Did you know that registration to Fighter Control is completely free and brings you lots of added features? Find out more....

Runway State

Please post movements and activities to do with AAC Wattisham here
Post Reply
Snoop 95
Posts: 1885
Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2009 4:17 pm
Location: West Suffolk

Runway State

Post by Snoop 95 » Mon Jul 11, 2022 3:35 pm

I see that an RAF Texan flew into Wattisham today according to UK Heads-up as VYT90. My information had been that the runway is not maintained for the use of fixed wing aircraft, which is why the AH64E's have been delivered to Mildenhall and then transported by road to Wattisham.

POL
Posts: 16717
Joined: Sun Oct 04, 2009 3:26 pm

Re: Runway State

Post by POL » Mon Jul 11, 2022 4:46 pm

The military AIP states that Watfisham has a serviceable runway at "LCG III" levels. As this is some daft UK system of weight categorisation I couldn't tell you what that permits to use it - the international standard is PCN showing weight bearing!

EAGLE
Posts: 163
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2021 4:15 pm
Location: Diss, Norfolk

Re: Runway State

Post by EAGLE » Mon Jul 11, 2022 8:36 pm

Official charts state the following:

"No landings, Takeoffs, or Touch and Go's by fast jet aircraft due to surface condition. Approaches to go around are permitted. PD's to Low Approach are accepted. No Heavy-Lift air transport movements accepted. Operators of typesother than lightaircraft or otary aircraft should contact Ops/ATC for futher advice."

In simple terms: No jets can touch the runway - Practice diversions are permitted as long as they are only low approaches. No heavy lift transport (C-17, C-5 C-130 etc)
Proud supporter of airplanes.live! Info athttps://airplanes.live

Snoop 95
Posts: 1885
Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2009 4:17 pm
Location: West Suffolk

Re: Runway State

Post by Snoop 95 » Mon Jul 11, 2022 9:27 pm

Thanks for that Pol and Eagle. I am trying to imagine what exactly that means in terms of the surface of the runway. It has to be clean for any aircraft with no FOD, so why would that make it OK for a Texan but not for let's say an F35B? A Texan will have a longer run than an F35B!

EAGLE
Posts: 163
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2021 4:15 pm
Location: Diss, Norfolk

Re: Runway State

Post by EAGLE » Tue Jul 12, 2022 1:45 am

Snoop 95 wrote:
Mon Jul 11, 2022 9:27 pm
Thanks for that Pol and Eagle. I am trying to imagine what exactly that means in terms of the surface of the runway. It has to be clean for any aircraft with no FOD, so why would that make it OK for a Texan but not for let's say an F35B? A Texan will have a longer run than an F35B!
The surface isnt in the best of conditions. I believe the restrictions are in place because there is a higher chance of parts of the runway surface coming up and potentially getting invested into an aircraft than at other bases. If this was sucked into the inlet of a jet based aircraft then it would do significant damage. Propeller based aircraft tend not to have large air intakes directly into the engine itself so it's not as big of a concern.
Proud supporter of airplanes.live! Info athttps://airplanes.live

User avatar
gary1701
Posts: 788
Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2009 4:16 pm
Location: Stowmarket, Suffolk
Contact:

Re: Runway State

Post by gary1701 » Tue Jul 12, 2022 11:52 am

Gents,

It's been like this for a while. Last heavy landing was a An-124 on the 24th August 2018. Families day in 2019 saw a CV-22 land which surprised me.

Gary
My photo website

My name's Wild Bill Kelso, and don't you forget it! - John Belushi, 1941.

Post Reply

Return to “AAC Wattisham”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 11 guests