Chalgrove Airfield (Houses)

[thevulcan]

Chalgrove airfield will be sold for housing but with a twist a new runway will be laid so that Martin Baker can continue to operate there.
https://www.chalgroveairfield.com/en/page_146716.php

The decision is still awaiting final approval but south Oxfordshire district council have given the plan a green light.

[Supra]

And just how many minutes after completion of the Housing will it be before the complaints about jet-noise starts? Even though its the only runway where they use a cobweb-duster not a runway sweeper!

[Thunder]

Surely you can’t build houses or any other buildings that close to a runway???

Edit: approx 100 mtrs from centreline to the first line of proposed homes.

[CHINOOKER]

I note that in the planning application,that there is provision made for 3 "gipsy/traveller" sites!......Martin Baker better not leave any hardware out overnight.....could be a few aircraft down the next morning!

[Sparts99]

looks to me like the new runway is just about 90 degrees to the existing runway, will this cause or solve any operational difficulties, what is the maximum crosswind component of a Metoer 7 1/2? Do I know just enough to ask stupid questions?

[DavieB]

Given the exceedingly low number of flights MB actually do I guess they will just wait until the weather is favourable.

[Doughnut]

Chalgrove is the Martin Baker test flight airfield and company manufacturing base but couple of questions. Each year how many ejection tests are carried out from the Meteors and are they actually fired over the airfield, or some other test site.
The rocket sled test track is in Northern Ireland at the old Langford lodge airfield, maybe the desire to keep an active airfield at Chalgrove is connected with need to fly to other locations in the company Beech Kingair.
Indeed is manufacturing carried out in the UK. Check out their website, very interesting, but does not answer the above.

[andrewn]

As yet another airfield faces the prospect of disappearing to the greedy developers. My guess is MB arent exactly keen on vacating, hence the ridiculous plan to build literally next to an active runway. And the locals aren't too chuffed about this outline planning application, so if they kick up enough if a fuss it may still get kicked into the long grass.

[Ghost from above]

There has already been significant investment in infrastructure and manufacturing at Chalgrove. If anyone wants to try and nick something they ain't looked at what work they have carried out. Suspect a bite by a hungry guard dog will stop repeat offenders.

So unless they need the money I suspect they need the negative reactions to leave things as they are.
No ejections are carried out over the airfield.and I haven't certainly seen any. I believe these are done in Ireland to utilise the high speed cameras already over there
Had a great chat a couple of years ago with Bob the meteor pilot. Man with a great amount of knowledge on the plane and nerves of steel to watch essentially the RO punching out whilst he stays with the plane.

[Thunder]

Only 25 miles past it (as the Meteor flies)

[Pendennis]

Over the past few years the Meteor has spent time at Cazaux, not just a day trip. I suspect that is where they do a lot of flight testing.

[UKdragon]

I'm not sure whether the enthusiast magazines have featured Chalgrove recently, but I did a story for AIN in 2017 following a very interesting visit there:

https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news ... seats-test

CP