Prestwick is a town located in South Ayrshire on the south west coast of Scotland, approximately 30 miles to the south-west of Glasgow. It adjoins the larger town of Ayr, the centre of which is approximately 2 miles south.

Prestwick Airport is continually growing and serves many European destinations as well as Transatlantic and International cargo flights. The town is renowned for being the home of Open Golf. The world’s first Open Golf Championship was played at the Prestwick Old Course in 1860 and the first twelve Open Championships were played there until 1872 (the Championship was not played in 1871).

Prestwick is also home to a Royal Navy Air Station, more popularly known as HMS Gannet, where Sea King search and rescue helicopters are stationed. Although the US Air Force no longer has a base at the airport, Prestwick continues to handle a large number of US military flights. It was at this airport that Elvis Presley set foot in the UK for the only time, when his US Army transport aircraft stopped for refuelling en route from Germany in 1960.

In July 2005, Prestwick airport served as the main transport hub for visiting world leaders attending the G8 conference in Gleneagles.

As well as the airport, Prestwick is home to one of the cornerstones of the UK air traffic control system, with both the Scottish Air Traffic Control Centre, (controlling 70% of UK airspace), and Prestwick Oceanic Area Control Centre, (Shanwick – responsible for air traffic over the eastern half of the North Atlantic), located jointly at the NATS owned ‘Scottish and Oceanic Area Control Centre’.

Prestwick lies on the A79 road which runs directly through the town, but is normally reached via the main A77 trunk road between Glasgow and Stranraer, or the A78 Ayrshire coastal route to Largs and Greenock.

Prestwick has a 1 mile long esplanade running parallel to the Firth of Clyde. It is a refreshing walk and has two children’s playgrounds. At the north end Kid’zplay, an indoor activity centre, can be found next to the large play-area that was formerly a large open air swimming pool. The seafront stands through rough storms and gales and still has good water quality.