Licensed airfield

[FullyFlapped]

What is the legal definition of a "licensed airfield", as used by the CAA ?

Can any clever soul kindly point me to a reference or know it off by heart ?

Thanks,

FF :ok:

[gcolyer]

I would start here:

http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP168.PDF

and part 13 article 128 of this : http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP393corr.pdf

[FullyFlapped]

Top man, thank you.

Do you know if there is a simple list of licensed aerodromes anywhere handy ?

FF :ok:

[gcolyer]

Erm....

CAA regulations + Simple cannot co-exist it is a known fact:}

[bigbloke]

FF

There is a list of 160 or so in the AIP but you need to register to get access (it's free though) All the plates and supporting info for them are available there as well.

http://www.ais.org.uk/aes

Hope this helps

BB

[Gertrude the Wombat]

Is it the airfield that is licensed or the runway? Just wondering as some licensed airfields also have unlicensed runways :confused:
Yes, fun isn't it. I tried to read up on this stuff a while back and came to the conclusion that there is no simple answer.

There are many reasons why a licensed airfield might have an unlicensed runway, including but I'm sure not limited to:

(1) The runway fails to meet all 827 criteria for being licensed, eg the telegraph poles along the road at the end of the runway are 2mm too tall.

(2) Nobody has a clue whether the runway meets all the 827 criteria, because the airfield operator has made a business decision not to fork out vast sums of money for a survey because the extra income from having the new runway licensed as opposed to unlicensed won't cover the costs.

(3) The airfield operator has deliberately decided not to bother to license a runway because they see no need, because you only need a licensed runway for training, and they've got another perfectly good licensed runway, and there would be noise issues if people started flying circuits on the new runway they've just mown.

You can probably make up several more of your own. A few real reasons from airfield operators might be instructive!

[DX Wombat]

The grass runway at Halfpenny Green (EGBO) is unlicensed because they say it is too near the NDB (about a foot too near if I remember correctly) :\ 22 was unlicensed for a while whilst they were waiting for the numbers to be repainted, so it looks as if it is the runways rather than the actual place but I'm sure someone will be able to enlighten both of us. :) I think it also has something to do with what Fire cover is available.

[Gertrude the Wombat]

I met this at Fenland.

"Would you like the licensed runway, which has a 90 degree crosswind, or would you prefer the unlicensed runway, which not only has the wind straight down the runway but is also a bit longer?"

Easy decision I thought ... and the went around on the first attempt, having ended up in the wrong position, having concentrated too much on some trees that were nearer the runway than I was used to.