Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
Glasgow International Airport
Airport Code: GLA (There is also Prestwick Airport - PIK)
Glasgow International Airport (GLA)
Glasgow International Airport is the busiest of Scotland's three main
international airports, handling over 7.9 million passengers a year.
It lies eight miles to the west of Glasgow city and is within easy reach of the
rest of Scotland. Principal access is off junction 28 of the M8 motorway.
Glasgow
Prestwick International Airport (PIK)
It was thought that the story of Glasgow Prestwick International Airport
began around 1934 with a few small planes using ‘the Meadows’ at the end of
Monkton Village. However, historians have now discovered evidence that aircraft
were on or near the site around 1913, a mere 10 years after the Wright Brothers
first took to the air.
In the pre-war years, the site developed as a training airfield. The
pioneer, David McIntyre, set up Scottish Aviation Ltd in 1935 and acquired 348
acres of Ayrshire countryside just behind Orangefield House. By the end of that
year, accommodation had been developed including a hangar for Tiger Moth
bi-planes, offices, lecture rooms and a small control tower.
As WW II intervened, the site developed into a major airport particularly for
the delivery of American aircraft under the Lend Lease programme. On some days
up to 300 aircraft arrived for onward delivery! At this time, training gave way
to aircraft production undertaken by Scottish Aviation Ltd. Many famous aircraft
types were built at Prestwick until production of the BAe Jetstream ceased in
1998. The original factory was expanded out of all recognition when in 1941, the
Palace of Engineering, built in Bellahouston Park, Glasgow for the 1938 Empire
Exhibition was taken down and rebuilt brick by brick at Prestwick. This
magnificent building, an excellent example of Art Deco architecture survives
today under the ownership of BAe Systems and can be seen on the North side of
the airport directly opposite the terminal.
Unfortunately, a building that has not survived the expansion of the airport
is Orangefield House. Built in 1690 by local landlord Dr Hugh Baillie,
Orangefield House became the main terminal building for the airport in the
post-war era. Famed for its restaurant and hotel facilities, the appearance of
the building was hardly enhanced by the addition of the control tower onto the
roof! Sadly, Orangefield House was demolished in 1966 to make way for the new
parallel taxiway, a victim of the introduction of the jet-age. The only known
remaining items from Orangefield House are the murals which once decorated the
main lounge (now sited in the Prestwick Indoor Bowling Rink) and the maple floor
which now graces the Aviator Suite function room in the present terminal
building.
To maintain the airport’s place at the forefront of modern aviation, the
Government announced in 1958, plans for a new terminal building, freight
building, runway extension, control tower and loop road around the airport. The
latter was necessary because the main road out of Prestwick towards Monkton
passed across the runway! By April 1962 the new control tower had been built
and by September 1964, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, officially opened the
present terminal building.
Glasgow Prestwick International Airport is synonymous with the history of
Scottish Aviation. Many people will remember the airport for Elvis’ visit in
1960 or as the transatlantic gateway during the 1960’s to 1980’s. However, the
airport’s future has never been brighter. The foresight in 1964 of the airport
architects and planners in designing a facility capable of handling 3 million
passengers a year now looks certain to be justified.
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