The bumpiest, roughest runway in the UK??
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Gone.........for good this time.
Posts: 510
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The bumpiest, roughest runway in the UK??
As we've discussed the UK's best bacon sarnie, how about the UK's bumpiest runway???
Old Warden runway 21 takes some beating, especially in aeroplanes without much suspension..
Headcorn has it's moments after the winter season.
but my award goes to White Waltham's runway 29 when I landed there at night in 1997 or 1998. The landing was a greaser
..but the runway was incredibly rough
Old Warden runway 21 takes some beating, especially in aeroplanes without much suspension..
Headcorn has it's moments after the winter season.
but my award goes to White Waltham's runway 29 when I landed there at night in 1997 or 1998. The landing was a greaser
..but the runway was incredibly rough
Why do it if it's not fun?
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Bournemouth
Posts: 4,779
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
my award goes to White Waltham's runway 29
But the last couple of times I've used it, it hasn't seemed quite so bad. Don't know if they've done anything to flatten it, or if it's just me?
FFF
---------------
Simplicate and Add Lightness
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: EGSG, mainly
Posts: 254
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
IO540
When were you at Stapleford then? We've been using the grass a lot lately and it doesn't seem too bad to me.
Anyway - surely it all depends on what you fly as much as the runway itself. eg. I had the pleasure(!) of a trip in a 3-axis microkite-thingy a little while ago, in that you feel every little bump; whereas in the 172, little bumps are ridden over with impunity - it's the long troughs and peaks which cause the b*gger to wallow around...
When were you at Stapleford then? We've been using the grass a lot lately and it doesn't seem too bad to me.
Anyway - surely it all depends on what you fly as much as the runway itself. eg. I had the pleasure(!) of a trip in a 3-axis microkite-thingy a little while ago, in that you feel every little bump; whereas in the 172, little bumps are ridden over with impunity - it's the long troughs and peaks which cause the b*gger to wallow around...
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
bumpiest runway
outside scope of original question but Manilla has to be one of the bumpiest runways ever.As a passenger in an airliner , the captian warned the passengers prior to landing saying that tghe bumps were quite normal.
Was lucky to have a flight deck ride backout from there to Hong Kong (pre 9/11) and it was only just possible to read the instruments! and this was in a A340!
Was lucky to have a flight deck ride backout from there to Hong Kong (pre 9/11) and it was only just possible to read the instruments! and this was in a A340!
WW 29 gets my vote in the UK. Nearly shook my fillings out and reduced the instruments to a blur. It was quite a few years ago so maybe it's improved as FFF says.
Beccles used to be quite rough for a tarmac / concrete runway. Quite short too! It's better now with the grass extension though.
Beccles used to be quite rough for a tarmac / concrete runway. Quite short too! It's better now with the grass extension though.
Title? What title?
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: In the dog house
Posts: 347
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I remember going into Clacton a few years ago. It was as rough as hell, and as undulating as hell. As I crested one of the undulations on my take off run, there was a guy walking his dog across the runway who sensibly just stood and stared at the 150 coming towards him. I didnt miss him by much.
For all that, I liked the place though
For all that, I liked the place though
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Smurph Castle
Age: 45
Posts: 498
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Scarily, in my very short career as a PPL so far, I seem to have been to the majority of the fields mentioned.
Can confirm all of them, erm, actively engaged in the T/O & landing processes
in their own special ways, but none more so that whatever runway at WW FFF's Europa touched down on several times per circuit when I went along with him recently. The problem seemed to be exacerbated by the fact the the bumps were frozen and thus providing us with what seemed to be perfectly elastic collisions! Ah well, if that's what he enjoys...
To adapt Pinkster's mantra - grass is good, except on cold January mornings...
(ps - agree with phnuff re. Clacton)
Can confirm all of them, erm, actively engaged in the T/O & landing processes
in their own special ways, but none more so that whatever runway at WW FFF's Europa touched down on several times per circuit when I went along with him recently. The problem seemed to be exacerbated by the fact the the bumps were frozen and thus providing us with what seemed to be perfectly elastic collisions! Ah well, if that's what he enjoys...To adapt Pinkster's mantra - grass is good, except on cold January mornings...
(ps - agree with phnuff re. Clacton)
PPRuNe Co-Pilot
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: The Sky
Posts: 931
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Never had any problems with Stapleford's 04L, and i use it quite alot during training, but maybe thats because im not very experienced and cant judge what is a good or bad grass runway 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Kilmacolm
Age: 47
Posts: 740
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Will agree with Stapleford... but it has been a couple of years since I've been there.
For a bumpy concrete runway go and try out Swansea... the really old bumpy runway 15/33 has been closed though, there used to be a really big hump as you crossed 04/22 on the take off roll... landing you'd want to be touching down past the hump (more like a big traffic carming bump on roads) ;-)))
For a bumpy concrete runway go and try out Swansea... the really old bumpy runway 15/33 has been closed though, there used to be a really big hump as you crossed 04/22 on the take off roll... landing you'd want to be touching down past the hump (more like a big traffic carming bump on roads) ;-)))
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Midlands
Age: 71
Posts: 605
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My poor plane....
For those priviledged enough to be invited to fly into the Moth Rally the event is absolutely wonderful.
However, the runway is as rough as a Bears @rse. It really is a case on takeoff of 'hang on to everything, point the thing in the right direction and hope it will eventually bounce high enough to stay up there.'
Couple that with an almost guaranteed blustery crosswind, curlover from the trees - all that stuff - and you can feel pretty smug if you can walk away from a landing without at least a slight tremor in your step and your voice.
On a positive note - it was improved last year (apparently...) and will be improved yet further this.
I really hope to be invited again despite my yellow cabrio sporting a non-DH badge (but at least has a DH Donk).
Hurrah for Woburn - one of the best flying events of the season.
B there or B Square. Put it in your diaries - no problem to drive in and bring a picnic. Bring the kids. Lots for them too.
HP
However, the runway is as rough as a Bears @rse. It really is a case on takeoff of 'hang on to everything, point the thing in the right direction and hope it will eventually bounce high enough to stay up there.'
Couple that with an almost guaranteed blustery crosswind, curlover from the trees - all that stuff - and you can feel pretty smug if you can walk away from a landing without at least a slight tremor in your step and your voice.
On a positive note - it was improved last year (apparently...) and will be improved yet further this.
I really hope to be invited again despite my yellow cabrio sporting a non-DH badge (but at least has a DH Donk).
Hurrah for Woburn - one of the best flying events of the season.
B there or B Square. Put it in your diaries - no problem to drive in and bring a picnic. Bring the kids. Lots for them too.
HP
The Original Whirly
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Belper, Derbyshire, UK
Posts: 4,326
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Eshott in Northumberland. Was once a hard runway, now has massive weeds growing out of many large cracks...or did three years ago when I was there. Hard is good, grass is good, but a mixture of the two....