Warboys, cambs
 

Hi there,

I was over Warboys the other day and saw some gliders parked on the field. The site is marked as disused; if I'd known it was a gliding site I'd have thrown in a detour.

I can't see anything much on google. I understand it is good to tell the mapping people at the CAA about this kind of thing? Anyone know anything?

Thanks,

N

Do you mean the 'disused' airfield of RAF Upwood? Gliders have been there for quite a few years now.

The British Gliding Association might know something about them if the club is affliated.

There was a RAFGSA competition Notamed recently. Perhaps they were using Warboys as a land-away site? Seems a bit odd as Wyton is very close by and that is semi-active.

I don't have access to a chart at the moment - a look at streetmap shows Upwood to the north west of warboys.

I'm thinking of Warboys the pathfinder field where there was a nasty accident with a Victor in the 70's. The town of Warboys is right next door. A search on the BGA site shows nothing.

There were perhaps 8 gliders drawn up on the SW facing runway as if to be winched off, there were cars parked nearby, but no people were obvious.

And wyton is very active with AEF and other light aircraft - not the best of places to throw a glider into...use of a disused airfield is certainly a good option - if you have had a chance to check out the landing zone first its even better.

Indeed having had a student had to go-around on their 3rd solo sortie due a glider turning up un-announced at the airfield, and then proceding to 'dump' their aircaft such that one part of the nose was protruding into an active runway by 3' Im less than will to mix unless there are suitable operating procedures in place.

Places like RAF Halton the gliding/VGS/light aircraft/microlights mix very well - BUT ONLY because of well laid down procedures that are complied with.

Noisy
If the gliders were on the airfield last Sunday or before then they were probably partaking in this years Inter-Service Gliding Competition & the co-hosted 15 meter Nationals. The contest was held at RAF Honington, consisted of over 100 gliders & 10 tugs & was marred by bad weather. The mass land out on Sunday was spectacular with most landable fields in the Bury St. Edmunds area having at least one glider in them.

FF most of the pilots who fly in these competitions are very experienced & quite often proffessional pilots & should know better than to land unannounced at a known active airfield.

I don't mind gliders at all; I think it's a good way to commit aviation, but I respect the dangers of winch cables etc.

It seems that this was the fallout of last week's gliding competition then.

Noisy
Apologise - I forgot to add that the 8 gliders were probably waiting for an aerotow retrieve which was carried out by Pawnee G-BDPJ if I'm not mistaken.
R2