RAF Culdrose

[FullyFlapped]

Guys and Gals,

Does anyone know if RAF Culdrose in Cornwall will accept a GA flight, or how I might find out ?

Thanks !

FF :ok:

[Kolibear]

My 2003 Flight Guide doesn't say that they won't. They are only open on weekdays, but there is gliding at weekends and evenings, so it looks like someone would be around.

They ask for PPR 24hrs prior to arrival.

Phone nos:- 01326 574121 ext 2415 ATC
01326 574121 ext 2620 PPR/Ops.

By the way, should the title be RNAS Culdrose?

[Zlin526]

If you call them and say "Is that RAF Culdrose?" the answer will be no... It belongs to the Senior Service old chap!

[Send Clowns]

Not if you call them RAF Culdrose they won't! You are talking about HMS SEAHAWK, the RNAS Culdrose, a commissioned vessel in her Majesty's Fleet, albeit one distinctly land-bound.

And yes you can go there, one of the magazines did in fact use it as the example of flying into a military airfield in a light aircraft. Give them 24-hours prior notice though, unlike the French civvy aircraft that landed there with live firearms on board when I was stationed down there (not very wise at Bikini (terrorist alert) state Black Alpha).

[Genghis the Engineer]

I have taken both a light aircraft and a microlight in and out of there, and the service was exemplary. I was however on Navy business - how they are if you aren't, I'm unsure. I'd expect them probably to be cautiously friendly and helpful.

G

[Obs cop]

Fullyflapped,

To the best of my knowledge, most MOD airfields will accept GA traffic, however several points come out here;

They do charge a landing fee and whilst they will be very helpful it is obviously far more security sensitive than most civil airports and I would expect to be escorted to/from the gates.

I used to fly from Culdrose, and the area can be massively busy with fast jets, helicopters, multi's, students and operational crews all in the melting pot. Arrivals and departures vary widely from GA and quite often, different A/C types will use different runways. The R/T is different and so are the proceedures, but............

You need PPR and so when you phone get a thorough and detailed briefing. They include colour codes in their runway and weather information so get details about what they mean. Culdrose has a weather system all of its own, so if you are in any doubt as to the weather, ask to speak to one of the met officers.

Most of all, go for it and enjoy the experience,

regards

Obs cop

[Genghis the Engineer]

Worth mentioning by the way that Culdrose is the busiest military airfield in the UK. Be sure that you are 100% up to speed on military join and circuit procedures, RT calls etc - if only to make sure you get invited back a second time!

G

[pilotwolf]

Never landed at a UK mil airfield but seem to recall there is also a fairly hefty 3rd party insurance cover requirement which can be waived by an additional fee?

Or am I thinking of something else?

PW

[Genghis the Engineer]

That's correct - most full hull insurance policies will include it for free if you make a point of asking for it. Otherwise it's a charge that I think is somewhere around £8 per landing for a light single.

G

[Obs cop]

Genghis,

Excellent point, but the surrounding airspace is also terrifically busy.

The airspace has several IF areas (3 if memory serves me correctly), operations areas over Falmouth Bay and most of the surrounding coastline, a satellite airfield for general handling, Jetstreams doing low level sorties:ugh: along with Hawks and helicopters and numerous other oddities.

All packed onto a spit of land with Lands End Airfield, Penzance Heliport and pasties.

Ah Spingot Middle, what a beer,

Obs cop

[Whirlygig]

Ah Spingot Middle, what a beer,
Quite agree if you mean that loopy-juice from The Blue Anchor in Helston but, er, I thought it was called Spingo

..... or is that a silent T as in Harlow!!!

Cheers

Whirlygig

[bcfc]

I can confirm its Spingo...or after the 3rd pint, Sshhpingo :\

[tmmorris]

Remember if you've got the extra 3rd-party cover needed (I think it's £7.5m) to tell them when you ring for PPR, otherwise they'll charge you anyway. For obvious reasons they can't insure you after you've landed...

Definitely worth boning up on military circuit procedures, though. Most important is the standard join through initials: they will almost certainly be expecting this; and also to keep the circuit tight and oval (e.g. circuits at Benson in a T67 take about 4 minutes each, whereas at Oxford in a PA28 they take about 8). And keep the radio calls brief: 'G-ABCD is left downwind for runway 27 to land' won't be appreciated; 'G-CD downwind land' is more like it...

Tim

[Legalapproach]

Ops were very helpfull when I wanted to go in there earlier in the summer. Only one real problem and that is the airfield closes at about lunchtime on a Friday and opens again on Monday which is fine for a long, long weekend but not much use if you need to be at work Friday/Monday morning. I ended up using Truro which is a lovely little airfield but the taxi fare from there to Helford and back was pretty steep. Next time would use Truro or Perranporth but hire a car as probably cheaper.

[Obs cop]

Spingo, Spingot,

Same loopy juice, just a blurred memory! I always liked the fact that all of the furniture was individual and unique with no two items the same..... or was that after the third pint also.:)

Oh and the fact that the special was given to "strangers" in half pints because it was too strong:\

Obs cop

[FullyFlapped]

Thanks chaps, all much appreciated. Any idea where I get myself a copy of mil joining procedures etc as this seems to be an issue mentioned by several ?

Also thanks for the guidance on the beer front, although, as a Yorkshireman, it'll probably taste like used washing-up water no matter how "good" it is ...

FF :ok:

[breakscrew]

There was a good article in Flyer or Pilot mag last year about flying into Culdrose. It seems that you have to be pretty good not to make a horlicks and give GA a bad name.

[Send Clowns]

Cornish beer is excellent, Flapped! The St Austell Brewery is as good as anything on the wrong side of the Pennines. Even Black Sheep and Samuel Smiths (and I suppose Theakston's now they're back in the family) can only come up on a par with the brewers of Hick's Special Draught and Tinner's.