Welshpool

[topcat450]

Short & simple, anyone been here? What's it like? Is it really as easy to find as it looks on the charts? Anything to do nearby (other than visit nearby relatives!) ?

Anything one should be wary of before making a trip there? Are they welcoming to the British Brigade?

Thanks in advance & now it's over to the masses :)

<TC>

[S-Works]

great airfield. pretty easy to find, it is at the end of a valley. fly along the river at 500ft like mosquito squadron and the runway appears!

Watch out for local weather, the cloud can come down level with the tops of the valley either side very quickly.

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

I'd say its one of the more difficult airfields to find being as it is - a strip of dark tarmac in a field owned by a flying farmer who lives at one end. No large aprons or hangars or peri-tracks etc.

The locals are friendly enough and not really classed as Welsh so there's no danger of your cottage getting torched. For something easy to do I'd call a taxi for the 5 min ride to nearby Powis Castle where a wander around the gardens is most pleasant. Alternatively there are some very rough pubs nearby I can recommend..

Cheers

WWW

[steve_moate]

I planned to drop in there for a cuppa on route back to Oxford from Blackpool. I couldn't raise anyone there on comms, and as it was raining, I carried on south to Shobden instead. Looked very nice from 2000' though.

In a valley, but they have an NDB, so easy enough to find once you're within 20 miles or so.

[pbloore]

It's nice and friendly although a little in the middle of nowhere. Circuit height is 1500ft due to the valley which combined with the fact the runway is quite narrow (and has a road at the one end) tends to make the unwary overshoot and then discover halfway down that the runway is much shorter than it looked!. There used to be a nice plane shaped topiary cut to the far hedge to give those who made it to the far end something to admire through the smoke off the brakes!.

Even if there is no reply on the radio they don't seem too concerned if you make blind calls and drop in. The radio is in the office so the person manning it is very much multi-functional.

Facilities are limited to toilets and vending machines although they occasionally do nice bacon rolls etc.

[Whirlybird]

I learned to fly there, way back when. Very friendly place, as everyone has said. Not too difficult to find from north or south, as you're in the direction of the one shortish narrow runway; from east or west the runway disappears and it's almost impossible to see. Easiest thing to do is head for Welshpool town; it's only about two miles away then.

Now, they do like you to phone first, not just arrive! I have that on authority from the airfield manager, who thinks PPR means phone, not just call on the radio. However, as has been said, if they don't answer the radio it's not a problem to make blind calls and drop in. At least, I don't think so.

There should be bacon butties at weekends, if the person who makes them is around. She sometimes makes some rather good cakes too. :ok:

[Squadgy]

Take cash/ cheque book for the landing fee - they can't take credit or debit cards

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

Excellent field to drop in for a bacon butty. There is no peri track or parallel taxyway, so if landing westerly you have to backtrack the active runway, which is a tad unusual (there is a 'layby' at the westerly end so you can wait for a gap in inbounds before backtracking).

When I first visited, it was just a grass strip in the valley bottom (Trehellig Farm, IIRC). Now much more upmarket, hence known as 'Welshpool International';)

SSD

[jezbowman]

I posted this on another thread a couple of weeks back, seems more applicable here:


posted 1st August 2004 19:35
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Went to Welshpool last night, got there about 6pm. Greeted by the most friendly staff that I've ever been met by. Within minutes of landing I'd got fuel uploaded and taxied across to a tie down spot.

Armed with exaustive directions to the campsite, and two phone number for local taxis for later evening (both provided by the airfield) we set off. Campsite is 10min walk from the airfield, cross the river Severn (so therefore, technically, in England).

Gorgeous scenery, the airport is in the base of the Seven valley, with steep ground on both sides.

Had a good meal at the Cantonese resturant in Welshpool itself and a couple of beers.

This morning woke up to glorious sunshine, good visablilty and a sky buzzing with helicopters and light aircraft. A pilots heaven! The weather back at East Mids, not so good... Oh well, what a shame we had to hang around my new favourite aerodrome!!!

Loads going on, despite the fact that the vis began dropping towards lunchtime. About 10am the guy rolled up to open the kitchen armed with Bacon and Bread, fantatsic! Loads of pilots hanging around wanting to know where you're from, when you came and how your going to get back. One even offered that there was a train at 3pm if the EMA vis didn't clear!!

Again the staff were excellent providing me with access to all the latest weather reports along my short route back.

Finally the weather cleared up to 5k's at EMA, so with tents and sleeping bags restowed into the 172's hold we were off into the clag. Made it back no probs...

What a fantatsic weekend! Probably one of the best flying weekends I've had and it was all down to the airfield, the people and the location. I would STRONGLY reccommend a visit to anyone whose not been there, and you should defintly camp!

Cost £12 to land, £5 for overnight parking and £1/ltr AVGAS.


In terms of getting in/out of the valley, there are routes both north and south that don't involve climbing above the hills. It was hard to spot at first coming from the south east, but I kept my eye on the NDB and sure enough it appeared. The NDB signal is good some distance out (though probably not very accurate if you are not LOS with the field). The DME was crap as the first sign of life was at 3d and I was visual then anyway. :rolleyes:

Two weeks on and still my fave UK field!

Jez

[Big Hilly]

Top Place!

Posted a thread on it a while back: Here (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?threadid=133129)

One of the nicest airfields I've been to in a long time.

Pic of the field here:

http://www.welshpoolairport.co.uk/airfieldlayout1.jpg

BH

[IO540]

Probably the safest way to get into Welshpool if coming from the SE is to descend into VMC on the way to Shawbury (SWB VOR) and when visual turn left and follow the railway into Welshpool, in the SW direction. Shawbury offer a very good radar service and will even let you use their ILS to get visual.

It isn't often that I've been able to just fly to W direct, because if there are clouds about they are usually not much above the surrounding hills.

Their NDB doesn't work usefully until one is line of sight, and I always get a lot of interference on their frequency, which disappears only when they transmit.

[G_STRING]

Nice place in my opinion

Called there last Autumn. Lovely airfield, nice friendly people - oh .... VERY nice bacon butties!

[Cat.S]

I've enjoyed my flights there, but you need to get the approach right. Our club insists on an instructor accompanying you on your first visit (the PA28 shaped hole in the hedge was one of ours, as was another PA28 which landed 15' above the runway!)

The higher than usual circuit seems to throw peoples' judgement a bit, especially if you are used to the length and width of a place like LPL and it's not a field for dragging in low and slow either. If using 22 check for furniture vans, cattle trucks etc on final and there's an interesting tree on the approach for 04!

I've only ever flown there mid-week and there's never been anyone on the radio when I've called. It's worth making blind calls as the last time I visited I was one of five in the circuit.

If you depart to the north-east make sure you know about the masts and cable strung across the mouth of the valley.

Caveats apart, it's a great field to visit.

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

Those masts and cables at Criggion have been removed. Which means finding the place VFR from the North is now a lot less fraught.

WWW

[maggioneato]

I have pictures of said PA28, with a friend pointing the accusing finger at me as I looked at what remained of said aircraft. I was not flying it thankfully. I also remember the yellow peril terrorhawk going through the hedge, and a friend who ran off the runway caught by a gust of crosswind.
I still visit in spite of all that, lovely airfield, just needs a stabilized approach. No problem finding it, once you spot the main road into Welshpool town, look to the left at the same angle, that's where the runway should be. It it is'nt I hav'nt explained it very well. :hmm:

[Whirlybird]

If 22 being used....

Fly downwind aiming just outside of the large house on the hill at the end of downwind leg, but don't overfly that house or people get upset. Look for the road heading straight towards Welshpool town; that's the best place to turn base. Start your descent immediately; you are at 1500 ft remember. On final, as has been said, remember there may be high trucks on the main road on the undershoot. If the wind is at all strong, there will probably be a bit of turbulence; you're surrounded by hills. Don't panic; the runway isn't that short (around 800m) but definitely aim for the numbers. A go-around first time will probably get you used to how it all works, if necessary.

If 04 being used...

Can't remember any visual features for turning base, but don't turn too early as it's a long way down from 1500 ft. The house on final (the owner's house; you can overfly it) tends to cause a bit of windsheer and you'll probably drop 50 ft or so. Otherwise slightly easier than 22 as no main roads etc. Don't be put off if aircraft waiting just to the side of your landing point, ready for take-off.

That's all I can think off; I learned to fly there a long time ago. It took me ages to learn to land, and after that I discovered that most other places were easier. But it's really not that bad; this is meant to be helpful, not put you off. If it's doing the latter, ignore it and go anyway. :ok:

[tmmorris]

You can also get nasty windshear from the hangars on approach to 22 with a westerly wind: beware...!

Nice place, though: did my PPL there in 2001.

Tim

[Cat.S]

Glad to hear the masts and cables have been removed. I haven't visited for nearly a year.