.
.
.
It also states that the operating hours of the airfield are 0800-2000 Monday to Friday, makes no mention of weekends although it says that the offer is 'subject to existing MOD limitations on civil usage'. I assume this to refer to the 7000 per year civil limit and possibly to the availability at weekend's if the airfield is open for a military movement.
.
The desirability to operators of these conditions is debatable and time will tell if the offer is taken up. Once again, the problem of the restricted civil access must be a major problem that will surely soon need to be addressed.
.
..
The following exchange took place in the House of Lords recently:
(The text is taken from the Hansard web site)
.
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:
When they expect to complete their review of the future defence use of
RAF Northolt; and
whether they expect to be able to release the 490 acres on this site for
housing.[HL3854]
Baroness
Symons of Vernham Dean: the MoD is currently producing a Strategic Development
Plan
for the Defence Estate of Greater London. The future of RAF Northolt forms
a part of this
work.
While significant progress has been made, the work is still some way from
completion and I
am
not able to give a date for the publication of the findings. It would be
inappropriate for me to
comment
on any specific matters to be covered by the report in advance of its completion.
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many air movements there were from RAF Northolt during the most recent
12-month
period for which figures are available; how many of these were for VIP
and royal flying tasks;
how many for other military and Ministry of Defence charter flights; and
how many, on a
repayment basis, for other business users.[HL3855]
Baroness
Symons of Vernham Dean: The last 12-month period for which figures are
available is
January
to December 1998. In that year there were a total of 13,575 aircraft movements,
a
movement
being defined as a take-off or landing. This total was made up of 4,626
movements by
RAF
aircraft, 110 movements by civilian aircraft on UK Government business,
1,838 movements by
other
military aircraft and 6,997 civilian aircraft movements, of which 6,257
were on a repayment
basis.
Separate figures for VIP and Royal tasks could only be provided at disproportionate
cost.
.
Although
the system is the most modern currently available, it will not be categorized
by the Civil Aviation Authority as it is not their policy to do so at Military
airfields. Unofficially it is a category 1 system.
.
.
An ILS was one of the suggestions made by the inquiry into the Learjet accident in August 1996, but was rejected at the time on the grounds of lack of infrastructure. It now seems that modern techniques and equipment have overcome these problems. The system has been installed on runway 25 only and comprises of an in-line ILS/DME 3.5 degree glide path.
.
Twin Squirrel ZH141 is currently (August 1999) being re-painted into standard 32 sqn scheme at Oxford, according to information received. The aircraft has been operating in it's civil allover blue scheme since acquisition. The remaining grey Ba125's will lso be repainted in due course.
.
A new VHF tower frequency, 120.675 was brought into operation on 12th August 1999. Apparently this change was due to the old frequency, 124.975, conflicting with another airfield, although the change has also cured the regular problem of erroneous calls from aircraft inbound to Heathrow wanting 134.975.
.
The publishing of the Government's review of defence estate in London, which was due in July has been delayed until the new year at least according to an article on the front page of the local paper dated 9th June 1999. The delay is being blamed on the Kosovo crisis. The mood of the article was positive, including the comments from the local residents representatives. It is also suggested that there are plans for a hangar extension, as well as the above mentioned ILS which leads locals to believe that the airfield will remain in MOD hands.
.
.
Scenes for the next James Bond movie were filmed on the north side of the airfield on the evening of Thursday 15th and Friday 16th April. A Casa 212, F-GOGN arrived for the filming and stayed a couple of days. Apparently the scenario was Mr Bond breaking into a Turkish air base and hijacking the aircraft.
.
Royal Squadron lease plan is on ice, says base commander
NOT only is the Royal Squadron safe in the hands of RAF Northolt, the base may be expanded.
RAF Northolt station commander, Gp Capt Jeremy Witts, told a Community Consultative Group meeting on Thursday. The whole process of leasing aircraft for No 32 (The Royal) Squadron had for now, ground to a halt. He said while there had been a lot of interest expressed by private companies in leasing the aircraft; it was unlikely to be done in the new financial year.
The
base already uses three twin engined Squirrel helicopters which have been
leased privately.
Some
13% of the flying by No 32 (TR) Squadron is for the royal family, with
55 per cent for government business and the remainder military.
Gp Capt Witts also poured cold water on a number of rumours about the future of the squadron and RAF Northolt. He said the squadron was not being sold off and not being privatised. It would continue to be run by the RAF and staffed by air force crew based at RAF Northolt, which celebrates it’s 80th anniversary next year.
Gp Capt Witts also dismissed rumours about the base being developed as a major civil airport or that its commercial activities are to be increased. Currently the airfield at West End Road, Ruislip, is restricted to 7,000 civil movements a year. He said the airfield had never exceeded this limit, although last year it recorded 6,997 movements.
There is no limit on the number of military aircraft movements at the base, and with recent unrest in the middle east and the conflict in Kosovo, the base had recorded it’s expected aircraft movements for this month by April 3.
The meeting also heard the Strategic Defence Review, Greater London Defence Estate Review and Strategic Development Plan were in favour of retaining the status quo at RAF Northolt. Gp Capt Watts said: "There is nothing radical in the Strategic Development Plan, which is currently with the Treasury, apart from the possibility that two units currently based elsewhere may be moved to RAF Northolt . The minister has recognised the strategic, value of the base and that other options could not emulate the key range of benefits currently afforded by RAF Northolt."
Don Ticehurst, chairman of the South Ruislip Residents' Association, welcomed news that RAF Northolt may benefit from the government's reviews of its defence forces. He said: "It's good to know RAF Northolt's value is being recognised. It is important to the community and to hear it may be expanded because of the review is welcome."
A couple
of comments from me:
-
it's nauseating to see the head of the residents association now strongly
supporting the base after months'years of antagonism!
- The 'putting the leasing in idea on ice' means very little, as it is only for 'this financial year', a very short time span in business anyway.
- It is disappointing that there are 'no plans for further commercial activitivities' (what ever that means), especially as the article points out that 6997 out of 7000 civil slots were used last year, proving that an increase is desperately needed!
.
.G-WBPR pictured lining up on runway 25 during resurfacing work
.
The leasing in of jet aircraft for 32(TR) Sqn will go ahead according to the local paper dated 17th March. An answer from the Government to a local MP's question has said that the aircraft will be flown by military crews out of Northolt, in a similar operation to that currently done by the Squirrels. An official announcement is expected within weeks. This appears to guarantee Northolt's future as an airfield. There are several interesting improvements to the facilities rumoured which will be reported here when officially announced.
.
ZH141 has been confirmed as the new serial of AS355B Squirrel G-OILX.
It was first noted as such on 25th February. Registration G-OILX was cancelled from the UK Civil register as 'sold to the MOD'. The aircraft has been operating from Northolt for some time, in an overall dark blue colour scheme. This event seems to confirm the extension of the OSS contract, and also a long term role for 32(TR)sqn at Northolt, although the serial is a surprise, being the use of an unused serial allocated some years ago. The aircraft will be repainted into the standard scheme in due course.
.
Squirrel ZH141, together with an enlargement of the tail boom showing the serial (JB)
.
The Government's reply to the Transport Committee Report of June 1998 was published in early February. It can be read at http://www.aviation.detr.gov.uk/ras/index
.
The main recommendation in the original report concerning Northolt was that it should become a 'Heathrow Reliever Airfield' to take smaller domestic flights and have fast ground links connecting the two airports.
The Government's reply included the following:
29.
Proposals for developing both Northolt and Redhill as major civil
airports
to relieve Heathrow and Gatwick have been considered and
rejected
in the past. The Government does not believe that
circumstances
have changed so as to warrant reopening matters
in
either case.
31.
The Ministry of Defence has launched a strategic development plan
to
review the defence estate in Greater London; this will include RAF
Northolt.
To inform this consideration, DETR has asked NATS to
consider
the airspace implications of changes (increases and
decreases)
in the use of Northolt: it is possible that reduced use
would
free up capacity for Heathrow. Any proposal for the
development
of Northolt for aviation purposes would
have
to be examined for its environmental, social and economic
impacts,
and considered in the light of the Government's declared
policies
on planning, sustainable development, and airports.
The
Government does not propose to consider any proposals to
develop
Northolt as a major civil airport, since it is clear that the
environmental
consequences would be unacceptable.
32.
Dr John Reid, then Minister for the Armed Forces, told Parliament
in
June 1998 that an early decision on the future of Northolt was
highly
unlikely. He guaranteed that while various studies were in
progress
there would be no increase in the ceiling on civil aviation
movements
at the airport and no extension in opening hours.
So no Heathrow reliever for Northolt, which was what the Base Commander had said all along. However, few clues are given as to the actual future, it seems that it is a case of waiting for the review of MOD property in Greater London is published.
The Daily Vickers flights into Northolt that had ceased in late January 1999 and then operated into Luton have now returned, although occasional flights still operate into Luton rather than Northolt. The company have been operating into here for almost twenty years, initially with Pa31 Navajo (G-BEVK) and Cessna 421C aircraft (G-BEVL) which were later replaced by Beech 200's. In recent years twice daily flights were operated, linking Vickers home airfield of Barrow in Furness with Northolt and Lyneham using Beech 200 G-VSBC (BB1290) and before that G-VSEL (BB362).
.
Earlier, flights also operated to Bournemouth and another company owned airfield, Long Marston near Swindon, which became a car factory. Another Beech 200 aircraft that was operated concurrently with G-VSEL, G-VPLC(BB797) force landed in a field near East Midlands Airport during a flight from Northolt, due to running out of fuel. After that event, the fleet was reduced to one aircraft.
.
The company also operated a Citation 550 G-BSVL during the mid 1980's, although not on the 'milk runs'.
.
Callsigns used reflect the pilot, with VSB01 and VSB02 the two used in recent years, although the co-pilot seems to swop around.
Several local news and teletext reports appeared just after Christmas saying that Hillingdon council was setting up a 'roadshow' to try and raise a groundswell of opinion against using Northolt as a Heathrow reliever airport. Quotes of a possible 25,000 civil movements a year were made, with the usual pollution and traffic problems being brought out again. Considering that it is only a month since the Station Commander assured people in a letter to the local paper that NO significant changes were planned it is difficult to understand why the council have continued wasting money like this. Anyway, the road shows are planned as follows:
4/5
Jan - Uxbridge Pavillions shopping centre
7-9
Jan - Manor Farm Library, Ruislip
11-12
Jan - Oak Farm Library, Hillingdon
14-16
Jan - South Ruislip Library
18-19
Jan - Ruislip Manor Library
21-23
Jan - Ickenham Library
25-27
Jan - Central Library, Uxbridge
28-30
Jan - Eastcote Library
