View Full Version : A glimmer of hope for Filton?
julian_storey
16th Sep 2011, 19:37
BAE Systems to be told: ‘prove there is no case for an airfield in Filton’ | filtonvoice (http://www.filtonvoice.co.uk/?p=327)
Julian
Bristol Filton should have been Bristol airport not that excuse of a place sitting on the top of a hill with low cloudbases and strong winds way south of Bristol.
Bristol Filton had all the potential! very close to the M5 and M4 to go north , south east or west.
Perfect railway connection to London and above all close to the centre of Bristol rather than the miles out location of THE other place.
Filton is steeped in History. It is a crime that it is being closed to turn into yet another housing estate or unneeded business park.
I met one ground handler in his mid fifties who had worked there since he was 16 years old. Great people working there a disgusting shame.
Pace
Steve N
17th Sep 2011, 18:58
BAE tried to start commercial flights from Filton in 1993.
This happened:
The Airport Threat Stoke Gifford (http://www.sbarch.org.uk/History_SG_V3.40/Airport/The_Airport.shtml)
USE THE RUDDERS
17th Sep 2011, 19:27
I would certainly hope so.
As someone who was brought up under the Filton flightpath so to speak I can remember being in infant and junior school as the last Concordes were doing their first flights along with the F111's that were serviced there and the VC10 conversions for the RAF and the Super Guppies collecting the A320 wings.
That paragraph outlines the history of the place over 15 to 20 years so many memories.
I also learned to fly from the airfield, saw Concorde land on its last flight and made many Instrument approaches whilst doing my IR.
The area is steped in aviation history but this is slowly being destroyed with alot of the Rolls Royce buildings demolished and the original BAC buildings long gone. All we are left with now is another horrible cheap housing state with the old A300's were stored.
Filton is part of Britain's aviation heritage and should be left as it is.
Evanelpus
17th Sep 2011, 19:33
Sorry Rudders, you need to wake up and smell the coffee.
BAe don't give a flying **** about Britains Aviation heritage, ask all the poor saps who were made redundant from Woodford and Hatfield.
USE THE RUDDERS
17th Sep 2011, 20:01
Evanelpus
It's not a case of waking up and smelling the coffee, I think we all know that BAe don't give a ****! Money talks.
My post was meant to show how I feel about Filton for someone who grew up in the area, what's wrong with some great memories?
10 years time the will be another housing estate in Bristol with street named as Britannia Way and so on.
Steve
People are strange creatures! There was a sleepy airfield in the south east uk with a few C 150s and a small flight school.
A local residents association full of retired teachers and not enough to do created an anti the airfield group, fought and fought to stop activities from the airfield.
They won but their victory was short lived when they heard the councils pland to change it into an industrial estate with new access roads for heavy lorries.
the same group then formed a save the airfield organistation.
I think you will now find the same residents at Filton opposing its closure.
Pace
Sir George Cayley
18th Sep 2011, 14:57
Same thing's happening at Woodford. Suddenly the airfield doesn't seem as bad as housing. :)
Sir George Cayley
ps an equally historic site.
Evanelpus
18th Sep 2011, 16:00
Rudders, sorry to pee on your chips mate.
I worked at Hatfield just before closure and it doesn't matter whether it's BAe or not, heritage means sod all. Enjoy your memories of Filton.
Did you ever know Mike Meaker?
bsfish2003
19th Sep 2011, 18:48
I worked at Filton for 38 years. Just before I retired, in 2000, BAE SYSTEMS (as they prefer to be called) stated that they were not aircraft manufacturers but were 'systems integrators'. I wonder what the original Sir George White would have said to that.
Capetonian
29th Nov 2011, 08:56
I have to go to Bristol later this week and was hoping to visit the Museum at Filton, but it seems it is no longer.
Is there anything left? Reading this thread it seems not, which is a great pity given the imprtance of Filton in aviation.
The website for Concorde at Filton - Visit (http://concordeatfilton.org.uk/visit/?c=important-info) contains no information and no contact details.
Flew from Gamston to Bristol Filton today. Great Airfield, long runway, friendly people. Ground Staff confirmed it is to close in December 2012.
Crying Shame
pulse1
15th Feb 2012, 07:25
Capetonian,
The Bristol Aircraft Museum is now based at Kemble (south side). If you fly in there to visit the museum please note that there is no access to the south side by foot, vehicle or aircraft. I recommend that you prearrange transport from the museum. They are usually very happy to oblige.
It is well worth a visit.
S-Works
15th Feb 2012, 09:27
Little point in replying to him, he's banned...... :p
piperarcher
31st Jul 2012, 11:48
Does anyone know what's happening to the Concorde at Bristol Filton? I understand it's not possible to view it anymore, is that correct?
The Concorde at Filton (http://concordeatfilton.org.uk/) has been deserted I think and is not up to date. I cant find anything else informative via Google.