National Police Air Service say loss of Doncaster Sheffield Airport is 'more than just an operating base' as they face finding a new home

A fleet of NPAS helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft have been based out of DSA since 2016, but the service must now find a new headquarters by the end of October.

The four fixed-wing planes cover the whole of England and Wales from Doncaster, and are operated by West Yorkshire Police.

A statement by NPAS North East Region read read: “Yesterday The Peel Group announced it was to close DSA. We are disappointed with the decision. Since July we have been in talks with the operators and developing contingency plans. Our commitment towards the provision of national police air support remains our focus. We have been embedded in the airport and wider local community for over six years. This isn’t the loss of an operating base. For NPAS crews and Gama Aviation engineers it’s an end to a tremendous relationship with friends and colleagues in our airport family.”

NPAS aircraft relocated to Doncaster Sheffield in 2016, having previously flown from the Carr Gate police operations and training centre in Wakefield. The custom-built terminal for the fixed-wing Vulcanair planes opened in 2020.

It is unclear whether they will seek to move to another commercial airport, such as Teesside, or return to a police-owned site.

Other Peel tenants displaced by the airport’s closure include the Vulcan To The Sky Trust, who will seek to move the Cold War-era plane to another site for display, and flight school Yorkshire Aero Club, who will move operations to Sandtoft Airfield.