Owned and maintained by Solway Light Aviation Ltd, Kirkbride is probably one of the most picturesque airfields in the UK situated in the North West corner of Cumbria, with the imposing fells of the Lake District to the East and the Solway heritage coast on the West. Easy to find, just 9 miles west of Carlisle and with 4000ft of asphalt to land on it makes an ideal location for your aeronautical adventure.
Kirkbride Airfield was opened in May 1939, its role was as a storage and maintenance base to keep aircraft safe after being built at various factories before going onto be delivered to a frontline unit. No16 Ferry Pilots Pool of the Air Transport Auxiliary was formed at the airfield because of the number of movements the airfield was seeing during the first years of WWII. Their base was set up in what is now the White Heather Hotel. No.12 MU (maintenance unit) was also set up on the airfield and between 1939 and 1960 they would deal with just about every aircraft in RAF service, history shows they ranged from Austers to Liberators. After the war had finished, the airfield was as a giant storage area for unwanted airframes. No12 MU remained at the airfield until 1960 when the last aircraft to leave was a Gloster Meteor NF14 and the airfield was closed by the RAF.
Beware of low flying military aircraft during the week. HGV’s may also be on the airfield near the AD. Microlights and autogyros are active at all times.
AVGAS by arrangement. Phone John Plaskett first. Radio is 124.400 please call first at 10nm.
Tea and coffee available in the tower. White Heather Hotel on AD.
