BBC: 15 military airfields have been earmarked for closure over the next six years.

[Wokkafans]

According to the BBC report the airfields earmarked for potential closure are:

Abingdon, Oxfordshire
Alconbury, Cambridgeshire
Arbroath, Angus
Brawdy, Pembrokeshire
Chivenor, Devon
Colerne, Wiltshire
Dishforth, North Yorkshire
Halton, Buckinghamshire
Henlow, Bedfordshire
Mildenhall, Suffolk
Molesworth, Cambridgeshire
North Luffenham, Rutland
Wethersfield, Essex
Woodbridge, Suffolk
Wyton, Cambridgeshire

Call to save military airfields from closure - BBC News (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-43841401)

[chevvron]

Not a lot of Molesworth left to dispose of; the runways were dug up years ago when they built the cruise missile bunkers.
Apart from that, the rest of them would be worth saving.

[sharpend]

Would be nice to see Chivenor stay open as a GA airfield. I have never managed to get permission to land there in my Bulldog, even though I used to fly from there in the military.

[MPN11]

When was North Luffenham last an airfield? What was left after Midland Radar closed some 20+ years ago?

"The station was taken over by the British Army and renamed St George's Barracks in 1998.[5]"

[Melchett01]

I’m not convinced by that list at all, unless you mean in the sense of operating aircraft. Molesworth is predominantly US / NATO facility; there was talk about it closing and the resident units moving to Croughton but I think the lack of infra there either delayed or scrubbed it. As for Wyton, that’s now a JFC unit and they’ve recently spent the best part of £300M moving units in with the prospect for more to come. That’s definitely not closing any time.

[Krystal n chips]

For those of us up early, it was interesting to read that the Beeb had thoughtfully relocated Halton, to, erm, Cheshire.

It's an easy mistake to make really given there is a district in Cheshire called Halton, albeit not quite as leafy as the one near Wendover.

This little geographical error has now been subjected to A.L.1 action and has possibly saved a fortune in amending maps of all varieties accordingly.

[BEagle]

As they are mainly in the nicer parts of the UK, most of those airfields have sadly been squaddified and rendered unsuitable for aviation purposes.

As for the idiots who let Heaven-in-Devon be taken over by the Royal Marines, words fail me.

Shapps and the APPG for GA airfields group should really have done more research before releasing that list.

[chevvron]

For those of us up early, it was interesting to read that the Beeb had thoughtfully relocated Halton, to, erm, Cheshire.

It's an easy mistake to make really given there is a district in Cheshire called Halton, albeit not quite as leafy as the one near Wendover.

This little geographical error has now been subjected to A.L.1 action and has possibly saved a fortune in amending maps of all varieties accordingly.

There's a district in Leeds called Halton too.

[chevvron]

, most of those airfields have sadly been squaddified and rendered unsuitable for aviation purposes.


What I've been saying too but everyone pooh poohed me.

[ORAC]

two chances, slim and none - and Slim's out of town right now.....

Sold-off airfields needed for future conflict, say MPs (https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/sold-off-airfields-needed-for-future-conflict-say-mps-v5vcqf6hq)

Military airfields being sold by the government should be kept for aviation use so they can be brought back into service during any future conflict, MPs and peers have demanded.

The 15 bases, some dating back to the First World War, have been selected for closure as part of the Ministry of Defence’s plan to raise £1 billion from land sales. The sell-off list includes RAF Halton in Buckinghamshire, one of the largest RAF stations, which has been used by aircraft since 1913, and RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, which was used by RAF Bomber Command in the Second World War and is now used by the US Air Force. A third of the airfields facing closure have already been earmarked for housing estates.

The all-party parliamentary group on general aviation has written to Gavin Williamson, the defence secretary, about its “deep and growing concern” over the sale of the airbases. The group of 148 MPs and peers said that the airfields were “scarce national assets” that would be virtually impossible to replace because of the difficulty in obtaining permission to build new runways. Recent operations in Syria highlight that it is “difficult to accurately predict future defence needs”, the group argued. It says at least some of the military aerodromes under threat should be retained in aviation use to support jobs and the economy and as a standby for the military in future.

Grant Shapps, the Conservative MP and chairman of the all-party group, said: “At a time when the UK and our allies are facing significant global threats and uncertainties, the all-party group on general aviation is deeply concerned to see the Ministry of Defence disposing of military aerodromes across the country. Airfields are national assets which are virtually impossible to replace.” The group has urged the Ministry of Defence to work closely with the Department for Transport and Byron Davies, who was appointed as the government’s general aviation champion in February, to ensure that the majority of the airfields remain available for aviation use. Mr Shapps added: “Once these airfields are built on, they will be lost to the nation, for ever.”

Other bases due to close include RAF Wyton in Cambridgeshire, which was used for training by the Royal Flying Corps in 1916 and was a bomber base during the Second World War. Plans to build 4,500 homes on the site have been rejected by the local authority. RAF North Luffenham in Rutland was also used by bombers during the Second World War. It is the proposed site of a new “garden village”.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: “A defence minister will be pleased to meet with the parliamentary group. Around £300 million investment has recently been announced into key RAF sites across the UK. Where airfields are no longer required we will work closely with potential buyers and the local council to make sure that the sites’ future use best meets the needs of the local economy, including providing thousands of much-needed new housing or their potential for use as civilian airfields.”

[air pig]

As they are mainly in the nicer parts of the UK, most of those airfields have sadly been squaddified and rendered unsuitable for aviation purposes.

As for the idiots who let Heaven-in-Devon be taken over by the Royal Marines, words fail me.

Shapps and the APPG for GA airfields group should really have done more research before releasing that list.

They are politicians, what do you expect, clarity of thought.

[MPN11]

If the MoD needs to play this game, it would be helpful to identify those which might have a military aviation use in a crisis. Geographic dispersion should be one factor to consider. Some of those listed locations are probably now useless for Mil Avn, but some others seem to me to be too valuable to simply discard. NATO infrastructure, such as HAS sites, should surely be preserved along with operating surfaces where long runways exist? As noted, we will never be able to replicate them in the future. Forget the historical connotations ... let’s try to retain some quality alternate airfields against the uncertainty of this Century.

More short-term thinking to address the budgetary crisis, of course.

[NutLoose]

I read about North Luffenham a while back


North Luffenham army base could be 'garden village' - BBC News (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-41415532)

[Saintsman]

Not sure if it applies to these airfields, but didn't lots of airfields have covenants on them, meaning that if they are no longer being used by the military, they have to be returned to their original condition (like Greenham Common)?

They may even have to sell them back to the original owners at somewhat less than than market rates.

[chevvron]

Not sure if it applies to these airfields, but didn't lots of airfields have covenants on them, meaning that if they are no longer being used by the military, they have to be returned to their original condition (like Greenham Common)?

They may even have to sell them back to the original owners at somewhat less than than market rates.
Halton and Odiham have these covenants; this was discovered back in the mid '90s when there were plans to close both and sell the land for housing.

[Davef68]

Of that list, is Mildenhall the only one that is still used for active military aviation? I know Wyton has the EFTS/UAS etc.

And I thought the US was reconsidering leaving Mildenhall?

[chevvron]

Isn't Woodvale still MOD owned? I would have thought it would be a prime candidate for closure.

[brokenlink]

Dave hi, apart from the flying club there is little aviation now at Wyton, the UAS/AEF moved to Wittering some years ago. The runways have been fenced off as part of any disposal for housing with the flying club operating from a grass strip.

[cargosales]

What I've been saying too but everyone pooh poohed me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeF1JO7Ki8E

[air pig]

Isn't Woodvale still MOD owned? I would have thought it would be a prime candidate for closure.

One of the very few RAF airfields on the West coast, has an Auxi squadron and is very handy for the local Reserve Army and RM when using Altcar and others for the Morcambe Bay gas field and the ship traffic into Liverpool. Rumours are the runway will be resurfaced.

[aw ditor]

Mr. Shapps ought to look at the Alconbury Weald' Website.

A.D.

[Jimlad1]

Long article on this over at the PinstripedLine blog.

https://goo.gl/jUj6yK

[Pontius Navigator]

Undoubtedly there will have been clauses in the purchase/requisition but these are not necessarily open ended. My last unit deeds allowed for the original purchaser to buy back if it closed within 21 years. It closed before the 21 years and I made a point of briefing the prior owner.

[George Richardson]

Linton is not on the list. Local rumours suggest closure in a couple of years.

[Arclite01]

Of all those on the list only Mildenhall would have any real immediate aviation use in a conflict. The others are largely not in that category. Being realistic if it was a national crisis of WW2 proportions airfields would not be able to be built quickly - the Govt would simply requisition every civil airport/airfield it wanted..........

It's no co-incidence that many of those closing airfield sites (Halton/Abingdon/Wethersfield/Chivenor) were previously very active VGS sites which have conveniently closed as a result of the 'pause' in VGS Operations and the subsequent VGS reorganisation.

Do I smell a rat ? - you can bet that those sites will be sold off to developers who will subsequently make a small fortune. The price of a house in all those areas is astronomical. Building a few hundred more on those sites won't help the housing lists any, only the developers..........and like many on here I dislike seeing capabilities, flexibility and history destroyed because some 'here today, gone tomorrow' politician sees votes and headlines in it for them.

Out of interest how many airfields do we have on 'Care and Maintenance' nowadays ?? - I make it a big fat zero...............

Arc

[The B Word]

As I understand it the Jury is yet to report on Linton - if MFTS stays the same number of Texans/Hawks then it will be Valley only. If extra Texans and Hawks are a realistic prospect then Valley will be reaching capacity on movement numbers so Linton might remain - I would also expect the Reds to possibly move to there or Leeming as Scampton is falling to bits!

[Brian W May]

Why the hell do we need to keep airfields when we've sod all to put on them . . . ?

[BEagle]

If Linton closed, the ability of the RAF to respond to any need for a large increase in the number of its pilots would be severely compromised.

But ever since the creeping cancer of contractorisation has been inflicted on the UK Armed Services, there are no longer sufficient QFIs 'in the system', or spare aircraft available to meet a surge.

There used to be a number of QFIs at UASs who could be used in an emergency. I was one of those and was recalled to operations for GW1, as was my co-pilot who had been an EFTS QFI. All gone now, a few civvies are all that's left.

MFTS (which I totally despise and hope will eventually be $hitcanned) is only required to meet some beancounters' target throughput, with no redundancy or surge capability. No doubt BV will leap to the defence of Valley and the Hawk T2 :rolleyes:, but if there's ever another large increase in the need for FJ pilots (as there was in around 1972/3...and again for Tornado), what would be the outcome?

UAS and BFTS tours were once available as a break from the pressures of front-line flying. Not now though - and I can't see many RAF pilots volunteering to fly the Ford Prefect on an island whose weather factor is far from ideal for basic flying training.

Squaddified aerodromes such as Abingdon, Brawdy and Chivenor should only have been released from RAF use with an overriding requirement to maintain the runways and ATC facilities on a care-and-maintenance basis.

Sometimes I wonder whether some VSOs even know which RAF airfields are still open. In 2001 I was asked to fly a Gp Capt and a Wg Cdr to Newcastle in a PA-28. "Can't we land at Acklington or Ouston?", one of them asked....

[SAR Bloke]

The Prefect is EFT not BFT.

The ‘weather factor’ at Valley for BFT is fine.

[chevvron]

Why the hell do we need to keep airfields when we've sod all to put on them . . . ?
So that the beancounters have something to do when closing them.
Built 4 new hangars at Bovingdon in '67(actually re-clad the existing ones). 'Oh dear that airfield is costing too much; must close it' said the beanconters.
Closed it late'68.

[Pure Pursuit]

We can’t afford to keep an estate in its current guise. Places like Waddington are falling apart so, the plan to shrink the estate and keep the money saved within the defence estates budget makes perfect sense.

[Melchett01]

We can’t afford to keep an estate in its current guise. Places like Waddington are falling apart so, the plan to shrink the estate and keep the money saved within the defence estates budget makes perfect sense.

Keeping money within the DE budget is a huge assumption. If we’re lucky it will stay somewhere in Defence!

Can’t help but think it’s a false economy, clearly at the behest of an organisation that knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.

Operationally the risk being built into the system is huge. The eggs/basket argument is well covered elsewhere so I won’t repeat it here. But that aside, once we’ve pulled out of areas no doubt some senior types in recruiting and media/comms will complain that large swathes of the country have no exposure or awareness of the RAF - not helped by dwindling numbers of air shows - whilst recruiting is difficult from the masses. Then there’s FAM and the potential options to rent nearby rather than buy/live on base. How affordable do you think property will be around these ‘superbases’ with everyone chasing the same property? Don’t be surprised if people fight postings to certain locations because property is unaffordable and they don’t want to live on base in a shed.

There are so many factors beyond the bottom line on a spreadsheet that need to be considered when coming up with an effective operational basing strategy. And I bet none of them have been considered as more important than a spreadsheet. They’d rather we were cheap than effective.

[The B Word]

We can’t afford to keep an estate in its current guise. Places like Waddington are falling apart so, the plan to shrink the estate and keep the money saved within the defence estates budget makes perfect sense.

Perfect sense? I disagree. Having spent a very nice afternoon at former RAF Bicester for their ‘Sunday Scramble’ they have bought the old site and restored it to lovely condition for less than £10M (maybe as low as £5M). Why? Because the MOD is being fleeced by the contractors - our maintenance costs could be cut by half to two-thirds if we could use local contractors instead of the ‘Regional Prime Contractor’ (who doesn’t seem very regional at all!). Also, the old 1930s technical site across the road at Bicester has been converted into flats and houses - all of the old steam heating taken out and modern combi boilers put in so that they are cheap to heat.

Further, these 1930s buildings were built to last. Whenever we build some nasty glass carbuncle they are lucky if they last 25 years. The studes absolutely hate Daedalus Officers’ Mess at Crantanamo and all can’t wait to move into York House. Some label DOM as the ‘Happy Eater’ and I can see why.

So sack DIO and C-A, get some local contractors into Waddington and see the difference it makes. If it looks half as good as the ex-RAF Bicester site was today people would be happy :ok:

[Bigpants]

Crowd fund purchase of airfield and turn it into a retirement home for old retired gits?

Bags the ATC tower, handy greenhouse on top.

[OffshoreSLF]

Arbroath has been home to the Marines for about 40 years!

[Evalu8ter]

Linton may yet get a stay of execution. There was a rumour circulating that the Typhoon "ramp up" (ie retention of single seat Tranche 1 jets) is too much to squeeze into CGY/LOS with the other units; one option was to move the Reds and 100 to LoO, freeing up Leeming for a couple of Typhoon squadrons - would make far too much sense however.......

[SATCOS WHIPPING BOY]

Linton is not on the list. Local rumours suggest closure in a couple of years.

Linton has been rumoured for "imminent closure" since before I arrived there in 2000.

Once the tucs go and the plan to put all the eggs into the Valley basket is implemented then they will realise the folly of that plan. I personally don't think Valley can cope with the Hawks and Texans.

I like the idea of the Reds coming to Linton as mentioned by Evalu8ter, keeping the Texans here and retaining Topcliffe as the training RLG. Good clear airspace all round and a short hop to Class A for when the training requires it, or some great LL out to the East and West for variety. Relatively new tower cost a lot of money but therein lies the problem; on paper Linton looks expensive and flags up to the bean-counters as too costly to justify it.
Time will tell.

[Pure Pursuit]

Keeping money within the DE budget is a huge assumption. If we’re lucky it will stay somewhere in Defence!

Can’t help but think it’s a false economy, clearly at the behest of an organisation that knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.

Operationally the risk being built into the system is huge. The eggs/basket argument is well covered elsewhere so I won’t repeat it here. But that aside, once we’ve pulled out of areas no doubt some senior types in recruiting and media/comms will complain that large swathes of the country have no exposure or awareness of the RAF - not helped by dwindling numbers of air shows - whilst recruiting is difficult from the masses. Then there’s FAM and the potential options to rent nearby rather than buy/live on base. How affordable do you think property will be around these ‘superbases’ with everyone chasing the same property? Don’t be surprised if people fight postings to certain locations because property is unaffordable and they don’t want to live on base in a shed.

There are so many factors beyond the bottom line on a spreadsheet that need to be considered when coming up with an effective operational basing strategy. And I bet none of them have been considered as more important than a spreadsheet. They’d rather we were cheap than effective.

It’s not an assumption, it’s a recorded statement of intent from the SoS for Defence. He also stated it at a working group at Waddington last year. Essentially, it’s the only way we are going to get money for the much needed refurbishment of our active MOBs.

[5 Forward 6 Back]

Folks saying that Valley won't cope with Hawks and Texans don't seem to remember a matter of 10-12 years ago with "target 160" and the huge output of Hawk hours there. I'm pretty sure it'll be fine.

Linton's wonderful and here's hoping it gets a stay of execution, but it won't be because Valley can't handle 10 Texans on top of a small handful of Hawks.

If they decide to keep BFT there they can give me a call...!

[Opsbeatch]

Crowd fund purchase of airfield and turn it into a retirement home for old retired gits?

Bags the ATC tower, handy greenhouse on top.

MOD Plod at Wethersfield pulled down the tower just prior to it becoming listed...how convenient yet again!

OB

[Melchett01]

It’s not an assumption, it’s a recorded statement of intent from the SoS for Defence. He also stated it at a working group at Waddington last year. Essentially, it’s the only way we are going to get money for the much needed refurbishment of our active MOBs.

I’m not saying you’re wrong, or that SoS wouldn’t like for it to happen that way. But we’re dealing with politicians, and worse still, the Treasury. On that basis I’ll treat it as an assumption and only believe it when I actually see it and we have some tangible improvements on units from the proceeds of sales and not set against a future funding line where we’ve had to make an either or choice.

Remember - the Treasury are a bit like the Taleban, only you stand more chance of successfully negotiating with the Taleban!

[Stuff]

Halton and Odiham have these covenants; this was discovered back in the mid '90s when there were plans to close both and sell the land for housing.

This is an oft repeated rumour but, in the case of Halton, it's not true.

[Pontius Navigator]

Crowd fund purchase of airfield and turn it into a retirement home for old retired gits?

Bags the ATC tower, handy greenhouse on top.
Had a look around SHQ at Little Rissington. Spooky and positioned chalice. It was divided into 4 apartments and individual features listed. Ground floor windows extend higher than the ceilings and lower than the kitchen units which makes it look odd. The original iron and concrete stair case does not meet Building Regs so had plastic sheeting bolted on. Going into the old P-staff area felt plain creepy and I had never been to Rissie before.

Tree planting at the back all had TPO and one tree per garden and they all cut the ground floor light.

[Pontius Navigator]

This is an oft repeated rumour but, in the case of Halton, it's not true.Did it not apply to the Mess, and was the Mess not listed? I remember the bar was "in" the Mess but not actually attached to the walls.

[FAStoat]

North Luffenham was the home of the High Altitude Equipment Testing Medical Centre.I dont remember anything else going on after the demise of Day/Night Fighter Meteors,except Gliding .One went there for courses in Emergency Decompression,and its physical affects on the body.Quite often producing massive explosive decompression for those who did not pay any attention to the warnings re gulpers the night before!!A much mustachioed Ex Pathfinder,one Griff Griffiths ran it way back then!Where is all that done now,as well the other bits and pieces we had to attend?

[pr00ne]

FAStoat,

Then your memory is playing tricks and deceiving you! In addition to the Aeromedical Training Centre (AMTC) that you recall, North Luffenham was home to the RAF's largest Ground Radio Servicing Centre as well as Midland Radar, an Air TRaffic Services Unit, the secret squirrel unit that rained Radio Op (Voice) linguists, the Radio Technical Publications Squadron and the old airfield site was used by the EOD Airfield Training Flight from the armament support folk at nearby Wittering. And that doesn;t take into account the RAF regiment Squadrons that were there for a few years in the early to mid seventies.

In fact, I think that the one thing that DIDN'T take place at North Luffenham was gliding...

[TorqueOfTheDevil]

The Prefect is EFT not BFT.

The ‘weather factor’ at Valley for BFT is fine.

Ssh, don't let facts or reason get in the way of BEagle's rants.

Folks saying that Valley won't cope with Hawks and Texans don't seem to remember a matter of 10-12 years ago with "target 160" and the huge output of Hawk hours there. I'm pretty sure it'll be fine.

+1. Current planned Hawk + Texan fleet size: 38 airframes. Maximum number of aircraft airborne at once: 25, possibly, on a really good day? Sure there will be some programme clashes in the circuit/radar pattern but that is what Ascent's programmers will be paid to sort out. There are many areas of concern relating to getting students through the training pipeline to the front line, but I don't see operating both Hawks and Texans from Valley as one of the big issues.

Where is all that done now,as well the other bits and pieces we had to attend?

Centre of Aviation Medicine at Henlow.

[Cows getting bigger]

Centre of Aviation Medicine at Henlow.

Isn't that earmarked for closure? :ugh::}

Ahhh, N. Luffenham and the AMTC Cse where Ruddles was the order of the 'night before'. Another bit of (drinking) nostalgia that has fallen by the wayside. :(

[Wander00]

Remember an American officer on the AMTC being warned against Ruddles. He reckoned it was no issue, lined up his dart and measured his length from the ockey. Not a well chap for a few hours

[Steve Bond]

Linton may yet get a stay of execution. There was a rumour circulating that the Typhoon "ramp up" (ie retention of single seat Tranche 1 jets) is too much to squeeze into CGY/LOS with the other units; one option was to move the Reds and 100 to LoO, freeing up Leeming for a couple of Typhoon squadrons - would make far too much sense however.......

Leeming was always intended to be the third Typhoon station, but apart from other considerations, its runway alignment counted against it, or so I was told by a very senior Typhoon driver.

[Above The Clouds]

One of the very few RAF airfields on the West coast, has an Auxi squadron and is very handy for the local Reserve Army and RM when using Altcar and others for the Morcambe Bay gas field and the ship traffic into Liverpool. Rumours are the runway will be resurfaced.

You are joking right, it has no night flying capabilities, no instrument approach procedures other than QGH and no Jet A1 on site, and is kept open using civil contractors for half a dozen Grobs.

Occasionally you get a RM C130 paying a visit with round trip fuel onboard otherwise their helicopters land at Altcar, as for civil helicopters servicing the rigs I don't think so when there is Blackpool, Warton and possibly Liverpool available.

[Evalu8ter]

Steve,
Interesting comment re runway orientation. I’ve been told that the RAF are keen not to close LMG as it has a rare N/S orientated fully FJ capable runway, and thus acts as a good Div option for QRA when it’s a bit windy.......I suppose the ‘facts’ will be manipulated by people who have axes to grind!!

[chevvron]

Leeming was always intended to be the third Typhoon station, but apart from other considerations, its runway alignment counted against it, or so I was told by a very senior Typhoon driver.
And yet it was OK for CFS and METS to be there late 70s/early 80s and it was re-bult as a fighter station after they moved to Cranwell.

[ExAscoteer]

METS wasn't at Leeming, it was at Finningley (having been previously 5FTS at Oakington) becoming 45(R)Sqn in July 1992, before moving to Cranwell at the end of 1995.

I'm pretty sure CFS was at Little Rissington before moving to Scampton.

I think you'll find that it was 3 FTS at Leeming.

[MPN11]

IMO Leeming has some strong points in its favour. First, geographic location: everything seems to be East Anglia/Linconlshire or top of Scotland these days. Second, HAS infrastructure. Third, a proper length runway. Surely those aspects should favour it for retention? Certainly better than some of the other options discussed here.

[BEagle]

When RFS / CFS was at Leeming, there were 2 main runways plus a short one which was only used under extreme wind conditions.

After it had been converted to become Yorkshire's finest air defence station, I managed to get the system to accept us flying some FJ mates back to Leeming after a trail / MPC or somesuch, rather than the usual back-to-Brize-then-bus plan. However, when we arrived the crosswind was outside our limits, so a promise being a promise, we diverted to Teesside Middleton St George Durham and the bus collected them.

No RTOGs, so balanced field full power take-off for RTB - much to the amusement of Teesside's ATC

Fine place, Leeming - particularly now that you don't need to negotiate a death-defying right turn exit across the southern lane of the A1 and the fun of cow **** corner!

Incidentally, I'm aware of the Texan / Hawk T2 issue at Valley, but hasn't some bright spark also thought about basing the MFTS :yuk: Ford Prefects there?

[Yellow Sun]

METS wasn't at Leeming, it was at Finningley (having been previously 5FTS at Oakington) becoming 45(R)Sqn in July 1992, before moving to Cranwell at the end of 1995.

I'm pretty sure CFS was at Little Rissington before moving to Scampton.

I think you'll find that it was 3 FTS at Leeming.

The first CFS move after the closure of Little Rissington was to Cranwell in 1976. I can’t recall where and in what order it went after that.

YS

[Evanelpus]

According to the BBC report the airfields earmarked for potential closure are:

Abingdon, Oxfordshire
Alconbury, Cambridgeshire
Arbroath, Angus
Brawdy, Pembrokeshire
Chivenor, Devon
Colerne, Wiltshire
Dishforth, North Yorkshire
Halton, Buckinghamshire
Henlow, Bedfordshire
Mildenhall, Suffolk
Molesworth, Cambridgeshire
North Luffenham, Rutland
Wethersfield, Essex
Woodbridge, Suffolk
Wyton, Cambridgeshire

Call to save military airfields from closure - BBC News (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-43841401)

I thought I'd gone back 4-5 years!!

[pr00ne]

ExAScoteer,

METS was initially formed at Leeming and only later moved to Finningley.

Seeing as how Leeming was home for quite some time to a full wing of 3 Tornado F3 Squadrons I can't see how orientation can play any part in it not being selected as an actual Typhoon base? Surely it was merely the case that the previously planned 7 squadron Typhoon force was reduced to five meant that the Leeming option was canned?

[Cows getting bigger]

Don't they teach cross-wind landings any more? :)

[Fareastdriver]

Costs too much for tyre rubber if they get it wrong.

[chevvron]

ExAScoteer,

METS was initially formed at Leeming and only later moved to Finningley.

Seeing as how Leeming was home for quite some time to a full wing of 3 Tornado F3 Squadrons I can't see how orientation can play any part in it not being selected as an actual Typhoon base? Surely it was merely the case that the previously planned 7 squadron Typhoon force was reduced to five meant that the Leeming option was canned?
METS was definitely there operating Jetstreams in early 1979 for my brief visit (VRT Instructors Course) as was what I believe was CFS operating JPs to train flying instructors.
Re-construction for the Tornado 'wing' commenced shortly after my visit.

[ExAscoteer]

You are quite correct, METS formed at Leeming in 1977 as part of 3FTS until 1979 when it moved to 6FTS RAF Finningley. I had assumed that after the mothballing of the Jetstream and the demise of 5 FTS at end '74 (after the first 2 Jetstreams had been delivered to Oakington), that the formation of METS in 1977 was at Finningley.

Mea culpa!

[chevvron]

You are quite correct, METS formed at Leeming in 1977 as part of 3FTS until 1979 when it moved to 6FTS RAF Finningley. I had assumed that after the mothballing of the Jetstream and the demise of 5 FTS at end '74 (after the first 2 Jetstreams had been delivered to Oakington), that the formation of METS in 1977 was at Finningley.

Mea culpa!
Was there a School of Refresher Flying? Maybe that was the JP unit at Leeming in'79 but there was definitely (according to wiki) a CFS 'presence' at Leeming.

[Cows getting bigger]

RFS was at Church Fenton in 1986, operating JP5s.

PS. Pretty much every flying training station had a CFS element that acted as the unit trapper and I think they could also recategorise instructors to B1/A2.

[spekesoftly]

Was there a School of Refresher Flying? Maybe that was the JP unit at Leeming in'79 but there was definitely (according to wiki) a CFS 'presence' at Leeming.

Yes, SoRF moved from Manby to Leeming in December 1973.

[chevvron]

You are quite correct, METS formed at Leeming in 1977 as part of 3FTS until 1979 when it moved to 6FTS RAF Finningley. I had assumed that after the mothballing of the Jetstream and the demise of 5 FTS at end '74 (after the first 2 Jetstreams had been delivered to Oakington), that the formation of METS in 1977 was at Finningley.

Mea culpa!
I understand they briefly re-opened Lindholme as an RLG for METS but found (after all the years the 2 airfields had happily operated together) that the circuits conflicted!https://www.pprune.org/images/infopop/icons/icon13.gif

[ExAscoteer]

I believe that Lindholme had a 800' circuit so as to deconflict with FY and was the RLG from 1980 - 85. Lindholme is about 3.5 NM from the FY R/W 20 touch down so an instrument approach into FY would cross the Lindholme overhead at just over 1000ft.

By the time I got to METS Lindholme was long gone and we used Elvington.

[Downwind.Maddl-Land]

As an ATCO there for the period under discussion, I can confirm that from circa Feb 79 the flying elements at Leeming comprised:
CFS 1 and 2 Sqns flying JPs and Exam Wg on frequent visits withHawks to/from Valley for re-cats;

CFS Bulldog Sqn;

RFS flying JPs;

METS flying Jetstreams;

RNEFTS flying (lots of) Bulldogs;

Yorkshire (?) UAS flying Bulldogs;

An AEF (7?) Flying Chipmunks.

This situation continued until about Aug 81, with the exception that METS left to go to Finningley in the meantime as recorded above. As the unit was an MDA (then MEDA) with a foam carpet capability, ATC was manned H24 and to the list above should perhaps be added an almost permanent detachment from the 20th and 48th TFWs’ F-111s! An evening shift was always enlivened by numerous PDs from the same with a regular Mayday or Pan actual diversion with various:

'Utilities failures, for heavy-weight approach end RHAG engagement, Sir’.

It got to the point where the engineers arranged for an Aardvark tow-bar to be positioned at Leeming so we could tow the blighters off the runway with a bit more expedition.

Three runways to play with (frequently with 2 in use at the same time and the ILS on the wrong end!), two ATC briefings in the morning – 0730 and 0800 for RFS, METS, RNEFTS and then CFS respectively then dash back to the (old WWII) tower just in time for the sequential METS
‘airborne, simulated engine failure on take-off, request single-engined PAR, missed approach and IFR climb-out’


and the RNEFTS ‘le Mans start’ and mass flyout to Topcliffe, hoping that they would be behind RFS and METS for their engine run-ups, not to mention the reciprocal at 1715…..
‘Romeo 34, hold off, 6-in, 2 holding off before you; radar traffic 7 miles, land…’

This, of course, was when the aerodrome was a real aerodrome and the Vale of York was black with JPs and Bulldogs as Linton AND Church Fenton were pushing tin out at a similar (but lesser, being league-division 2 units!) rate.

The ATCO i/c for the MEDA watch was the nominated Officer i/c various contingency plans too; a scenario comprising:
A nuke armed Vulcan (for example), short of fuel, diverting in with a 'no-undercarriage emergency', from overseas, in the middle of a North Yorkshire snow storm would have had the ATCO i/c responsible for:

The operational aspects of an actual emergency diversion and liaison with D&D as the rostered Approach Controller;
O i/c foam carpet laying;

O i/c Op Blacktop;

O i/c nuke incident handling (can’t remember the codeword – except your radio callsign was ‘Red Top’ – not to be confused with the missile of the same name!) Edit: (Or was it 'Red Hat'?)

HM Customs representative.

All at the same time!


Best tour EVER!

(sorry about the layout - indenting and various other editing facilities don't appear to be working....)

[skippedonce]

One of the very few RAF airfields on the West coast, has an Auxi squadron and is very handy for the local Reserve Army and RM when using Altcar and others for the Morcambe Bay gas field and the ship traffic into Liverpool. Rumours are the runway will be resurfaced.

A dead cert for impending closure then!

[chevvron]

All that activity at Leeming stated in #69 and Typhoons can't use it as Div due to the crosswind component.
Progress?

[Valiantone]

Never stopped either 1 Sqn operating out of it in 2013 with the French, or 29 a couple of years back on a bolthole

[None of the above]

Re RAF Halton closure.

This month's issue of the Wendover News has some details about proposed uses of the site.
Briefly, Halton House to become a 5 star hotel or luxury care home, while new housing will replace SHQ, workshops, Kermode Hall and the Warrant Officers' Mess.

May 2018 edition. See pages 30/31. (https://issuu.com/wendovernews/docs/issuu_201805_may_1-36)

[chevvron]

Just been on a thread about Air Cadet gliding which made me wonder about Little Rissington. Who 'owns' it now; is it still RAF/MOD?
I was Admin Officer for a course at 637 VGS there in 1991. The domestic site and 'main' hangars had, of course, been taken over by USAF for use as a hospital during GW1; I explored the places I had been when at camp there as a cadet in '62; all appeared to be full of beds and medical equipment but no patients!
On the airfield, the main runway had been re-surfaced (courtesy of USAF) and there was a permanent Fire Service established 'just in case' an F111 diverted in after departure from Heyford.
Course all this will be different now but who actually owns it?

[BEagle]

I understood that the Rissy RW resurfacing was courtesy of the film makers of a Bond movie at that time?

The logic being that if they'd paid MoD in cash, that would have disappeared into the usual black finance hole - so they wanted to ensure that something more useful was achieved!

[chevvron]

I understood that the Rissy RW resurfacing was courtesy of the film makers of a Bond movie at that time?

The logic being that if they'd paid MoD in cash, that would have disappeared into the usual black finance hole - so they wanted to ensure that something more useful was achieved!
The guys on the gliding school told me it was USAF, but I did think it strange they hadn't painted any markings on it so you could be right. I wouldn't have thought it would be suitable for film making due to it being built over the top of a hill giving the runway a very humped profile but who am I to say.
There was definitely a USAF fire crew with 2 trucks there H24; the gliding school occupied the control tower and the fire station was next door.