Originally Posted by
chevvron
I read somewhere recently that the UK CAA require licensed airfields to have a notified means of location even for VFR airfields; the most basic of these means is to have an NDB on the airfield with or without DME or alternatively VDF, however some airfields have decided to de-commision their NDBs where they have a VOR/DME located not too far away, having discussed it with operators and found that very few actually use the NDB for its original purpose plus you have to pay for a license and regular maintenance or repairs (many are getting quite old) and VDF cannot be used effectively at FISO airfields as the AFISO cannot pass QDMs, only QDRs.
My local licensed (grass) airfield has never had an NDB, or any other method of location. It’s been there since the 1930s. I can think of another that used to have an NDB just outside it’s boundary (I always dialled it up while transitting close by) but it went off line without much warning a few years ago and seems that it’s gone forever.