Let's move next to an aerodrome..and then start whinging because of the aeroplanes.

Opposition can not only close an aerodrome – it can also prevent one from reopening.

The airfield at RAF Driffield (East Yorkshire) closed to flying in the 1950s, but the site is still retained by the MoD (Army).

A few years ago I suggested that a small part of the site could be reopened as an all grass landing field (see attached). Since then several pilots have expressed an interest in keeping their aircraft at Driffield. One businessman even expressed an interest in establishing a flying club, while a parachute school has also expressed an interest in my proposal. Recently a paragliding club has also contacted me, while I myself would like to establish the Yorkshire Vintage Gliding Club. Now there is part of the site which isn’t used by the army, which is well suited for flying. The problem isn’t the MoD, but rather the original land owners. My understanding is that the MoD will vacate the site within seven years and the land will be handed back to the original owners, who have expressed their opinion that flying would not interest them at all.

It’s a shame that with so much interest in seeing the airfield reopen that the decision is down to one or two farms. What future awaits the historic airfield (?) : farming (most likely), wind farm (probably), gravel extraction (I wouldn’t be surprised).

I honestly believe that if you limit flying to light aircraft and gliders this interest in seeing the airfield reopen might extend to local residents. I’m constantly been inspired by other low-category / low-use airfields. For example recent pictures taken at East Kirby show what can be done with a lot of hard work and plenty of grass seed – check out the photographs in the gallery section of this forum (East Kirby).

WHY? Because it’s on prime land. Close to the CBD (never mind the fact the freeway can’t handle the traffic now, let alone in the future), exclusive (Essendon has always been ‘old money’) and a windfall that would enable all concerned to retire to the Gold Coast without any thought for the chaos and heartache they’ll leave behind. My favourite T-shirt has always been the one that says “DIE YUPPIE SCUM”. Most appropriate.

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What makes you think we want any more Victorians up here in the Sunshine State (Queensland), The place is plagued with them already – No you are welcome to keep your own brethern down there.

As for Essendon – it would be a great shame if it went, however I feel that it is a bit like Archerfield up here in Brisbane, death by a thousand cuts. I think Archerfield may be ahead a bit on the historic values with similar WW2 connections.

It started when the Commonwealth Government started down the Corporatisation route for all of the airport infrastructure, country airfields were handed over from the formed Dept of Civil Aviation (DCA) to local government, government owned corporations were set up to run the bigger airports and secondary airports (only to be subsequently sold).

Up here in Queensland because of the rapid expansion of Brisbane caused by the interstate migration (mainly Victorians) airfields such as Caboolture which were on the edge of the city are under threat.

Its a very one sided battle to oppose the closure because you have to overcome the “growth is good” syndrome. Good luck – you will need it!

Ahhh yes, silly me. Well, everything will be alright then. Can everyone please disregard this thread? :diablo:

More’s to the point, if they close the drome down and use the land for a new real estate development, what do you reckon a block of dirt that close to the CBD with a beautiful view of the city in ‘old money’ Essendon would be worth? $700,000? $800,000? Doesn’t exactly leave it open for the average punter, does it?

But Kevin Dudd (oops Rudd) just announced a federal package to make housing more affordable, so they should be dirt cheap!

Paul

not quite historic but…

I live between RAF Odiham and Salisbury Plain – Chinook turf ! – and we get NIMBY letters to the local rag etc, “i paid good money to live in a nice place but…..”

How long has Odiham been an active airfield…..? OK, a Chinook at zero feet is noisy but to say it “hurts your ears” is an overstatement surely !?

Stoughton Airport under threat

I believe that Stoughton airport (Leicester Airport) is under threat by one of champagne Charlie Browns big ideas. One of his ‘eco slums’ is to take in the site.
A typical provincial aerodrome, Leicester sees a lot of light aircraft traffic. The last time I was there was for a fly in which included a display by a visiting PRU Spitfire.
Truth be told, it probably doesn’t get the local support it needs to keep it viable. But it will be a shame to see it go.

Hi Paul,
Did you go along to the Airways Museum film night the other week? Well worthwhile. They also have an open day coming up.

They’re at Essendon. Use it or lose it, eh?

http://www.airwaysmuseum.com/

I stumbled across the Airways Museum (whatever you do, don’t call it Air Traffic Control…) by accident about 3 years ago. “Amazing” doesn’t begin to describe it: it’s an aspect of aviation I paid little heed to in the past. The folks there were exceptionally helpful when I wrote an article for the United Firefighters’ Union magazine on secondary airport fire cover.

I wrote to the “Close Essendon Airport Committee” via email a few days ago, asking the questions about the Police Airwing, the Air Ambulance, the RFDS and various flying schools, and where they thought they should relocate to. No reply yet…….

More’s to the point, if they close the drome down and use the land for a new real estate development, what do you reckon a block of dirt that close to the CBD with a beautiful view of the city in ‘old money’ Essendon would be worth? $700,000? $800,000? Doesn’t exactly leave it open for the average punter, does it?

JDK you’re right about using it or losing it, if you base it on my patronage it would be better closed. The airways museum has been on the ‘to do’ list for a while now, occasionally I call in for a look at the planes parked there and have been for a flight in the DC-3 but thats about it.

Make a note of the open day, and I’ll see you there, eh? 15th November. It’ll be well worth it, from the previous ones I’ve been to.

I’ve not yet had a go on Shortstop’s Dak, but hear her rumble over our place most Sat eves. Did get a ride in the cockpit of their Learjet though. :diablo:

I just wonder if you keep moving things like airports further away how does that serve the general population who mass near the cities, if you have to drive 3 hours just to get to the airport would it be worth it.

You mean like Geelong, sorry, Melbourne airport at Avalon?

The issue is most people use an airport maybe once a year, so it’s 363+ days of irritation to them, and most people are basically selfish and thoughtless of other’s needs.

On the topic of your Great Aunt, the museum may well have more info on the a/c.

Cheers,

JDK you’re right about using it or losing it, if you base it on my patronage it would be better closed. The airways museum has been on the ‘to do’ list for a while now, occasionally I call in for a look at the planes parked there and have been for a flight in the DC-3 but thats about it.

I just wonder if you keep moving things like airports further away how does that serve the general population who mass near the cities, if you have to drive 3 hours just to get to the airport would it be worth it.

Personally I see the councils and government rubbing their hands together thinking of all the new rate money they could be collecting!

There is a small airstrip located next to the Hume Hwy at Wallan but I see from my latest Melways that an urban developement is going to gobble that up too.

Paul

Here is a photo of a Blackburn Bluebird taken at Essendon in late 1936 or early 1937, as you can see there is not much residential development then!
…
PS The aircraft in the background is Gypsy Moth VH-UIA owned by ANA in which my great Aunt gained her pilots licence.

Hi Paul,
Did you go along to the Airways Museum film night the other week? Well worthwhile. They also have an open day coming up.

They’re at Essendon. Use it or lose it, eh?

http://www.airwaysmuseum.com/

A UK petition isn’t going to help an Australian airport. And incidentally, we can’t sign it to ‘help’ the UK anyway (not that I think many of the petitions have any point – a ‘keeps the proles quiet’ tactic if I’ve ever seen one).

When Melbourne’s new international airport opened at Tullamarine, the future of Essendon was in doubt as a result if not necessarily officially at the time. Hacing managed to carve a new niche as a lighter biz-jet based airport it’s actually surprising it’s still open; not that some want it closed. ‘No one’ actually cares how those using the airfield might carry on, Paul, they just want it out of their back yard.

After a fatal light aircraft crash the other week at Morrabbin, there were calls for training to be moved to rural Victoria by among others, the State Premier. Of course. But the spotlight moves on, hopefully.

Regards,

Here is a photo of a Blackburn Bluebird taken at Essendon in late 1936 or early 1937, as you can see there is not much residential development then!

What I don’t understand is where these people expect the aviation community to move to, Tullamarine won’t take them, Avalon is too far and Moorabbin will probably come under the same pressure now especially since that trainee pilot crashed a few weeks ago.

Paul

PS The aircraft in the background is Gypsy Moth VH-UIA owned by ANA in which my great Aunt gained her pilots licence.

When I moved to Biggin the estate agent never mentioned there was an airfield round the corner.

Should I sue them?

They’ve probably closed down now anyway…

Loacals to Birmingham and Coventry airports (and probably Halfpenny Green too) have been moaning for years – why buy a house under an airfield runway if you don’t want aeroplanes flying around – maybe they were shown the houses on a very quiet day.

I applied for details on the new housing estate adjacent to Duxford when it was being built, and was surprised that nowhere in the brochures I received did it mention that Duxford was an active airfield (surely a selling point – if I had the money I’d have bought one), although it did mention that it belonged to the Imperial War Museum. I wonder how long it will be before some moaning minnie (who viewed the house on a miserable non-flying weekday) will start complaining about the aerial activity on show days?

The comment above reminds me of when I went on one of the Dakota Farewell Flights back in May this year, Biggin Hill was our original departure point, this was ruled out by the Hypocrites at Bromley Council on the grounds of noise, the operator to their credit switched the flights to Southend and laid on a coach to take all of us there and back, while waiting to leave on the coach in the departure lounge at Biggin two biz-jets took off making far more noise than any Dakota. Money talks as usual. . . .:(
I have lived pretty close to Brands Hatch all my life and the same problem there, it has existed since 1926 but still people move in locally and try to get it closed down. Will sign that petition as it applies to racing circuits as much as airfields too. . . .

The hay bale towers constructed by the neighbouring farmer all but on the threshold at Old Buckenham are legendary.

Moggy

Are you sure they aren’t constructed to assist in landing in fog, I’m sure they must be, he can’t be that stupid, even if he is a farmer. The next time it’s foggy better light them quickly in case he’s trying to extracate his combine harvester from the rush hour traffic and can’t get there in time.

The hay bale towers constructed by the neighbouring farmer all but on the threshold at Old Buckenham are legendary.

Moggy

They make interesting viewing if you get a bit low on the approach…………

The hay bale towers constructed by the neighbouring farmer all but on the threshold at Old Buckenham are legendary.

Moggy

When I was young I lived around a mile out from the end the main runway at Southend Airport and we used to get Carvairs, Bristol freighters etc on finals literally over the house next door but one. By the time they got to the far side of the park opposite our house it felt like you could resch up and touch the aircraft. I had always been interested in aviation but the move to that house was the real catalyst that fuelled the interest.
Even in those days we had neighbours who objected to the airport. One neighbour who had been quite a vocal protestor came round with a petiton because he was convinced that all the “small aeroplanes” had been told to turn off their engine over the park when climbing out and then dive directly at his house to scare him. I did explain that what he witnessed was standard training for an engine failure on take off and that it was in his interests that pilots underwent this form of training as it meant they would be better equipped to find somewhere other than his roof to perform a forced landing if the worst did happen and that the large area of allotments behind his house was probably one of the better alternatives (along with the park) which was probably the reason why they seemed to dive at his house. He went away very annoyed but also a bit chastened and we heard no more of the petition.
There is also a lot of opposition from thise living close to Southend airport to the new expansion plans. truth is that if the anti jet lobby in the late 60s had allowed the longer runway on the site of the now disused 33/15 to go ahead we would have had a thriving airport years ago and much of the take off and landing paths would have been over comparatively unpopulated areas rather than over the densely populated areas that will have to be overflown if the new development goes ahead.
The worst anti aircraft protest I ever heard of was a more physical protest. I did hear that in the late 70’s early 80’s a new housing development was built under the approach to Panshanger. I was told that some of the early residents of the new development used to grab bricks from the building site and throw them at aircraft on finals. Just goes to show how stupid some people can be!

signed, but i am thinking of setting up a petition against petitions