Should have kept Lyneham Open
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: In the State of Denial
Posts: 1,078
Likes: 0
Received 146 Likes
on
28 Posts
That’s a rather aggressive post. Perhaps you might try being a little more civil? You might disagree with me but that doesn’t necessarily make me wrong.
I would have thought that it was extremely unlikely that the RAF managed to anticipate the short notice runway problems. In fact, the service has problems anticipating anything. So I agree with Ken it is very probable that ac were stuck on the ground for varying times. It rather highlights the problem with a single base with a single runway.
Reagarding DOB operations, perhaps closer examination should be given to all the original V-force Main Bomber Bases and dispersed operating bases? For example, when at Scampton, 35 used Finningley and 617 used Leeming. All 3 aerodromes still have decent runways, although Finningley is now an underused civil airport, Leeming is used to a fraction of its capaicty and Scampton is apparently on the verge of closure...
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hanging off the end of a thread
Posts: 33,068
Received 2,939 Likes
on
1,252 Posts
I would have thought that it was extremely unlikely that the RAF managed to anticipate the short notice runway problems. In fact, the service has problems anticipating anything. So I agree with Ken it is very probable that ac were stuck on the ground for varying times. It rather highlights the problem with a single base with a single runway.
Reagarding DOB operations, perhaps closer examination should be given to all the original V-force Main Bomber Bases and dispersed operating bases? For example, when at Scampton, 35 used Finningley and 617 used Leeming. All 3 aerodromes still have decent runways, although Finningley is now an underused civil airport, Leeming is used to a fraction of its capacity and Scampton is apparently on the verge of closure...
They should have been able to land on the taxiways....
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Off Base Support
Reagarding DOB operations, perhaps closer examination should be given to all the original V-force Main Bomber Bases and dispersed operating bases? For example, when at Scampton, 35 used Finningley and 617 used Leeming. All 3 aerodromes still have decent runways, although Finningley is now an underused civil airport, Leeming is used to a fraction of its capacity and Scampton is apparently on the verge of closure...
I must have done something bad in a previous life as my other sins were rewarded with being UMO for a 3 engined Squadron. Even deploying to Fairford for Taceval, whilst 10 and 101 went somewhere else, was a nightmare as Brize tried to divi up it's assets for 3 squadrons and found it didn't have enough. The biggest fight being not between the squadrons but all 3 UMOs, acting together, and the station who naturally wanted to retain some assets for the non deploying non exercise tasking, plus a reserve.
Happy days.
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: The Whyte House
Age: 95
Posts: 1,966
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
One cold March I recall Brize was down to about one serviceable de-icing rig. So it was decided that another should be hired from Heathrow. Great idea - only the minimum hire period was 3 months.....
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Ban Chiang,Thailand
Age: 67
Posts: 191
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Brize is colour code black until August 22nd. Only movements allowed are selected empty or near empty stationed aircraft. Apparently the runway has to be inspected after each movement.
Also, there's talk of this situation extending into September.
East Midlands, Birmingham, Fairford, Northolt and other fields can expect extra movements.
Also, there's talk of this situation extending into September.
East Midlands, Birmingham, Fairford, Northolt and other fields can expect extra movements.
Do I read correctly that the problems at Brize are heat related ? If so I am puzzled as when I was with JATE at Brize we cam back from the USA during the great heatwave of 1976 and had no such problems. I recall it well because as we descended you could smell the parched earth. At this rate all the 'savings' will be swallowed up in landing fees elsewhere !
aa62-the runway has had 2 refurbishments since then. In fact after the last bolthole (2000ish ) there were problems with the breaking up of the taxiway in what appears to be a similar manner to the current runway issues. As a civil eng mate of mine said at the time-either someone cocked up the contract or someone cocked up the work. To be honest I am not sure which way I would bet.
Oh yes the Herc wheels up landing 
, they'd been doing circuits and bumps for a while and forgot the gear, I had the deep joy of being the Eng Ops controller on the day it happened, mind you it was a lovely landing smack down the middle and I did have the fun of using the bat phone to call OC Eng and let him know!
, they'd been doing circuits and bumps for a while and forgot the gear, I had the deep joy of being the Eng Ops controller on the day it happened, mind you it was a lovely landing smack down the middle and I did have the fun of using the bat phone to call OC Eng and let him know!
Vasco,
I assumed that it had been refurbished since my time there. Sounds like the job they do round here on the very few potholes they 'fix'. Done one day just as bad a few days later.
No inspections or quality control it would seem in either case. I assume that when 'they' decided to pack it all into Brize they took account of the increased wear and tear on the runway and other infrastructure ! Or perhaps not.
I assumed that it had been refurbished since my time there. Sounds like the job they do round here on the very few potholes they 'fix'. Done one day just as bad a few days later.
No inspections or quality control it would seem in either case. I assume that when 'they' decided to pack it all into Brize they took account of the increased wear and tear on the runway and other infrastructure ! Or perhaps not.