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Bembridge EGHJ

Just to point out that Bembridge is up and running as normal now. No need for PPR during the weekend and there is an A/G radio service during normal hours 9-5. Landing fee was £15 for a single. Hard runway and taxiway seemed in good condition, and preferable to grass after all that rain earlier in the week. No ATZ anymore and look at the Vectis Gliding Club website for local airfield info.

I can't comment on the Propellor Inn which is adjacent to the airfield because we didn't eat there, other than it seems to offer a good choice of food. There are no toilets onsite, and the Inn charges 50p for non-customers.

The beach is about 10 minutes walk and there are a couple of beach cafes offering cooked food, sandwiches etc at reasonable prices.

Had a great beach trip with the kids at the weekend, so strongly recommend it.

FlyerDavidUK, PPL & IR Instructor
EGBJ, United Kingdom

I would second this - Bembridge is our favourite Saturday bimble from Biggin.

Just watch out for the crosswinds which can be a little sporting - especially landing to the west - expect windshear on short final in anything but the calmest conditions.

The Propeller Inn does a passable roast, but we normally go to the beach cafes. There is also a new restaurant open in Bembridge which has had good feedback, but we haven't been yet.

EGEO

The Beach Hut cafe is well worth a visit for lunch, lovely food.

EGCN

Just to dig up this thread. Can anyone recommend a campsite closeby? Love a good fly/camping trip and IoW seems like a nice spot to do that.

EHTE, Netherlands

Between the airfield and the beach there’s hundreds of static caravans within easy walking distance: Whitecliff Bay (open all year, also does camping in August), and Sandyhills (only open April-October). A friend went to one a few years ago and said it quite expensive.

There’s a bus stop at the airfield next to the Propeller Inn which provides easy access into Bembridge and Sandown. Looking at google maps there’s bit more choice for campsites around Sandown, a couple even on the bus route. You’d have to check dates because some only open for the school holidays in the summer.

There’s loads to do in the area (some ideas in this thread) and it’s my favourite UK airfield because of this. I’m only 20 minutes away by plane so let me know if I can do anything.

EGHO-LFQF-KCLW, United Kingdom

Worth a mention that wild camping (camping without the landowner’s permission) is illegal in the UK, except in Scotland and Dartmoor. So if you do it off-campsite you need to be well hidden

Bembridge is a really nice airfield, but usually deserted.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

You could ask the airfield if they will let you camp on the airfield itself.
I did this on a trip around the UK maybe 10 years ago. Stickling to the smaller airfields (not those with high fences and security patrols) resulted in about a 50% “You are more than welcome to camp here” rate.

EIWT Weston, Ireland

Sandown is a very popular and active airfield these days and camping onsite, even next to your aircraft is often very welcome.
I did so a couple of times in the past, but these days I find the runway too punishing for my airframe and use Bembridge.
I haven’t camped there. These days I don’t think they can offer any facilities but I would definitely check because that may have changed.

United Kingdom

Thank you all for the tips, just what I was hoping for!

EHTE, Netherlands

Britten-Norman (the builders of the Islander) are talking about returning to Bembridge.

This is prob90 good news. BN used to run the airport until about 10 years ago. They were offered some amazing local govt subsidised premises on the mainland nearby and moved there, and the airport was left to basically rot. It remained accessible via PPR by email or website, but was mostly deserted. In BN days there was a lively cafe on site.

Of course BN could just decide to kick out GA and run the airport just for themselves but that would be financially dumb. In the BN days there was a lot of traffic and I never saw a single Islander, so keeping GA out would be very expensive.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom
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