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RAF Fairford to become operational once more!


andy wood

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On 24/05/2017 at 11:11 PM, T7 Models said:

RIAT shouldn't be affected, all jesting aside. The MoD did give as one of the reasons for discontinuing the Waddington show the presence of sneaky beak aircraft at the air station, not that it worried them before. I suspect they were more worried about the Shadow R.1s than the RC-135s.

 

More likely the presence of 13/39 Squadrons, and the Reaper operations which have attracted the attentions of the protestors

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Fair point, Dave.

 

Newquay's runway is somewhat shorter than it was during its RAF ownership, due to CAA regulations on approach patterns etc. This is also why a lot of the trees on the northern perimeter have been cut down. It was never a diversionary strip for the Shuttle -that honour was always Fairford's*- but it was for many years a Master Emergency Diversion Airfield (MEDA) with 24hr cover, and on one occasion in the 1980s was used by a BA 747 out of Heathrow that turned back due to a young girl suffering a medical emergency.

 

With regard to RIAT, looking at the $50 million of work that needs to be done, it is likely that the show may have to find an alternative venue for at least one year. Jump to p.175 of this cure for insomnia: http://www.saffm.hq.af.mil/Portals/84/documents/Air Force MILCON FY18.pdf?ver=2017-05-23-153715-980. Boscombe Down is about the only alternative I can think of, as Cottesmore is no longer operational and the other sizeable runways are all in less than desirable locations for various reasons.

 

What I don't understand is that the existing runway length was considered suitable for regular operations by fuel-laden KC-135s when Fairford hosted the regular European Tanker Task Force detachments, but is not deemed suitable for RC-135s.

 

* The four European Transoceanic Abort Landing (TAL) sites for the Shuttle were Fairford, Istres, Zaragoza and Moron.

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1 hour ago, T7 Models said:

 

* The four European Transoceanic Abort Landing (TAL) sites for the Shuttle were Fairford, Istres, Zaragoza and Moron.

I thought Cologne/Bonn Airport used to be? 3815m runway...

J

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Maybe we should abandon the "my runway's bigger than your runway" discussion and get back to the move of the RJs to Fairford? Sorry...but there's too much runway waving going on around here.  :)

 

Yeah...I know.  Coat time again!

 

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3 hours ago, JeffreyK said:

I thought Cologne/Bonn Airport used to be? 3815m runway...

J

 

I can see how an putting the Space Shuttle down there might have caused a few knock on problems, mind

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6 hours ago, T7 Models said:

With regard to RIAT, looking at the $50 million of work that needs to be done, it is likely that the show may have to find an alternative venue for at least one year.

It was moved because of major runway work at Fairford (2001/2002 ish?) and my (aged and unreliable) memory says it was somewhere in Lincolnshire, but Dr. Goggle isn't being terribly helpful in my attempts to pin it down.  Scampton?  Anyone got a better memory than me? :) 

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2 hours ago, TheLurker said:

It was moved because of major runway work at Fairford (2001/2002 ish?) and my (aged and unreliable) memory says it was somewhere in Lincolnshire, but Dr. Goggle isn't being terribly helpful in my attempts to pin it down.  Scampton?  Anyone got a better memory than me? :) 

 

RIAT was held at Cottesmore for, I think, two years before reverting to Fairford.

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my mistake for mentioning the runway length and for things to go off topic. But only by a tinsey winsey bit mind

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3 hours ago, Latinbear said:

 

RIAT was held at Cottesmore for, I think, two years before reverting to Fairford.

Ahh. Thank you.  I remember it being a couple of years and I particularly remember that they really stuffed up the traffic management the 1st year back at Fairford..

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On 5/26/2017 at 7:52 PM, TheLurker said:

Ahh. Thank you.  I remember it being a couple of years and I particularly remember that they really stuffed up the traffic management the 1st year back at Fairford..

 

ISTR that the traffic at Cottesmore was a bit sporty on one of the two years; Mrs XV (prior to her becoming Mrs XV) lived in Oakham at the time, so although we went by car, we headed in the 'wrong' direction out of the show, zipped down some back lanes and were at home having a brew about 15 minutes later. IIRC, the issue was simply weight of traffic and the management of it worked fairly well. 
 

I was (and still am) working 'somewhere in the vicinity of 'a certain defence establishment in Oxfordshire' and remember accounts in the local press and from those who'd been helping to put the flying side of the show on about how the traffic management was not going to be remembered as the best bit of the show.

 

On 5/26/2017 at 0:14 AM, Dave Fleming said:

 

More likely the presence of 13/39 Squadrons, and the Reaper operations which have attracted the attentions of the protestors

 

Yes. 14 also had some bearing on the decision, but visions of 'spectators' hoisting banners/invading the runway and protesting against 'killer robots' only then finding that the others who'd invaded the runway with them were intent on lynching them for ruining the show/getting in the way of a perfectly framed photo of the Farley Fruitbat GR1  may or may not have been mentioned in passing as well... '

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18 hours ago, XV107 said:

 

 

 

Yes. 14 also had some bearing on the decision, but visions of 'spectators' hoisting banners/invading the runway and protesting against 'killer robots' only then finding that the others who'd invaded the runway with them were intent on lynching them for ruining the show/getting in the way of a perfectly framed photo of the Farley Fruitbat GR1  may or may not have been mentioned in passing as well... '

Reminiscent of an airfield in Berkshire, where a certain motley collection of 'women' were complaining about American toys being deployed there.

Plod: "You lot might like to keep a low profile over the weekend - we are expecting 250,000 aircraft enthusiasts each day.....we can't guarantee your safety if you make a protest."

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On Sunday, May 28, 2017 at 6:01 PM, bentwaters81tfw said:

Reminiscent of an airfield in Berkshire, where a certain motley collection of 'women' were complaining about American toys being deployed there.

Plod: "You lot might like to keep a low profile over the weekend - we are expecting 250,000 aircraft enthusiasts each day.....we can't guarantee your safety if you make a protest."

Well I'm glad the motley women you so mention were and are still allowed to do so ....it's a free country....That's what it's all about shipmate or it was.

 

Ex 600lb HE MC mechanic 

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9 minutes ago, junglierating said:

Well I'm glad the motley women you so mention were and are still allowed to do so ....it's a free country....That's what it's all about shipmate or it was.

 

 

Only if you meet certain criteria. I'm saying no more :shutup:

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Well the sensible move if they want to reactivate Fairford and shut Mildenhall is.....(contentious sensible remark here for the PTB)....

Give Marshalls an incentive to move from Cambridge to Mildenhall, then transfer RIAT to Mildenhall. Mildenhall is earmarked for housing for Cambridge commuters. There is nothing at Mildenhall to support new housing, BUT by freeing up the land at Cambridge airport, which is worth more per acre for building than Mildenhall, you save on the commute, pollution, infrastructure, and you still have an excelllent diversion airfield for Lakenheath, and a spare military spec. airfield in times of need.

 

Of course it will never happen, because it makes too much sense and saves shedloads of money.

 

(someone tell MoD, USAF and the respective Councils before it's too late)

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Early 707s and 135s hadn't enough power/enough lift to get off the deck in a short length. The VC10's 4 Conways had the power of five  of the Pratt & Whitney  donkeys. In hot n high locations it was off load some weight or stay where you are and that continued even with the late 707s, early 747s to a lesser extent. Meanwhile full PAX East African, BOAC,BUA, Air Malawi etc. VC10s were skipping off the Black Top .RAF C.Mk 1s Straight up !

 

What ever that cliche.... If it 'aint Boeing, it aint going ***** means..  it means nothing with the 707s  wing without Rolls Royce power .

 

 

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On ‎05‎/‎06‎/‎2017 at 3:45 PM, TheLurker said:

Heads up. B-52s at Fairford until the 16th of June.  Don't know how many.  Usually no more than 3 or 4.

 

Wilts & Glos. Standard - Don't expect usable detail.

 

There are 3 x Barksdale B-52Hs currently deployed to Fairford and a number of 28 BW B-1Bs are expected to join them before the end of this week.

 

Mark

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