Wyton or not?
 

Anyone heard gossip re closure of Wyton/UAS? And also including Henlow airfield?

Since Wyton will be one of the 3 EFT bases, I think that rumour just may be totally unfounded!

If Wyton expands, will they think of keeping EGWE for a relief airfield, which already pays host to the odd noise machine from Wyton!! With a good choice of runways and fuel on site!! (and after 60+ years might have facilities at the tower rather than the Mk1 Landrover after a wind check!)

Or, is 10 min transit a bit much?

My oppo works at one of the IPT's at Wyton and he's also hearing lots of rumours surrounding Wyton and its impending closure. Seems that if Wyton doesn't get the EFT role then its days are numbered.

Isn't this par for the course, we spend millions doing the place up...then move out and sell the place off to the lowest bidder?

Talking of which, I thought that Wyton was going to be sold off to Marshalls of Cambridge because the council want that site for housing.

Well that sounds like Robin Hood International!!!

When is this due to happen at Wyton??


That may be the councils aspiration but I don't think it's one that Marshall support.

Wyton (the airfield) has already been closed and reopened, so another closure would be par for the course.

After all, having an RAF Command (or Agency or whatever else they call themsleves these days) Headquarters at an active airfield makes no sense at all - does it?

NDB

I think you will find that it is a series 3 109 Landrover ;o)

It'd be a shame if Wyton closed - I did four years of AEF flying there and quite liked the place .... but as we know liking the place doesn't stop it being closed.

Jordan

well, in the grand scheme of things, they have just announced it will be the major uas (extended ATC now lol) flying base for the south of england.... so that might make it safe for the next 2 or 3 months..... or not? I think someone was referring to the millions (of pence?) they spent on the lovely, lovely pavillions a few (many?) years back..... and the cross runway (although somewhat smaller) that is now fit for use..... tho I dont think that cost millions (even in pence!)

Latest info I have on Marshalls is that they have narrowed the choice of site to Mildenhall and Wyton. It is very early days in the whole proposal to turn Cambridge airport into a houising development. It will be 5-10 years before action takes place - public enquiries, et al...

More comment on a previous thread:

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...s+of+cambridge

When I was (WIWAS) at Wyton and we were moved to Waddo with a view to closing the field, they discovered that the site was so contaminated with years of jet fuel, that it would be prohibitively expensive to clean it up! Hence closed-open-closedagain-whoops open itup again!!:O

the other problem with keeping Wyton closed was that the local council wanted the closed road from St Ives to Warboys (Old Ramsey Road) re-opening, and lack of funds meant it was cheaper to move LUAS etc and re-open the site.

I wasn't aware that Liverpool UAS had moved to Wyton?

Incidentally, the people who err, 'decomissioned' the ATC facilities at Wyton were astonished to hear that they were all to be re-instated at vast expense. Not sure about aerodrome lighting though....

Good to know that the shiny-ar$es in the Bull$hit Pavilions will have to suffer the sound of aeroplanes for a while longer - even if they are only someone else's Tupperware Trainers.

I was once told a story about some FJ mate who was doing time on his jet's IPT at SpannerWorld Wyton. He got fed up with the slackness of his colleagues turning up for work whenever it suited them... One day, he told them that there would be a meeting at 0830 (or whenever it was). A few of them shambled in and faffed about, until he said "Ten seconds.." They looked at him in bewilderment. "Five seconds.....3, 2, 1...NOW". At that precise second something fast and pointy shot overhead at 250 ft and all the engineers spilt their coffee. "THAT", quoth the FJ mate, "is what aircrew mean by being on time!"

He'd had a word with a mate up the road - and between them they'd cooked up this little demo for the benefit of the chair-polishers.

I think LUAS is London UAS, not Liverpool, but I may be mistaken.

Jordan

LUAS = Liverpool University Air Squadron

ULAS = University of London Air Squadron

Thanks BEags, I had the right letters, just in the wrong order...

Lets hope it does close – SNCOs and now JO’s rumoured to have a guard commitment of “6” yes “SIX “weeks a year at current manning levels (redundancy/post redundancy PVR’s to be factored in at a later stage) plus the training!! Still at least that’s forward progress and great utilisation of experienced manpower eh!

:yuk:

LTB
 

Theres nothing like a good rumour to keep the jungle drums beating.

I rank amongst those poor unfortunates who have to do guard.

The current system is a 7 week stint but you only actually guard for 2 weeks of that. The remaining time is spent on 48 hours standby. The training lasts for 2 whole days.

Yes its cr@p that SNCOs have to stand on the gate and yes it is being considered that WOs and JOs will be guard commanders.

However it seems extremely unlikely that anyone would get away with putting people on guard for 6 straight weeks. For a start it breaks the armed guard rules.