RAF Wittering info

[Trenchard]

Traffic in the circuit at Wittering, just like the old days

[romeo bravo]

Local rag -

http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news ... f=obinsite

[Gary]

According to the latest DoD Flight Information Publication (Enroute) Supplement Europe, North Africa And Middle East document

The following freqs are assigned / still assigned to Wittering

WITTERING, UK EGXT MIL N52°36.78' W0°28.55' 273 UTC 0(+1DT) H-5B-6F, L-3C-4G
REMARKS - PNR for Military aircraft. PPR for Civil aircraft. Mon-Fri, If Station flying ceases
before 1700 an there are no booked diversion commitments, ATC will close at cease flying.
Stn Ops will remain open until 1600.
COMMUNICATIONS -
TALKDOWN Opr HO 275.325 244.55
ATIS - Opr HO 242.475
LONDON MIL - Opr H24 275.5 292.525 252.875
TWR - Opr HO 125.525 123.3 372.225X
GND - Opr HO 129.975 369.225 123.3X 125.525
DIR - Opr HO 125.525 281.9 231.725 130.2
NAVAIDS - WITTERING TACAN - T WIT CH 123 (100/40) N52°36.47' W0°29.92' At Fld.
295/(A)1°0.0'W TACAN unlocks may occur btn 360-002°R. No rstd as an apch aid.

I've heard Tower 125.525 & ATIS 242.475 in the last week or so

[Gary]

130.200 has been used today, a spamcan was on the freq asking for MATZ crossing. They didn't get response from a controller from what I heard

[Gary]

ITV website have a short news piece about Wittering http://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2014-04- ... missioned/

[romeo bravo]

Don't expect too much; been told by a ground support guy from Wyton, that yesterday and today are to check out the systems. Permanent move is still pencilled in for later in the year. Contract to undertake work has only just been signed, financial years and all that.....

[Doughnut]

Would not expect any fast jet movement, they really dont mix with the Grobs of the UAS. Besides how many fast jets ever used Wyton ? Might get the odd KingAir or Helicopters looking for fuel.
I have lived local to Wittering all my life, it makes me smile when the Stamford residents say how pleased they are to "have the RAF back" Some complained about jet noise , but not many, expect a lot more will complain about the Grob's specially as they will be flying at the weekend and their noise, although less than a Harrier, will last for much longer.

[grimm6]

Note that when the RAF have activated the airfield and are happy that it is up and running properly, the Air Traffic will be run with Civilian controllers so I wouldn't expect too much Military traffic as the controllers who will move from Wyton are discouraged by the UAS / AEF staff from accepting other traffic

[cottesmore09]

Looks like the new radar tower should be up and running soon, very advance and expensive equipment being put into Wittering.

[romeo bravo]

CUAS/LUAS/5AEF won't be moving in until the autumn; the guys from Cranwell are still a question mark.

[Kenny]

Does anyone know whether any of Waddington's assets will be stationed at Wittering while Waddington has its runway resurfaced? Plus, when is it?
I heard the E-3s, but nothing concrete.

Thanks

[Thor]

Does anyone know whether any of Waddington's assets will be stationed at Wittering while Waddington has its runway resurfaced? Plus, when is it?
I heard the E-3s, but nothing concrete.

Thanks

Not that I'm aware of, as far as I recall the E-3s were deemed too large to operate from Wittering. Other assets from Wadd had already been earmarked for bolthole to other closer stations but that was prior to the closure dates slipping, so that may have since changed.

[Kenny]

Thanks for the info Thor. I would love to see something heavier than the Tutors at Witt, but I know the RAF doesn't plan for spotters.

[romeo bravo]

as far as I recall the E-3s were deemed too large to operate from Wittering.

You're having a giraffe Former home of the V bomber force can't operate the E3, it's accepted VC10s over the years without any problems!! More a case of can't because of maintenance and support issues.........

[Thor]

as far as I recall the E-3s were deemed too large to operate from Wittering.

You're having a giraffe Former home of the V bomber force can't operate the E3, it's accepted VC10s over the years without any problems!! More a case of can't because of maintenance and support issues.........

As I said, as far as I recall that was the result of the site survey. I wasn't involved in that, but was told of the results. It may be that there are restrictions on where an E-3 can be safely parked up now (yes, I know large aircraft have used the station in the past, but we're talking now, not when the last large jet movement was - harriers don't really count as large jets and they were the last regular movements of any size..) - there may be issues over surface condition of the runway & ASPs/dispersals meaning that there are only some areas capable of taking an E-3 now, and it may be those areas which have dimension restrictions on the access to them. And all of the above may have changed since I discussed this a few months back. I'm not looking for a flame-fest here, just reporting back what I was told at the time.

[britaylor]

Also I think is a time opening problem as the lacal Estate owns the base the RAF does not and the runway is notup to standaed as the E3 is an 24hour aircraft not 8 till 5 5 day work Ithought these where going into Coningsby

[cottesmore09]

They are planning for most if not all aircraft to go to Coningsby, they have already had a rehearsal a few months with 1 E-3 doing a night stop.

[Thor]

They are planning for most if not all aircraft to go to Coningsby, they have already had a rehearsal a few months with 1 E-3 doing a night stop.

That's not strictly true, last I heard was that only a couple of E-3s could be accommodated at Coningsby due to ramp space restrictions, but to say that the plans for what the remainder of that fleet would be doing during this time were changeable would be something of an understatement..

The other squadrons will be boltholing to at least one other local base that isn't Coningsby, though again plans may have changed since the slippage of the work start date. I'm deliberately not mentioning specifics here due to the possibility of changes in the plans since I was last updated on what's happening - not because I have an "I know something you don't" mentality, but purely because I don't want to publish what may be either sensitive or inaccurate information.

[baz1]

and scampton is fairly close as well!

[Unknown74]

To be honest with you if your talking Sentry's best place would be either Brize, Mildenhall or Fairford. Maybe Sentinals would be ok for Coningsby. As for the RC-135 then Mildenhall. Not too sure about the Shadows as noone knows much about them.