Fun flexwing microlighting near Nottingham! occupying a discrete little flying field not far from Ilkeston this is a great place to go microlighting. And there’s none of that enclosed cockpit business going on here this is grass roots flex-wing open- cockpit aviation at its very best!
With big cities like Nottingham Derby and bustling Ilkeston town all nearby you’d be forgiven for thinking this airfield was in the middle of a build-up area. But it’s not. This is where the industrial heritage of the East Midlands meets the tranquility of the Derbyshire Dales. It’s a true lovely part of the country and very much merits being flown over in a microlight.
These ultralight planes are superb for exploring town and countryside. They’re small and light so don’t need much of a runway to take off. They have a pleasant cruise speed of around 80mph and with a full tank of fuel you can go for around 300 miles. They’re the most economical way to get airborne and a great way to really get to see the highlights of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire in a very short space of time when you fly out of Ilkeston.
All that means you can get longer in the air in a microlight for the price of a shorter lesson in a traditional light aircraft. This operator does offer a 30 minute flight and it’s highly recommended for those of you who just want to dip your toes into this whirly world of open-cockpit tricycle-style microlighting. You stay local perhaps seeing Shipley Country Park the golf course at Morley Hayes and beyond Ilkeston centre to the snaking traffic on the M1.
The more adventurous amongst you will love the 60 minute microlight flight. Setting off from this airstrip at West Hallam near Ilkeston means you’re in the air long enough to do Carsington Water to the west or perhaps follow the River Derwent to the north and even lovely Chatsworth House and estate. On the 90-minute itinerary you’ll be treated to a flight path filled with fabulous things to see from the Tors of the Hope Valley to those iconic towers of the Derwent ‘Dam Busters’ Dam and lots more.
Take those brilliant things to see from the air combine that with the thrill of flying in an open-cockpit flexed-wing aircraft and you’ve lined yourself up some magnificent microlighting near Nottingham. You might even get to have a go at the controls whilst you up there!
