More landing trials at Woodbridge

[cottesmore09]

Notam had been posted a week or so ago for landing trials to take place at Woodbridge AD using the Runway.

FLIGHT TRIALS. ACFT WILL CONDUCT FLIGHT TRIALS OF RUNWAY.
INCREASED AERIAL ACTIVITY WI 3NM 520526N 0012417E (WOODBRIDGE AD,
SUFFOLK). MILITARY AIRCRAFT SHALL AVOID THE AREA 18 - 29 JUN, FOR
INFO 0041 79 487 4149 OR 127.050MHZ. 2018-06-0574/AS3LOWER: Surface, UPPER: 2,000 Feet AMSL
FROM: 14 Jun 2018 06:00 GMT (07:00 BST) TO: 06 Jul 2018 18:00 GMT (19:00 BST) 
SCHEDULE: 0600-1800

interesting to see "military aircraft shall avoid between 18th-29th June". So at a guess this will be the main period.

Yesterday (18th June) a Pilatus PC-24 (REG: HB-VXA) was on the Woodbridge circuit so i think this is the aircraft undergoing the trials.

For a little information on the aircraft:- https://www.pilatus-aircraft.com/en/fly/pc-24

[Snoop 95]

I see that the manufacturer describes this jet as an 'off-roader', so presumably that's why they are testing on the Woodbridge rough landing strip. Not military at all.

[TonyO]

First Landing on an Unpaved Runway for the PC-24

The PC-24 made its first landing on an unpaved runway. The Super Versatile Jet is currently undergoing a programme of post-certification tests with special emphasis on unpaved runway operations. Pilatus plans on obtaining “Rough Field” certification in the fourth quarter of 2018.

Woodbridge Airfield to the north east of London offers optimum test conditions: Pilatus spends two weeks there testing the PC-24’s landing and take-off capabilities on the airfield’s unpaved runway for the first time.

Video is rather good: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-V9_gmNwH4

[Snoop 95]

Impressive!

[herbert]

I cycled round Woodbridge today to take a peek at the PC-24. Since my last visit I see that all the steel doors have been removed from the hardened shelters. Does anyone know if this is the beginning of their demolition?

[tm74sqn]

Possibly some ambitious scrap metal merchants have been busy!

[mikee115]

The PC-24 is supposed to be a jet version of the PC-12 and be its replacement in the future.

[andrewn]

I cycled round Woodbridge today to take a peek at the PC-24. Since my last visit I see that all the steel doors have been removed from the hardened shelters. Does anyone know if this is the beginning of their demolition?

Woodbridge is one of the MoD airfields up for disposal, that an all party airfields group have requested the MoD "look again" at to see if there is any ongoing use for the airfield.
http://www.generalaviationappg.uk/

The alternative is likely demolition and, as so often, being turned over for housing

[Snoop 95]

Who paid for the rough strip to be installed? If MoD then I can't see any point in putting it at Woodbridge if they are about to sell the site. That said, spending lots of taxpayers money and then closing has been done before as we all know!