Bristol airport closes

Filton Airport Bristol has closed.

In 1910, Sir George White, the owner of Bristol Tramways, established the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company in the maintenance sheds of Bristol Tramways.  A small 'flying ground' was set at the top of Filton Hill.  During WWI many thousands of aircraft were produced including the Bristol Fighter.  WWII saw the construction of Blenheim, Beaufort, Beaufighter and Brigand aircraft and the introduction of a concrete runway.

Post war The Bristol Aircraft Company and its successors were famous for the Bristol Freighter, Brabazon, Britannia and last, and by no means least, Concorde.

In the 1990s an ambitious programme was undertaken for Filton to become Bristol’s City airport and Air Bristol inaugurated scheduled services to Toulouse, linking two of the major centres of the Airbus consortium.  In many ways the site was more suitable than Lulsgate (now Bristol Airport) with excellent motorway links, a longer runway and even a railway loop.  However Lulsgate was owned by the local council and BAe (now the Filton site owner) saw more value in it as a property investment.

Today Airbus employs over 4,500 people at Filton, which is responsible for the design of the wing structures, fuel systems and landing gear integration. www.bristolfilton.co.uk

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