Latest news with #CoventryAirport
Express Tribune
05-05-2025
- General
- Express Tribune
WWII Spitfire plane crash lands in Kent field ahead of VE Day events
A rare Second World War-era Spitfire was forced to crash-land in a field in West Hythe on Saturday evening, just hours before VE Day commemorations were set to begin across the UK. The vintage aircraft, a two-seater Spitfire MJ627, made what its operator described as a 'precautionary landing' in a crop field on Lower Wall Road, narrowly avoiding catastrophe. Despite significant damage to the aircraft's propeller, the airframe remained intact, and both the pilot and passenger escaped unharmed. The aircraft is owned by Fly a Spitfire, a vintage flight experience company based in the UK. In a statement, the company confirmed: 'We have spoken to the pilot, who advised that a precautionary landing was made at a non-airfield site. The pilot and passenger are uninjured.' The aircraft lost power mid-flight, prompting the emergency descent. Emergency services, including Kent Fire and Rescue Service, were dispatched to the scene at 19:25 BST, deploying two fire engines to secure the area. One of the two occupants was treated at the scene by paramedics as a precaution. Fire crews left the site around 9pm. Spitfire MJ627 is no ordinary aircraft. It was delivered into service in September 1944, and famously shot down a Messerschmitt Me 109 just two days later during Operation Market Garden over Arnhem. The aircraft has since become a living piece of aviation history, appearing in airshows and offering passenger flights. This is not the first emergency for MJ627. In 1998, it made a 'wheels-up landing' at Coventry Airport, and in 2024, its cockpit canopy detached during take-off from Biggin Hill — though both incidents resulted in safe landings and no injuries. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has launched an inquiry into Saturday's incident to determine the exact cause of the power failure.
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
WW2 Spitfire makes emergency landing in field
A World War Two Spitfire has been forced to make an emergency landing in Kent. Spitfire MJ627 came down in a field on Lower Wall Road, West Hythe, on Saturday evening, said its owner Fly a Spitfire. Kent Fire & Rescue Service said one of the two people in the plane, which saw action over the Netherlands in 1944, was treated by paramedics. Fly a Spitfire said: "We have spoken to the pilot who has advised that a precautionary landing was made at a non-airfield site." The company said the pilot and passenger "are uninjured", adding that it had no further information "at this stage". The fire service said two fire engines attended the scene at 19:25 BST and made the aircraft safe. Spitfire MJ627 first entered service on 25 September 1944 and, just two days later, destroyed Messerschmitt Me 109 over Arnhem. It was previously involved in an emergency landing in 1998, when its pilot made a "wheels up landing" at Coventry Airport. Last year, the cockpit canopy detached from the plane during take-off from Biggin Hill Airport. It was able to land safely and neither of the two occupants in that incident were harmed. Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. Restored 1930s plane to be displayed in cathedral Charity reunites WW2 bible with airman's family Kent Fire & Rescue Service
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Funding for major West Midlands projects allocated and it will bring 'real change'
Two key West Midlands sites aimed at creating thousands of new jobs have had funding allocated to get them off the ground. The £16 million cash, part of the West Midlands Investment Zone, will help establish Birmingham Knowledge Quarter and Wolverhampton Green Innovation Corridor as employment hubs for advanced manufacturing, green industries, health-tech and digital technologies. As well as bringing in billions in investment, the projects will eventually create more than 23,000 jobs. READ MORE: Work to fix mould-infested social homes almost complete as mum tells of 'really bad' conditions Early-stage preparations will now begin as part of a long-term plan that will use the funding to clean up land and make significant improvements to infrastructure to help attract investors and businesses looking to relocate. This is the second major Investment Zone announcement following confirmation last month of £23 million to help deliver a battery manufacturing and technology hub at the Coventry and Warwick Gigapark, another Investment Zone site. Mayor Richard Parker said: "Our Investment Zone has the potential to deliver £5.5 billion of investment and create 30,000 jobs in the region. "It is essential that we develop these sites, attracting investors and growing industries, to reignite the economic growth this region has long been waiting for. "In less than a year I've secured £40 million to get these sites out of the starting blocks. "That's how I'm driving our economy to the next level and bringing real and lasting change for people living right across the West Midlands." The three Investment Zone sites will each benefit from a range of direct funding secured by the Mayor and in some cases tax incentives. In addition to the new jobs and investment, around £1.5 billion of business rates over the zone's 25-year lifespan will also be retained and reinvested in the region instead of going back into government coffers. Birmingham Knowledge Quarter runs northeast from the Birmingham City and Aston universities through Duddeston and Nechells to Aston. The Quarter will offer tax incentives, business rates retention and receive £9m investment for public realm works and active travel infrastructure to help attract investment. The Wolverhampton Green Innovation Corridor will create new green industries and skills through a partnership between the city council and university with £7m investment for land remediation and key infrastructure. The Coventry-Warwick Gigapark at Coventry Airport. Anchored by a new battery gigafactory and associated businesses and technologies, the site will get tax incentives, business rates retention and £23m investment for land remediation, infrastructure and connection to power grids. Councillor Sharon Thompson, deputy leader at Birmingham City Council, said: "The Knowledge Quarter will be a world-class, city-centre innovation cluster focused on science, technology and enterprise that will deliver an estimated 20,000 jobs and a 4,000 home 'eco-town' - with over a third of those homes being affordable. "This is great news for the city, and this part of Birmingham, providing much-needed investment, jobs, skills, homes and infrastructure." And Councillor Chris Burden, City of Wolverhampton Council cabinet member for city development, jobs and skills, said: "The Green Innovation Corridor will build on the city's strengths in high value manufacturing, green technologies, digital innovation, brownfield land regeneration and sustainable construction to create new, quality jobs and support businesses. "The West Midlands Investment Zone funding and status will help us deliver key sites in Wolverhampton and engage in region-wide business support, skills and recruitment programmes to ensure that local people benefit from the opportunities created."
BBC News
27-02-2025
- Business
- BBC News
New DHL e-commerce hub in Coventry to create up to 600 jobs
Logistics firm DHL has announced a new state-of-the-art e-commerce hub will create up to 600 jobs. The new hub, which is located near to Coventry Airport, will be opened by the Department for Business and Trade minister Justin Madders on Thursday. The facility can handle up to a million parcels a day and is part of a wider £482m investment in the UK, the German firm added that the hub would help to "speed up delivery times" for UK consumers, and said the investment was "a major win" for Coventry's economy. Speaking ahead of the official opening, Madders said: "The West Midlands is a powerhouse for investment and this state-of-the-art hub will not only create hundreds of local jobs but give a major boost to our logistics sector."He added that investment from DHL was "the latest vote of confidence" in the government's commitment to "delivering economic growth and raising living standards".The CEO of DHL e-commerce UK, Stuart Hill, said the expansion would enable the firm to meet growing demand. "By increasing our capacity with a state-of-the-art operation, we're creating long-term jobs, growth opportunities for our customers and a blueprint for more sustainable logistics."Mr Hill added that the site had also "minimised" its environmental impact through the inclusion of EV charging points, solar panels and LED lighting. "This preserves the area's natural biodiversity supporting the government's ambitions to make the UK a clean energy superpower", he said. Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Battery firm announces gigafactory plan
Talks have taken place with a battery firm about the possibility of building a gigafactory in Coventry. Manufacturing firm Volklec has announced it will begin producing batteries at the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre and hopes to ultimately build a £1bn gigafactory in the next five years. Although no final decision has been made about the location talks have taken place with the city council about it being built at neighbouring Coventry Airport. Plans for a gigafactory (a large factory for electric vehicle batteries) at the airport site have been talked about for the best part of a decade. According to the latest figures obtained by the BBC, £25.25m of taxpayers money has been committed to plans to build an electric battery gigafactory at Coventry Airport project since 2021. Those funds have come via the West Midlands Combined Authority and Coventry City Council - with an additional £2m pledged by Coventry Airport Limited. Yet, to date, no firm has committed to the project and there have been no visible signs of progress. Councillor Jim O'Boyle, cabinet member for jobs at the city council, confirmed talks had been held with Volklec. He said a gigafactory at the airport "had to happen" and added "I think with the right will, and the right people, it won't be long before we can make a proper announcement." Asked about his hopes of securing investment from central government to kick start the project, he said: "I'm very confident that will happen. There hasn't been one single gigafactory anywhere in the world that hasn't benefitted from the relevant government providing grants to make that happen." Volklec's first batteries are expected to roll of the production line at the UKBIC before the end of the year. About 100 jobs will be created initially and there are hopes 1,000 jobs will be created if a new gigafactory is built. Phil Popham, executive director of Volklec, said millions of power cells would be built under an agreement with Chinese partner Far East Battery and would be used to power everything from road vehicles to marine technology. He said it was "too early to say" if Coventry would be the location. Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: Coventry gigafactory in limbo as plan faces expiry Budget concerns over city's planned gigafactory Investor not yet secured for planned gigafactory Volklec
