Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
By johnm
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1910725
The "airport" mentality has taken over here and one or two other places, notably Alderney. GA airfields do not need the formality that comes with a major airport, they need flexibility and simplicity, both of which are entirely legal where small scale CAT and GA co-exist.

Gloucester now has some very decent serviceable infrastructure and the resurfacing of runways was long overdue, they were literally coming to pieces.

There is no reason why small scale CAT could not return now.

However management attitudes need to change and so do attitudes in some parts of CAA.

Anybody who has flown in and out of Wanaka knows very well that GA and CAT can co-exist on a busy airfield using Safetycom!!! The UK is a long, long way from the stated aim of avoiding gold plating on regulation and not just in aviation, it's deeply embedded in UK culture nowadays.
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By kanga
#1911664
Taxiway R and the museum apron were still not available at the weekend. The contractors will still want the use of the museum car park for airside access for their trucks during the week until at least the end of May; presumably, this is for the airside fence part of the project. The R1 holding point sign is almost buried in long grass!

The good news for the museum is that the scalpings off the resurfaced areas are now laid and reasonably level on the museum overflow car park, which should now therefore be available year round even after heavy rain.
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By kanga
#1913064
Taxiway R has clearly been mown, the unmown bits on either side tall enough to suggest a wildflower meadow :thumright: However, it is still cut off from the JAM apron by the temporary road created for the resurfacing contractors, who are still using the JAM car park for airside access next week.

I assume the availability of R will be NOTAMd, or the NOTAM - I assume there was one as R is in the AIP - closing it due WIP will be cancelled by further NOTAM. There are various special events and displays next weekend for the Jubilee, so it would b nice to be able to host fly-ins.
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By kanga
#1913658
Latest word from the resurfacing contractors is that work to complete refurbishment of the museum car park (after all the passage by their heavy trucks!) will restart next week, and that on restoring Taxiway R to the museum 'will follow'.