PPL flying into RAF bases.
Join Date: Jul 2006
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Does flying into a military airfield have any security implications? Do they ask what your purpose is when visiting? When you guys have been in to Lyneham, Brize etc....what is there to do? Any facilities? (car hire etc)
Is RT much different than civvy?
Is RT much different than civvy?
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Norfolk
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As a fairly frequent visitor to certain pointy jet stations, I'd concur with dinoorin.
If you are in any doubt, well really there is no doubt - don't think about it.
Better that you are shown the ropes with someone familiar and then await the invitation, far less stressful for those in the aircraft and those in light blue serge worrying what you'll do.
Mil circuits and civvy ones (in the UK) are different beasts and you really don't want to be asking what "Can you trample the cable?", means as you are sliding down final worrying about all the other important things.
If you are in any doubt, well really there is no doubt - don't think about it.
Better that you are shown the ropes with someone familiar and then await the invitation, far less stressful for those in the aircraft and those in light blue serge worrying what you'll do.
Mil circuits and civvy ones (in the UK) are different beasts and you really don't want to be asking what "Can you trample the cable?", means as you are sliding down final worrying about all the other important things.
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I would really appreciate it if people could give me some info on the above thanks
Join Date: May 2001
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Does flying into a military airfield have any security implications?
Obviously
Do they ask what your purpose is when visiting?
Yes
When you guys have been in to Lyneham, Brize etc....what is there to do?
No more or less than any other airport - in fact if you are going for coffee and cakes a lot less. There is no point going to a military airfield unless you have business or pleasure outside the airfield in mind, or some specific purpose on the field (visiting a museum).
Any facilities? (car hire etc)
Rarely.
Obviously
Do they ask what your purpose is when visiting?
Yes
When you guys have been in to Lyneham, Brize etc....what is there to do?
No more or less than any other airport - in fact if you are going for coffee and cakes a lot less. There is no point going to a military airfield unless you have business or pleasure outside the airfield in mind, or some specific purpose on the field (visiting a museum).
Any facilities? (car hire etc)
Rarely.
Join Date: Aug 2001
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PPL into RAF Bases
Once flew out of Lossie in mid 1980s in my C150 Aerobat. One of the co-owners was ex-RAF and he took the aircraft there for a week to brush up his skills with an instructor mate of his who was based there. Don't know what he paid; I suspect it was close to SFA.
I went there to take Romeo Papa back home to Longside and after checking in at the gate was taken to the VASS hangar where my little 150 was the only aicraft in this huge heated space. Although it was the weekend there was a 3 or 4 man team of handlers on duty who duly opened the hangar doors and pushed 'RP outside into the cold.
They then stood by with fire extinguisher etc. while I pre-flighted the aircraft (low hours PPL, very thorough, checklist in hand) then climbed into the LH seat, did the internal checks, gave the thumbs-up and turned the key. Well....................
The engine gave 4 or 5 asthmatic turns before the battery gave up. Decided to hand-swing; the ground crew had seen it all before and had the chocks in almost before I asked. The engine fired after the 3rd or 4th swing, jumped back in, strapped up and the chocks were smartly removed.
Taxied to 28 threshold. Being the weekend nothing else was moving and I suspect the controller was glad to have something to see moving. I was previously briefed on the technique for getting a 150 over the arrestor wire on 28 and it worked a treat. (Any of you PPLs out there used this particular technique?)
With a reasonable headwind I was at circuit height almost before reaching the upwind end of the runway, turned left and was on my way.
The professionalism of everyone I dealt with was impressive and I can recommend at least one flight into a military field for any PPL, even if just to experience how the other lot do things.
C-dog
I went there to take Romeo Papa back home to Longside and after checking in at the gate was taken to the VASS hangar where my little 150 was the only aicraft in this huge heated space. Although it was the weekend there was a 3 or 4 man team of handlers on duty who duly opened the hangar doors and pushed 'RP outside into the cold.
They then stood by with fire extinguisher etc. while I pre-flighted the aircraft (low hours PPL, very thorough, checklist in hand) then climbed into the LH seat, did the internal checks, gave the thumbs-up and turned the key. Well....................
The engine gave 4 or 5 asthmatic turns before the battery gave up. Decided to hand-swing; the ground crew had seen it all before and had the chocks in almost before I asked. The engine fired after the 3rd or 4th swing, jumped back in, strapped up and the chocks were smartly removed.
Taxied to 28 threshold. Being the weekend nothing else was moving and I suspect the controller was glad to have something to see moving. I was previously briefed on the technique for getting a 150 over the arrestor wire on 28 and it worked a treat. (Any of you PPLs out there used this particular technique?)
With a reasonable headwind I was at circuit height almost before reaching the upwind end of the runway, turned left and was on my way.
The professionalism of everyone I dealt with was impressive and I can recommend at least one flight into a military field for any PPL, even if just to experience how the other lot do things.
C-dog
Join Date: Jun 2002
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I guess things like this aint gonna make the British Ministry of Defence any more enthusiastic about opening up military airfields to PPLs.
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=199266
Millionaire Cessna pilot screws up trying to land on one of the biggest airfields in England and his family sue the RAF claiming it was all the fault of a Sea King maneuvering
and claim £10 million damages.
OK it settled 50/50 but £5 million is still big bucks.
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=199266
Millionaire Cessna pilot screws up trying to land on one of the biggest airfields in England and his family sue the RAF claiming it was all the fault of a Sea King maneuvering
and claim £10 million damages.OK it settled 50/50 but £5 million is still big bucks.
Join Date: Jun 2003
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Given that e.g. Cosford is within a £10 taxi ride from say Wolverhampton, my Q would be what is involved in getting in or out of these places.
Neither has a published IAP.
Does one have to fly the published circuit (where is it published) or can one ask for e.g. a straight-in?
Does Cosford have an ILS or PAR? I would fly an IAP anytime, just for the practice.
It would be really handy to be able to sort out access to these places elsewhere in the UK.
Neither has a published IAP.
Does one have to fly the published circuit (where is it published) or can one ask for e.g. a straight-in?
Does Cosford have an ILS or PAR? I would fly an IAP anytime, just for the practice.
It would be really handy to be able to sort out access to these places elsewhere in the UK.
Join Date: Jul 2006
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Given that e.g. Cosford is within a £10 taxi ride from say Wolverhampton, my Q would be what is involved in getting in or out of these places.
Neither has a published IAP.
Does one have to fly the published circuit (where is it published) or can one ask for e.g. a straight-in?
Does Cosford have an ILS or PAR? I would fly an IAP anytime, just for the practice.
It would be really handy to be able to sort out access to these places elsewhere in the UK.
Neither has a published IAP.
Does one have to fly the published circuit (where is it published) or can one ask for e.g. a straight-in?
Does Cosford have an ILS or PAR? I would fly an IAP anytime, just for the practice.
It would be really handy to be able to sort out access to these places elsewhere in the UK.
Join Date: Jun 2003
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Apologies for not writing more succintly. When I said "getting in or out" I was referring to how long it takes to get in or out of the airside, to public transport / taxis etc.
There are lots of airports around Europe where you have to allow 1-2hrs when departing. Arrival is usually easier; Greece (Corfu LGKR) is down to about 1 hr if you want to pay the landing fee (which you most definitely do, there and then
)
There are lots of airports around Europe where you have to allow 1-2hrs when departing. Arrival is usually easier; Greece (Corfu LGKR) is down to about 1 hr if you want to pay the landing fee (which you most definitely do, there and then
)
Join Date: Jan 2003
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re security impluications.
When I flew in, just said that I like to fly to different places. They'll either say yes or no.Bring a passport just in case.
Nothing to see when you get there and you'd need to be escorted around anyway for obvious reasons.Brize has a flying club which you can pop into.
i once asked to fly into Boscombe but was refused as they considered it not a good idea due to the amount of traffic and variety.Yeovilton, you've obvoiusly got the museum, so thats good enough reason.
Rt wisde, you'd know that the military circuit is an oval where you call final on what would normally be a base leg, this is in one of the ppl books (not thom).
Also bear in mind that the controller are probably working UHF frequencies aswell that you will not be privvy to.
definitly go for it though for the experience, you never know you might need to divert into one one day!
When I flew in, just said that I like to fly to different places. They'll either say yes or no.Bring a passport just in case.
Nothing to see when you get there and you'd need to be escorted around anyway for obvious reasons.Brize has a flying club which you can pop into.
i once asked to fly into Boscombe but was refused as they considered it not a good idea due to the amount of traffic and variety.Yeovilton, you've obvoiusly got the museum, so thats good enough reason.
Rt wisde, you'd know that the military circuit is an oval where you call final on what would normally be a base leg, this is in one of the ppl books (not thom).
Also bear in mind that the controller are probably working UHF frequencies aswell that you will not be privvy to.
definitly go for it though for the experience, you never know you might need to divert into one one day!
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And you can certainly *ask* for a straight-in/downwind join, if the circuit's quiet, you'll probably get it, too.
