Longest runway in the U.K.?

On my stats thread on my forum is a list of the lengths of the main runways in the uk. For the record the runway at NEMA is the same length as that at DSA. Heathrow’s runway is the longest in the uk and infact for an airport that is claiming to be a new intercontinental airport DSA has a relatively short runway.

LOL, I never said Manston or Doncaster were long, purely that they filled a role in the space shuttle programme.

Manston? Finningley?? York??? 😮

The following are all longer:

Manchester 3048m
Stansted 3048m
Campbeltown (Macrihanish) 3049m
Boscombe Down 3212m
Gatwick 3316m
Heathrow 3902m

(Source: Aerad Europe and Middle East Supplement.)

ps… Fairford has a mere 3046m. :p

Elvington (York) has a very long runway, sadly nimbys have protested potential airport developments over the past years.

Im sure that Doncaster is the longest because it was also the emergency landing for the space shuttle!

😮 I did not know what 😮
You learn something new everday 🙂

Manston was also indeed, and was favoured because of its etra wide runway (as was, no just shoulders).

Look’s like it has been listed but never used and probably never will be….

SPACE SHUTTLE EMERGENCY LANDING SITES:

RAF Fairford, United Kingdom

http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/facility/sts-els.htm

Emergency landing sites for the Orbiter include:

RAF Fairford (UK)

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

Although it also mentions Manston on Wikpedia I would imagine Fairford would always be first choice? can’t seem to find anything concrete on NASA’s website either.

RAF Fairford is the only emergency landing site in the UK for the Shuttle :).

An author here would seem to disagree with you!

From 1989 Manston became optimistically styled as Kent International Airport, and a new terminal was officially opened that year by the Duchess of York. In view of its east/west runway alignment, and the fact it is the fourth longest in the UK, Manston has also been listed by NASA, although never used, as an emergency diversionary landing strip for the space shuttle program.

Source: Kent aviation: Roy Humphreys

Is there a list of the longest runways at UK airports, though?

Yes and my point is that LBA wasn’t suggesting it IS such a location, but instead WAS such a location, when it was an RAF base.

ah i see apologies there mate.

My point is though would you really land a shuttle at a commerical airport?? too much risk in my opinion.

Yes and my point is that LBA wasn’t suggesting it IS such a location, but instead WAS such a location, when it was an RAF base.

DSA’s only been a commercial airport for just over a year.

from the DSA website:-

Robin Hood airport started life as an RAF base (RAF Finningley) in 1936, and played an integral role during the First World War and the Cold War as a command base for bombers on the front line, and a training centre for pilots and navigators.

The 2891 metre long runway (one of the longest runways in the north of England) was resurfaced in 1989, and the airport retained its military use until 1995 when it was declared surplus to requirements by the Ministry of Defence, leading to the airport flag being lowered in 1996.

When many in the area thought that this was it for the airport, Peel Holdings PLC (who also own Liverpool John Lennon, Durham Tees Valley and Sheffield airports) bought the site in 1999, with a plan to turn it into a commercial airport.

The first commercial flight left the site in April 2005, and 1.3million passengers are projected for its opening year, including freight, long-haul, charter, scheduled, and business flights.

It is expected that passenger numbers will increase when the commercial airport is more established.

My point is though would you really land a shuttle at a commerical airport?? too much risk in my opinion.

You sure mate would they really land a damaged shuttle at a commercial airport. more likely to go fairford or that place in spain.

I think the emphasis is on the word ‘WAS’, and from memory I think LBA is correct, I’m sure in the 80’s it was designated as a shuttle emergency landing airfield. It is certainly no longer designated as such admittedly.

Im sure that Doncaster is the longest because it was also the emergency landing for the space shuttle!

RAF Fairford is the only emergency landing site in the UK for the Shuttle :).

Im sure that Doncaster is the longest because it was also the emergency landing for the space shuttle!

You sure mate would they really land a damaged shuttle at a commercial airport. more likely to go fairford or that place in spain.

Shortly after WW2 there was a plan to join Little Staughton and Bedford airfields together with a single ENORMOUSLY long runway. A quick ‘map measure’ makes it around 10,000 metres 😮

Moggy

Im sure that Doncaster is the longest because it was also the emergency landing for the space shuttle!

2893 metres

Moggy

I think Heathrow might hold that title, 09L/27R is 3901m.

Boscombe Down’s longest is 3101m

Fairford isn’t all that long in comparision to Heathrow, at 3046m which is similar to Manchester and still 600m shorter than Heathrow’s 09R/27L at 3660m.

Maston is 2752m, Prestwick 2987m, Aldergrove 2780m, Cambletown 3049m.

Figures might be out a bit.

Correct – Heathrow has the longest runway in the British Isles (not just the UK) at 12,800ft.
The point about Fairford is that the runway is 10,000 feet long but has a 1,000 foot over-run at each end making it 12,000 ft overall but still 800 ft shorter than Heathrow. This was the same at Greenham Common when the runway was in use ie 10,000ft of usable runway with an additional 1000 ft at each end in case of an over run.

Sorry 2891m