Gliding at Cosford moving?

[Squat switch]

After hearing a rumour, I checked the Wrekin Gliding Club website and it appears they are moving from Cosford to Shawbury?

Anyone got any ideas as to why?

Cosford fits very nicely with gliding.

[12 twists per inch]

There is an article on the move in the RAF Shawbury Airies Magazine available via Google

[chevvron]

Would winch launched glding be compatible with UAS/AEF flying?

[ACW599]

Would winch launched glding be compatible with UAS/AEF flying?

Winch-launched gliding was perfectly compatible at Cosford for many years with UAS/AEF and VGS flying and the West Midlands Air Ambulance. In essence, we went one way round the circuit and they went the other. We operated off the grass to one side of the hard runway and they operated off the other. Never had any problems and we all got on fine.

[Lima Juliet]

This has been going on for a while. They can’t do conjoined ops anymore (as I understand it) as the tower can’t see everyone on both sides of the circuit and so can’t clear people to land. That discussion and safety recommendation must have been going on for at least 4 years now and Wrekin were only allowed to fly when the Tutors weren’t.

[pr00ne]

Lima Juliet,

So how did they manage previously? There was a UAS, an AEF, a VGS AND the Gliding club at Cosford for decades.

And how are they going to cope at Shawbury? A massively busier airfield with rotary ops to boot?

Whilst all this time quiet little Tern Hill nestles down the road...

[Arclite01]

There is a VGS there now (Ternhill).

Quiet Chetwynd would be better :-)

Arc

[oldmansquipper]

In this increasingly risk averse politically charged climate, I’m surprised that the RAF has not got them to move Sooner.

The long mynd must be getting nervous, thinking about potential airspace grabs following on....

[Herod]

I would guess the gliding club operates mainly at weekends? So do the UAS and AEF. However, I would think there is little activity at Shawbury over the weekend. Avoidance of conflict

[Lima Juliet]

Herod - correct :ok:

[A589]

Not forgetting the West Midlands Air Ambulance and the Cosford Powered Flying Club. Plenty of movements, no problems.

[Fitter2]

Many years ago, the GSA club at Cosford operated to the South East of the main runway and the ATC Gliding School on the North West side (closer to the hangars and larger operational area). Running the GSA Club on a June weekend I evolved a cunning long tow-out saving plan to get there before the ATC had arrived, and winch launch straight across the field to deliver the fleet to our regular launch point. All was fine until the last of my gliders was about to 'take up slack' when the ATC CFI arrived on site and drove his car across the cable in front of the winch and demanded we stop immediately from infringing his operational area, although none of his kit had left their hanger. . I'm not sure what flight safety had to do with that example.

[Squat switch]

This has been going on for a while. They can’t do conjoined ops anymore (as I understand it) as the tower can’t see everyone on both sides of the circuit and so can’t clear people to land. That discussion and safety recommendation must have been going on for at least 4 years now and Wrekin were only allowed to fly when the Tutors weren’t.
So the simple, and perhaps obvious, solution would be to place the controller in a position where they can observe correctly/fully.

Anyone got a mobile ATC van?? Seems to work quite nicely for event sites such as Ascot, Cheltenham, Aintree etc. Not difficult.

Or are there other factors in play?

[Blackfriar]

Strange that a bunch of "brown jobs" can build a intensive care hospital in 2 weeks but the "light blue jobs" can no longer cope with a bit of gliding or Volunteer Gliding/AEF flying for kids. It's all down to a will to get the job done...or not.

[unmanned_droid]

I flew from Cosford both with the VGS and AEF in the late 90's Wrekin operated then with no problems. Has there been a building development or move from the grass covered hangar?

[oldmansquipper]

R.A.F. = Risk Averse Force?

you may think so, I couldn’t possibly comment.

[chevvron]

Strange that a bunch of "brown jobs" can build a intensive care hospital in 2 weeks but the "light blue jobs" can no longer cope with a bit of gliding or Volunteer Gliding/AEF flying for kids. It's all down to a will to get the job done...or not.
They can still cope; it's the 'airships' who won't let them operate together.

[oldmansquipper]

They can still cope; it's the 'airships' who won't let them operate together.

Allegedly, there is Also a pressing need for a full ATZ (to safeguard a couple of RAF AC gliders) at Little Riss before it too, becomes subsumed into the next airspace grab centred on Brize.

[beardy]

Strange that a bunch of "brown jobs" can build a intensive care hospital in 2 weeks but the "light blue jobs" can no longer cope with a bit of gliding or Volunteer Gliding/AEF flying for kids. It's all down to a will to get the job done...or not.
And of course bucket loads of money

[Squat switch]

They can still cope; it's the 'airships' who won't let them operate together.

Sounds like some heads need banging together. This really can't be difficult to resolve.

Is there an adult involved anywhere?

Who is driving this and who is the connection at Shawbury.
If risk aversion is rife how did they come to the conclusion that operating from a 'busy' training airfield, as stated above, is a good working solution.

This is getting a bit of an aroma to it!

[Herod]

Squat Switch; see my post #9. I'm prepared to be corrected, but as far as I know Shawbury is a "busy" training airfield Mon-Fri. They do not normally operate at weekends.