High flyers land in Taghmon to open new airfield
NINE LIGHT aircraft landed at a new airfield in Taghmon on Saturday to celebrate its first day in operation.
The Wexford Lakeview Airfield has been in the pipeline for close to two years having initially been granted planning permission by Wexford County Council, and subsequently by An Bord Pleanala, following an appeal.
The airfield, which is owned by Anne Butler, is the second air strip in the Taghmon area. The next step in the development is the building of a hangar.
Ms Butler said the opening on Saturday had been very successful, pointing out that nine planes had landed and taken off from the strip, many of whom were members of the Limetree Air Club in Laois.
Mark Brereton, Vice President of the National Microlight Association was also in attendance along with some curious locals.
The group enjoyed tea and sandwiches before the pilots, guided by Chief Pilot Peter McCleane, took the skies again.
The Microlight Association, Ms Butler said, had 250 small planes attached to it while they also maintained a good relationship with the corresponding Welsh association, and it was hoped that the airfield would help in attracting tourists to the area and to Wexford.
Ms Butler said: ‘We’ve already had people say that they plan to come back to explore Wexford by car.’
She added: ‘It was great pleasure to watch the pilots fly in and out on Saturday. Planes will be able to use the airfield all year round because of the drainage system we’ve installed. We met some great pilots on Saturday and we hope to welcome them back in the future.’
She added that it was her intention to develop a flying club at the site.