Swansea named Aerodrome of the Year by AOPA UK

On 12 September, Swansea Airport was presented with the Pooley Sword by Lord Davies of Gower at the 2026 conference of the UK Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA UK).

The Pooley Sword is presented annually to the best UK aerodrome for general aviation pilots to visit, as voted for by aerodrome users and AOPA members. It celebrates helpful service, welcoming facilities, and value for money. The sword is a traditional Wilkinson forged ceremonial sword.

AOPA UK is part of the international body representing and advocating for aircraft owners and operators around the world.

Bob Oliver MBE, Chairman of the Swansea Airport Stakeholders’ Alliance (SASA) a volunteer-run not-for-profit social enterprise that operates Swansea Airport accepted the award on behalf of the volunteers. In accepting the award, he paid tribute to the magnificent work of the volunteers who, in just two years had taken a loss-making aerodrome on the brink of dereliction and transformed it into a busy, viable and popular General Aviation aerodrome with a growing reputation for its welcoming, friendly and professional approach and its steady improvement in services and facilities.

Background

SASA was formed in 2021 to save the aerodrome from closure. In 2024 Swansea Council, who own the site, awarded SASA a temporary lease while they considered the future of the site. In 2025, in light of the improvements SASA achieved in their first year, the Council resolved to award SASA a 125-year lease.

SASA’s mission is to operate a safe and sustainable general aviation aerodrome that sits sympathetically within its landscape, environment, ecology and community, honours its heritage and contributes social, environmental and economic benefits to the community, city and region.

The Alliance social, environmental and economic agenda involves work in six areas:

• schools, young people’s, college and university engagement programmes
• volunteering, men’s shed and pathways to employment
• landscape and biodiversity enrichment
• sustainability and reducing reliance on scarce resources
• developing the site as a heritage and museum centre
• providing community facilities and staging events

Enquiries to Bob Oliver, bob.oliver@sasalliance.org, tel 01792 298564