The reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA), via a recent allocation of £160m in funding, will create new opportunities for the UK aviation supply chain, industry figures suggest.
After what will be a near five-year closure, Doncaster Sheffield Airport is set to reopen and resume flights between 2027 and 2028.
The £160m in funding was provided by South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) to grant City of Doncaster Council (CDC) the ability to reopen the airport.
Work has been continuing behind the scenes whilst SYMCA carried out additional assurance work to recommend to South Yorkshire leaders that City of Doncaster Council should have its gainshare of funding approved.
Commenting on the implications for the aviation freight sector, managing director at tooling and lighting distributor Heamar, David Martin, said: “Doncaster Sheffield Airport’s reopening is a welcome boost for UK aviation, and a timely opportunity for the region.
“The £160m investment will upgrade ground operations, maintenance hangars, and support facilities, which maps directly to Heamar’s core expertise in aviation tooling.
“With services expected from 2027 to 2028, operators will need early commitments on calibrated tooling, torque and crimp solutions, B1/B2 kits, and standardised spares to drive safe, fast turnarounds.
“MRO capacity will also need to scale for newer airframes and avionics, including composite repair, high-voltage and fibre-optic capability, and data-driven maintenance practices.”
FlyDoncaster, a company set up by City of Doncaster Council to run DSA, is seeking a head of general aviation and cargo, a head of fire rescue and emergency planning, and a head of assets ahead of the reopening.
The aim is to have freight flights resume in summer 2026 and passenger flights being able to be booked from autumn/winter 2026 for flights towards the end of the following year.
City of Doncaster mayor Ros Jones said: “We have not been sitting idly by waiting to see if this funding will be agreed, we have carried on with our work to prepare for our airport to be fully reopened.
“This includes working with the Civil Aviation Authority to redesign the airspace needed and getting essential infrastructure back in as soon as we can, such as radar, air traffic control, fire service and other matters in place.
“One of the biggest next steps is for Fly Doncaster and CDC to bring on board the right senior roles that we need to manage the airport along with Munich Airport International (MAI), who are our strategic partners.
“This week will see the first tranche of those essential managerial roles being advertised. This is the start of the recruitment and more will come once these are in place.
“I want to stress that I am a firm believer that our airport will be the jewel in the crown of our economy, not just in Doncaster but across the wider region.
“It will stimulate growth, be the catalyst for business and industry and provide incredible opportunities for our residents and businesses.”