Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
By matspart3
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1898682
AlanM wrote:Surely this WIP is to make the airport better? The ‘mess’ is expected on any large project on an airfield that is remaining operational. It sounds like the project team and all involved are doing all that they can to keep things moving safely.


Sadly not that simple, Alan. There’s a big back story that I don’t have time to go into this evening but this project and the borrowing undertaken to fund it will cripple the business for decades, result in the permanent closure of one runway and have a direct impact on helicopter ops and overall capacity.
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By Robin Mosedale
#1898750
kanga wrote:
Robin Mosedale wrote:A bit of a mess, really. Shame. Used to be a superb airport. No wonder I moved elsewhere


.. to Coventry .. :?

and Wellesbourne.

Seriously, Gloucester has been my base since the early '90s. I wouldn't have contemplated anywhere else. Then slowly it felt there was a decline in service and facilities. Tower generally understaffed, runway maintenance/closure.
It's still a lovely place, hugely supported by on site facilities of all sorts.
However, better opportunities called elsewhere.
I'm sure that the work will result in far better facilities, long overdue, and done at the right time of year.
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By muffin
FLYER Club Member (reader)  FLYER Club Member (reader)
#1898751
A friend of mine wanted to go in there yesterday for fuel in a helicopter and when he called them he was told that they were too busy to let him in. So he had to go to Kemble instead.
By sssdu01
#1898804
Yes they are leveling the runway as it does undulate. It is a big job as this will involve building up the grass either side (this is to avoid a "cliff edge" drop off the side of the runway) .

I have probably done 600 plus landings at Staverton and only used 18/36 a handfull of times, so the loss of that runway is no big deal. Be pleased about it as there aren't many airfields that commit to expensive infrastructure plans like this
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By kanga
#1899029
Despite heavy use by resurfacing contractors' trucks all last week, the JAM car park was left in impressively clean condition in time for the museum reopening on Saturday morning. Kudos to the contractors - let's hope they stay as diligent for the next~10 weeks of works.

[Busy weekend, too: museum footfall was pretty well up to pre-pandemic level, with >300 on Sunday. I guess the HOGO ('hassle of going out', which had replaced FOMO) attitude is beginning to dissipate. The lousy weather probably helped, as the museum is free and under cover, which it makes it particularly attractive to families with children and to visitors to the area :wink: ]
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By kanga
#1899053
VRB_20kt wrote:Any possibility of weekday opening at some stage?


[if addressed to me for JAM ..]

There's no chance before resurfacing works are complete (end April at the earliest) since neither guides nor visitors would have access, nor (obviously) any airside fly-in access.

When we have a firm date for reopening, our Trustees will have to explore whether we have enough trained guides available to do more than Sat/Sun. We are all volunteers, and we lost some over the last 2 years; but we have restarted training new ones, several of whom have now completed much or all of their OJT in various roles (apart from the not yet reopened nor safely reopenable Vulcan, which it is impossible to ventilate adequately while any sort of distancing precautions remain necessary).

Before the pandemic our weekday openings were only ever:

a. for general public: PHs and (during school holidays and Gloucs school half term weeks) Wednesdays; and
b. for prearranged private group visits (community/youth groups, schools), day or evening.

I doubt we'll ever be able to do more than this, unless we can get and train a lot more volunteers (more always welcome!). A further complication is that on Fridays the Maintenance team has to get things ready for the Saturday openings (cleaning, cafe stocking, etc), for which at the moment they can get access through kindly allowed use of an adjacent factory's car park and a (normally locked) back gate to the museum curtilage. This would constrain Friday openings.
By matspart3
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1910488
Staverton reopened 09/27 briefly on Thursday and Friday, then promptly shut it again yesterday for a few days, while they resolve some snags from the resurfacing project. The lighting isn’t working, the ILS is still off too.

There’s a potential safety gotcha too. As part of the overall project, they’ve introduced several new holding points and relocated and renamed some other existing ones. Unfortunately, they haven’t published this in the AIP yet, nor will it appear in the next two AIRAC cycles. 18/36 is NOTAM’d permanently closed, but still appears on the AIP chart (and, therefore, SkyDemon)

Consequently, if you land their before July or probably August, expect some changes. They’re circulating their own copy of the new AIP chart when you book in/out, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a flurry of runway incursions….
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By Flyingfemme
#1910492
They were shepherding people around this morning - even some residents don’t seem to have been updated.
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By Kittyhawk
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1910499
There is an up to date looking AIP Aerodrome chart on the Airport Website, under Pilot Info, which seems to have 18/36 closed and the new taxiways and holds. Dated 3rd May 22.
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By Milty
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1910510
As per my other posts ref. my lesson on Friday, I was part of the problem but did not have a runway incursion. I was not familiar with the new A3 holding point (used to be A2) and went right past it (still can't believe I didn't see it as it was pretty obvious when I was turned around by the kindly and patient controller) but to the side towards the old A2 on the side of the pumps. The school was sent an email with the new AIP layout about 10 mins after I ballsed up. Not sure if they'd had it before but I wasn't briefed until ATC gave me the news of A3 when I requested taxi.

Looks nice and shiny though. The PAPI is nice and clear. as the new markings. I thought the new taxiway boards looked to be quite tall but I'm sure there are regs that have been followed.
By matspart3
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1910513
Kittyhawk wrote:
> There is an up to date looking AIP Aerodrome chart on the Airport Website,
> under Pilot Info, which seems to have 18/36 closed and the new taxiways and
> holds. Dated 3rd May 22.

Yes, that’ll be the draft version back from NATS, which will eventually appear in the AIP (then SkyDemon, RunwayHD etc.). They emailed it out to their distribution list yesterday too, but that won’t be anywhere near sufficient to capture everyone..

Normally, when you’re introducing major changes like that, you’d plan it for as close as you can to an AIRAC cycle date and NOTAM or issue a Supplement for any short term delay/overlap. When we introduced the grass runway, and the Jet Age Museum taxiway, we covered up the new signage until the AIRAC date.

Milty
It’s absolutely not your fault at all, it merely confirms my fears that the project has been badly managed…
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By kanga
#1910517
Kittyhawk wrote:
> There is an up to date looking AIP Aerodrome chart on the Airport Website,
> under Pilot Info, which seems to have 18/36 closed and the new taxiways and
> holds. Dated 3rd May 22.

Is twy R still on it ?
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By James Chan
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1910524
> Anything over 12,500lbs (5.7Mt) is not able to use the airport and the ILS is switched off while the Main runway is closed

I had wondered why it would be closed for so long, but similar resurfacing work at Gatwick takes 3 months.

I hope it goes well with Gloucester.