Netherthorpe Airfield

Netherthorpe Aerodrome RAF Netherthorpe
IATA: none ICAO: EGNF
Summary
Airport type	Private
Operator	Sheffield Aero Club
Location	Worksop
Elevation AMSL	254 ft / 77 m
Coordinates	53°19′01″N 001°11′47″W / 53.31694°N 1.19639°W / 53.31694; -1.19639 (Netherthorpe Airfield)Coordinates: 53°19′01″N 001°11′47″W / 53.31694°N 1.19639°W / 53.31694; -1.19639 (Netherthorpe Airfield)
Website	Flying at Netherthorpe
Map
EGNF Location in South Yorkshire
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 06/24 553 1,814 Grass 18/36 382 1,253 Grass
Sources: UK AIP at NATS

Netherthorpe Airfield (ICAO: EGNF) is located 2 NM (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) west by north of Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England. The airfield is in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham.

Netherthorpe is operated by Sheffield Aero Club, it is part of a local landowners estate. There are two flying training schools present, the Sheffield Aero Club and Phoenix Flying School. Sheffield Aero Club have three hangars, (Numbers 1 to 3) these house the operational aircraft types, training aircraft are parked outside. Aircraft maintenance is available from Dukeries Aviation Ltd, Phoenix Flying School's parent company, they operate from the single maintenance hangar.

Netherthorpe Aerodrome has a CAA Ordinary Licence (Number P601) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee (Sheffield Aero Club Limited). The aerodrome is not licensed for night use (though it was until the 1990s).

The land on which the current airfield is located was originally used for flying in 1933 by a small number of private pilots with their own aircraft, they operated the de Havilland DH.60 Moth. They approached Sheffield City Council on Friday 5 April 1935 with the intention of taking advantage of the growing trend in airfield development and forming the Sheffield Aero Club (SAC). Following protracted negotiations funding was found for a clubhouse which was originally located to the right of the existing runway 24 threshold and to upgrade an existing hangar, located to the left of the existing runway 24 threshold, this was extant until 1996 when it was destroyed by high winds. The landing ground also received upgrade. The convention at the time was to take off and land using the whole mown field with no designated runways, a white circle was whitewashed to identify the centre of the field where take off and landing was conducted through the circle, the identification letters 'NT' were enclosed in the circle. After initial hesitation mitigated by hedge removal to reveal a larger landing area the Air Ministry (AM) approval was granted to allow flying training, operating the De Havilland Moth which was loaned to the club by the Chairman Mr Jakeman with operations starting on 31 July 1935. BA Swallow G-AEIC moved to Netherthorpe in 1939 owned by club director Mr Horrox though it is unclear if this was used by the wider club membership but would be commandeered by the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a communication aircraft on their arrival at Netherthorpe in 1940. On the declaration of war with Germany on 3 September 1939 a AM telegram was signalled to all flying clubs to cease operations immediately, the airfield was closed and studded with wooden spikes to deter landing German aircraft and paratroopers.