THE future of a flying club has been thrown into doubt by a multi-million pound plan for new housing and a business park.
Rolls-Royce wants to build 900 homes on part of its Hucknall site and a public consultation was launched on the plans last month.
The plans suggest the airfield used by the Merlin Flying Club, which celebrated its 50th anniversary earlier this year, would be built on.
The club is now in discussions with Rolls-Royce but chief flying instructor Colin Hutson, 52, from Hucknall, said the future of the club was uncertain in light of the plans.
"At the moment we have no idea what is going to happen," he said. "Until it is all approved or otherwise we don't fully understand what effect it's going to have on the club.
"Of course we want to stay open, we've been going for 50 years and there's plenty of people who still want to keep the club."
The Merlin Flying Club, which is open to Rolls-Royce employees and their immediate family, started when several workers asked for permission to use the airfield to start a flying club.
Its primary aim is to help people learn to fly in an affordable way.
Another member of the club Nigel Perkins, 56, of Ockbrook, Derbyshire, agreed that it would be hard to see the club close.
"At the moment the situation is uncertain," he said. "We are talking to the company and will continue to do so as the plans progress.
"Everyone here wants to continue if we can but the company is saying it doesn't know what will happen so we just have to wait."
Hucknall resident Jackie Wadsworth, 47, whose son has just learnt to fly at the club, is disappointed that the club may not be able to continue.
She is also concerned that Hucknall's Air Training Corps (ATC) squadron, which also uses Rolls-Royce land, will be affected by the proposals.
"Certainly it looks very much like Merlin Flying Club would be grounded because of the development," she said.
"I think it's very sad from a purely personal point of view. This experience has changed my son's life, he had no idea what he wanted to do before joining the club, but they put faith in him and his love of flying means he wants to become a commercial pilot.
"The club is so important to the community is very sad to see it threatened."
Rolls-Royce will not put in a full planning application yet until after the public consultation is over. The firm declined to comment.