Helicopter charter on the South Coast

Where can you charter a helicopter on the South Coast?

Five sites matter, and each answers a different brief. All require prior permission.

• Southampton Airport has customs on site, a 1,887 m runway and handling arranged before every flight. It is open Monday to Saturday 06:30 to 22:00 and Sunday 07:30 to 22:00, and is not a 24-hour airport. Solent Airport Daedalus at Lee-on-Solent, also covered on the Southampton page, is a 09:00 to 18:00 alternative; permission is required for all aircraft.
• Bournemouth Airport runs from 06:15 to 01:00 daily, which is among the longest hours in the region, with a CAT III instrument approach and customs on site. It suits late returns.
• Brighton City Airport at Shoreham is the oldest licensed aerodrome in the UK. It opens 08:00 to 20:00 weekdays, 09:00 to 20:00 Saturdays and 09:00 to 19:00 Sundays, closing at 18:00 in winter if no movements are planned.
• Bembridge on the Isle of Wight has an 827 m concrete runway and no fuel, so a helicopter arriving there must carry its own fuel for the return or refuel elsewhere. It is unattended on weekdays, which makes advance arrangement essential.
• Goodwood sits just inland at Chichester and is the gateway for the estate's events. It is listed in the South East page too.

How long does the South Coast take by helicopter?

The coast road is slow and the corridors inland are no better. The figures here are from our route data; road times are free-flowing, so a real journey will be longer.

• Southampton to Goodwood takes about 15 to 20 minutes by helicopter, against about 41 minutes by road.
• Bournemouth to Southampton takes about 15 to 20 minutes, against about 38 minutes.
• Bournemouth to Bristol takes about 25 to 35 minutes, against about 2 hours 7 minutes.
• Brighton to Gatwick takes about 15 to 20 minutes, against about 34 minutes.
• Southampton to London takes about 30 to 35 minutes, against about 1 hour 39 minutes.

The Isle of Wight is different. There is no road across the Solent, so there is no car figure to compare with. We have not compared ferry timings and will not guess; if that matters, ask for a plan that includes the ground leg on both sides.

What do people fly for on the South Coast?

Southampton and Portsmouth are the region's commercial hubs, with marine, cruise and shipping business at the water's edge, and Bournemouth is a financial centre in its own right. Boardroom travel to London, Bristol and the Midlands is the day-to-day pattern. Our Bristol to Birmingham route page shows the same kind of timing advantage further north, and same-day business trips explains how a return is planned.

Events are the second reason. Glorious Goodwood and the Festival of Speed are within about 20 minutes of Southampton, and football at the Vitality Stadium and the Amex Stadium makes for hospitality days. Country hotels such as Chewton Glen are on our event list, subject to landing permission and site suitability.

Which South Coast city pages should I read?

Each of these pages covers its sites in more depth, including published hours and what to watch for.

• Helicopter charter Southampton Southampton Airport and Solent Daedalus.
• Helicopter charter Bournemouth the Dorset airport and late-hours option.
• Helicopter charter Brighton Shoreham and the Sussex coast.
• Helicopter charter Isle of Wight Bembridge and island planning.

Next door, Cornwall and Devon are on the South West page, and Hampshire inland and Sussex are on South East England. The full national picture is at helicopter charter UK.

Practical points before you book on the coast

Sea fog and low cloud can affect coastal airfields at certain times of year, so we plan an alternative airfield for important trips. Opening hours also vary: Southampton and Brighton close earlier than Bournemouth, and out-of-hours movements at several sites carry extra charges or need notice. Fuel and customs arrangements differ site by site, and international flights to the Channel Islands need a general aviation report filed in advance, with notice that ranges from hours to a day. We take care of that paperwork.

For a view of every site and its hours, use the UK heliports and airfields directory. And for the jet end of a long trip, charter-private-jet.com covers fixed-wing options from Southampton and Bournemouth. In short, helicopter charter south coast depends on which airport is open when you need it and which way the sea fog is heading.

More places, events and routes on the South Coast

Hampshire now has its own city page, covering the sites between Southampton and the downs. The sailing and racing calendar is on the event pages for Cowes Week and the Goodwood Revival.

Two route pages start or finish on this coast: Bristol to Southampton and London to Southampton.