I flew past Swanton on Saturday and am pretty sure that the two large blister type hangers were still there.....

Ref the airspace; it sits under the zone allocated to Norwich 'International' Airport. The height band being 1500 to 4000 feet. Could this mean the gliders are height restricted?

Just a thought......

bobward,

The two large hangars were demolished and replaced by dedicated accomodation for the Army light armour stationed there. A building/architecture firm won an award for the design and construction.

I also thoight that the large grass airfield had been largely turned into an exercise area, obviously not.

Bobward

No Hangars now - just Tank 'Hangars'

There is an area of airspace that can be activated for military purposes (The Swanton Box) by NOTAM. I expect this will be permanently activated at weekends.

Proone

Mainly used as Polo pitch for polo ponies I hear. However some dry training carried out on the airfield. Largely intact from what I see/hear.

I expect that the Army will still be 'Primary User' (first claim on use) with the VGS being 'Secondary users' despite the fact that it is an airfield and the VGS is a 'Flying Unit'. That is what happens when the RAF gives up it's real estate to the Army I'm afraid................

:}

Arc

Arc,
I have to confess that from several miles away, looking into the haze they looked like to old blister type hangers to these ancient eyes!
Thanks for the correction.:ok:

Forward with the Brownies, they plan to get their flying any flying.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/n...ings-j6x05mp9c

Remember the Easter Courses
 

Easter for me was all about the first 'Course' of the year and also really the start of our main season. Usually we had a cadre of CCF from Surrey but we also tried to get the w-enders up to finish them off (having been weathered off earlier in the year). Some of these guys had never been in a glider before; yet by Tues the first would be 'popping off' on their 3 solo's (and A&B) with around one hours actual flight time. I would think that over the country probably nearly 200 cadets would have solo'd in this time, which was a great way to kick off the main season and also bring all the staff up to a suitable level for the ongoing w-end work. That this was done without e-mail, mobile phones, FB,twatter, or even GPO landlines, says something for the way people got organised then, and makes me appreciate what a fantastic (world class TRAINING organisation) we had without much fuss and bother.My very best Easter wishes to those involved and be proud that you were able to show what 'volunteers' could do when suitably LED

One of my more memorable memories of Swanton occurred when for some reason, on either an Easter or Whitsun course (in the late 80s I think), there were two of us as Course Admin Officer. Flying had ceased temporarily due to a thunderstorm passing by, when there was an almighty crash and bang, followed closely by the reappearance of the other Admin Officer (Des O’Brien) looking very shaken; he had been inside the control tower when it was struck by lightning... according to him the air turned blue (probably in all respects!).

I think it was on the same course where he very carefully started to tow the caravan to the other end of the airfield due to a run change, but it wasn’t until he had disappeared over the crest of the airfield that he realised that he had left it behind. It had become unhitched shortly after he pulled away and no one felt they wanted to stop him! I remember watching one of the Viking instructors, Paul Baldwin helpless with laughter in the rear seat of his aircraft as he watched it all unfold...

Swanton Morely
 

Nice to hear it is reopening
I had a great time there in the 60s as a Staff Cadet and CI and that led to a 20000 hour jet career

Unusually did my gliding course at SM as an ATC cadet after my Flying Scholarship as a CCF cadet. Memorable week - the Cuban missile crisis

Wonder where they will go when it closes in a few years time?

British Gliding Association Campaign
 

Where Next?
 

Somewhere closer to a greater density of ATC squadron/CCF unit locations, so they can best serve the Air Cadet population (and avoid long travelling distances)

Machrihanish it is then!

Machrihanish not needed as Predannack already being prepared (Fact). The most southerly and western VGS in the UK. I am not saying it is exposed; except that one year the water tower was blown down,but nobody noticed because it was so foggy.

Pobjoy, guess the year!

Kenley Course Photo
 

Kenley about 65-66 ish. There are 7 staff cadets with one wearing his beret correctly (me). That makes 19 cadets on course who probably all did 3 solo's during the week. (poss Epsom College CCF)

Not sure if Kenley (615) is operational again yet but the hard facts are there to be seen; 19 A&B and proficiency certs 57 solo flights in a week, all volunteer capable staff, and a bunch of happy Cadets. Of course it helped that our 'guidance' came from No 1 GC SM which in itself was a source of experience and common sense. Brings it home what has been thrown away by the current incumbents who are supposed to be 'running' the Air Cadets.
I think you get a badge now after a session in a plastic bath tub looking at a screen.

In the days of the “classics” (T31 “Mk3” and T21B “” Sedbergh”), what was the record for the lowest number of launches that anyone went solo? I think the absolute min was supposed to be 20 launches to complete the syllabus.
Fly Safe
PJ88

"Predannack" Really? My wife and I were in the area for a short break a few weeks ago and it is a bleak windswept place for light aircraft and miles from anywhere, why not operate from Culdrose? Watched the Culdrose circuit and even on weekdays it seemed fairly quiet albeit it mixed traffic. Weekend flying from Culdrose would require an air traffic controller and a landrover with a fire extinguisher in it?

PJ - ISTR it was 21 launches as min before first solo .

not if one had a PPL. I flew about 5 dual and the necessary 3 solo for A & B in one day.