Lee Flying Association
The Lee Flying Association (LFA) was formed in 2007 to oppose the May 2007 ban of all powered light aircraft flying during gliding operations, and later the closure of the airfield to light GA aircraft altogether. On 18 October 2007 Hampshire Police announced the airfield would be closed to all users other than Hampshire Police Air Support Unit (HPASU), the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and Portsmouth Naval Gliding Club (PNGC) from 16 November 2007.
LFA succeeded in reversing that decision and working with other agencies such as the Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association and the Civil Aviation Authority produced operating procedures acceptable to the authorities and would ensure continued safe operation of the airfield. A new Aerodrome Manual was produced by the LFA for Hampshire Constabulary, a new and legal Air/Ground Radio Service was introduced, manned by the Gliding Centre, and an Airspace Letter of Agreement was produced to resolve issues arising from the fact that most of the Aerodrome lies within the Aerodrome Traffic Zone of MoD Fleetlands Heliport. Having achieved that, LFA now lobbies for and promotes aviation use of the airfield.
Today’s Challenges
To survive against the constant threat of non-aviation development, the airfield needs to be supported in attracting aviation businesses and users into Daedalus, in turn benefiting the local economy. LFA has itself taken a lease on hangarage and hard standing on the eastern side, enabling it to offer facilities to its members and to pilots visiting South Hampshire.
The LFA has now amalgamated with the Gosport Aviation Society to create the Daedalus Aviation & Heritage Group which continues to lobby and support the landowners and local authorities in turning Daedalus into an economically viable and self-sustaining community airfield, providing a local amenity and employment for local people as a strategic general aviation access point for South Hampshire.
We are grateful for the sustained support of the local residents and their elected representative who have overwhelmingly and consistently shown that they want:
- Aviation to continue at Lee with the airfield remaining operational
- To retain the buffer of open space between Lee-on-the-Solent and Stubbington
- No large amounts of new housing that will over-strain the local infrastructure.
- The site to address the under supply of jobs on the Gosport peninsula, leading to large traffic flows as people leave to go to work in the morning and return at the end of the working day.