Originally Posted by
ATFQ
Announced that Wethersfield Airfield (former home of 614 VGS) now remaining open - until at least 2025.
https://assets.publishing.service.go...for_gov.uk.pdf
And it still has a hangar and usable runways. Great news for ATC units in Essex, North London, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire etc.
Thanks for the pics. Really does show how unsuitable and dilapidated the infra has become there. That Hangar does not seem to be anywhere near Part 145 compliant for the Maintenance Organisation to use under their MAOS MAA approval. The runway is also severely degraded and will not pass a Aerodrome Operator hazard to operation Bow-Tie Risk Assessment anymore. You can really see how many £Millions it will take to get that back to the MAA Glider Aerodrome regulatory and Duty Holder Total Safety standards. Those Regs only benefit the safety of cadets. No more hitting a series of landrover tyre ruts on landing and hoping for the best (without getting whiplash), or kicking up debris from a severely degraded runway and skidding on the gravel as used to happen when I was flying them in the 80s.
Also I have heard that Wethersfield also only used to have portacabins for accommodation with no way to effectively separate male/female cadets and staff from Cadets. A very big no-no in the current safeguarding regime. Do we have pictures of Swanton. Hopefully it is far better provisioned.