East Midlands Aeropark - East Midlands Airport, Leicestershire
Posted by: 
SMacB
N 52° 49.965 W 001° 20.833
30U E 611342 N 5854944
East Midlands Aeropark is both an aviation museum and a viewing area where you can study the preserved planes of yesteryear or watch the modern airliners of today taking-off and landing at a growing international passenger and cargo airport.
Waymark Code: WMXNNM
Location: East Midlands, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 02/04/2018
Views: 1
"East Midlands Aeropark is both an aviation museum and a viewing area where you can study the preserved planes of yesteryear or watch the modern airliners of today taking-off and landing at a growing international passenger and cargo airport.
Within the Aeropark there are two viewing mounds which are just 170 metres north of the main east/west runway of the airport (Runway 09 Threshold). The mound which is at the eastern end of the Aeropark is the height of the airport perimiter fence which means that you can get and unrestricted view accross the airport perfect for taking photographs.
HISTORY -
The AVA, Aeropark Volunteers Association can trace its roots back to the Loughborough and Leicester Air Museum that formed in 1977. After four short years the group closed and a new organisation, The East Midlands Historic Flying Group formed with the main purpose of getting Varsity ( WL626 - ex 6FTS from RAF Finningley ) flying again.
Once again the group failed to get a foothold due to insufficient funding but in 1984 a new group - the AVA formed with the help of the Local Councils of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire who along with a large input of funding from NCP Car Parks helped established the AVA and the Aeropark on a site on the Eastern perimeter of the airfield at Castle Donington.
Exhibit Arrivals -
Avro Vulcan B2A arrived from RAF Waddington in 1982 and its future was secured for the AVA after an eleventh hour intervention to prevent it being reduced to scrap. The AW Argosy ( G-BEOZ ), Britten Norman Sheriff, and Westland Whirlwind ( Bristow colours ) arrived shortly afterwards.
Once again the whole effort was thrown into disarray when the airport announced apron and runway extensions in 1994 and the park was closed. However through the dedication of a handful of AVA members and the team at the airport, a new site was found at the North Western corner of the airfield close to the Donington Park Motor Racing Circuit. The new Aeropark was opened in August 2001 following a substantial investment programme by the airport.
The new site is managed and run by the AVA volunteers and all entrance fees are put back into the Aeropark including the purchasing of new aircraft exhibits and maintaining the existing ones.
The AVA has purchased and built a genuine World War II Romney building on site and we are now in the process of building another which will be larger than the existing one. The existing romney houses a working display area, aviation memorabilia and artefacts, office, stores and a toilet block. The addition of the new Romney will allow us to display the more delicate airframes which are not suitable for external display.
Aeropark Exhibits -
The Aeropark has a collection of 18 complete airframes on external display within the park with another 5 aircraft under complete restoration and 4 aircraft sections.
Inside the hanger there are a number of aircraft engines including a Rolls Royce Spey, Bristol Hercules and Gyron Junior, along with a Link Simulator and numerous other aircraft components, photographs etc.
To see our exhibits and find out more about them come and visit the Aeropark, our volunteers will be happy to talk to you about any of the exhibits, just ask.
Aircraft list
|
Registration |
Aircraft Type |
Status |
|
XX457 |
Aérospatiale Gazelle |
Display |
|
G-BEOZ |
Armstrong Whitworth Argosy |
Display |
|
WM224 |
Armstrong Whitworth Meteor TT.20 |
Display |
|
XM575 |
Avro Vulcan B.2 |
Display |
|
ZF588 |
BAC Lightning F.53 |
Display |
|
XW664 |
BAe Nimrod R1 |
Display |
|
XV350 |
Blackburn Buccaneer S.2B |
Display |
|
G-FRJB |
Britten SA.1 Sheriff |
Display |
|
WP784 |
De Havilland Chipmunk T.10 |
Restoration |
|
G-ANUW |
De Havilland Dove |
Restoration |
|
XD382 |
De Havilland Vampire T.11 |
Display |
|
XD447 |
De Havilland Vampire T.11 |
Display |
|
XG737 |
De Havilland Sea Venom FAW22 |
Restoration |
|
WH740 |
English Electric Canberra T.17 |
Display |
|
WM367 |
Gloster Meteor NF13 (cockpit) |
Display |
|
XL569 |
Hawker Hunter T.7 |
Display |
|
WV382 |
Hawker Hunter GA.11 |
Display |
|
XJ714 |
Hawker Hunter FR.10 |
Display |
|
XP568 |
Hunting Jet Provost T.4 |
Display |
|
WW442 |
Percival Provost |
Restoration |
|
XV108 |
Vickers VC10 (Front Section) |
Display |
|
G-APES |
Vickers Vanguard 953C (cockpit) |
Display |
|
WL626 |
Vickers Varsity T.1 |
Display |
|
G-CSZB |
Vickers Viscount 804 (cockpit) |
Display |
|
XT604 |
Westland Wessex HC.2 |
Display |
|
XG588 |
Westland Whirlwind Srs 3 [VR-BEP] |
Display |
|
XZ721 |
Westland Lynx HAS3 |
Display |
|
G-BBLM |
Morane-Saulnier Rallye 100s |
Display |
|
|
Schleicher Glider K-8 |
Display |
|
|
Link Trainer (1948) |
Display |
During the year the Aeropark hosts a number of events where subject to availability we open up the cockpits of our aircraft in order that visitors can view the inside and in certain of the aircraft actually have the opportunity to get inside the aircraft and / or cockpits.
Aeropark Opening Times
The opening times for the Aeropark will be open on all Bank Holidays (with the exception of Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day).
Normal Opening hours are:
Summer (Good Friday - 29th October)
|
Saturdays |
12:00 - 17:00 |
|
|
Sundays |
10:30 - 17:00 |
|
|
Thursdays |
11:00 - 16:00 |
|
|
All Bank Holidays |
10:30 - 17:00 |
Winter (1st November to Good Friday)
|
Aeropark |
Closed (See note below) |
|
Last entrance to the aeropark is 1 hour before closing time.
Note: During the Winter period the Aeropark will be closed, In the event that there is a special event day we will open please look at our social media pages (Facebook and Web) for details."
SOURCE - (Visit Link)