Being as Abingdon is used regulary for Flying activity ( Merlins / Pumas / Apache Heli's in the weekdays for example), is it worth the Military to look into re-instating perhaps the defunct Control Tower or something so to have some form of airfield control??
The reason i ask this, is because when the Army moved in, the base was divided in half so the domestic area is Dalton Barracks with the Airfield on the the other side of the new Peri fence.
But, as Merlin & Puma crews (and resident 612 VGS personnel will tell you), people go on the airfield part to walk dogs or on occasions you'll get vehicles on the runway.
There are 3 areas where people come onto the airfield, no one takes a blind bit of notice to the Health & Safety signs / MOD Keep out signs / Keep off the runways signs etc... and personally i am really surprised no one has been killed yet.
I hope it never comes to a death but it only takes a student pilot in a Motorglider for example to loose control momentarily on take off ie: in a crosswind situation to wipe out some person ignoring signs etc.
What are peoples views on this???
Do you think some kind of airfield control is needed???