United Kingdom airport comments

The Royal Navy has abandoned this field, and it is scheduled to close on 14 May 2008; however, the Lee Flying Association is challenging the closure.

Jean-Paul:

You can find contact info for RAF Coningsby at their official web site:

http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafconingsby/

Dear Sirs,

On the 17th. of june I would make a flight with my PA28 (OO-JGA) from EBKT to your field, with a couple of friends who will go for Golf at Woodhall Spa. Return flight would be on the 18th. of june.

Is this possible and wich are the rules at Coningsby Airfield ?

Kind Regards.

Jean-Paul Vaes

Nopstal, 28

B 3202 Rillaar.

jp.vaes@marvel.be

Tel. 0032 479.945.944

This airport has been officially renamed to "London Ashford", which is a bit of a stretch, since it's 60 miles from Charing Cross. There are plans to expand it and bring in airline service, with lots of local opposition.

An unemployed chef managed to live in Gatwick's South Terminal for almost four years before he was finally arrested:

http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/open_thread/2008/02/grounded_at_gatwick.html

In 1989, Binbrook -- a retired RAF field -- was used for the filming of "Memphis Belle".

On Thursday 17 January 2008, British Airways flight 38, a Boeing 777 inbound from Beijing, landed short of the runway at Heathrow with its gear not fully deployed -- there's some indication that the plane had a power loss. There were only minor injuries, and the airport continued operations using its other runway. Wikipedia is already on top of the story:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Airways_Flight_BA38

In March 2008, Heathrow will be opening its new Terminal 5, with 112 stores and restaurants (designed to handle traffic at the 2012 Olympics). There's a virtual tour at the airport's web site:

http://www.heathrowairport.com/portal/site/default/menuitem.d8b3e9cee80c57c1077c4e5d9328c1a0/

Metal buried under the runways at London City airport is causing serious anomalies for magnetic compasses:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080114/sc_nm/britain_airport_magnetism_dc_1

This is where Vickers-Armstrong manufactured several of its planes, including the Vickers Viscount (I took my first flights as a baby in Viscounts and Vanguards).

Ryanair plans to base a Boeing 737 here and fly additional routes to Malaga, Murcia, Nantes, Palma and Wroclaw:

http://www.uk-airport-news.info/bournemouth-airport-news-090108.htm

best low cost airport in uk

Gatwick was the first airport I ever landed at outside of North America. It was my first time flying overseas, and we flew Wardair (a Canadian airline, sadly no longer in business). I remember the excitement of seeing the green fields of England after the long trans-Atlantic flight. When the plane landed, I started to clap, and all of the passengers joined me in spontaneous applause.

Almost 20 years ago, I remember the access to the tube to get into London was good, as was access to the south, where we were headed.

Tim Bray has a blog entry on why you should avoid Heathrow at all costs:

http://www.tbray.org/ongoing/When/200x/2007/07/03/Avoid-Heathrow