Bielefeld airfield
| Bielefeld | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Characteristics | |
| ICAO code | EDLI |
| IATA code | SFOE |
| Coordinates | |
| Height above MSL | 138 m (453 ft ) |
| Transport links | |
| Distance from the city center | 7 km south of Bielefeld |
| Street | L756, A2 |
| Local transport | Bus route 135, bus route 36 |
| Basic data | |
| opening | 08/30/1930 |
| operator | Bielefeld Airport GmbH |
| Start-and runway | |
| 11/29 | 1256 m × 20 m asphalt |
The airfield Bielefeld ( IATA code BFE , ICAO code EDLI locally due to the same local part also airfield Windelsbleiche ) is an airfield in Bielefeld . It is located around 7 kilometers south of Bielefeld city center in the Senne district and is operated by Flughafen Bielefeld GmbH . Partners include the city of Bielefeld, the IHK Bielefeld and 14 companies from the region. The airfield has a fired and asphalt runway and is mainly used by regional companies, private individuals and local aviation clubs.
History and today's development
Due to the increasing importance of aviation after the First World War , plans also flourished in the up-and-coming city of Bielefeld, which included the construction of an airfield. After months of discussion about the location, the decision was finally made in favor of an area in the Senne that had been bought by the city administration in 1929 as a location for drinking water production. On August 31, 1930, the Bielefeld airfield was inaugurated with the landing of the airship " Graf Zeppelin " in the presence of 100,000 spectators.
From 1932 motorized aviation was also operated on the airfield. For this purpose, a hangar was built to accommodate two powered aircraft. In 1936, corresponding to the Olympic Games in Berlin , a Reich Aviation School was inaugurated. In the following year, the Bielefelder Aviation Association fell victim to synchronization . During the Second World War , apprentices and students for pre-military training in gliding were trained in diaper bleaching. After the Second World War, the airfield remained under the control of the British occupation troops until 1955, but as early as 1952 the Bielefeld gliding group started again from the Windelsbleicher airfield. When Germany regained air sovereignty in 1956, airfield maintenance was transferred from the Bielefelder Luftfahrtverein to the newly founded Flughafen GmbH. In 1971 the airfield was expanded to include a clubhouse for the aviation club. Since the 1960s, Bielefeld airfield has been used intensively by the local economy for flights with twin-engine business aircraft.
At the beginning of the 1990s, the extension of the operating license for the airfield was discussed. Among other things, with the help of a citizens' initiative that collected over 8,000 signatures to maintain the airfield, the preservation of the airfield was secured. In 1994 the responsible aviation authority granted the first unlimited approval of the airfield. In 1997, other companies took over shares in the company, thus creating the conditions for the further modernization of the airport. Since then, the city of Bielefeld has continued to have a share of approx. 25% largest single shareholder. The step-by-step modernization of the airfield took place through the construction of a new tower , several new hangars , a PAPI approach aid and modern runway lighting . The preliminary completion of the construction work in 2005 was the extension of the runway and the paving of the taxiways . Since 2006, the Bielefeld airfield has also been regularly used by jet-powered business aircraft. A Cessna Citation CJ2 + is permanently stationed and used as a charter aircraft.
Purpose and use of the airfield
According to the air traffic concept of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia , Bielefeld airfield fulfills the task of a priority airfield for business travel. The airfield is mainly used by aircraft up to 5.7 tons take-off weight, helicopters, gliders and balloons. The traffic is divided between private flights, business flights and training flights. Bielefeld Airport is open 365 days a year. Flight movements are permitted between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.
Expansion of the airport
In 2002 the airport company decided to expand the runway at the airport. The reason for this was a new safety regulation of the European Union , according to which the runway length of 750 meters at that time would no longer have been sufficient for business flight operations. A citizens' initiative was formed against the expansion of the runway, as citizens feared a sharp increase in aircraft movements and the associated noise pollution . Since the operating license was adjusted at the same time, there were fears that business aviation would be relocated from Paderborn-Lippstadt to this airfield. In May 2005, the runway expansion was finally approved. Work began shortly thereafter. The new runway has been in operation since October 2005. The state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the airport operating company each shared around half of the financing for the expansion, which cost around two million euros.
Events
From 1996 to 2010, a two-day airport festival took place on the penultimate weekend in August. As part of this event, historical aircraft were presented in addition to various aerobatic displays. Every year, the largest single-engine biplane in the world, the Antonov An-2 , could be seen.
In the summer of 2011, the Bielefeld Sightseeing Flight Days took place for the first time. Sightseeing flights over East Westphalia are offered by airplanes, helicopters and gliders. You can also ride in hot air balloons. In addition, information is provided about the training offers at Bielefeld Airport.
Since 1997 there has been an annual St. Nicholas flying on the Sunday after St. Nicholas Day. That afternoon, Santa Claus lands and distributes gifts to the children in the neighborhood.
Clubs at the airfield
- Air sports club Bielefeld-Gütersloh e. V.
- Segelflugverein Bielefeld e. V.
Company at the airfield
At the airfield there is a restaurant , two flight schools and several companies for air transport and aerial photography .
See also
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ A2 motorway, exit 26 (Bielefeld-Süd), approx. 1 km via the L756 in the direction of Brackwede to the Buschkampstraße intersection, then left, after another 400 m right into the street Am Flugplatz
- ↑ Timetable information for line 135. moBiel.de; accessed July 28, 2014.
- ↑ Timetable information line 36. moBiel.de; accessed July 28, 2014.
- ^ Hans Schumacher: Bielefeld-Senne. A municipality on ancient views . Sutton, Erfurt 2004 pp. 45-48
- ↑ a b Weightless through the air . In: Neue Westfälische , No. 14, 17./18. January 2009, districts of Senne u. a.
- ↑ Expert opinion on the expansion of the runway ( Memento from September 2, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
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