North Weald

[joe-fbs]

No existing entry for this airfield so here goes.

I visited North Weald on Sunday when exercising my right to roam during the Olympics. North Weald is on the north-east edge of London, about three miles outside the M25 and adjacent to the M11 (the main noise at NW seems to come not from the aeroplanes but from the M11). Stansted's class D is at 1500 altitude (or less than 1200 height) above the airfield and the Class G below the D is a TMZ. North Weald has a big hard runway; friendly air-ground service; a nice club house called The Squadron (seemingly popular with local motor cyclists and others) which served us an excellent breakfast; and hangers full of interesting aeroplanes. Walking around the perimeter, we found a pair of derelict C54s (I think) and in the various hangers (looking through the open dooors, I am not so rude as to walk into such places): a Catalina; a Skyraider; numerous Yaks; a Sea Fury under restoration; and more Jet Provosts than I have seen together since I visited RAF Finningley in the 1980s. Apparently, one of the shiny new hangers has more warbirds in it but was fully closed while we were there. There were lots of "ordinary" aeroplanes parked there as well so I imagine that outside the Olympics the place is buzzing.

Obviously, North Weald is a very historic place and there are still traces of it's past with pill boxes, dispersal pens and other wartime features evident. Some have been kept in reasonable shape for visitors to look in. The pre-war hangers are either gone or converted to non-aviation use but one is still visible (painted red which looks most bizarre). There is a museum and memorial in the village but that is the far side of the airfield from The Squadron so to visit you would need surface transport and time. We were constrained by Olympic flight plans so had no time.

Landing fees is only £14.40, a bargain for such an interesting and welcoming place occupying such valuable land. Incidentally, my 2012 Pooley's says there is no fee but we were told at NW that is a mistake.

I saw signs advertising Avgas and jet fuel but as we had flown only 35 miles to get there, I didn't investigate further.

[Paul_Sengupta]

There has always been a landing fee at North Weald, but it's been "optional". According to the other thread on here, it will be again once the Olympics are over. I like that system as I can come and go as I wish without having to worry about racking up the fees. In return I always try and buy lots and lots of fuel from them and am on first name terms with the refueller (his name's John! ). It means they get lots of business from us for formation training, displays, etc, in short, a home from home. The fuel isn't as cheap as some, but I view that as being in lieu of a landing fee.

Last time I went there, the optional landing fee was less than a tenner. Might be again once the Olympics are done, though not sure.

Oh, and in the shiny hangar, Peter T has a Spitfire, P40, Hurricane and Mustang. And a vintage tractor to pull them in and out.

[ROG]

Worth becoming a member of the squadron--around £140 includes free landings. ATC is always good, pleasant caff, lovely NAAFI girls of various vintage. Fuel sunday was £1.89--about 34p a litre cheaper than our home base--saving of £37 on 105 litres.Alan and staff do a great job.
NW is friendly, interesting--well worth a visit if you haven"t yet been.
The Atlas controller advised us of a lot of activity around the airport when we left. We were almost the only visitor--saw no-one then realised some large models flying at one end of field--appeared that Atlas were picking them up on radar--hope the typhoons didn"t zap them.
Thanks to Atlas controllers--wasn"t a problem, pity it put so many off flying last couple of weeks