Vampire tears up Halfpenny Green runway

Suspect that runway hadn't been resurfaced in a long while.

 

so who does the bill to resurface the runway go to ? i have never seen that before, where the exhaust lifts the surface, does Halfpenny green have more then one runway?

 

An aerial view shows three runways, 04/22 with two big white crosses at the 22 end so suspect that may not be in use, at least as far as 22 is concerned, 16/34 and 10/28. There must be an airfield guide somewhere with information for pilots regarding runways in use.

Edit : seems all runways are operational but 04/22 has some restrictions at present.

 

Makes landing again a tad tricky................

(yes yes for the pedants among you I know you have fuel and flight plan for an alternate........... or at least you should have!)

 

Not so sure about that according to this. http://www.ead.eurocontrol.int/eadb.../NON_AIRAC/EG_AD_2_EGBO_2-1_en_2017-03-30.pdf
I get the impression though that 16/34 is the main runaway as that's the one with all the fancy bi-directional lighting.

 

Reiterating my earlier edited post, 16/34 has bidirectional lighting so I suspect that's the main runway. According to the airport website, 04/22 can be used by aircraft allowed to operate from unlicensed aerodromes http://www.wolverhamptonairport.co.uk/2017/01/runway-0422-back-service/ but no mention of the status of 10/28.

 

I suspect you have never seen Mechanical Runway De-icers (MRDs) in action. These consisted of Derwent jet engines mounted on a frame and attached to a 2,500/3,000 gallon refuelling bowser which was supposed to push the rig forwards. When they were powered up, they were used to blow snow and ice away from the taxiways and runways. They also blew away chunks of concrete and tarmac plus any ground equipment/pan lights/any other airfield equipment which wasn't nailed down. Some poor so n' so (usually a sootie) sat in a cab located between the engines and operated the throttles - over-enthusiastic application of power often meant that the whole rig slid backwards on the ice it had just tried to melt! Sensible folks kept well away from these beasts when they were being operated - there were rumours of the bowser driver and the rig operator being given the last rites before they started the engines.

This picture gives an idea of what the MRD's looked like except the RAF's MRD's had two jet engines on each rig.

 

In the early 1960s, the Fire Research Station at Borehamwood (which I joined in 1969) had tried out using a jet engine to produce large volumes of inert gases (ie the oxygen level is too low to support combustion) to flood large volume buildings to extinguish fires, and for producing foam for aircraft crash fire-fighting ('Turfogen'). I understand that the trials were eventually halted due to various practical problems, including a propensity for the jet engine itself to catch fire.........

John Webb

 

Sid Weighell's autobiography includes a story about a jet engine being used for railway snow clearance in the north east. I believe it cost more in rails than it saved in snow clearance.

 

This contraption was parked up in the sidings at Cresson, Pennsylvania, a few years back. At least the jet engine looks a bit more manageable than the Derwents pictured above.....



Getting back to aircraft, I went to one of the Bruntingthorpe jet events a few years back, and the Victor based there managed to dislodge several sections of tarmac from the joins between the concrete runway surface and send them flying - some towards the crowd line!

 

Have the cowboy tarmacing gangs been busy recently?

 

We shouldn't forget the unique 1960's Hawker Snowblower, now exhibited at Brooklands museum: https://www.brooklandsmuseum.com/explore/our-collection/airfield-vehicles/hawker-snowblower

more pics: https://www.flickr.com/photos/144507231@N07/albums/72157673939952035/page3

 

These snowblowers are mainly used in yards I believe. Good at clearing ice and snow from switches.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/tec...a19051/jet-engine-snow-blowers-demolish-snow/

 

i know a few guys who do tarmac like that.....

and fascia and soffit

 

seems a good excuse to play

 

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/british-jet-snow-plough