RAF Lyneham is to close in 2012
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has anyone actually read the report the [now] Air Cdre authored? better still does anyone have a copy? The thing that is intriguing me is on what grounds this decision was made. we're all very good at pointing out the [rather obvious] pitfalls so we must ask what evidence or theories were used to justify the decision?
I feel a FOI request coming on.
I feel a FOI request coming on.
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we must ask what evidence or theories were used to justify the decision?
Agreed the FOI option would shed some light.
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Anyone know on what basis they are planning to Cap home to duty between Lyneham and Brize bearing in mind they havent bothered to build enough quarters for us all to move in to? 
Or are they still planning on coaching us across at 3 in the morning?
There is hope yet. If the Tories get in, hopefully they will close down a few of the Scottish airbases to say thanks for 12 years of Labour being in power. Lyneham is a Tory constituency after all...
Or are they still planning on coaching us across at 3 in the morning?
There is hope yet. If the Tories get in, hopefully they will close down a few of the Scottish airbases to say thanks for 12 years of Labour being in power. Lyneham is a Tory constituency after all...
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The decision to close Lyneham was clearly a political one of the 'close a station = save money' kind, so they got someone to write the report (this is the answer so now write the justification) who was part of the Brize Mafia, put in a Stn Cdr at Lyneham who wasn't a Herc man so would have no qualms about closing the place, and Robert's your Dad's brother. Not enough pan space at Bzn (only 60% of the required space even after the build), only one runway (that gets blacked when it rains too much as in 2007), not enough single & families accommodation (there's plenty at a soon to be disused airfield just south of Swindon), an airfield with a hostile local population who'll relish all the MCT, NVG & other local training (there's a potential RLG just south of Swindon, where the Bzn aircraft like to do their training, especially at weekends because they can't at their home base due to all the noise complaints), these are all but minor concerns, because closing airfields saves money, even though you have to spend millions in added infrastructure to bring Bzn up to a lesser spec than is required, and you can't put loss of operational effectiveness on the balance sheet. Losing Lyneham also means losing a close diversion airfield, as well as another airfield with crash cat 4A that doesn't cost a fortune to go to.
Should Lyneham close then the army will almost certainly will move in, as they have at just about every other airfield that's closed, so it stays on the MOD budget anyway. The local population around Lyneham is remarkably supportive of the station & very tolerant of the disturbance it causes, it seems incredible to me that the RAF will squander that support & move the C130s to an airfield that has the opposite. If we buy more Js to fill the gap left by the cancellation of A400 that could up the task for Lyneham as a whole, 30 aircraft and 3 Sqns is more than a number of stations posess, and if we need more units to fill capacity how about moving 45(R) Sqn in, most of their graduates move to the area & most of the QFIs come from here too, leave Cranwell to EFT & Nav trg.
This is a station closure too far, and should not go ahead. Perhaps the Leader of the Opposition in whose constituency Bzn resides would like to say if he will confirm the closure if he becomes PM. I appreciate that he will have some tough financial decisions to make if and when he takes office but the closure will cost money in the short to medium term before any savings result, and the economic effect on North Wiltshire will be substantial.
Should Lyneham close then the army will almost certainly will move in, as they have at just about every other airfield that's closed, so it stays on the MOD budget anyway. The local population around Lyneham is remarkably supportive of the station & very tolerant of the disturbance it causes, it seems incredible to me that the RAF will squander that support & move the C130s to an airfield that has the opposite. If we buy more Js to fill the gap left by the cancellation of A400 that could up the task for Lyneham as a whole, 30 aircraft and 3 Sqns is more than a number of stations posess, and if we need more units to fill capacity how about moving 45(R) Sqn in, most of their graduates move to the area & most of the QFIs come from here too, leave Cranwell to EFT & Nav trg.
This is a station closure too far, and should not go ahead. Perhaps the Leader of the Opposition in whose constituency Bzn resides would like to say if he will confirm the closure if he becomes PM. I appreciate that he will have some tough financial decisions to make if and when he takes office but the closure will cost money in the short to medium term before any savings result, and the economic effect on North Wiltshire will be substantial.
I seem to remember reading the report prior to the decision. It was looking at Brize vs Lyneham vs St Mawgan.
The basic premise was that the infrastructure at all the sites needed renewing and that Brize and Lyneham were just as poor health as each other. Lyneham ironically had more real estate than Brize but could not compete with runway length and certainly that couldn't be extended.
Where my memory is a bit hazy is whether the FSTA project was chucking money for infrastructure to Brize and whether the C17 basing decision (unsure of timing) proved to be crucial.
Still think its a daft idea for all the reasons stated.
The basic premise was that the infrastructure at all the sites needed renewing and that Brize and Lyneham were just as poor health as each other. Lyneham ironically had more real estate than Brize but could not compete with runway length and certainly that couldn't be extended.
Where my memory is a bit hazy is whether the FSTA project was chucking money for infrastructure to Brize and whether the C17 basing decision (unsure of timing) proved to be crucial.
Still think its a daft idea for all the reasons stated.
A400M
I believe there is some opposition to Base hangar being demolished, to make way for a new hangar(now that the RAF have decided a hangar is required) for the A400M, even though base hangar is too small for the A400M etc someone wants to keep it? as a musuem? or perhaps for their personal flying toys? Looks likely there will be several acres more concrete at Brize soon, once they have sorted out the issue with flooding, surely this will only be made worse by adding more concrete?
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A question from a lowly civvie. At present I can tell if there's a blockage at the funbus depot because all the ornaments fall off my mantlepiece* when said aircraft divert to Lyneham. Where in future will diverted aircraft be directed to if it happens when Alberts Nest is shut?
Or is that a top secret and I shouldn't be asking.
*saves on the dusting!
Or is that a top secret and I shouldn't be asking.
*saves on the dusting!
Whilst thoroughly agreeing about the general insanity of closing Lyneham, I couldn't help noticing from the BDS Washington website that Air Commodore Elliott was "appointed an Aide De Comps to Her Majesty the Queen" whilst at Brize. Not sure whether that means that he helped HM with the Times and Telegraph crosswords, or just acted as her stooge for radio station phone-ins!
Jack
Jack
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It seems a real shame to be closing Lyneham, all Hercules C130J/K will be moving to Brize Norton (starting in Summer of 2011). The Base will be closed by 2012.
Apparently, RAF Lyneham employs 750 civilians... contributing £25million a year to the local economy!
Apparently, RAF Lyneham employs 750 civilians... contributing £25million a year to the local economy!
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At recent briefs, the Grown Ups have begun by stressing 'Lyneham will close in 2012' before going about their various talks.
Personally I believe that there are several rumours and developments that could still cause a U turn.
More J Models
Extending the K (due to A400 delay)
General Election, Tory MP
and all of the above posts on this thread
I still hold a faint hope of reprieve for the old girl.
Personally I believe that there are several rumours and developments that could still cause a U turn.
More J Models
Extending the K (due to A400 delay)
General Election, Tory MP
and all of the above posts on this thread
I still hold a faint hope of reprieve for the old girl.
Champagne anyone...?
I'm pretty sure that £24.9 million of that goes into the Lyneham Kebab Shop.... 
The plan remains laughable and a splendid example of the MoD's inability to rethink that which has been proven, on closer inspection, to be patently bollocks.
I feel sorry for the poor sods being tasked with executing it. Must be like working out the best and most cost effective way to give you, your family and your friends Ebola...
The plan remains laughable and a splendid example of the MoD's inability to rethink that which has been proven, on closer inspection, to be patently bollocks.
I feel sorry for the poor sods being tasked with executing it. Must be like working out the best and most cost effective way to give you, your family and your friends Ebola...
I think I diverted 3 times from Brize to Lyneham, once for Thames Valley fog and twice to RW17/35 due to strong crosswinds at Brize......
Doubtless Birrmigoom will hear the quiet presence of the FunBus with increasing frequency, should the lunacy of closing Lyneham ever go ahead. Still, it's only a 90 min trip in a bus to Brize from BHX.
Doubtless Birrmigoom will hear the quiet presence of the FunBus with increasing frequency, should the lunacy of closing Lyneham ever go ahead. Still, it's only a 90 min trip in a bus to Brize from BHX.
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Yes Beags, but then you have to add on the to the journey the time that it will take a full Tri*'s or Funbus's pax to retrieve their luggage and change into civvy's before being allowed off the tarmac 
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Come on lets be fair about this one, if BZN was taffing low vis conditions, where would you file as a div?
An airfield that is another 400 feet up and likely to be out in fog, with a single ILS with 200' decision? One that isnt offset 3 degrees off the centreline?
Or a civvie field with full Cat II and multiple ILS RVR information, not to mention further away and thus less likely to be susceptible to local wx conditions?
An airfield that is another 400 feet up and likely to be out in fog, with a single ILS with 200' decision? One that isnt offset 3 degrees off the centreline?
Or a civvie field with full Cat II and multiple ILS RVR information, not to mention further away and thus less likely to be susceptible to local wx conditions?
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Vin Rouge
Aircraft can divert for a number of reasons. The runway may be unavailable for reasons not connected to weather. And by definition these events are almost always not forecastable. What's better for the 'customer'? Landing at a nearby Military aerodrome where their prebooked coaches only take an hour to arrive? Or, landing our 'customers' at a civil airport where prebooked coaches have to fight through M6 traffic and the 'customers' have to de-bag on the tarmac so as not to offend the Great British Public. Then the 'customers' have an extended journey back to their loved ones. And then there is the freight issue. Yes, BHX does handle cargo but would a mil aerodrome not be more suited to the military task?
Aircraft can divert for a number of reasons. The runway may be unavailable for reasons not connected to weather. And by definition these events are almost always not forecastable. What's better for the 'customer'? Landing at a nearby Military aerodrome where their prebooked coaches only take an hour to arrive? Or, landing our 'customers' at a civil airport where prebooked coaches have to fight through M6 traffic and the 'customers' have to de-bag on the tarmac so as not to offend the Great British Public. Then the 'customers' have an extended journey back to their loved ones. And then there is the freight issue. Yes, BHX does handle cargo but would a mil aerodrome not be more suited to the military task?
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I agree. But claiming because you have divved 3 times from brize before in crap weather does not wash with me I am afraid; If I was divving in poor vis or strong crosswind I would much prefer to choose a div a little further away than LYE