Have you ever wondered what it would be like to journey across the ocean to discover a culture or place that is unlike anything you are accustomed? If you wish to travel to a beautiful place one of the first places to visit should be Edinburgh Scotland. In 2007, Edinburgh Airport UK allowed over 9 million passengers to travel to and from Scotland. The M9 as well as M90 motorway very easily accesses Edinburgh Airport. There are multiple forms of transportation for access to the airport.
The Past
Have you ever stop to wonder how places were built or the history behind the building? The current building serving as terminal was actually constructed back in 1977 by a designer by the name of Robert Matthew. However, the control tower was not completed until 2005. Since 1977, the building has been upgraded with new facilities. The original terminal has quite an exciting history.
Edinburgh Airport was once known as Turnhouse Aerodrome, which was a base for defense during World War I. It was opened in 1915 and use to house airplanes used during the war such as DH 9As and Hawker Hind light bombers among others. The airstrip for this facility at this time was just grass. Then in 1918, this facility was turned into the RAF Turnhouse. RAF stands for the Royal Air Force. This base also was a part of World War II. After the fighter command took charge there was roughly 4,000 feet of pavement laid in order to handle the aircraft known as the Vickers Supermarine Spitfire.
After many years under military control, the first services used commercially were in 1947 when British European Airways was developed. This airline flew between Edinburgh and the city of London. Then in 1952, 6000 feet of pavement was poured to extend the runway. In 1980 there were two international flights to Amsterdam as well Dublin. The next two places were France and Germany.
The Present
Moving forward into the present, the air traffic tower reaching a height of roughly 190 feet was completed in 2005 costing approximately £10m (€16m). There were six gates added in 2006. The main runway’s resurfacing was completed in November of 2008. Because of this the runway will last another 15 years before anything needs to be done. Along with the resurfacing of the runway, the construction of the departure lounge began in December of 2008.
The Future
Let’s jump ahead to the future of Edinburgh Airport UK. The tram network for Edinburgh is projected to make a connection to the airport by 2011. Throughout the next decade a total of £250m is to be spent on upgrading the airport. By 2030, the numbers of travelers are expected to exceed 26 million each year.
In Conclusion
It’s exciting to think that a facility could grow from a small military base all the way to a major airport. There have definitely been an amazing amount of work put into making the airport what it is today. It looks like there are some really great things in store for the Edinburgh Airport UK.