Robin Hood Airport
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Doncaster Sheffield Airport , formerly named and commonly referred to as Robin Hood Airport, is an unscheduled
international airport An international airport is an airport with customs and border control facilities enabling passengers to travel between countries around the world. International airports are usually larger than domestic airports and they must feature longer ...
closed to passenger traffic. The airport is located in
Finningley Finningley is a village and civil parish in the City of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. Historically in Nottinghamshire, it lies on the A614 road between Bawtry and Thorne, about 6 miles south-east of Doncaster, at , and around 23 feet ab ...
near
Doncaster Doncaster (, ) is a city in South Yorkshire, England. Named after the River Don, it is the administrative centre of the larger City of Doncaster. It is the second largest settlement in South Yorkshire after Sheffield. Doncaster is situated in ...
in
South Yorkshire South Yorkshire is a ceremonial and metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. The county has four council areas which are the cities of Doncaster and Sheffield as well as the boroughs of Barnsley and Rotherham. In N ...
, England. The site lies south-east of the centre of
Doncaster Doncaster (, ) is a city in South Yorkshire, England. Named after the River Don, it is the administrative centre of the larger City of Doncaster. It is the second largest settlement in South Yorkshire after Sheffield. Doncaster is situated in ...
and east of
Sheffield Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is Historic counties o ...
. It opened to passengers in 2005, operated by Peel Airports, a division of The Peel Group. The closed airport has a
CAA CAA may refer to: Law * Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 of India ** Citizenship Amendment Act protests, Protests regarding the Citizenship (Amendment) Act * Copyright transfer agreement, Copyright assignment agreement, to transfer copyright to ...
Public Use Aerodrome Licence that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction. It had 1.22 million passengers in 2018. The airport was one of two commercial international airports in
Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...
, along with
Leeds Bradford Airport Leeds Bradford Airport is located in Yeadon, in the City of Leeds Metropolitan District in West Yorkshire, England, about northwest of Leeds city centre, and about northeast from Bradford city centre. It serves Leeds and Bradford and th ...
. The closure of Doncaster Sheffield Airport was announced in September 2022 after extensive reviews citing a lack of profitability. The last scheduled departure was on 29 October, with inbound flights continuing until 4 November 2022. On 2 November, the airport owner announced an acceptable offer of purchase had not been received, and the last passenger flight landed on 4 November.


History


1915–1995: RAF Finningley

The airport owes its origins to military aviation, having been founded as Finningley Airfield in 1915. During the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, it was used as a base by the
Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...
as they intercepted German
Zeppelins A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship named after the German inventor Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin () who pioneered rigid airship development at the beginning of the 20th century. Zeppelin's notions were first formulated in 1874Eckener 1938, pp ...
targeting the industrial cities of the
North North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography. Etymology T ...
. In the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
the airfield was used primarily for training purposes, serving as a finishing school for new crews of the larger aircraft in Bomber Command; only a few combat missions took off from Finningley. The
Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
saw the airfield's importance rise when it was used for nuclear-armed
Vulcan bomber The Avro Vulcan (later Hawker Siddeley Vulcan from July 1963) is a jet-powered, tailless, delta-wing, high-altitude, strategic bomber, which was operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) from 1956 until 1984. Aircraft manufacturer A.V. Roe and ...
s. Training once again became the priority in the 1970s and 1980s before the airport was decommissioned in 1995.


2005–2016: Robin Hood Airport

Following the ending of scheduled services from Sheffield City Airport, the former RAF Finningley was reopened as Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield (DSA) in April 2005, after low-cost flights and rising passenger demand made a new commercial airport feasible. The name of the airport was controversial with 11,000 people signing a petition to oppose it. The airport's first commercial flight flew to
Palma de Mallorca Palma (; ; also known as ''Palma de Mallorca'', officially between 1983–88, 2006–08, and 2012–16) is the capital and largest city of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of the Balearic Islands in Spain. It is situate ...
in
Majorca Mallorca, or Majorca, is the largest island in the Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain and located in the Mediterranean. The capital of the island, Palma, is also the capital of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. The Bal ...
, departing at 09:15 on 28 April 2005. The airport was projected to serve at least a million passengers during 2006. The actual figure for its first year was 899,000, making the airport the 23rd largest in the UK. By August 2007, the new airport had handled 2.28 million passengers. Long haul flights to North America began in summer 2007, with
Flyglobespan Flyglobespan was a low-cost airline based in Edinburgh, Scotland. It operated scheduled services from five airports across Scotland, England and Ireland to destinations in Europe, North America, North Africa and South Africa. Its main bases we ...
operating to Hamilton, Ontario (for Toronto), and Thomsonfly to Orlando, Cancún and Puerto Plata. All these routes have since been discontinued. In 2007, over one million passengers used the airport, however, this had decreased to around 700,000 by 2012, before increasing again to 1.255 million in 2016. In December 2009,
EasyJet EasyJet plc (styled as easyJet) is a British multinational low-cost airline group headquartered at London Luton Airport. It operates domestic and international scheduled services on 927 routes in more than 34 countries via its affiliate airli ...
announced that from April 2010 it would operate flights from Doncaster to
Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...
,
Barcelona Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...
, Faro, Palma de Mallorca and
Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...
. These flights were expected to carry 300,000 passengers in the first year of operation. However, EasyJet withdrew all flights from the airport with effect from 4 January 2011. By 2010, the Peel Group was attempting to secure outside investment for Peel Airports. In June 2010, it was announced that Vantage Airport Group (formerly
Vancouver Airport Services Vantage Airport Group (or Vantage, formerly Vancouver Airport Services or YVRAS) is an airport management, development and investment company with 10 airports in Canada, the United States, Cyprus, The Bahamas and Jamaica. History Vantage Airport ...
) had agreed to buy a 65% stake in Peel Airports, with Peel Group retaining the remaining 35%. However, following a significant decline in passenger numbers, Peel Airports sold
Durham Tees Valley Airport Teesside International Airport , previously Durham Tees Valley Airport, is an international airport located between Darlington and Stockton-on-Tees, Northern England. It is about south-west of Middlesbrough. The airport serves the North East ...
back to Peel Group in February 2012. In the second half of 2012, monthly passenger numbers at Robin Hood fell significantly and in December 2012 it was announced that Robin Hood would also be sold back to Peel Group. As a result, by January 2013 only
Liverpool John Lennon Airport Liverpool John Lennon Airport is an international airport in Liverpool, England, on the estuary of the River Mersey south-east of Liverpool city centre. Scheduled domestic, European, North African and Middle Eastern services are operated fr ...
was still owned by Peel Airports, with Vantage Airport Group owning 65% of this company. At Durham Tees Valley Airport and Robin Hood Airport, Vantage's involvement had ended. Robin Hood Airport was once again wholly owned by the Peel Group, while at Durham Tees Valley Airport, Peel were majority shareholders, with local councils retaining a minority stake. In 2014, Peel took back full ownership of Liverpool John Lennon, bringing all of Peel's airports back into group ownership, with Liverpool retaining its own management structure separate to Doncaster and Durham. In September 2016, the airport signed a deal with
Sheffield United Football Club Sheffield United Football Club is a professional football club in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, which compete in the . They are nicknamed "the Blades" due to Sheffield's history of cutlery production. The team have played home games at ...
. This resulted in Doncaster Sheffield Airport being the club's official air travel provider. To promote the partnership, a large advertisement has been displayed across one of the stands at Bramall Lane Stadium. As a method of increasing passenger numbers at the airport, the football club has also been giving away free flights to their fans. Since the new airport link road (''Great Yorkshire Way'') opened, which connects Parrots Corner to the M18's junction 3, Sheffield is only 30 minutes away by road which supports the partnership between the airport and the football club further.


2016–2022: Doncaster Sheffield Airport

In December 2016, the airport received an entirely new
corporate design A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create an ...
, including a change of name from Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield to Doncaster Sheffield Airport, with the Robin Hood title being downgraded to a less prominent graphic appendix. In September 2017, the airport entered a sponsorship deal with
Sheffield Arena Sheffield Arena, known for sponsorship purposes as Utilita Arena Sheffield, is a multi-purpose arena located in Sheffield, England. It is situated near Meadowhall and lies between Sheffield city centre and Rotherham town centre. Opened in 1991 ...
, giving it the new name of Fly DSA Arena. In April 2019,
Flybe Flybe (pronounced ), styled as flybe, is a British airline based at Birmingham Airport, England. History The airline traces its history back to Jersey European Airways, which was set up in 1979 following the merger of Intra Airways and Expres ...
announced it would be closing its base at DSA, and remove all crew and aircraft from 26 October 2019. In August 2020, Wizz Air UK announced it would be opening its second UK base at the airport, basing one aircraft and opening seven new routes to add to its existing network of ten routes. In September 2020, Wizz Air UK further announced another six routes along with basing a second aircraft, increasing the size of the network to 25 routes.


Closure

In June 2022,
Wizz Air Wizz Air, legally incorporated as Wizz Air Hungary Ltd. ( hu, Wizz Air Hungary Légiközlekedési Zrt.) is a Hungarian ultra-low-cost carrier with its head office in Budapest, Hungary. The airline serves many cities across Europe, as well as s ...
announced it would terminate the majority of its flights from Doncaster/Sheffield, stating that the airport operators were "unable to guarantee the terms of its commercial agreement". This would leave
TUI Airways TUI Airways Limited (formerly Thomsonfly and Thomson Airways) is a British charter airline, offering scheduled and charter flights from the United Kingdom and Ireland to destinations in Europe, Africa, Asia and North America. The airline is t ...
as the airport's sole regular customer.aerotelegraph.com
(German) 28 September 2022
In July 2022 the airport's board said aviation activity at the site "may no longer be commercially viable" and that there would be a six-week consultation into the airport's future. Peel L&P stated the airport had "never achieved the critical mass required to become profitable". The closure proposal drew strong local reaction, with an on-line petition established by local interest group Yorkshire Plane Spotters citing concerns over the loss of local employment opportunities, to the overall detriment of the region. In late August 2022, the consultation period was extended until 16 September, with the result of the consultation announced on 26 September. On 26 September, it was announced the airport would start winding down activity from 31 October 2022, after 17 years of operation. The airport's sole based operator TUI operated its final flights on 4 November 2022. Wizz Air meanwhile announced it would transfer its Doncaster/Sheffield routes to
Leeds Bradford Airport Leeds Bradford Airport is located in Yeadon, in the City of Leeds Metropolitan District in West Yorkshire, England, about northwest of Leeds city centre, and about northeast from Bradford city centre. It serves Leeds and Bradford and th ...
. They also operated the airport's final scheduled departure on 29 October 2022. Arrivals of inbound flights continued until 4 November 2022.


Post-closure

The local authority covering the airport,
Doncaster Council City of Doncaster Council is the local authority of the City of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England, based at the Doncaster Civic Office in Waterdale, central Doncaster. It is one of four local authories in South Yorkshire and provides the maj ...
, made an application for a judicial review in an attempt to question the legality of the closure process. However, the application was refused. Subsequently, the Mayor of Doncaster stated that the council was beginning the process of attempting to compulsorily purchase the airport and bring it into public ownership. As part of the process of winding down operations at the airport, air traffic control service was withdrawn on 3 December 2022. In addition, the UK Civil Aviation Authority began the formal process of downgrading the airspace surrounding the airport from controlled to uncontrolled, due to the expected decrease in large aircraft movements in the area following the closure of the airport.


Facilities


Runway and terminal building

The airport has a single runway designated 02/20, with dimensions of , making it longer and wider than those at many other airports in Northern England. This stems from the airport's history as a former long-range nuclear bomber base (
RAF Finningley Royal Air Force Finningley or RAF Finningley was a Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force station at Finningley, in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. The station straddled the historic county boundaries of both ...
). The runway is long enough that the airport was designated a Space Shuttle emergency landing site. The passenger terminal has 24 check-in desks, six departure gates and three baggage carousels.


Airport hotel and car parks

A
Ramada Ramada is a large American multinational hotel chain owned by Wyndham Hotels and Resorts. As of December 31, 2018, it operates 811 hotels with 114,614 rooms across 63 countries under the Ramada brand. Name The ''Ramada'' name derives from t ...
Encore chain hotel opened on 10 November 2008, with a 102-bed capacity. It is situated less than ten minutes walk from the Terminal building. There are four on-site car parks at the airport: Short Stay, Long Stay, Premium Parking and Meet & Greet. All car parks are operated and managed by the airport and are all within walking distance of the terminal building.


Airport business park

Work is also progressing on a new business park across from the terminal, which will link to the access road into the airport. In March 2014 the site for the park became part of
Sheffield City Region Enterprise Zone The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority is the combined authority for South Yorkshire in England, with powers over transport (public transport and major trunk roads only), economic development and regeneration. It covers a total area of 3 ...
.


Hangar buildings

No. 3 Hangar is presently occupied by 2Excel Aviation providing Design, production and Maintenance services. Defence company
BAE Systems BAE Systems plc (BAE) is a British multinational arms, security, and aerospace company based in London, England. It is the largest defence contractor in Europe, and ranked the seventh-largest in the world based on applicable 2021 revenues. ...
formerly operated its Aircraft Maintenance Academy from No. 3 Hangar at the airport, before moving to
Humberside Airport Humberside Airport is an international airport at Kirmington in the Borough of North Lincolnshire, England, from three large settlements: Grimsby (east), Hull (north) and Scunthorpe (west), on the A18, the latter two places reached by longe ...
. Other companies that operate within the hangars include Bespoke Training Systems Limited, a Cessna Citation service centre, and Anglo European Express (Doncaster) Ltd (onsite regulated agents for air freight and cargo operations).


Flight training

The airport is home to Yorkshire Aero Club who provide training for fixed wing aircraft and Hummingbird Helicopters who provide training for rotary wing aircraft. Yorkshire Aero Club and Hummingbird Helicopters provide introductory flying lessons and training towards the Private Pilot's Licence for aeroplanes and helicopters respectively.


Former airlines and destinations

As of 5 November 2022, there are no more regular commercial passenger airline services to/from Doncaster Sheffield Airport. The last scheduled flight departed Doncaster Sheffield on 29 October 2022, while inbound aircraft continued until 4 November 2022. The airport mainly featured year-round and seasonal flights to leisure destinations around the Mediterranean as well as to cities in Central and Southeastern Europe with
TUI Airways TUI Airways Limited (formerly Thomsonfly and Thomson Airways) is a British charter airline, offering scheduled and charter flights from the United Kingdom and Ireland to destinations in Europe, Africa, Asia and North America. The airline is t ...
and
Wizz Air Wizz Air, legally incorporated as Wizz Air Hungary Ltd. ( hu, Wizz Air Hungary Légiközlekedési Zrt.) is a Hungarian ultra-low-cost carrier with its head office in Budapest, Hungary. The airline serves many cities across Europe, as well as s ...
being the primary tenants.


Statistics


Traffic statistics


Busiest routes


Vulcan XH558

In 2011, the Vulcan to the Sky Trust relocated Avro Vulcan XH558 to the airport, arriving from its former temporary winter base,
RAF Lyneham Royal Air Force Lyneham otherwise known as RAF Lyneham was a Royal Air Force station located northeast of Chippenham, Wiltshire, and southwest of Swindon, Wiltshire, England. The station was the home of all the Lockheed C-130 Hercules transpor ...
, on 29 March. It was the last airworthy example of the Vulcan bomber fleet, restored to flight by the Trust in 2007. One of the reasons for the move to a commercial airport was to improve access for the public to see XH558 up close, something not possible while based at operational RAF bases. The move was deliberately not announced in advance, both to keep costs down at the not yet complete new base, and to not overshadow ongoing repatriation flights of Britain's war casualties to Lyneham from Afghanistan."Welcome Home - Vulcan XH558 returns to Doncaster".
''Global Aviation Resource'', 5 April 2011.
The airport remained XH558's home base until its final flight, a display over the airport, on 28 October 2015. With XH558 now permanently grounded, the Trust intended to remain at Doncaster Sheffield Airport, and make the Vulcan the focus of a new educational and heritage facility, the first stage being to establish the Vulcan Aviation Academy & Heritage Centre. Before 2022, the plan was to feature an academy building for 14-18 year olds, with the Vulcan housed in an adjacent heritage centre, where it would be maintained so as to be able to perform regular fast taxi runs, the frequency of which would be funding dependent.
''Vulcan To The Sky'', 25 November 2015.
However, on 15 August 2022, the Vulcan to the Sky Trust announced that it would be forced to leave the airport. Its fundraising efforts had proven unsuccessful, and even prior to the announcement concerning the airport's own future, the Trust had been informed its lease at the site would not be renewed beyond June 2023. At the time of the announcement, the decision regarding XH558's new home, and the means of its journey there, hadn't been finalised, but the trust was exploring the potential option of the aircraft flying for one last time when it finally leaves the airport. This was deemed too expensive and XH558 will likely be dismantled and moved to a new home by road.


Ground transport


Road

The airport is located close to the
M18 motorway This is a list of roads designated M18. Road entries are sorted in the countries alphabetical order. * M-18 road (Bosnia and Herzegovina) a road connecting Sarajevo, Trnovo, Foča and Trebinje * M18 motorway (Great Britain), a road connecting Ro ...
; a road link from Junction 3 of the M18 to Parrot's Corner (junction of the A638 and the B6463) was opened on 29 February 2016 before being extended to the airport on 15 June 2018. Part of the Finningley and Rossington Regeneration Route Scheme, the road is called the Great Yorkshire Way, and is a continuation of the
A6182 road The A6182 is a dual carriageway in Doncaster that runs west and north from the former Doncaster Sheffield Airport to junction 3 of the M18 and then on to Doncaster town centre. The road is named "White Rose Way" north of the M18, and "Great ...
from Doncaster town centre. In addition the M18 has been widened to three lanes northbound from junction 2 (for the A1(M)) to Junction 3. Also nearby are the
A1(M) A1(M) is the designation given to a series of four separate motorway sections in England. Each section is an upgrade to a section of the A1, a major north–south road which connects London, the capital of England, with Edinburgh, the capit ...
and the M180. Taxis are available directly outside the terminal building. These are operated by the airports official partner Little Arrow Taxis.


Bus

There are regular First South Yorkshire bus services directly linking the airport with
Frenchgate Interchange The Frenchgate Interchange (also known as Doncaster Interchange) is a rail and bus transport interchange located within the Frenchgate Shopping Centre in the city centre of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. It has 30 bus stands, with a large ...
. The 57a and 57c bus services link the airport with Doncaster town centre calling at a number of local areas along the journey before arriving at Doncaster Frenchgate Interchange.


Rail

Doncaster railway station Doncaster railway station is on the East Coast Main Line in England, serving the city of Doncaster, South Yorkshire. It is down the line from and is situated between and on the main line. It is managed by London North Eastern Railway. It ...
, located on the
East Coast Main Line The East Coast Main Line (ECML) is a electrified railway between London and Edinburgh via Peterborough, Doncaster, York, Darlington, Durham and Newcastle. The line is a key transport artery on the eastern side of Great Britain running broa ...
, is from the airport and is adjacent to the
Frenchgate Interchange The Frenchgate Interchange (also known as Doncaster Interchange) is a rail and bus transport interchange located within the Frenchgate Shopping Centre in the city centre of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. It has 30 bus stands, with a large ...
. In addition, the airport lies alongside the Doncaster to Lincoln railway line, and plans for a station at Finningley to replace the station that closed in 1961 were granted planning permission in 2008. However, a 2012 report by
Network Rail Network Rail Limited is the owner (via its subsidiary Network Rail Infrastructure Limited, which was known as Railtrack plc before 2002) and infrastructure manager of most of the railway network in Great Britain. Network Rail is an "arm's leng ...
stated that more trains on the line would be required to make the station viable. There have also been plans to connect the airport to the
East Coast Main Line The East Coast Main Line (ECML) is a electrified railway between London and Edinburgh via Peterborough, Doncaster, York, Darlington, Durham and Newcastle. The line is a key transport artery on the eastern side of Great Britain running broa ...
with a dedicated rail link.


Accidents and incidents

* On 15 August 2014, a
Links Air Links Air was a British airline selling and operating scheduled regional flights as well as charter services. It formerly operated scheduled flights out of Doncaster Sheffield Airport and public service obligation flights in Wales from Cardiff ...
flight from Belfast City Airport, operated by G-GAVA, crashed on landing at the airport following a landing gear failure which caused substantial damage to the aircraft. One passenger was taken to hospital with minor injuries. The airport was closed for several hours.


In media

During its first few years of operation, the airport has featured in the media; in particular, numerous articles on its status as the UK's newest international airport have seen it become part of the debate on air tourism and environmental issues. On 24 January 2007, the airport featured in the
BBC Two BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It covers a wide range of subject matter, with a remit "to broadcast programmes of depth and substance" in contrast to the more mainstream an ...
documentary ''Should I Really Give Up Flying?'', with Doncaster actor Brian Blessed fronting local opinions on the issue. * The airport has also been a filming location for popular television series such as
ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
's '' Emmerdale'',
BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, p ...
drama '' Hustle'', and '' In the Club''. * The airport was a filming location for
Film4 Productions Film4 Productions is a British film production company owned by Channel Four Television Corporation. The company has been responsible for backing many films made in the United Kingdom. The company's first production was ''Walter'', directed by ...
film ''
Four Lions ''Four Lions'' (originally titled ''We Are Four Lions'') is a 2010 British political satire black comedy film directed by Chris Morris (in his directorial debut) and written by Morris, Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong. The film, a jihad satire fol ...
''. * The airport was one of the settings for the BBC mockumentary '' Come Fly with Me''. Matt Lucas and
David Walliams David Edward Williams (born 20 August 1971), known professionally as David Walliams, is an English comedian, actor, writer, and television personality. He is best known for his work with Matt Lucas on the BBC sketch comedy series '' Little B ...
spent two weeks at the airport filming. The programme aired from Christmas 2010 through January 2011. * The airport (or at that time
RAF Finningley Royal Air Force Finningley or RAF Finningley was a Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force station at Finningley, in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. The station straddled the historic county boundaries of both ...
) had several appearances in the 1984
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...
nuclear war docudrama '' Threads'', where it was destroyed by a
Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
nuclear warhead.


Name

Until December 2016, the airport was branded ''Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield''. The " Robin Hood" name was chosen for these reasons: *The airport has a historical connection to Nottinghamshire (as the parish of Finningley was, until 1974 and the
Local Government Act 1972 The Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974. It was one of the most significant Acts of Parliament to be passed by the Heath Gov ...
, administered as part of Nottinghamshire) and still resides in the boundary of the Diocese of Nottingham. *Some later Robin Hood legends, and the popular 20th-century books, films and TV programmes, are set in
Sherwood Forest Sherwood Forest is a royal forest in Nottinghamshire, England, famous because of its historic association with the legend of Robin Hood. The area has been wooded since the end of the Last Glacial Period (as attested by pollen sampling cores ...
. *The forests of Sherwood and Barnsdale merged in this area of Yorkshire. *The name would provide an identity which would raise a lot of attention (if a little controversy) for the airport and create a marketing opportunity.


References


Bibliography

*


External links

* {{authority control Airports in England Aviation in Doncaster Transport in Doncaster Buildings and structures in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster Peel Airports Airports in Yorkshire Defunct airports in England Airports established in 2005 Airports disestablished in 2022 2005 establishments in England 2022 disestablishments in England