Egton Airstrip

The specific reason for closure is not publicly documented, which is common for private airfields. The closure was not due to a major accident or military conversion. The most probable reason is a change in the landowner's circumstances or priorities, such as retirement from flying, a change in land ownership, or the economic decision to dedicate the land entirely to agriculture rather than bearing the cost and liability of maintaining an active airstrip.

The site of the former airstrip has been fully returned to agricultural use. Recent satellite imagery shows the land is being used as pasture for grazing or for growing crops like hay/silage. While a faint outline of the former grass runway (oriented roughly 10/28) is still visible from the air, there are no remaining aviation facilities on the site, such as hangars, windsocks, or markings.

Egton Airstrip was a private, unlicensed grass airfield used for General Aviation. Its significance was primarily local, serving as a destination for recreational pilots flying light aircraft (such as Cessna or Piper models) and microlights. It was known within the UK flying community as a challenging but scenic 'farm strip', located on high ground within the North York Moors National Park. Operations were conducted under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) and required Prior Permission Required (PPR) from the owner, meaning pilots had to obtain consent before landing. The ICAO-like designator 'GB-0485' was an unofficial code used in flight simulator software and some non-official pilot directories to identify small airfields not in the official national aeronautical information publication.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Egton Airstrip. Re-establishing an airfield at this location would require significant investment, the express intent of the current landowner, and would likely face regulatory hurdles related to planning permission, especially given its location within the North York Moors National Park. The prospects for reopening are considered to be negligible to non-existent.