Anyone flying in Oxfordshire?

[Chinchilla.612]

Just a quick reminder to anyone flying around the skies over Oxfordshire that Abingdon is still active, albeit only weekends and public holidays as a general rule.

There seems to be a lack of awareness of this and I thought this would be as good a forum as any to increase peoples knowledge and improve safety for us there as well as other pilots in the area.

For more information check UK AIP ENR 5-5-1-1.

If passing close by to the airfield Abingdon Radio is manned on 122.10Mhz whilst the field is active.

Safe flying to all.

Chinchilla.

[Aussie Andy]

That's good to know about: I fly from both Wycombe and Benson. I once tried to divert to Abingdon (last year) due wx... Brize controller said "OK"... and as it is a MIL field (army?) I figured he would know more about it than me: but it turned out that the airfield was unavailable as it was covered in people and (drag?) cars, so I couldn't land... managed to scoot into Kidlington.

Would be interested to learn more about how the airfield is generally used, etc. just for my "local" knowledge! Is it only used for gliding? What do MIL use the field for?

Its a shame there's not a plate in the Airfield section of the AIP (http://www.ais.org.uk/aes/pubs/aip/html/aipad2.htm) as AIP ENR 5-5-1-1 (http://www.ais.org.uk/aes/pubs/aip/pdf/enr/2050501.PDF) doesn't even give the frequency you provided!

Happy flying,



Andy

[BEagle]

It's only used for the odd bit of meat bombing and a (very!) few ATC motorgliders now and again. Same as Rissy - although the chart shows no parachuting at Rissy, but winch launching up to 3800ft.

[witchdoctor]

It's a shame Abingdon don't NOTAM their activity as do some of the other airfields in the vicinity ( e.g South Cerney, Little Rissington), though not necessarily all the time. I gained my licence nearby and never once found out Abingdon was active until ATC informed us as we approached. Hinton-in-the-Hedges is another 'offender', especially as it is on one of the instrument departures from Kidlington en route to DTY.

[ozplane]

I believe Abingdon is also used for "track days" as it has a good combination of fast curves and a good straight. How these are notified I don't know.

[tmmorris]

Brize usually know if Abingdon is active; but to be fair, it is marked as active on the half-mil chart (the symbol is military, active, not available for public use). As a rule, 612VGS (motorgliders) fly at weekends and usually circuit-bash.

You can hardly blame Hinton, though - it's on the half-mil chart as a parachuting DZ... Again, Brize will usually notify you if you report yourself in a position or route nearby.

Tim

Chinchilla - presumably you are connected to 612VGS...? If so - could you perhaps find some way to publicize the frequency? It's not on the half-mil chart frequency card, and as the field isn't available to civvies it's not in the flight guides only - in fact that's the first time I've found out the frequency and I've been flying around here for more than 2 years...

Tim
(Radley College CCF(RAF), so we've probably met!)

[Chinchilla.612]

Just a quick reply to a few of the comments.

Activity at Abingdon is mainly weekends by 612VGS flying the Vigilant (G109B) for Air Cadet Training. A large amount of the training is conducted in the circuit with the aim of sending the 16-22 year old students solo. However the operating area for upper air sorties covers an appreciably larger area also, but my intention was only to raise awareness of the circuit and airfield activities.

The airfield is active by Notam, but only when these days fall outside the permanently notified times published in the AIP, which is generally only a few weeks during the year when continuous courses are run.

612VGS are the only flying unit based on the airfield, although there are visiting military aircraft for para dropping as well as Helicopter training from Benson and some Army helicopters(since Abingdon is now Dalton barracks).

The airfield is unfortunately not open or available to visiting civil aircraft and has no facilities to offer. Especially as when the VGS is not operating there may be Army exercises or any manner of activites taking place on the field and runways.

The frequency is the Nato Common Tower frequency 122.10 and can be advised from Bzn if traffic is working the frequency as Bzn are always made aware if ops are taking place. Abingdon Radio is purely for airfield information and no Air Traffic Control facilities are available.

I hope this answers most of the queries above.

[Aussie Andy]

the Nato Common Tower frequency 122.10 I have heard of this before, but its just another of the frequencies that "one ought to know" something about (perhaps by osmosis!?) yet which are not easy to have to hand when needed: the other being the various "common" gliding site frequencies etc.

Is there a way to request that consideration be given to putting this sort of thing on the frequency card which is bundled with the half-mil charts these days?

Andy

[Chinchilla.612]

The Frequency card dished out with the charts these days is quite handy yes. Ed 29 was the last one I got.
On the back of it for Abingdon it has Benson Zone (120.90) listed as the NATSU to check for activity, and if unable to establish contact on that frequency London Information can also pass advice on our frequency and whether the airfield is operational.

122.10 is the contact frequency at Abingdon for weekends and when Notams are active for the VGS but Para dropping can use other frequencies if they have an ATCO or if they are under control from Bzn, so it is the safest option to check with Benson, Brize or London if you are passing and not sure.

Failing that of course, it does state even on that card that pilots are advised to assume the zone is ACTIVE if no information can be obtained.

But as you have that card, I'm sure you were aware of that already.

[SlipSlider]

Quote "The airfield is unfortunately not open or available to visiting civil aircraft ..."

apart from the very occasional fly-in, albeit with limited slots, once maybe twice a year....

Slip

[Chinchilla.612]

Thats a fair one yes.........shouldn't forget Abingdon Fayre :o)
Is a great Day normally too.

[Neil Porter]

Couldn't help mentioning my event at Abingdon again on this forum, it is held every early May bank holiday, the next being Sun 2 May 2004.
Have a variety of ground attractions planned with Static Aircraft & an expanded Flying Display (Static & Flying aircraft contain civil & Military - aerobatic, jet , transport & Helicopter types)..
612 VGS are good to us, and are kind enough to lend me the Air Traffic Caravan etc (manned by a qualified controller from Kemble on the day), and of course a chance to show off the resident "RAF Unit".
Check out our website for details etc:
www.abingdonfayre.latest-info.com
or any pilots interested in flying in, contact me initially with type details etc to:
[email protected]
Airfield briefing sheets etc are to be dished out in March onwards.
I do have a limited number of slots available for the event, around 80-90 for 2004!!! Anyone out there with a nice WW2 type!!
If your are transitting on that day, remember to read the NOTAMS as i normally request for a 3nm radius around Abingdon & up to 7000ft, from 08.00hrs to 19.00hrs.

Just like to add that the airfield as Chinchilla.612 pointed out is used not only by themselves at weekends, but RAF Bensons Merlins, Pumas and now Apaches from M-Wallop are regulary in the circuit during the week (& odd nights). Some days are busier than others.
Get the odd other type in now & again...
The number of days the airfield is used for ie: Car events is now limited, cos of the increased useage by Heli's & had noise complaints from locals.

Nice Abingdon is regulary used for flying still....

[Aussie Andy]

Would you welcome a visitor from neighbouring Benson in boring PA28 G-BEFA? Have sent email...

[Mike Cross]

Aussie Andy said
Is there a way to request that consideration be given to putting this sort of thing on the frequency card which is bundled with the half-mil charts these days?
Indeed there is!:ok:
Howard Dubovie is the VFR chart editor. There is a feedback form here (http://www.caa.co.uk/dap/dapcharts/default.asp?page=2149). He will be delighted to hear from you on anything to do with the VFR charts.

If you would like to see a change to the AIP the link is here (http://www.caa.co.uk/dap/dapcharts/default.asp?page=1207)

Mike

[Aussie Andy]

Top suggestion Mike: done! Will advise response...


Andy

[Aussie Andy]

No reply from CAA - am off to the US for a week on business now. Dissappointed to get no reply, which is not my usual experience with CAA.

Andy

[Flyin'Dutch']

Visited the Abington Fayre this year in May and arrived in a Robin, so that answers your question AA.

Very pleasant it was too with a nice display. The display was not too long and there were plenty of other activities so that those not enthralled by the flying (aka as the rest of the family) enjoy the trip out too.

FD

[BEagle]

Not at Abingdon, but certainly in Oxfordshire, lies the ridiculous P106 which is situated around Harwell. It extends to 2500 ft amsl and is 2.0 nm in radius.

Given, as this link http://www.ukaea.org.uk/harwell/index.htm indicates, that the reactors were decommissioned nearly 13 years ago and that area is being promoted as the 'Harwell International Business Centre', I question the need for maintaining permanent prohibition of flight in this area. Particularly since it was only a Restricted area (R102 - and before that as EGR 14) with the same dimensions when RAF Abingdon was active, the restriction being that ac making ILS approaches to RW36 at Abingdon were permitted to enter the area! However, when RAF Abingdon closed, the restriction was no longer required and it became a Prohibited area.

This area is used by many GA aircraft, particularly those flying between Kidlington to Didcot to the east of the Brize Norton CTR. Anything which reduces the channelling of such aircraft into a common, uncontrolled area of airspace should be avoided; hence I have asked that the question of the continued status of R106 is taken up with the relevant authorities.

[Man-on-the-fence]

Beagle

Yes very strange about Harwell. Especially as I flew over Sizewell whilst out and about with Hairyplane and DamienB the other week. I also recently flew straight over JET at Culham a few days before, again perfectly legally.

Not sure if there are any live reactors on at the Rutherford Appleton Labs out the back nowadays but they are buildiing a Syncrotron thingy at the moment. Still not sure if that requires a no fly zone.

PS not a pilot just a happy passenger on both occasions.

[BEagle]

Yes - flying over Culham always gives one a twinge in the gonads wondering whether a sudden fusion event might occur just as you're puttering happily overhead!

Suspect that it's just the fact that no-one's thought to question the existence of P106 in recent times since they decommissioned the reactors is the only reason for it still to be there!

Unless, of course....doo doo, doo doo, doo doo, doo doo........:E