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Old 27th February 2006 | 14:58
  #677 (permalink)  
Digitalis
 
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 134
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From: UK
Is DSA that huge really?

London Heathrow:

09L/27R 12802ft/3902m PCN 83
09R/27L 12008ft/3660m PCN 83

London Gatwick:

08R/26L 10879ft/3316m PCN 78

MoD Boscombe Down

05/23 10538ft/3212m LCG lll

RAF Brize Norton:

08/26 10007ft/3050m PCN 81

London Stansted:

05/23 10000ft/3048m PCN 86

Campbeltown (RAF Macrihanish):

11/29 10003ft/3049m LCG lll

Manchester:

06L/24R 10000ft/3048m PCN 94
06R/24L 9997ft/3047m PCN 79

RAF Fairford:

09/27 9994ft/3046m PCN 105

Doncaster Sheffield:

02/20 9491ft/2893m PCN 63

Well, it's just outside the top 10 in UK. There are several others in the 9000ft region. It does have the advantage of having a 60m width runway, but its PCN (pavement strength) is very low at 63, which is insufficient for many current widebodies, let alone the A380. Its taxiways, IIRC (I was based there for 5 years), are probably too narrow also, as well as being too weak.

I suspect that the cost of bringing DSA up to spec for the A380 is too much to make it viable. In any case, all the European operators of the aeroplane have their engineering plans in hand already. Finningley's a great place, but I wouldn't hold your breath for the A380 coming there!
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