JULY 14th 2008

NEWCASTLE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ACQUIRES SAMSON AVIATION

Airport announces plans to grow private aviation and create
new visitor centre under its ownership

Newcastle International Airport is delighted to announce that it has acquired Samson Aviation Services Limited, the general aviation business located on the south side of the airport site, in a deal valued at some £450,000.

The deal forms part of Newcastle International’s wider plans to redevelop the entire south side of the airport site, including the creation of a new visitor centre and viewing area, a luxury business park and the expansion of Newcastle College’s Aviation Academy.

The acquisition also brings the original 1930s airport terminal building back under the airport’s ownership.

Dave Laws, chief executive of Newcastle International said: “We’re delighted to acquire Samson Aviation. It has been successfully operated as a family-run business for 15 years and is already in very good shape. Samson has grown successfully over the years and has established an excellent reputation for the quality of its services.

“We now want to build on that success and have ambitious plans to grow business aviation and other light aircraft activity at Newcastle International over the coming years. Our aim is to transform the airport into one of the country’s foremost bases for private aircraft owners.”
As well as an extensive range of commercial clientele, the private terminal handles transatlantic delivery flights, emergency ambulance movements, freight flights and military operations.
Newcastle International also has exciting plans for the original passenger terminal building dating back to 1935 when the airport first began operating commercial flights.

Dave Laws added: “With our 75th anniversary only two years away, we hope to be able to refurbish the original terminal building and restore it to its former 1930s glory. Our hope is to turn it into a new visitor centre with an outdoor viewing area overlooking the airfield.

“We know there’s been strong demand for this type of facility ever since the viewing gallery in the modern terminal closed in 2003. Hopefully our plans will help us give something back to the local community and will be welcomed by those who wish to come to the airport as visitors and spectators, not just as passengers.”

The original terminal building was officially opened on July 26, 1935 by the Secretary of State for Air, Sir Phillip Cunliffe-Lister. In recent years the building has been operated as a private bar and restaurant for Aero Club members and airport staff.

Plans to develop a 50-acre site adjacent to Samson Aviation are already well underway. This includes the creation of a new airport business park, split onto two sites and providing over one million square feet of business space for luxury offices, air freight, hangers and warehouses. In addition, construction is currently taking place on the expansion of Newcastle College’s Aviation Academy. Due to open this September, the expansion will create a further 1,500 square metres of training space for the delivery of the college’s world class aviation training programmes.

- ENDS –

St George Flight Training have been brought in at an early stage in this great new development for both GA and Business Aviation and I look forward to working alongside the Newcastle Airport team in particular to help promote their 75th anniversary in two years time – the original 1930’s terminal building mentioned in the press release is to become a Visitor Centre and Restaurant and this is where I first departed on a ‘foreign’ holiday to Jersey in an Elizabethan Aircraft more years ago than I care to remember – what I do remember is that the aircraft taxied up virtually to the front door for embarkation!
As one who had his first civilian flying lesson at Newcastle in 1968 after having flown as a cadet in the ATC it should be a bit like ‘coming home’, although some people may remember me running an AOC operation from the Main Terminal in the early 80’s when I carried out ‘charter work, pleasure flights and aerial survey flying’.
St George Flight Training will be providing Air Experience/Adventure Flights and all PPL licences and ratings plus Commercial Pilot and Flying Instructor training at the new facility which will be located in the Samson Aviation Building on the Airport Southside.

Capt. E Reed