Airfield Categories

The starting point was to use the factors that Lord Byron Davies set out in 2018 report that accompanied a Green Paper, Aviation 2050: The Future of UK Aviation, but then to include other features that can contribute to ‘importance’.

Lord Byron Davies focussed on the airfield infrastructure – runway characteristics, navaids, hangarage, engineering support for example.

The SAN survey includes all of his factors and also takes account of, for example, the role of an airfield in its community for sport, recreation and events and geographic factors – for example in a relatively remote area, an Aerodrome may have an important role in connectivity or provide support for the emergency services.

Category A Airfields

Airfields containing elements of GA and elements of a commercial airport.

Predominantly licensed and generally have higher aircraft movement levels, ATC services and

ground support - in other words satisfying the aeronautical criteria highlighted by Lord Byron Davies and the work by York Aviation.

Most have a wider range of activity, flight training, MET services and accommodate emergency and related services.

Category B Airfields

Larger regionally significant airfields

Mixed licensed and unlicensed, mostly VFR only. The sophistication of aeronautical services and levels of activity are less than category A.

The range of maintenance services, activities on the aerodrome, flight training opportunities and environmental measures is comparable to category A, with some sites having a wider breadth and depth. Non-aviation activity and community engagement activity is also strong in this group.

Category C airfields

Airfields that are generally in more remote locations and therefore have a wider catchment in their sub-region

Runways are often only grass but may be mixed, there are fewer aeronautical services and non-aviation activity and community engagement is reduced for staffing reasons.

Category D airfields

Airfields declared strategically important by the owner

They may not have a wide range of equipment and services but are highly valuable to users in often very remote locations, and so are of local value, often for recreational value but also local connectivity.