Leader Insight into what 2022 Holds for Gloucestershire Airport
Karen Taylor, Managing Director
In looking ahead to 2022 I can’t help but reflect on the challenges everyone has had to face both personally and professionally over the last two years. As Managing Director of Gloucestershire Airport I know just how acutely these challenges have been felt by the aviation sector.
Since joining in 2018, I’ve been wedded to bringing a modern commercial vision to Gloucestershire Airport. Together with colleagues and consultants we’ve actively sought out ideas and options to future proof the airport and ensure a bright sustainable future. The commercial potential for this airport is fantastic, and to not deliver it would be a wasted opportunity. So, while the COVID-19 pandemic threw us something of a curveball, we’ve remained steadfast in our determination to realise our long-term strategy to drive investment into the airport so we can develop facilities and services for the benefit of the businesses that operate from the airfield and their customers.
That I’m stood looking ahead to an exciting 12 months in Gloucestershire Airport’s history is testament to the hard work and commitment of all the airport team, as well as the tenants and businesses operating from here.
Secured funding has enable us to deliver runway improvements and other critical capital improvements, with work starting in December 2021, this will see us going to ground break from early 2022.
The new runway will be a massive boost for Gloucestershire Airport. Existing customers running their businesses from the airport, including charter flights, flight schools and leisure users will immediately benefit from improved breaking distances and lighting. In addition, knowledge that the runways are being refurbished is already attracting the attention of potential new operators to the airport..
Delivery of the new runways really will raise the profile of Gloucestershire Airport and put it firmly on the map internationally as an airport that is serious about growing, and give confidence to regional businesses that we are a viable alternative to the other regional airports.
This refurbishment work is also a catalyst for other exciting works including improved communications equipment and upgraded radar, better fire equipment and upgrading our ICT systems. Alongside this we are working to deliver clean energy projects and green technologies projects to help reduce our carbon footprint where possible.
Even with the aftereffects of the pandemic it remains an exciting time for aviation in terms of the progress being made to improve the environmental performance of aircraft, in particular those smaller aircraft that would use regional airports. Electric planes are being developed and, while we are some way off, this technology being used to deliver all-electric planes for long-haul flights. Travelling between cities in smaller electric aircraft is likely to become a reality in the near future and this will be a game changer for regional travel by air.
Together with Rolls Royce, ElectroFlight has developed a single-seater all-electric aircraft – the Electric NXT (E-NXT) – a battery-powered plane described as being within ‘grasping distance’ of breaking world air-speed records.
Delivery of the new industrial and warehouse development at the airport – CGX Connect – is a key element to our future success. CGX Connect is a great innovation for a regional airfield. By making use of land available to create a revenue stream that we can re-invest back into the airport operations, the scheme provides us with the foundation to fulfil our ambition to become a nucleus for regional connectivity, international travel growth and business innovation. After appointing civil engineering company Montel, work is now well underway to deliver improved access to the site and we look forward to being able to announce confirmed tenants later in the year.
