Two Coastguard search and rescue helicopters will be operating out of Manston airport as of tomorrow (January 15).
HM Coastguard’s operator Bristow had been based at Lydd Airport since 2015 but a disagreement over costs led to a temporary relocation to Hampshire.
It has now been confirmed that the service will operate from Manston.
The Bristow Group teams operating AW139 helicopters on behalf of HM Coastguard will be supported by Manston Airport for crew changes, refuelling, and other Search and Rescue (SAR) operational requirements.
A Bristow spokesperson said: “We appreciate the airport’s cooperation and support in enabling these arrangements.
“Manston Airport, which has previously served as a SAR base, provides facilities that meet the requirements for safe and effective helicopter operations on behalf of HM Coastguard.
“Its location in the South East enables Bristow’s SAR teams to deliver uninterrupted, effective service in the area, working alongside other HM Coastguard assets and teams.”
Airport owner Riveroak Strategic Partners (RSP) said: “RSP Manston is delighted to welcome the Bristow Search and Rescue team to Manston and we will ensure that the move is as smooth and seamless as possible for the team.”
That is excellent news no dought the whingers around there will carry on
Excellent indeed!
Yep, it’s a relatively cheap PR exercise to win public favour – does little to prove their commitment to the £800 million (2 years ago, so add even more) project and proof they have actual backers!
Oh do shut up you miserable, cynical plonker.
EgonSpengler – nothing to you with you who the backers are and what they use THEIR property/land for! Where do you the get the silly idea from they need to win public favour?Have you forgotten they have permission to develop an airport. Excellent news for rescue services
If they don’t need to win public favour, then why does the IoTN publish TWO advertisements in support of the Aurport – one from SMAa, and the other from RSP?
Andrew – probably to financially/ support Mrs Bailies good work with LOCAL NEWS. I doubt two adverts on this site are going to make much difference to people’s views/support for Airport. In any case, nothing to do with you once again!
Maybe they should have trigger warnings for the small delicate-minded minority in Ramsgate?
Yep EgonSpengler going to be more then 800 million now, plus its due to open within 2 years. Investors will want their money back quick lol. Plus I doubt the thanet way will be repaired by than for the hundres of HVG’s and HGV Aviation Fuel Tankers.
Anyway back to the coast guard glad to hear they have a temporary base.
Agreed. And your prophecy of all the snipes from all the usual suspects bears out too.
Manston was always home to the yellow search and rescue helicopters. It is the most obvious and strategic base to cover the widest area of both North Sea and English Channel.
So pleased to hear this. Manston was always the spiritual SAR home in the past decades for this area, let us hope this becomes permanent
it doesn’t say permanent nor indeed does it mention that two helicopter companies have never ever left even though the airport has been shut for 10 years.
nothing will bring planes back it just earns money for the owners in Panama
God help us – another silly ill informed comment – it earns money for owners and will provide additional income locally, even if temporary- some people like you seem to not want any success in Thanet!
Some of us aren’t in the dream-land that believe property developers led by someone who has failed at every airport they have ever touched, including Manston, have true intentions and really want a successful airport to happen !
EgonSpendler – some of us wish for some prosperity to come to Thanet. Hopefully this will happen and provide jobs etc. You would not doubt be unemployable!
Why isn’t the airport up and running?
RSP have owned the site since 2019. They don’t need a DCO anymore.
Perhaps they’re having difficulty attracting £800,000,000 worth of investment?
Is the airport reopening? Great news if true! I miss seeing them when out walking or cycling.
Checksfield – You are such a crushing bore constantly and smugly repeating that you go walking and cycling
when nobody but you gives a toss . You’re not alone with being able to daily walk and cycle .
Maybe you could run the London Marathon twice in respectable times like me after running 50 miles a week in trading for it and then maybe you could mention it just once .
It’s just a thought ……
Do you miss the airport too?
No.
Andrew – the Airport is not up and running as they are not opening a corner shop. Immense amount of planning, permissions etc required ro recommence operations. You really must be patient
A pad for a couple of helicopters is a bit different to operating a fully fledged cargo hub.The coastguard operation is good news, but mainly for aur sea rescue than any economic benefits to Thanet.
After all the fol-de-rol over the legal niceties, which sone of the cold lawyers here expanded at will, the fact is there is still no airport after 2 years.So one and all, when will it reopen? This yera? Next year? Ten years?
Investors want a dividend, and most want it yesterday, so called ne and old cynic, but I doubt under the present economic climate it will be a runner. The coast guard can still operate from a helipad within a housing estate, so this may be as far as we get to a return of aviation. Time will tell.How much time is another matter.
RSP bought the site in 2019, so they’ve had rather more than 2 years!
Since they bought it, absolutely nothing has happened.
Shame. It would revive Ramsgate.
Let’s unpack your rather trite statement.
Firstly, the solution to the economic revival of Ramsgate is unlikely to be linked to activity at Manston Airport.
When it was running, it did so at a loss, to the tune of £k a day. It closed owing millions.
The Planning Inspectorate turned down the DCO application, because there were not enough ATMs to qualify for a DCO.
Louise Congdon, a Partner with York Aviation, in evidence to a KCC committee, was unequivocal in her criticism of RSP’s business model. According to Ms Congdon, the landing fees RSP would have to charge would be so high as to determine most carriers.
Since RSP bought the site in 2019 (and did nothing with it), and since the JR was overturned a couple of years ago (and still no activity) both Heathrow and Gatwick have applied for and had approval for expansion. The added capacity at Gatwick, for example, would be an order of magnitude greater than the total predicted activity at Manston.
But just suppose, despite all the evidence to the contrary, Manston opened and flew 17,000 ATMs a year. That would be several aircraft an hour day and night. Aircraft flying over schools, colleges, old folk’s homes, hospitals, ordinary people’s houses. And, quite importantly, over the heads of visitors, tourists and residents enjoying Ramsgate’s al fresco hospitality by the Royal Harbour. Harmondsworth, adjacent to Heathrow, is not noted as a goto place for its outdoor wining and dining experiences. Ramsgate is.
No, Peter, I think that any economic revival Ramsgate might enjoy would have to come from somewhere else.
Slightly obsessed.
Looking forward to it opening.
Hullo Andrew. You are right. I have heard what a low-flying plane sounds like- it had obviously just taken off, as it was flying very low over Ramsgate near the sea-front. An airport at Manston would definitely put people off from visiting Ramsgate.
It was here long before you Rees (unless you moved here prior to 1916).
It would have minimal impact on Ramsgate in terms of employment.
A passenger airport would create many indirect jobs: accomodation, catering, transport, etc. As would a passenger ferry service.
How about using Ramsgate Port? There is plenty of room down there, and the noise pollution shouldn’t be too much of a problen, or would it? Just a thought!
Ah jobs, and prosperity….?
RSP’s own docs say 3,011 on site jobs by 2030, 9,333 indirectly and 12,000 catalytic jobs !
8 years on since that was written, and 2030 is less than 4 years away.. how many jobs have they created?
0
Andrew and the anti’s having a temper tantrums as per normal lol
Andrew never praises the many good things that happen in Ramsgate, yet has written 6 comments (with undoubtedly more to come) on dissing the airport.
According to you, nothing good ever happens in Ramsgate
Read the positive articles about Ramsgate on this site.
Then read my comments on them and get back to me.
(Hint: you won’t find comments by yourself, George, Rees or Phyllis on them)
Andrew- Peter Checksfield has written so many insulting comments about Ramsgate and its inhabitants that it’s very difficult to believe that his recent less insulting ones are genuine. I expect Kathy Bailes has suggested that misogyny, racism and non-stop rudeness are not welcomed by most readers.
Ramsgate wouldn’t have risen above a fishing village status without my forefathers. Remember that, when you’re trying to stop the airport, the port, and anything else that would bring jobs to the area.
Shalom.
So, the dire situation that you so often describe Thanet to be in is entirely due to your forefathers?
Jewish money built Ramsgate. As you know.
Are you still pretending to be a practicing jew Checksfield? I think you should get help, you seem to need it!
I’m of Jewish descent. Be thankful to us.
Some Thanet Snowflakes will moan about anything, even something positive.
Now lets get the coal-fired planes flying low over the town.
Checksfield we have been through this often enough, Jews are NOT a race, thats scientifically proven, so you can’t be “descended” from them. Its like saying I am descended from Catholics, No you arn’t! Catholics are not a race, and they are like Jews a religious faith, not a race. Why do you continue with this nonsense!
Why does it concern you so much?
Wow, someone can run marathons here! Great idea. Has probably private health insurance to cover knee and hip replacements.
Very relevant to know in an airport ping-pong discussion.
I’m more concerned about the daily commute of the crew members. They might try running marathons of course…
Note no one has mentioned the CAA having to approve flight plans and routes into and out.
Lets hope that the sea planes start again soon using the slipway at Ramsgate harbour.
Will the moaners moan about the trucks and the noise from the vehicles reversing whilst unloading, or the ships horns, or the clanking of the ramps, or the tannoy system or the hospitality businesses being full up with trippers from UK and Europe or the Thanet Marathon runners using the harbour as a starting base or the cyclist causing roads to be closed.
The joys of living in Thanet.
If the airport was up and running, great, bringing money into the area and creating jobs, if the port of Ramsgate was up and running with ferries etc, great, bringing in money into the area and creating jobs.
To many selfish people say no we don’t want this even after they moved into the area way after Manston was an airfield and Ramsgate being the only Royal Harbour in the country.
People should embrace what we can offer instead of being negative.
100%!
When the airport was up and running, how much money did it bring to Ramsgate?
More than it is now !
Stanley- why should people living in Ramsgate want to hear aeroplanes overhead several times a day?
May I ask, when did you move to Ramsgate ?
Post-1916, when the airport opened (unless she’s older than she looks).
You are a nasty twat Checksfield. I hope I never see you.
How’s the tourettes today?
I agree Stanley,but outdated infrastructure that failed to attract sufficient interest in the “good old days” is no answer to today’s problems.
I do understand that people are yearning for “proper jobs” and not the casual, precarious hospitality work on offer.
The first thing that is needed is to address the skills gap, because even in the the unlikely event of the airport and port operating at full capacity,the jobs would go to outside candidates because too often students are leaving school with none or few qualifications.
We must also accept that care services for the growing number of retirees living in Thanet and East Kent will be needed, and we need to address the low pay,low status, and low level of advancement available.
I can suggest new ways of looking at the future, but if you are fixed in the past nothing I can say will change your mindset.
I might move to Ramsgate if the airport re-opens. Can anyone recommend a nice part?
Peter, Under the flight path would be interesting. I live under the flight path and love it.
I lived under a flight path in London, and never found it a problem. Incidentally, when I flew to Budapest last year it was a clear day, and I saw all of Thanet from above. An amazing experience!