports in Derbyshire
Airports established in 1938
Airports disestablished in 1990