Isle of Wight Sandown Aerodrome formerly had a CAA Ordinary Licence (Number P883) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee (Isle of Wight Aviation Limited).

[2] On 8 October 2006 at 13:15 GMT, a major fire started in a hangar containing highly flammable materials.

One year later, during the early hours of 31 December 2007, a fire started in the kitchen of the Aviator Restaurant.

Following a major decline in revenue as a result of the fire, the airport was sold to a London property developer, who intended to build a holiday camp on the site.

The addition of an artificial grass runway allowed year-round operation, and a new airfield bistro featuring a pizza oven proved popular with pilots and visitors alike.