Roads as runways.
Roads as Runways
There’s a 4km road that was certainly used as a runway from time to time in the 1980s, running south-east from Leszno in Poland to the village of Rydzyna. If you’re ever in the area, maybe visiting the Polish gliding centre at Leszno, do include a stay at the magnificent and atmospheric 17th century castle at Rydzyna. It was being used mainly as a trade union centre, albeit a pretty elegant one, when I was there then, but is now open as a hotel and conference centre.
Several stretches of road in certain ME countries were (and are) used by various aircraft when authorised.
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I think there was a case not that long ago of a 747 pilot lining up on an approach road to a major airport. Apparently missed a tall building by not very much.
Pontius talking about Swinderby brings back a dim memory of a Lightning landing there after a fairly close call with the towers of Lincoln Cathedral. Anyone shed any light on that or is my memory failing?
Pontius talking about Swinderby brings back a dim memory of a Lightning landing there after a fairly close call with the towers of Lincoln Cathedral. Anyone shed any light on that or is my memory failing?
Last edited by thing; 13th Apr 2013 at 21:44.
When I visited Cyprus in 1990, a Cypriot friend and I travelled from Limassol to Nicosia by car, and he kept asking 'could you land an F16 on this bit?' I soon found out why, as there were two stretches of the Nicosia highway laid out with threshold markings, removable crash barriers and parking areas. It was on a later visit I noticed the new section from Larnaca to Limassol also had these attributes, plus the huge roadside signs had massive hinges on them.
Back home, anyone ever wonder why RAF High Wycombe main gate always used to have a couple of 'stubs' with no entry signs at both ends? This was because the bit of road adjacent is nice and straight and was used (so I'm told) during WW2 for things like Austers to land and take off, and these bits of road by the main gate were reserved for parking the aircraft!
Back home, anyone ever wonder why RAF High Wycombe main gate always used to have a couple of 'stubs' with no entry signs at both ends? This was because the bit of road adjacent is nice and straight and was used (so I'm told) during WW2 for things like Austers to land and take off, and these bits of road by the main gate were reserved for parking the aircraft!
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Not quite t/o or landing but if you look on google earth approx 1km WNW. Of the W threshold of Split airport, there are two holes in the hillside which have contained aircraft. ISTR seeing Mig21?? ,few pics also on Internet
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Thailand
In the late seventies I came across 2 or 3 roads in Southern Thailand with their magnetic headings painted on them (one was near Trang iirc). The road width was such that it obvious they were only intended for light aircraft. In the Vietnam war era the area was consider to be a stronghold of alleged communist terrorists.
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Whilst working with the SU-22 in Poland my drive to work included two straight stretches of road with pans at either end. (About a mile end to end). The Fitter drivers said that it was rare that they were used but they did land there occasionally just for currency.
You could taxy to/from those strips straight off the airfield through a barrier on a taxiway if I'm correct in assuming you're talking about Miroslawiec. It was also nice that those bits of road were the only ones that didn't involve driving half on Tarmac and half on dirt verge....
In the early 1970s during my ULAS days at White Waltham, the M3 motorway was still under construction. So there was this nice white strip across the countryside; one day I asked my QFI whether it would be a good place to force land...
So, dodging a few cranes and much to the consternation of the road builders, we took a look...
So, dodging a few cranes and much to the consternation of the road builders, we took a look...
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once went on holiday to a rather nice spot just north of Yellowstone - when you drove onto the property there was mile of tarmac, dead straight, not wide and a big sign - WATCH FOR LANDING AIRCRAFT
during the week we were there about 4 small planes used the "strip"
and someone told me the main road around Nauru in the S Pacific forms part of the only airfield
during the week we were there about 4 small planes used the "strip"
and someone told me the main road around Nauru in the S Pacific forms part of the only airfield
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I recall that the road from Brno to Olomuc in the Czech Republic had a strip of about 8,000 ft, complete with threshold markings and dispersal pans adjacent. The overhead telephone cables had been set well back from the road.
Last edited by chippy63; 19th Apr 2013 at 20:28.
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Cuba
On Cayo Coco the road that runs west from Jardines del Rey Airport to service the island's resorts covers the length of an old runway. The old airfield buildings and taxiways were still in place 5 yrs ago, as were the centreline markings.
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Cuba
A few years back noticed the highway running NW from Havana had dispersal bays for aircraft on a long straight section.
In the UK M62 built on part of Burtonwoods runway.
As a GA pilot would far prefer a field to attempting a force landing on a road.
In the UK M62 built on part of Burtonwoods runway.
As a GA pilot would far prefer a field to attempting a force landing on a road.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Thinking about the Cyprus road runways, good redundancy but who could make best use of them?
Problem with unattended landing surfaces is they are available for illicit use. I noted once during an exercise airfield attack in Crete that a perfectly sound, but deactivated airfield had oil drums across it to deter smugglers etc.
How would the Cypriots deny their use to smugglers etc?
Problem with unattended landing surfaces is they are available for illicit use. I noted once during an exercise airfield attack in Crete that a perfectly sound, but deactivated airfield had oil drums across it to deter smugglers etc.
How would the Cypriots deny their use to smugglers etc?
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During HF visits to Norway, we used to make discrete trips to local shops/warehouses to make sure they could still be adapted to fly and fight from and that the roads could still support flying ops.
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"unattended landing surfaces is they are available for illicit use."
I understand there are/were strips in the Bahamas you are advised to avoid after dark........... as someone else may be using them
I understand there are/were strips in the Bahamas you are advised to avoid after dark........... as someone else may be using them
Someone mentioned the M8 earlier - never heard the story of a C-130 landing on it, but the stretch to the west of Paisley follows the line of the old runway at Renfrew airport. The two tower blocks at the Western end built since the airport closed would make an interesting obstacle!