Goodbye Henlow and Colerne

[GipsyMagpie]

Just been announced on MOD website that RAF Henlow and RAF Colerne are to be sold. I wonder where the UAS and AEF at Colerne are going?

[Background Noise]

Already reported: http://www.pprune.org/military-aviation/584051-more-closures-sept-16-a.html

[BEagle]

I wonder where the UAS and AEF at Colerne are going?

Probably somewhere nice and convenient - such as Wittering?

Or Merryfield?

[212man]

I wonder where the UAS and AEF at Colerne are going?

It would make economic sense to join SUAS at Boscombe - surely? Oh, sorry - I used the word 'sense'......

[Mach the Knife]

Boscombe would make no sense at all. It's already very difficult to achieve the UAS syllabus there. I reckon Exeter would do nicely. Well it would for me.

[Evalu8ter]

Mach,
It would suit me too! Let's start the rumour....Yeovs would be choice #2; there's already Grobs there (albeit slightly different ones).

[wokkamate]

Neither are particularly convenient for BRISTOL though chaps, that being the title name of the UAS and all. Accepting that BUAS also recruit from Exeter, Plymouth, Bath and UWE. Most students come from Bristol though, as I understand it.

There must be somewhere closer to Bristol/Colerne surely?

[Ken Scott]

Lyneham perhaps?

[Minnie Burner]

Boscombe? God forbid! A bloody disaster for one AEF/UAS, let alone two.
Anywhere they're not second/third-rate citizens.....

[air pig]

If they close Chalgrove, where is Martin Baker going to move to?

[Evalu8ter]

Wokkamate,
ULAS are some distance away from central London nowadays. Maybe they'll colocate at St Athan then? Not many options around.....

[wokkamate]

Merryfield and Yeovilton have their merits....especially Yeovs. Not sure if there is room there though.....

[Bigbux]

MoD projects have already pencilled-in Kinloss. Apparently there will be plenty of portacabins up there.

[AllTrimDoubt]

Plan is to consolidate all UAS/AEF on one corner of the new carrier.

[tmmorris]

I believe Merryfield was ruled out for a VGS relocation - apparently the RN wanted to retain full use of the airfield with the RAF paying the maintenance bill. (Only hearsay...)

[[email protected]]

Lyneham is just a big solar farm now - don't know if the runways have been looked after but I rather doubt it.

It would have been the perfect place for the Apache Force instead of trying to cram it into Middle Wallop or Boscombe Down.

They could do some building at Keevil but there is only one useable runway out of the 3.

[Lima Juliet]

Top rumour is that it will take space at Exeter Airport :ok:

[idle stop]

Manston was for many years the home of No 1 AEF and would still have been ideal until it was sold off for mega-bucks and then designated as a lorry park for Operation Stack. Mind you, the disused grass runway could be revived. With convenient access to HS1, it could be a useful base for UAS and AEF attendees from Lands End to John O'Groats. Alternatively, last time I looked most of the old ULAS and 21 (?) Gp buildings at White Waltham were, amazingly, still standing including the old wooden hut by the Fairey hangar, where we used to sign the F700s. Central? Of course!
Cynic, moi? Jamais...!!

[212man]

Boscombe would make no sense at all. It's already very difficult to achieve the UAS syllabus there

What - all 36 hours of it? Thank God they don't have a real syllabus anymore!

[BEagle]

Ah yes, good old WW!

Sign on the dotted line, BANG chug chug chug, weave across the grass (unlike the Aer Lingus AEF fool who taxied into a Cherokee), trim 2 divisions nose down throttle friction nut tight etc. etc., take-off, Twyford outbound and change to Channel Bravo, head for Mapledurham and Pangbourne, round to the west of Reading, climb when south of the A4 and railway line, HASELLs, aeros, PFL near the Kingsclere mast, look for the gasometers, Woodley inbound back to Channel Alfa, deadside descending, MFFHHB, couple of circuits..... And repeat a couple of hours later..:ok:

[Wander00]

WW - AEF flying there late 50s/early 60s, then went back flying there in their very tatty J1/N after flying scholarship prior to going to the Towers. Met Joan Hughes. Went and had lunch there a year or so back - not a lot had changed it seems - still a friendly place. Remember the Gannets, Rotordyne and other types of the period. happy days