Warning!? Waddington and other airfields

[Thunder]

Out of interest, how many civil airports can you stand directly behind the thresholds and in the immediate under/over shoot areas. I know of some ie: St Martins, Skiathos, but can’t think of any in the UK.

[Sparts99]

You can get pretty close at Gatwick. There's a footpath from the railway station that runs next to the main road at the eastern end, you can get close at the Western end as well. Both good views for landing, not so good for take offs.

[SpilsbyPete]

I agree with all the valid points made before.

I think this has come about after the "dipshxxs" have talen selfies under the approach at Coningsby.
It's not really plane spotters,but Joe Public

[Thunder]

You can get pretty close at Gatwick. There's a footpath from the railway station that runs next to the main road at the eastern end, you can get close at the Western end as well. Both good views for landing, not so good for take offs.

I’ve looked at Gatwick and both runways have displaced thresholds. Eastern end the closest you can get is 800m and at the Western end it’s 615m so a fair bit away. Compared to Coningsby 230m, Waddington 220m and Lossie 185m.

[jonnewell]

What about Northolt?
Believe an Indian air force Connie took off a few layers of hedge a while ago.

[Vulcanone]

What about Northolt?
Believe an Indian air force Connie took off a few layers of hedge a while ago.

That would be about the very late 60s or Early 70s surely

[Sparts99]

I’ve looked at Gatwick and both runways have displaced thresholds. Eastern end the closest you can get is 800m and at the Western end it’s 615m so a fair bit away. Compared to Coningsby 230m, Waddington 220m and Lossie 185m.
[/quote]
The footpath at the railway and A23 road is slightly raised but like I said, ok for viewing landings but at takeoff the airliners are already pretty high. I had a Turklish Airlines Airbus fly over very low once on the A23 end footpath as I was walking to work.

[Sparky 119]

As is always the case with most hobbies there are always one or two who think they know best and push the acceptable boundaries. Thankfully the greater proportion of us have what is known as common sense.

[raptor9]

Best one at Northholt was a Pan- Am 707 that thought it was arriving at Heathrow!!!. Long, long ago.

[StuBie]

Out of interest, how many civil airports can you stand directly behind the thresholds and in the immediate under/over shoot areas. I know of some ie: St Martins, Skiathos, but can’t think of any in the UK.

London-Oxford never used to have a fence at the 19 end. There is a footpath along the hedgerow but before the fences were put up all that was there to 'protect' the airfield was a sign telling you to stick to the footpath.

Stu

[MrZomk]

Just remember Cottesmore 2001, lots of fried photographers.
https://theaviationist.com/2013/02/14/riat-bone/

Wow! First time I've heard about this

[C24]

Posted by POSH fan, Gary

viewtopic.php?f=117&t=241194

[Agent K]

How can deliberately standing in line with a jet efflux be anyone's fault apart frm the idiot(s) doing so?

Off topic but along the same lines: thieves break into electricity substation to filch the copper and get electrocuted - who gets blamed - the electricity company. Just another example of blame culture gone mad.

Did this really happen? would be interesting to read the report/press account of the trial if you can share it.

[Agent K]

You can get pretty close at Gatwick. There's a footpath from the railway station that runs next to the main road at the eastern end, you can get close at the Western end as well. Both good views for landing, not so good for take offs.

When i worked at LGW I used to do the walk from the South Terminal/Rail station to the Engineering base on the south side along that road pretty much daily. Whilst it's good, it's no better than similar areas at LHR for closeness and photography and certainly not on the scale of closeness that you get at Coningsby, Lakenheath, Mildenhall etc.

[James Cutting]

It's just as bad as the people who decide it's OK to park on the grass verge by/next to the approach lights at the 24 end at Lakenheath, often leaving their car hanging in the road (that a lot of people don't do 40mph on). Police "police" it, tell people to move on, but 20 minutes later, they're back again. Saw someone recently had their door lost.

Then on the other hand, you get the 495th handing out flyers, actively encouraging people to come "watch" them. This doesn't help, because the more people there is, the less space, the sillier the parking (also see 06 end).

But, ultimately, it'll always happen, no matter the warnings, comments or posts, as people will keep pushing it as long as they can get away with it, until they can't or get injured.

[Nnthusiast]

https://www.forces.net/technology/weapo ... MAIL_ID%5D

Jobsworth?

How on Earth is this someone being a jobsworth? Having worked at RAF Lossiemouth for 14 yrs, I’ve seen first hand the dangers of standing/parking in the under/over shoot areas. If people can’t figure it out for themselves and need to be told then they aren’t very bright.

I learnt first hand at Lossie, when a stupid me decided to stand (beach end) while 2 Tonkas spooled up and into burner. i re-learned that lesson after seeing the Bone event at Cottesmore.

[Finty]

How can deliberately standing in line with a jet efflux be anyone's fault apart frm the idiot(s) doing so?

Off topic but along the same lines: thieves break into electricity substation to filch the copper and get electrocuted - who gets blamed - the electricity company. Just another example of blame culture gone mad.

Did this really happen? would be interesting to read the report/press account of the trial if you can share it.

In a similar vein, some kid got through a hole in the fence at Bescot marshalling yes, climbed on a wagon and got zapped by the overhead wire. DB got done due to the whole corporate liability BS and the yard has since been de-wired.

[Nighthawke]

How can deliberately standing in line with a jet efflux be anyone's fault apart frm the idiot(s) doing so?

Off topic but along the same lines: thieves break into electricity substation to filch the copper and get electrocuted - who gets blamed - the electricity company. Just another example of blame culture gone mad.

Did this really happen? would be interesting to read the report/press account of the trial if you can share it.

There have been fatalities over the years where uninvited persons have gained access. A lot of time and effort then ensues for the network operator to show their inspection and maintenance records to prove they have done everything they should. Cannot recall any specific cases going to court but I am sure it has happened.

[Thunder]

Happens all too often

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-25447936.amp

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/c ... 61611.html

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... volts.html

[quid21]

Out of interest, how many civil airports can you stand directly behind the thresholds and in the immediate under/over shoot areas. I know of some ie: St Martins, Skiathos, but can’t think of any in the UK.

Stansted's northern end - you be very close if not under the landing lights. At least it did when I was a kid

https://maps.app.goo.gl/dU1hTL9i4HnPoQHE7