Llanbedr Airfield
 

I've heard that a couple of wind socks have been put up at Llanbedr....anybody out there have any idea what might be happening in that beautiful part of the world?

There are certainly hopes and plans to expand and use the airfield. There's a degree of co-ownership I believe of LLanbedr and Kemble.

Must be sodding big windsocks if you can see them from Atlanta!

G

I've flown past Llanbedr a few times over the past few years and thought what a waste of nice big runways. I hope it does become an active airfield once again with access for the GA community.

I always thought that the airfield would be ideal as an Airpark with holiday homes with their own access to the runway and the coast a few hundred metres away!
as well as another airport for the difficult to access Wales
some people are very short sighted.

Pace

I understand there is a company advertising for FISO's for a 'west Wales' airfield. Wonder which one it is.

West Wales is Aberporth, isn't it? Or at least it was when I went there for some Jet A1 a few months ago.

Yes but this is establishing a new AFISO unit at another airfield IN west Wales; Aberporth already has an AFISO unit.

Yes, I contacted that unit before landing at West Wales Airport. :confused:

I believe Aberporth (West Wales Airport) is staffed by NATS ATCOs, not FISOs.

Moli

Looking at their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Llanb...ld-Estates-LLP it seems there's some limited flying happening there.

Someone I know more locally said they're planning to have some sort of facility on site (maintenance maybe?) which would see larger aircraft using it. Also, they have a contract with QinetiQ for testing large drones ( which might limit the use by GA :( )

Moli, the NATS ATCOs staff Aberporth Radar on behalf of Qinetiq, not the airfield. I think they're either seconded from or under administrative control of NATS Cardiff.
The airfield (West Wales Airport) employs its own FISOs and as far as I know, is not owned by Qinetiq, although both the radar unit and the airfield used to be 'RAEs' many years ago.

And you didn't drop in. Something I said?

CG

LLANBEDR
 

I thought the problem used to be Gnats?

SGC

SGK
 

I remember the Gnats - Noisy little buggers - The midges were a curse as well and when it came to those yellow vixens - Ear muffs needed.

CAT III

West Wales Airport, Aberporth is privately owned and operated. It is licensed, although operates unlicensed when flying UAVs, and is a certified ANSP providing FISOs.

If the rumour about operating UAVs is correct, any FTO should be aware that this will severely impede their flying. UAV and manned aircraft flying do not mix. Flying of large UAV (Predator, Reaper etc) will require a complete suspension of manned aircraft flying during arrival and departure. Maybe a re-think about moving out of Caernafon might be a good idea?

Quiet...
 

Not a lot happening at Llanbedr as I drove past today, gates locked up and nobody about although I can confirm the two new windsocks have indeed been installed.

(This is probably a contender for most pointless Pprune post ever but any little bit of news from this wild corner of Wales with its perfectly useable airfield has to be cherished!) :ok:

According to the a pilot on the microlight forum its up and running...£8 landing fee.

Back in the good old days (1990), I recall sitting as a passenger in one of RAE's Navaho Chieftains, heading in to land at Llanbedr, when we asked to hold. As a result we had the best seat in the house to see a Jindivik take off.

We flew in there a couple of weeks ago and shared a hangar with the just arrived C150 with the new flying club.it was our second visit within the last year and I think that details are on the website and in Pooleys. There is a very nice restaurant by the castle in Harlech with rooms and a good choice of tea rooms. The locals that we spoke to were keen to encourage visitors because they recognise that it is good for business.