Exeter Airport is a regional passenger airport east of Exeter in Devon. It uses the IATA code EXT and ICAO indicator EGTE. The airport began operating in 1937 and combines airline services with business and general aviation.[1][2]
History
Exeter City Council began investigating a municipal airport site in 1932. After compulsory-purchase proceedings, an aerodrome opened in May 1937. Early flights included Jersey Airways services to the Channel Islands and Railway Air Services connections. A tent provided the initial passenger accommodation before permanent buildings were complete.[1]
RAF Exeter became a Fighter Command station during the Second World War. It supported squadrons during the Battle of Britain and later hosted American C-47 transport aircraft for the Normandy invasion. The airfield transferred to the Ministry of Civil Aviation in January 1947. Devon County Council ultimately became its owner before selling the airport to Regional and City Airports in 2007.[1]
Runway and aviation facilities
The airport publishes runway 08/26 as an asphalt runway measuring 2,076 by 45 metres. Its listed elevation is 100 feet. Instrument landing and other navigation aids support the airfield, while aircraft parking and general-aviation facilities occupy areas separate from the principal airline passenger apron.[2]
The present runway dimensions should be distinguished from older historical accounts. The airport's history describes an extension to 2,083 metres in 1981, whereas its dedicated airfield-information page gives 2,076 metres. The current technical page is the source for the dimensions in this profile.[1][2]
Passenger facilities
A new arrivals building opened in June 1999, with separate domestic and international arrival areas. A departure lounge followed in 2003, designed to accommodate four hundred passengers. These projects expanded passenger processing within an airport that also retained maintenance and general-aviation functions. The operator identifies Exeter as part of the Regional and City Airports group.[1]