Dunsfold arrival ?

[SpringHeeledJack]

Today was a lovely sunny day, so to dispel the cold and rain of yesterday a country walk was taken. At 11.55am i had reached Box Hill with it's glorious views out over Southern England, well parts of Surrey and Sussex at least ;) My eye was caught by a large smoke cloud coming up off a fire very close to LGW and i feared something bad, but was able to judge with the next inbound LGW arrival that it was off to the left/south of the airport. Whilst taking a photo of the smoke cloud my attention was caught by a slightly closer aircraft, low down almost on a parallel path to the LGW inbounds and i took a couple of photos. Now at home, i see that there is no airfield other than Dunsfold a few miles further along and the aircraft resembles a CL605/GV/Global Express in size with the front a dark blue/black and the rear white or similar. Nothing showed up at the time i saw it 11.57am, 17.04.16 on both FR24 or Planefinder, so i'm a bit flummoxed….. Do biz jets go into Dunsfold anymore and did one go in today ? Curiosity killing the cat!



SHJ

[chevvron]

Bizjets may certainly use Dunsfold at the operator's own risk, it is unlicensed and there is no AFRS there. They normally park on the runway 25 ORP, but if they're based there they may taxy to the hangar.
There used to be an embargo on sunday movements but I haven't worked there since 2012 so it may have been eased with the revised planning permission.
www.aviationforall.proboards.com/board/113/dunsfold

[DaveReidUK]

Today was a lovely sunny day, so to dispel the cold and rain of yesterday a country walk was taken. At 11.55am i had reached Box Hill with it's glorious views out over Southern England, well parts of Surrey and Sussex at least ;) My eye was caught by a large smoke cloud coming up off a fire very close to LGW and i feared something bad, but was able to judge with the next inbound LGW arrival that it was off to the left/south of the airport. Whilst taking a photo of the smoke cloud my attention was caught by a slightly closer aircraft, low down almost on a parallel path to the LGW inbounds and i took a couple of photos. Now at home, i see that there is no airfield other than Dunsfold a few miles further along and the aircraft resembles a CL605/GV/Global Express in size with the front a dark blue/black and the rear white or similar. Nothing showed up at the time i saw it 11.57am, 17.04.16 on both FR24 or Planefinder, so i'm a bit flummoxed….. Do biz jets go into Dunsfold anymore and did one go in today ? Curiosity killing the cat!

Plenty of Challengers and Gulfstreams active on Mode S around that time, but none fitting the colour scheme you described.

However this was around as well, and it does:

http://img1.pictaero.com/2013/06/30/s/195868.jpg

Though I can't confirm that it went into Dunsfold.

[SpringHeeledJack]

Bizjets may certainly use Dunsfold at the operator's own risk, it is unlicensed and there is no AFRS there. They normally park on the runway 25 ORP, but if they're based there they may taxy to the hangar.

Who would be guiding aircraft into and out of Dunsfold ? Gatwick ? Farnborough ? What Bizjets are based there out of interest ?

Plenty of Challengers and Gulfstreams active on Mode S around that time, but none fitting the colour scheme you described.

However this was around as well, and it does:

That 'might' be the one, although my viewpoint from 5miles away and the resultant photo, as one might expect , leave room for interpretation ;-) The C680(?) shown would fit, the chrome/brushed steel of the wings and empannards had loads of flare from the sun, as did the white of the rear fuselage. The time on the camera was 11.57am and it seems that this is correct, so i wonder if that fits time wise ?


SHJ

[chevvron]

Farnborough have an LoA with Terminal Control to handle Dunsfold IFR airways traffic, Dunsfold being part of the Farnborough 'Group' which includes Fairoaks, Blackbushe, Odiham and Lasham too, although Farnborough ATC usually delegate Odiham's own traffic to them. So Farnborough ATC operates as a mini Terminal Control.
IFR service is provided by Farnborough at and above 1,500ft amsl outside controlled airspace, they vector the inbound towards the airfield until the pilot reports they have it in sight, when radar service is terminated and the pilot is told to call Dunsfold Radio.
Departures are also handled by Farnborough and are required to route initially via MID not above 2,400ft amsl as part of the Standard Departure Route notified for Farnborough Group airfields in the AIP, which of course carries no details about Dunsfold airfield as it's unlicensed.

[Evanelpus]

Don't forget that's where Top Gear is filmed, the smoke could have something to do with that.

As for the biz jet, yes they still land at Dunsfold (you've only got to watch the Star in the Reasonably Priced Car) to see they do visit.

[chevvron]

Don't forget that's where Top Gear is filmed, the smoke could have something to do with that.

As for the biz jet, yes they still land at Dunsfold (you've only got to watch the Star in the Reasonably Priced Car) to see they do visit.
If they still film Top Gear there (Evans seems to be filming anywhere but at the moment) it would only be mon - wed, not weekends.

[ShyTorque]

Who would be guiding aircraft into and out of Dunsfold ? Gatwick ? Farnborough ? What Bizjets are based there out of interest ?

Some aircraft operating in and out of Dunsfold don't require ATC guidance (e.g. us). VFR in Class G, see and be seen applies.

[chevvron]

Some aircraft operating in and out of Dunsfold don't require ATC guidance (e.g. us). VFR in Class G, see and be seen applies.
True but most VFRs do choose to talk to Farnborough during their opening hours in addition to the IFR airways traffic.
Don't know what Larry/David/Russell say nowadays but when I worked there for a short period a few years ago, I always suggested VFR departures called Farnborough. Conversely I instigated the NOTAM asking transits to call Dunsfold Radio if they were passing close by and I think this was carried on after I left.