Northampton Sywell - new runway?

[TotalBeginner]

Does anybody know when the paved runway is due to open at Sywell?

[hatzflyer]

Err we all landed on it at the last fly in a couple of months ago? (or is this a second one ? )

[david viewing]

It wasn't open on Friday and the chap in the office seemed unsure about the date due to CAA inspectors not turning up or something.

[hatzflyer]

Strange, they had a major fly-in there a while back..300+ aircraft, it was the LAA (oh no it wasn't-oh yes it was ) fly in. It was in use for that.

[Halfbaked_Boy]

hatzflyer,

I was at the LAA fly-in a month or two ago - I seem to remember landings being made on the original grass 03/21 with a few using the hard runway. Speaking to the chap in the tower a few weeks back, he mentioned the only hurdles remaining are involved with licensing - physically the runway is down and complete with markings.

:)

[hatzflyer]

I went on the Sunday, we were using the hard.( very nice it was too !).

[GK430]

Sywell was 'unlicensed' during the LAA weekemd - as per notams and Fly-in info.Hence the hard was available to those not requiring a licensed aerodrome.

[CessnaCJM]

I had the pleasure of taking a twin in there a couple of weeks ago and the current runway whilst long enough does make me think the sooner the CAA get the hard runway signed off the better.

I wonder what the press would make of it if there had been an accident which a contributory factor was - despite requests the pilot was told 'sorry its not been inspected by the CAA so cant be used' although it would have given about 600 metres more of flat surface for the take off and was therefore forced to use a much shorter runway!

Come on CAA surely you are not that busy!

[hatzflyer]

Ahhh but the longer they make you wait, the more important they make themselves look, therefor the more they can charge!...Simples...:ok:

[S-Works]

Or you could argue that they have managed for nearly a century without a hard runway so a few months longer is not going to make any difference.

I did notice flying over it the other night that it seems to be marked as an Instrument runway.

[CessnaCJM]

'You could argue that they have managed for nearly a century'

Agreed - its just a shame the other runway is 546 metres shorter at the moment (if you include the undershoot bit):)

[rossi1]

Remember remember the 12th november.

[capt.sparrow]

Can anyone enlighten me on the new runway dimensions please.....ta

[cambioso]

21/03
1% slope down on 21
If you're private - 1260M = Full length
If you're PT - 21 LDA 1040
- 03 LDA 1070
416 ft AMSL
Full ICAO Runway markings.

[Sir George Cayley]

Will it be available at night and if so what lighting will it have?

Sir George Cayley

[cambioso]

No lights at the moment.
Maybe later, ask Mike BB. (Airfield owner)

[TotalBeginner]

Remember remember the 12th november.

Still remembering, or did you mean 2010? :}

[wsmempson]

I heard that the hard runway still wasn't licenced, because someone from the CAA turned up with a tape measure and measured the size of the lines and numbers painted on the runway, and then pointed out that they weren't the correct size. Hence, still no licence. Nice....

[Miroku]

I heard it was something to do with the windsock positioning.

[K.Whyjelly]

The new concrete runway 03L/21R is now licensed as per NOTAM L1321/10.

[Golf-Mike-Mike]

Pleased to see the new runway has opened. Can anyone please confirm some rumours that have been circulating:
1 - that one of the reasons for the delay was that CAA inspectors had insisted that a new windsock be installed that was closer to the new runway than the existing one
2 - that a total of 6 CAA inspectors turned up the same day to check the surface, lighting, markings, etc etc and they arrived in separate cars - sounds like 6 expense claims from the public purse ?
3 because they refused to certify the runway that day, they had all to come back again to re-do the review once the new windsock was installed.

If this is all unfounded speculation apologies for raising it. If not, what a disgrace !

[G-KEST]

Well they do tend to hunt in packs. I have seen similar situations in the past.
Thank God for the recently announced ANO change.

So pleased that Sywell at long last has a runway that will stay in service in wet weather.

Cheers,

Reaper 69
:D:D:D

[Jeff Bell]

Perky-Cirrus,

A. True. A second windsock was a requirement to licence the runway due to the requirements in CAP168

B. Untrue. 4 inspectors in 2 cars as half came from Gatwick and half from Manchester

C. Untrue. They did not re-visit, once the windsock was reported in place it was accepted as such.

Jeff

[Golf-Mike-Mike]

thanks Jeff for clarifying :o)

[TotalBeginner]

How long will we have to wait for the AIP to be updated?

[Sir George Cayley]

As long as it takes the man I cannot name to 'cycle' to the post with his 933.

Sir George Cayley

[Sky blue and black]

Go to NATS | AIS (http://www.ais.org.uk) and download part 2 of the amdt effective in 28 days, it's all on there. Or wait until Thursday!

[TotalBeginner]

Go to NATS | AIS and download part 2 of the amdt effective in 28 days, it's all on there. Or wait until Thursday!

I can only find textual data in part 2. Where is the aerodrome chart?

[Bournemouth Air]

I see there was a Falcon 50 business jet in there

[Mickey Kaye]

I’ve just looked at it on google earth and its certainly a fair sized runway. Do you think that they have more exec traffic now they have extended the runway.