Airbus Broughton
| Company type | Public / Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aviation, Aircraft manufacturing |
| Headquarters | Hawarden, Flintshire , Wales, United Kingdom |
Area served | Aviation services, aircraft manufacturing |
| Products | Aircraft wings (Airbus), aircraft handling services |
| Owner | Airbus UK (for manufacturing facility) |
Hawarden Airport, also referred to as Hawarden Aerodrome, is an airport situated near Hawarden in Flintshire, Wales, positioned close to the England-Wales border and located to the west-southwest of Chester.
Aviation Park Group (APG), operating from this airport, offers handling and associated services for private clientele and holds exclusive handling privileges under a long-term lease agreement with Airbus UK. The location is also home to a significant Airbus manufacturing facility at Broughton, specializing in the production of aircraft wings for Airbus commercial airplanes.
History
During World War II, the Broughton aircraft manufacturing site was established as a shadow factory for Vickers-Armstrongs Limited. Here, 5,540 Vickers Wellington bombers and 235 Avro Lancaster heavy bombers were produced. Of particular note is Avro Lancaster PA474, constructed in 1945 at this facility, which remains one of only two Lancasters still airworthy and currently serves with the RAF's Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
Following the war, Vickers adapted the factory to manufacture 28,000 aluminium prefabricated bungalows.
From 1939 until 1957, the RAF's No. 48 Maintenance Unit operated on the northwest airfield, responsible for maintaining and dismantling military aircraft such as Airspeed Horsa gliders and de Havilland Mosquitoes.
Formed in June 1940, No. 7 Operational Training Unit flew aircraft including Supermarine Spitfires and Hawker Hurricanes. During the Battle of Britain, it conducted defensive sorties over northwest England and Broughton, claiming three enemy planes destroyed. The unit’s instructors included seasoned pilots such as WWI ace Ira 'Taffy' Jones.
This unit provided training for numerous dominion airmen and Americans who enlisted with the RCAF to combat Axis forces. Disbanded in November 1940, it was succeeded by No. 57 OTU, which later relocated due to rising training requirements.
Shortly thereafter, 41 OTU took over operations, introducing Hurricanes, Tomahawks, and Mustang Is focused on Army Cooperation training involving reconnaissance and aerial photography.
Between 1940 and 1945, No. 3 Ferry Pilots Pool/ATA was active here, responsible for ferrying thousands of military aircraft between factories and operational squadrons throughout the UK.
On 1 July 1948, the Vickers factory was acquired by De Havilland Aircraft Company, which manufactured a range of aircraft including:
- de Havilland Mosquito – 88 units
- de Havilland Hornet, Sea Hornet
- de Havilland Vampire, Venom, Sea Venom
- de Havilland Dove, Devon – approximately 500 built
- de Havilland Comet – 15 units (including Nimrod prototypes)
- de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk – 889 units
- Assembly of de Havilland Canada Beaver
- de Havilland Sea Vixen
- de Havilland Heron – around 140 units
In the 1960s, the company became part of Hawker Siddeley Aviation, concentrating on producing the DH.125 business jet (later known as HS125) for nearly forty years. Final assembly shifted to the United States in 1996 following acquisition by Raytheon Corporation, although component manufacturing persisted at Broughton for several years thereafter. Production ended in 2013 after owner Hawker Beechcraft declared bankruptcy.
The Broughton facility joined British Aerospace in 1977 and is currently owned by Airbus, functioning as the primary wing manufacturing hub for all Airbus commercial aircraft models. Within the airport premises lies The Airfield football ground, home to Welsh Premier League team Airbus UK Broughton F.C., which features movable floodlights due to its proximity to the runway.
Additional notable units have been based at this location:
Airlines and destinations
Hawarden Airport has previously accommodated scheduled flights, including services by British Eagle during the 1960s and Air Wales in 1977; however, it currently does not offer any public scheduled passenger routes. The majority of flights are either charter or corporate in nature, with frequent cargo operations involving the Airbus Beluga transporting aircraft wings to Airbus facilities in Toulouse, Hamburg Finkenwerder, and Bremen. Although Airbus initially deemed the airport’s relatively short 1,663-meter runway unsuitable for models like the A330-300 and A340-500, it ultimately chose the A330-200 variant for the new Beluga aircraft, thereby avoiding the necessity to extend the runway.
Regular shuttle flights connecting Hawarden with Bristol Airport and Toulouse for Airbus personnel were maintained until 2020. These routes were operated by Eastern Airways, Flybmi (which has since ceased operations), and subsequently Loganair utilizing an Embraer 145 aircraft. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic led to the discontinuation of these services and resulted in Loganair closing its Hawarden base. Additionally, Hawarden functions as an alternative airport for scheduled flights to Anglesey when that airport is closed.
Private flying and general aviation play a vital role in the airport’s activity levels. Notable operators include Aviation Park Group, which provides air taxi and charter services; MerseyFlight Air Training School; North Wales Military Air Services (NWMAS); and the National Police Air Service operating a Eurocopter EC135 helicopter. Williams Aviation Ltd also offers private jet charter operations from Hawarden. The airfield operates strictly on a prior permission required (PPR) basis.
Air Wales at Hawarden Airport
Air Wales commenced its operations on 6 December 1977 from Cardiff Airport using a nine-seat Piper PA-31 Navajo Chieftain (registration G-BWAL) for its twice-daily service to Hawarden Airport in Flintshire—promoted under the name "Chester" despite Hawarden’s location within Wales. Clwyd County Council contributed a £10,000 start-up grant aimed at improving transport links between North East Wales and Cardiff. Tickets were priced at £16.50 per single journey. Despite limited cabin space, passengers were offered complimentary coffee served onboard by the First Officer.
Service Centres
An independent aircraft maintenance facility operates at the airport, separate from Airbus’s activities. In 2003, Raytheon Systems established a centre supporting the Royal Air Force’s Raytheon Sentinel program. Originally servicing aircraft such as the Beech 125 and Beechcraft 400 series, this facility was rebranded as Hawker Beechcraft Ltd in 2007 and underwent several ownership changes before being acquired by Marshall Aerospace (Cambridge) in September 2013 for an undisclosed amount. It currently holds certifications to maintain various Cessna and Beechcraft aircraft types.
North Wales Military Air Services (NWMAS), also based at Hawarden, focuses on maintaining classic military aircraft including the BAC Jet Provost, BAC Strikemaster, and Aero L-39 Albatros. Several of these aircraft are operated from Hawarden for airshow performances and pilot training purposes.
Radio Mandatory Zone
Hawarden Airport became the first UK airport to introduce a permanent Radio Mandatory Zone (RMZ), mandating that aircraft entering designated airspace must be equipped with operational radio communication systems to enhance traffic awareness and safety within complex or congested airspace. Following a two-year consultation process, this RMZ was authorized by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and came into effect on 30 March 2017.
Bibliography
- Barfield, Norman. (2005) Broughton – from Wellington to Airbus. Tempus.
- Smith, Ron. (2005) British Built Aircraft (Volume 5 Northern England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland). Tempus.