Infrastructure Work plans for Brize Norton

[johnwickenden]

I was chatting to someone "inside the wire" at Waddington this week and they told me the following.

Because of the problems with the runway surface at Brize, there are plans to completely lift the current surface and sub-surface and re-lay it. I think they said it was due to start either late next year or 2026 and will take months.

Whilst the work is happening the RAF Transport fleet will relocate to Wittering (!?). However before this can happen the runway there needs to be widened to take the aircraft.

I can see that Wittering's runway is long enough but would there be ramp space?.....and Voyagers landing over the A1?????

Does anyone else have any knowledge of this and can confirm?

[Tanker Ray]

Can't see the Voyagers bolt holing to Wittering as there is no passenger terminal or maintenance facilities there for them. I would think it more likely, that if indeed Brize is to be temporarily out of use, that the Voyagers - and perhaps the A400s and C17s would operate out of Fairford with passengers and freight brought across by road.

[thevulcan]

2026 is the correct date it's being pushed back for as long as it can. Aircraft are to be dispersed around the country. Not sure why they can't use fairford again?

[reaper493]

Some work was meant to be done this year, with A400 and C17 operating out of Waddington and the Voyagers from the Civil airports as they did last year for a few weeks. Shame it's got pushed back so far!

[Unknown74]

Would have thought either/ or both Waddington and/ or Mildenhall would be the ideal Airfields for RAF Transport Relocation in this case plus a couple of Tankers to Coningsby and/ or Lossiemouth....

[Agent K]

Would have thought either/ or both Waddington and/ or Mildenhall would be the ideal Airfields for RAF Transport Relocation in this case plus a couple of Tankers to Coningsby and/ or Lossiemouth....

Do these airfields have the space and/or equipment and/or accommodation and/or runway lengths to support such operations? and why would you split your tanker fleet up, doubling the already deployed operation and all the challenges that brings? and why would they need to be at Lossie and CBY anyway?

[airphotog19]

Lossie would probably have it for QRA duties, voyager has operated from there before

[Irish251]

2026 is the correct date it's being pushed back for as long as it can. Aircraft are to be dispersed around the country. Not sure why they can't use fairford again?

Maybe Fairford needs to be "protected" in view of the current tense international situation.

[Nighthawke]

Hardly, RIAT is about to start.

[Irish251]

Hardly, RIAT is about to start.

Sure, but that is quite time-limited in comparison to a runway rehabilitation project that will take months. If the proverbial balloon went up, RIAT would be in trouble, but I wasn't suggesting that anything is imminent anyway.

[Vulcanone]

Which Balloon... The only highly unlikely one is if Darth Putin starts lobbing ICBMs at everyone. And based on the dismal abilities, so far seen I don't think its going to happen despite all the bravado hardman C@@p he spouts...

Remember. Half the planet is helping Ukraine, less so Russia. he would need an awful lots of missiles that work.

[f-4]

Most of the work at Wittering is done. The runway has been resurfaced, new approach lights installed and the taxiways widened (the main reason the Harrier ski ramp was demolished).

[Vulture 01]

John, your opening post mentions 'runway widening'? That would be a major job and I suspect you might have got it mixed up with the taxiway widening mentioned by F4 above.

[Deramore]

Pax flights could operate out of Manchester. Most passengers are not actually heading to or from Brize but other parts of the UK. Manchester would be ideal based on domestic connectivity.

[Agent K]

Pax flights could operate out of Manchester. Most passengers are not actually heading to or from Brize but other parts of the UK. Manchester would be ideal based on domestic connectivity.

I mean, we could list all UK airports here and the fact they might have some use, however............. Surely on your premise, BHX is less than half the distance from Brize and thus closer to the operational support infrastructure and also more central too.

[Andy_99]

Can I suggest they send some to Newcastle please They do practice on a regular basis.
Maybe Teesside will put in a request after all the Mayor is always looking for new customers.

[roughcutter]

Can I suggest they send some to Newcastle please They do practice on a regular basis.
Maybe Teesside will put in a request after all the Mayor is always looking for new customers.

Nah, make it Liverpool instead. there's always A400M's dropping in there

[Stocky59]

What about Doncaster, plenty of capacity there.

[Finty]

Ha’penny green, Llanbedr and Birmingham please…

(Two of these aren’t serious)

[Nighthawke]

Back to Agent K's post above. Please can we not list every darn field in the UK. Thanks.