Waddington Open Yet

[airfixpilot]

Hi just a quick one.

Is Waddington fully operational yet, and is the runways completed. Must have been two years since work started. Also is WAVE still open, with the café?

[EGXWinfo Group]

Waddington is not fully operational yet no, the last date I heard for the runway to be finished was late November time. I believe some smaller aircraft my operate before them but that's only a rumour at this stage. There is a lot more going on than just the runway too, fully operational may take some time yet I'm afraid. However with movement at other based on the cards Waddington does have a bright and busy future ahead.

The WAVE has remained open throughout, however they are struggling a lot because of the decreased trade over a far longer period than anyone expected, this with the loss of the Airshow is of great concern and they need all the support we can give as they have clung on so far but the risk of loosing it all is very real from what I have heard. They now have seating and do cooked breakfasts too. They often update the WAVE section here with the latest prices, but please pay them a visit and help save the WAVE.

[airfixpilot]

Thanks for the information on Wave & Waddington. Hope to pay a visit soon.

[EGXWinfo Group]

No problem at all and please do. There is the Sentry Post Snackbar Facebook Group you could join if you're on Facebook, if you can't find it the links are on our site.

[Scouseian]

I was there today delivering to the AAR hangar, and the lads said there was no date yet as to when the runway will be complete, It may not even be this year. They must be having major problems

Ian

[EGXWinfo Group]

Yep, I think everyone involved has stopped asking because everytime we do the date goes back, after about 50 different dates you stop asking and disbelieve anything you are told. They have encountered lots of problems, from what I have heard they had no plans for a lot of the layers under the runway and a lot of the things that route under the runway elsewhere. So when they started digging the encountered a lot of surprised, including bombs requiring the bomb squad at least twice. So sounds like they might as well be ripping everything out and building a new runway in a minefield :-) all that while ensuring everything routing under the runway is re-routed round what is an operational base all apart from the runway. They have also had to keep sections on the runway open to light aircraft most of the time and long lengths available every so often to take in and depart heavies. So all in all its been a lot more complicated than they thought! Also it's not just the runway they are doing either, the base is going to a lot busier afterwards than it was before!

But yes, I stopped asking for updates ages ago from my contacts because everytime they think they know, something new comes along.

[BOLLO]

SNAPSHOT 2 rtb'd there today and Shadow R 1 SERPANT 54 now heading in as well.

[Freeman Lowell]

Sounds good John. We'll pop in for a cuppa and a breakfast bap when we're up your way next month.
Freeman and Mrs Kipling

[baz1]

must have a nip up as well not been up sinse last year when I dropped three plane Kits off with Johns wife thought they may be of use to someone.

[Ronny]

Do I understand it right that 5 and 14 sqn are fully back at Waddington and flying from Waddington on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday?

[Canberra TT.18]

Flying has resumed for 5 and 14 Sqns on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Hello

Still no flying on Mondays?
Just checking for a possible visit next week.

Pieter

[C24]

Sentinel landed on this morning.

[Doughnut]

Interested to see the 54sqn 100th Anniversary scheme E-3D. Made me think where is the current RAF fleet and when will Waddington be fully open ?

[baz1]

Interested to see the 54sqn 100th Anniversary scheme E-3D. Made me think where is the current RAF fleet and when will Waddington be fully open ?

I note John said November be he didn't mention which year!

[Rockstar]

Reported on local news today that the base is expected to be "fully operational by the end of the year with all four aircraft types operating from the base"

Prior to this I had heard early December mentioned as a time when all the aircraft should be moving back, but no doubt need to allow an element of flexibility in this.

[Thor]

Should be fully operational by the end of the first week of December. Don't expect to see any movements other than construction equipment being taken away between now and Nov 8th though as I'm told the airfield will be closed to fixed-wing traffic during that time. The navaids will also need recalibrating before the airfield reopens fully, so there's likely to be a calibrator droning around endlessly for a couple of days mid-month,

[C24]

Here's one prepared earlier.



http://www.51squadron.com/Main.html