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Portal Aviation
Aerial view of Rochester Airport, its grass runways and parked light aircraft

Rochester Airport

A friendly, historic airfield on the edge of the Kent Downs, just minutes from the M2 and the Medway towns. Rochester has been home to flying since the 1930s.

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The main Rochester Airport hangar with its blue doors, next to the control tower
Rochester Airport logo

A working airfield

Rochester Airport sits between Chatham and Maidstone on the edge of the Kent Downs. Its hangars, apron and grass are home to flying schools, clubs and privately owned aircraft, so there is nearly always something to watch, from light aircraft to gyroplanes.

Meet the aircraft

Facilities

Everything you need for a relaxed day at the airfield.

Watch from the ground

Friends and family are welcome to come along and watch you take off and land.

On-site parking

Parking at the airfield, a short walk from where you meet your pilot or instructor.

Coffee shop

Grab a coffee before your flight, or celebrate afterwards while you watch the aircraft come and go.

Easy to reach

Just off the A229 between Chatham and Maidstone, minutes from junction 3 of the M2.

Around the airfield

Aerial view of Rochester Airport, its grass runways and parked light aircraftThe apron at Rochester Airport, with aircraft inside the open main hangar and a gyroplane parked outsideA gyroplane parked on the grass in front of an open hangar with light aircraft inside

A little history

Rochester has been building and flying aircraft for over 90 years.

  1. 1933

    Rochester City Council leases the land to Short Brothers, the famous flying boat makers, on condition it is run as a public airport. Three grass runways are laid out, and that winter the first aircraft built on site, the four-engine Scylla airliner for Imperial Airways, takes off.

  2. 1939

    The Short Stirling, the RAF’s first four-engine heavy bomber, is designed at Rochester and makes its first flight here on 14 December. Hundreds more are built in the factory beside the airfield during the war.

  3. 1940

    On 15 August the airfield is heavily bombed, hitting the Stirling factory and the runways.

  4. After the war

    Elliott Brothers move into the old Shorts factory, starting a long line of avionics work on the site that continues today with BAE Systems.

  5. Today

    Rochester is a busy general aviation airfield, home to flying schools, clubs and private aircraft from light planes to gyroplanes.

Getting here

Just off the A229 Maidstone Road, minutes from junction 3 of the M2 and the Medway towns.

Rochester Airport, Maidstone Road, Chatham, Kent, ME5 9SD

Ready to take to the skies?

Get in touch to book your flight, ask a question or buy a gift voucher. We are always happy to chat.

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