Plane due to land at Doncaster Sheffield Airport for first time in two years today

1977 Piper Panther PA31 Navajo, operated by aviation firm 2Excel is due to arrive – with mayor Ros Jones among the civic dignataries welcoming the plane – the first since the Finningley base was closed by owners Peel in November 2022.

The arrival is the first step to City of Doncaster Council’s re-opening of the airport, with commerical flights scheduled to take off by Spring 2026.

Earlier this year, the authority signed a 125-year-lease with owners Peel and Mayor Jones says an operator to run the airport has been identified but as yet has not been announced.

Local MPs along with deputy mayor Coun Glyn Jones and staff from 2Excel will also be there to welcome the aircraft.

It is anticipated that a number of the company’s aircraft will return to the former airport over the coming weeks to be winter housed on site.

In May this year, 2Excel hinted at the impending re-opening of DSA advertising jobs for pilots.

The company dvertised a post for a trials pilot with the job ad stating: “Please note pilots applying for this role should anticipate a Doncaster base if/when operations resume at this airfield.”

"Our success is based on the talented and experienced people that make up our workforce.

We are currently seeking a trials pilot to join our friendly and exceptionally talented team."

"Our clients are at the cutting edge of commercial and military capability and development and the successful candidate will have the opportunity to engage with leaders from industry.

"You will need to gain an understanding of our clients’ unique challenges and requirements, delivering innovative test and evaluation solutions that exceed their expectations.

“Operating across the UK and occasionally Europe, you will plan, lead, and execute flight trials for 2Excel’s clients on our fleet of B200 and PA31 aircraft, typically flying single pilot. The flying is hugely rewarding but challenging and your flying skills will need to be world-class.”

It comes after airline giant Jet2 said it was seeking talks with Doncaster Sheffield Airport to explore flights when it re-opens.

The firm’s chief executive says he wants to meet with officials working to re-open DSA.

Taking questions from agents at the Jet2holidays conference in Paphos last week, chief executive Steve Heapy said: "We will go and have a look at Doncaster.

"We’ve not met them yet, they’ve only just appointed the airport operator. We get approached by airports all around the UK. So we’ll meet them and see what the opportunities are."

Mr Heapy said he hoped to see DSA reopen and added: "I really do hope for the region that Doncaster works. There have been various attempts to create a viable business there, and it’s not really worked.

"I know they’ve got a new injection of money that will hopefully make it viable. We will be meeting them in the near future."

However, he stressed talks were no guarantee of a launch, revealing Jet2 was in discussion with Luton Airport for eight years before last month announcing plans to make Luton its 13th base starting next April.

"Sometimes these things take a bit of time, but we’ll certainly have a look at it [DSA],” he said.