There is also the Marine Base next to McClellan Palomar whos name I forget, the area is designated 'Longrifle'. They are close to each other and runways are the same orientation, apparently a few new and experienced pilots have landed there and been met by a reception :eek:

J.

Years ago, at night I had a request for a straight in approach for rw 02 from an aircraft east of the airport which i duly approved. Aircraft reported final but didnt appear.Suddenly "going around" on the r/t followed rapidly by a phone call.Apparently said aircraft had made a low go around at the local dry ski slope 3 nm east of the field!!

These events are always amusing in hindsight - just as long as no-one is hurt and only egos get bruised.

Such as the F3 giving a display over the wrong village, countless Dishforth/Leeming cock-ups by JP students, the Mirage IV attacking Rattlesden instead of Wattisham - and a narrowly avoided join at Withybush instead of Brawdy....by yours truly. Fortunately I spotted my error running in from the Initial Point (I'd identified the wrong old church...) and at 450 KIAS and about 5G I was able to pull hard enough to avoid the ATZ....just :ooh:!

No-one ever complained though...:=

But the chap who landed the highly secret F-117 at El Paso Muni instead of Biggs AAF didn't get off so lightly!

The Sleap/Shawbury cock-up was in 1975. A student on a dual training flight with his Sqn OC in the back was diverted to Shawbury due to the weather at Valley. On the PAR approach, his QFI told him to stop dicking about, took control and landed.

An unusual blue car stopped next to their Gnat. The Sqn OC asked what the hell it was doing there - the chap in the protoype Ford asked what the hell the Gnat was doing landing in the middle of a car testing session at Sleap.

The studes on the course were in the process of making a "WELCOME TO RAF ST MAWGAN" sign to welcome the Sqn OC back to RAF Valley, but were persuaded that this wouldn't be a very good idea!

I'm wondering if he had a herfty bill to pay (landing fee, insurance indemnity and security):}

Surely a pilot would have realised by looking at his map /outside that he was passing the menai strait (obviously not):ugh:

Very funny to read these stories :D

He was meant to be! He was diverting to EGOS. Sleap and Shawbury ATZs are only about one mile apart, the runways have the same orientation (if I remember correctly), Sleap lies partly within the Shawbury CMATZ and when landing at Sleap you have to talk to Shawbury first so it's probably a much easier mistake to make than some.

Shawbury/Sleap error is made worse because the runway layouts are very similar. Valley and Caernarfon are not actualy that close to each other being separated by the Menai Strait and about 15 miles of land. There is also Mona between the two. It would seem to be an odd naviagational error!

I did my PPL at Caernarfon so I guess I'm more familiar with the area than this unfortunate guy was.

B