Site Details
Address:
Chatteris Airfield, Stonea, March, Cambridgeshire, PE15 0EA
Grid Reference:
542721 288507
Local authority:
Fenland District
Sport England region:
South East
Website:
http://www.ukskydiving.com/index.htm
Competitions and events
The site has held international or national competitions or
events and is sustainable because the location provides the support
and facilities necessary for that level of competition.
- The centre has held collegiate regional championships and
events, annually at the site from 1998 to 2002.
- The site holds annual NLPC novice championships.
- It has also held the NLPC ‘Scrambles’ competition annually
since 1998, designed for individuals of differing experience and
abilities to jump with mentors or more experienced jumpers.
Training
The site has held national team or individual or group elite
training for that sport or any of its disciplines, and is
sustainable because the location provides the support and
facilities necessary for that level of training.
- The centre has the necessary facility and infrastructure to
regularly hold British Parachute Association courses for
Instructors.
- These are at a National level normally held 3 times a year.(BPA
courses are also held at a small number of other regional
centres)-
Scarcity
The site is important because of its scarcity or uniqueness
value and because it cannot be re-created at a different
location.
- Serving North London and the northern Home Counties of England.
Could not be relocated. There are only a limited number of
Parachute centres in the UK due to problems with planning
permission and airway restrictions. Some centres are unable to
operate in an unrestricted manner due to such factors as being
close to or in busy airspace and this can severely restrict their
operation. NLPC is not restricted in the heights in which it can
operate or being ‘held’ due to other air traffic priorities.
- To our knowledge, we are also the only centre with a
ground-training wind tunnel available due to open in April 2009,
giving students the opportunity to train both in the tunnel and in
the air at the same location. This is owned by NLPC Ltd who have
invested heavily in this training facility.
- Sibson Airfield at Peterborough is the nearest site to NLPC.
However, this site operates on a smaller basis.
Heritage
A heritiage site is one which has been used continually or a for
a long time by that sport and which cannot be recreated in a
different location.
- Formed early 1997 to present . The centre is now established as
a full time training facility for the introduction of abinitio
students to the sport. As the centre is very unique in that it is
the only civilian centre to own its airfield and facilities it is
very likely to be around for the foreseeable future.
- There are some centres owned by the military but their future
is dependent entirely on funding and policy of the relevant
military organisation. NLPC Ltd, being privately owned, does not
face similar risks and threats.
- To obtain planning permission for any skydiving site in the UK
is extremely difficult to obtain, so historically many sites have
been closed and very few have been able to open in the last decade
for this reason.
Non-Competitive Users
The site is important to the non-competitive parts of that
sport.
- On site facilities include free bunk room accommodation and an
old farmhouse where attendees can stay. A full time cafeteria
various classrooms and a rigging facility. - These facilities are
full time unlike many centres which operate on a restricted
basis.
Number of users
The site is important because of the numbers of people using it
from any level of that sport
- Currently the centre completes about 10000 descents many of
these are instructional or coached jumps.
- Introduces approximately 5,500 first time participants per
annum to the sport via Tandem Static line and Accelerated freefall
programmes
Physical Characteristics
Identification of those characteristics, which if lost, would
jeopardise the quality of the site
- Surrounded by clear open farmland. Located on an air strip.
This makes the centre an excellent training facility for
inexperienced parachutists who are able to have a big margin for
error when choosing a landing site with a lack of hazards. Because
of the reputation with local landowners, local farmers are very
helpful and understanding.
- The use of unrestricted airspace is a major factor in the
characteristics of operating a successful parachute centre. This
unrestricted airspace is something enjoyed by NLPC.
Additional Information
We have had success at National level in 4 way competition
skydiving and Canopy formations.
Many students of the centre have gone on to represent the UK in
various disciplines of Freefall parachuting and skydiving.
Currently have 2 world record holders in the largest formations
held.
Home of the ‘fossil' one of the world’s oldest competitors in
Canopy formations who coaches younger up and coming students at age
71.