Another newbie question - this time about RNAS Yeovilton

[rich_g85]

My friend asked a good question earlier which I wasn't able to answer as I haven't even had my first PPL lesson yet (week on Saturday!! ).

We were down at Yeovilton this evening to see if anything was happening (which it wasn't), but all the taxiway lights were on. I looked at the control tower and it was clear there was nobody in it - it's normally quite easy to tell because you can see the controller's silhouette.

He said 'there must always be SOMEONE in the tower, it's a MILITARY airfield! What if something needed to land in an emergency or something?'

Does anyone know the answer?

[Humaround]

I think I'm right in saying (someone more knowledgeable will be along in a minute) that Yeovilton and many other Service ATC's work defined hours - often Monday to Friday, 8 - 6 or whatever. Many are certainly closed at weekends. If there's an emergency, the aircraft would have to use the airfield without ATC or go somewhere else.

[airborne_artist]

Nope, shut means shut. Same at Culdrose, even though there's a SAR presence there.

[rich_g85]

So even if you were overhead with an engine failure, you can't land on the airfield because it's shut?

[pulse1]

If you have an engine failure you land in the best possible place, open or shut.

A few years ago a Piper Malibu ran out of fuel at 12000' over Yeovilton . The pilot tried to glide to Bournemouth and crash landed about 9 miles short of the runway, in Lytchett Matravers.

Best of luck weatherwise for your first lesson. It will probably be excellent as we will have started our annual Permit work.

[airborne_artist]

If the fan stops of course you can land on the airfield, but don't expect to talk to the tower or get an immediate response from the crash wagons.

Be aware that the RNHF may operate at weekends.

[rich_g85]

Ok, I think that clears things up. Thanks for all the responses!

And thanks John for the optimism! I'll try and pop over to say hello, although I will probably have the family in tow (mother, brother, girlfriend) - I think they're planning on having lunch at the airfield and then watching what they can of the lesson.

[rsuggitt]

"although I will probably have the family in tow (mother, brother, girlfriend) - I think they're planning on having lunch at the airfield and then watching what they can of the lesson."

Tell them not to get their hopes up too much. They'll see you get into the plane and after a while it will taxy away.. they probably will see it take off.... then it will fly some distance away from the airfield so they wont see a thing.

[rich_g85]

As I said, they'll watch what they can. There'll be plenty of other activity going on to keep them occupied anyway - plenty of light aircraft coming and going, not to mention a well stocked restaurant/coffee shop!

[englishal]

I've done circuits at Yeovilton when the tower is shut...In fact we waited for them to shut then borrowed the airfield . There was a piston provost doing the same ...

[Nibbler]

Just a thought but is the ATZ not still active even if the AD is closed?

[vetflyer]

yes it is indeed

[Razor61]

Yeovilton ATC work from 8 or 9am to 1700 monday to friday and sometimes (like RAF air stations) 1600 on a friday.
They will reopen the ATC on monday to wednesday just before night fall for the NVG sorties and close (depending on the season) between 2300 (winter) and 0230 (summer). Thursdays is a weather back up.

On weekends, Viking gliders operate there i believe.... and ATC will also open for limited periods to allow station traffic out of hours movements which happen often (ships flights and exercise traffic etc)

In the event of an emergency near or over Yeovilton, you have a few airfields to choose from other than Yeovilton...
Merryfield (manned as above as it is a satellite to Yeovilton), Henstridge, Compton Abbas if you can make it that far....

[airborne_artist]

On weekends, Viking gliders operate there i believe

No VGS based at VL, but there is the Heron Gliding Club (the station is HMS Heron)

[S-Works]

Actually it is not just Heron it is also HMS Sea Hawk, RNAS Culdrose, RNAS Yeovilton and something else that evades me at the moment.

It is a right mixed bag of operating units. Did an exchange tour with them when I was in the mob and have a house down the road.

[airborne_artist]

HMS Sea Hawk, RNAS Culdrose,

HMS Seahawk is RNAS Culdrose, and is in Cornwall, next to Helston. That's where daughter #2 is this week, on a gliding course, and it was there in 1979/80 when I did BFT on 705 Sqn (which is now at Shawbury, just to confuse ).

VL has these units.

[Jucky]

The reason you will have seen the runway lights on and nobody in the tower is that the civillian contractors regularly check the airfield lighting when the airfield is closed as obviously this is the best time to do it. They check serviceability and replace bulbs etc. The ATZ is still active outside of normal hours. I have lost count of the number of people I see blatting through ATZ assuming there is nothing going on and not talking to anybody! The airfield regularly opens out of hours to allow helos in and out as well as RNHF. These days it usually opens a number of times most weekends. Also at weekends and evenings Heron Gliding Club and Yeovilton Flying Club operate from the airfield. Only members of the Flying and Gliding Clubs may operate out of hours. Not withstanding the fact that if you have a genuine emergency and it is your nearest airfield I suggest it would be the safest place to be!

Hope this helps!

Jucky