Pilot reviews of Manchester Barton Airfield

“Excellent and extremeley historic airfield.

Everybody very helpful.

”

“very busy airfield very good facilities . the viewing area was very good with an overview of the airfield”

“Flew into Barton last month - Little disappointed by the state of the Runway (not much grass and very bumpy).

AFIS was fantastic (although very busy!), I even got a briefing from the chaps in the tower before leaving. Could do with some pilot briefing facilities though.

Landing was expensive considering the runway state. However its in an ideal location near the trafford centre and major motorways.

Clubhouse was on the pricey side but the food was good and served with a smile.

In general a nice little airfield with helpful staff. Hopefully the runway won't be too affected by the winter weather as I hope to go back for Xmas shopping at the trafford centre

”

“I visited Barton today and my experience was positive. Barton is quite a busy GA airfield with lots of fixed wing and helicopter traffic being integrated - strange to see helis actually obeying joining procedures and flying the circuit! ATC was helpful and refuelling & parking was uneventful. The cafe was being repainted and the staff were friendly: I didn't sample the food so I can't comment. However I flattened the battery on my PA28 and the maintenance chap came straight out, gave me a jump and wouldn't accept anything for his trouble - all done with a cheerful smile. Paid £15 landing fee for a PA28 and £1.41/l for avgas which I thought was quite pricey.. The runway is grass and quite bumpy.”

“Disappoining really. Should have been a classic GA airfield as it has all the right ingredients but somehow it didn't mesh together. Perhaps I visited late in the day, perhaps being a weekday, who knows but the service (apart from the ATC) was at best indifferent, the food quite poor and I left feeling like an gate crasher at someone elses party. One day I shall go back. Just not yet.”

“Folks, let me put the record straight re Barton as a long term visitor to and latterly member of LAC. Firstly some background.

As has been reported, the airfield itself is currently owned by Manchester Ship Canal Developments Limited (effectively Peel Holdings). MSCD employ an agent company to run the airfield on their behalf, this company is called Barton Airfield Operations Limited. BOAL is currently run by many of the former committee members of Lancashire Aero Club.

MSCD own the land and the buildings, control tower, hangers club house etc. These they rent to organisations who, whilst they previously had a more direct stake, are now “merely” tenants, these include the several flying schools, the maintenance company Light Planes Limited and Lancashire Aero Club itself.

There are changes afoot …..

Security

Security at the airfield is being tightened with a secure “airside” being established. I understand that this is at the insistance of the CAA and is common to all aerodromes of this size. There is a directive CAP 703? (not sure of the number) that covers these requirements.

Car Parking

MSCD have imposed a charges for parking cars. However despite rumors of £1/ hour that were circulating, the current charges are nil for 30 mins or less, 50p for two hours or less, 2.50 for a day. They have also installed a security camera system so the car park is monitored. LAC rent a separate car park on the approach road for their members who pay a part of their membership as a car park “contract”

Club House

The club house has always been “members only”. This is a function of the license more than anything else. “ Pre Peel” the airfield itself was operated by the club (LAC) who could grant temporary membership to visiting pilots so there was never a problem. However “Post Peel” the club do not operate the airfield and so the operators (BOAL) cannot grant such membership (at the moment anyway).

There was a recent spurt of “enforcement” of the members only policy by an over zealous committee member which generated a good deal of bad press. However having seen the strength of feeling amongst the members this activity generated, it’s now business very much as usual. Let me be very clear on this point. I am just an ordinary member of the club so I am not speaking for or on behalf of the club, but if anyone out there in UKGA land or anywhere else for that matter, fancies dropping in for a cuppa and a bacon butty, you will find a welcome at the club house. In the very unlikely event of any issues, just ask a club member to sign you in. There is almost universal support for this policy amongst the rank and file club members so you are preety much guranteed to find someone to sign you in anytime. However it is most important that you please respect the licensing restrictions by not purchasing alcohol unless you have been signed in as a guest. In the meantime it is my understanding that the club are looking at getting the licence changed and / or looking at ways of granting temporary membership to visiting pilots.

Landing Fee

There is indeed now a landing fee for all aircraft imposed by MSCD and collected on their behalf by BAOL. Larger users such as LAC have negotiated contracts and pass these on to their customers in membership fees etc. Bumpy runways I agree but see “General”

Tower

The tower is NOT falling down. It has recently had a small number of bricks removed in order to faciliate inspection of the steel reinforcement rods. This is part of the expensive restoration work MSCD has comitted to complete to this listed building and which now forms the headquarters and offices of BOAL itself . LAC and the flying school have been re located just outside the tower building.

General

Please also note that MSCD have submitted plans for a new clubhouse to be built and BAOL (I think) have started extensive improvement work on the runways which have become a bit bumpy.

Who knows what’s really in store for the future. The airfield will continue as such for at least the next two years under the terms of the current leases, MSCD have put the field under their “airports” division, and are making positive noises and backing these up with investment cash but I guess only time will tell. I guess it will depend on how many visitors we can attract...

”

“I flew into Barton from the east. It's a very pretty route over the hills. The airfield is easy-to-spot, and the runway numbers very clearly marked. Some areas were slightly bumpy, but not excessively. The staff were fantastic. The tower staff and other airfield staff were extremely helpful and friendly. We were only visitors but they were so accommodating, and went out of their way to help us, often without us requesting it. It is all hi-viz airside, so remember yours if you intend visiting.

There is a cafe and bar that serves good food, and a visitor centre with some interesting aviation photos and small displays of vintage flying items. I'm looking forward to returning to Barton.

”

“When deciding on what aerodrome to take my ppl training at I visted a few and got lots of advice. I found the most helpful and friendly setup seemed to be at Barton. It also seemed the most professionally run of what I saw and it has good facilities. I am now up to Ex10 (stalling & slow flight) of flight training and loving every minute of it and have passed my air law exam and have had good ground training on circuits etc. My instructor is a very pleasant chap and his teaching style is very calm and sure. I feel that I have made the right decision about chosing Barton, the prices arn't the cheapest but I feel that for the extra prices which aren't really that much more you get a much better package. ”

“We flew in to Manchester-Barton on Sunday 24th August 2003 from East Midlands in PA-28-161 G-BPRY. It was our first attempt at the low-level corridor and, having downloaded the article from the Barton website and studied our 1:500,000 and Pooley's thoroughly, we headed along the A50 towards Stoke. Following the A500 round Stoke to the M6 we headed for the beacon at Whitegate, found the small grass airfield at Ashcroft and turned north in to the corridor at around 1,000ft on the MAN QNH.
The corridor is remarkably devoid of good visual references since it was moved westwards following the opening on MAN's 2nd runway. There is little to help you adjust your heading for drift and being only 4 miles wide, it is easy to stray off the corridor centreline.
The visibility wasn't that great (10-12km) but we soon came across the junction on the M56 and continued north across Warrington.
We were glad to see the M6/M62 junction as this marked the end of the LLC for us and we turned swiftly north east to track along the north side of the M62 towards Barton climbing as we did to 1500ft to join overhead the field and make a standard deadside join for 09LH.
The runway is a little "rippled" to say the least but we finally settled and taxied in to park by the tower.
After a longish wait to pay our £8 landing fee (they get very busy in the Lancashire Aero Club at the base of the tower where you pay and they seemed a little short staffed) we headed for the clubhouse to order lunch and a drink. on the positive side though, you do get a voucher for a free cup of tea or coffee when you pay the landing fee which is a nice touch.
Our burgers and chips took a good half hour to show - it was a busy Sunday lunchtime - but they were worth waiting for.
The airfield is very busy at weekends with Lancashire Aero Club flyers, helicopters buzzing everywhere, visitors coming and going - both on foot and in the air, and even a Tiger Moth doing what looked like pleasure flights!!
After a 90 minute stay, we taxied out for 09 and got airborne more like a Harrier on a ski-jump than a normal take-off as we hit a runway bump just at the right time and it pushed us skyward!! Left in to the circuit then west until well clear of the field then a further left turn to run along the north-side of the M62 again.
At the M62/M6 junction we banked left again making sure we were below 1250ft MAN QNH and turned south back through the corridor tracking towards the Whitegate beacon with a 10 degree left of track to account for drift from the easterly wind.
The corridor was much easier to navigate on the way back - things are always easier once you've done them before - and we were soon at Ashcroft where we climbed to 2,000ft, banked left and headed for home.
In summary - Barton is a lovely little airfield with good food and nice service, if a little slow. Its a busy airfield though and if you are coming from the south and have never transitted the LLC before, do your research and have another pilot with you for help. Also, don't attempt the LLC on a day where the visibility is poor - good vis helps you identify the few reference points there are.
It would be a great shame if they closed Barton and built houses on it as is rumoured.”