Spirit
The
of
North Weald
The North Weald Airfield Newsletter | Issue 1 | August 2010
New grass runway extension
is now open Page 2
The Norwegians visit
North Weald Page 7
Find out more about the ‘Vodka
Formation’ on Page 5
Fire cover goes live
Page 9
Epping Forest District Council
www.eppingforestdc.gov.uk
North Weald Airfield
Why airfield bird control is important
August
Sam Read, Operations Officer responsible for Bird Control explains...
Bikefest Runway – 02/20 closed
September
Welcome to the first issue
of the new quarterly newsletter for
North Weald Airfield.
Sunday 5
Maitland Racing Runway – 02/20 closed
Sunday 12
North Weald Airfield Battle of Britain
70th Anniversary Fun Day
Sunday 19
VW Players
Darren Goodey
North Weald Airfield Manager
The grass runway 02/20 is extended
As the view of the grass taxiway is obscured by trees from
the Tower, we request that pilots remain at the Alpha 1
Hold until the Tower confirms that there is no potential
conflict in entering the grass taxiway. We will be amending
the Airfield Operations Manual in due course to reflect
these new instructions. I
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20
RUNW
AY 02
/20
UNW
AY 02
/
MAIN
y Alph
a
A1 Hold
Taxiw
a
Hold at A1
and call the
Tower before
proceeding
down the
grass
taxiway
GRAS
SR
The runway surface is very smooth, while the taxiway has
some bumps so care will be needed to taxy slowly. A range
of aircraft have already been using the new extension
including a Cessna 172, AT-3, Beech Bonanza and Peter
Teichman’s P-51D Mustang, Hurricane and Kittyhawk.
Peter is very enthusiatic about the new extension as it will
provide a big saving on tyre wear for his warbirds. Crossing
the tarmac on Taxiway Alpha on to the existing grass
runway has not been a problem for anyone.
Taxiw
ay Alp
h
a
Grass
NEW
EXTE
NSIO
N
20 Grass
Hold
20
The grass has been mown to the same width as the current
grass runway and a parallel taxiway is also available. We are
waiting for grass to grow along the edges to give a clear
demarcation and still have to put runway markers and
threshold numbers in place on the new extension.
A2 Hold
Total Runway Length:
735 metres
Runway Width:
30 metres
RU
NW
AY
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Taking into account the size of North Weald Airfield, bird
strikes are not common, however there is always a great
risk, especially with both vintage warbirds and modern-day
jets operating from the airfield.
... and is now open for use
The Airfield Ops Team has been working with our colleagues
in Grounds Maintenance to create an extension to the existing
02/20 grass runway. The new section runs from Taxiway
Alpha to the main runway threshold, providing a total of 735
metres for pilots to use.
L
We aim to report on what is happening around the
Airfield so that tenants, other airfield users and the wider
North Weald Airfield covers over three
hundred acres of open ground, mainly
grass, which is what attracts the birds
to settle. The grass is cut specifically
to eight inches to prevent the birds
settling, however depending on the
season different birds like to settle on both
the grass runway and the concrete runways,
which poses a great threat to aircraft.
T
community can gain a better understanding of the scope
of activities that the site encompasses and its history and
significance to the locality.
NOR
Our Airfield is a busy and vibrant site with many businesses
either based here or taking advantage of its facilities.
Members of the local community use different areas for
leisure pursuits and, of course, there is flying in its many
forms taking place seven days a week.
Bird Control plays a vital part in the day-to-day running of
North Weald Airfield. Having a trained Bird Control unit on
the airfield is important because of the wide variety aircraft
we have based on or visiting the airfield. It is our
responsibility to control and limit the number of
birds that enter the airfield boundary due
D CONTRO
to the large risk they have to aircraft.
IR
ELD
Sunday 15
FI
North Weald
Airfield Public Event Calendar
R
of
B
Spirit
The
We tackle Bird Control in phases. Firstly by monitoring the
areas where bird settlement takes place and modifying it so
it doesn’t appeal to them: they like short grass as it makes it
easier to feed on grubs and insects, for example. Phase Two
begins when we have identified where the birds are settling.
We then use a number of methods to control and scare
them off the airfield site. We do this by using loud speaker
systems mounted on a vehicle to project loud noises of
predator birds in order to scare the ones on the airfield.
We tend to use varied methods in order to scare and control
the birds, so they do not become familiar with the routines.
Bird control is a full time job at major civil and military
airports. However, even at less busy airfields such as North
Weald, we still take it seriously in order to maintain a safe
environment for aviation.
The main bird types we have to deal with are Rooks,
Jackdaws, Gulls, Starlings, Pigeons and Lapwings. I
John Ratnage retires as Duty Officer
We wish him all the best and
congratulate Jonathan Warner
who replaces him in that role
It is difficult being friendly and helpful all the time, but ‘Ratty’
seems to manage it! After 11 years at North Weald following
service as a firefighter, he is calling it a day. Knowing him, it will
not be long before he is back in some capacity helping around
the airfield, which he loves. The North Weald Ops Team wish
John and his wife Avril a long and happy retirement. And well
done Jonathan for being promoted to Duty Officer! I
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John and his favourite
red Land Rover!
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Back in the 1990s Eddie Yates saw a Vans RV3 aircraft at
Stapleford doing aerobatics, and was impressed. He
decided to build one himself and chose the two-seat RV6a
kit plane from the USA. This was an early version of the kit
and required a huge amount of work positioning and drilling
holes for the rivets. He started the project in 1999 and
finished it in 2004.
Eddie in the back seat of the new RV8 returning from the spinning trials
with test pilot Andy Hill
G-EDRV was painted yellow and named Fast Eddie I. In the
first year Eddie flew 120 hours in it. He sold it earlier this
year, but the aircraft is still based at North Weald.
He then saw a couple of other RV projects and liked what
he saw of the improved engineering aspects of the newer
kits – rivet holes pre-drilled for example. So, he decided to
build another one – this time a tandem seat RV8 taildragger
– which would have the best resale value.
An air-to-air shot of the RV6 during an RV formation sortie
The RV Formation Days
Every month for the past couple of years a group of Vans
RV aircraft assemble at North Weald from as far away as
Dunkeswell in Devon for a day’s formation flying. Starting in
pairs and three-ships, the pilots and their coaches practise
the basic positions within a formation and the close-in
manouevres required.
The first few sorties are rather daunting, but now the
regulars are flying in formations of up to nine aircraft and
performing complex opposition breaks when recovering to
the airfield to land.
Each sortie is preceded by a formal briefing so that
everyone is aware of what is planned and what to do if
there is a problem. Likewise after a sortie there is a debrief
to learn any lessons from the flight. Normally there is time
for two sorties to allow participants to return home at the
end of the day.
G-IGHT was started in 2006 and finished in April of 2010. It
is fully aerobatic and Eddie flew with test pilot Andy Hill in
some of the handling trials including spins. Once again the
aircraft is painted yellow and is named Fast Eddie II.
The RV formation flying is normally on a Saturday. I
By now Eddie really had the bit between his teeth and has
started his third RV project – an RV7 with side-by-side
seats, which he acquired part-built. He reckons it will take
four years to complete. It will, of course, be painted yellow!
the Light Aircraft Association, he had to complete at least
51% of each aircraft. Every stage is signed off by an LAA
inspector, before a Permit to Fly is finally issued.
On each of the aircraft Eddie has done everything himself
apart from the engines. As they are built under the aegis of
Eddie is also involved in formation flying and has started
learning aerobatics too. I
Formation flying at North Weald
A challenging and extremely satisfying form of aviation
The Yak Formation Week
Yaks are a well-known feature of the North Weald aviation
scene, and the two Formation Weeks have been held at the
airfield for many years – formerly organised by Anthony and
Samantha Hutton.
Eddie’s wife Chris assisting with the fuel
calibration tests for his new RV8, G-IGHT
The Spring week is for practising the basics of formation
flying and brushing up existing skills. The autumn week is
for the more complex art of formation aerobatics. As the
flying goes on for a week, it is more concentrated then the
RV’s formation flying, with up to four sorties a day.
Fast Eddie and
his aeroplanes
There is a social side to the week as well, with pilots and
their coaches taking part in meals every evening after the
flying has finished.
The week ends with a mass formation which flies around
the area before returning for a flypast of the airfield. The
cover photo of this issue shows the “Vodka Formation” back
in April coming in over the Gate Guardian Hurricane.
Two already in the air and he’s
now on his third project!
John the refueller at the Squadron certainly has his work cut
out filling up the aircraft after each sortie.
Although Yaks form the mainstay of the training, other
aircraft types such as Extra 300 and Cap 10s take part as
well. The throaty roar of the Vedenyev M14P engines is a
welcome sound around the airfield! I
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Norwegians remember at North Weald
One of the veterans ponders over a logbook entry
A contingent of Norwegian veterans, servicemen and
women and the drums and bugles of the King’s Guard
visited the North Weald Airfield Memorial on Thursday
13 May for a ceremony of remembrance.
Representing the Army, Navy and Air Force were officers
and conscripts doing their national service. The idea was
that they would gain an insight into the sacrifices of
previous generations of young Norwegians in World War 2.
Roger Morewood in his favourite position on the tail of a Messerschmitt
Building on the success
of last year’s Gathering
of Hurricanes &
Veterans, Kevin
Broughall, an engineer
at Weald Aviation, and
his friend Iain Arnold
decided to be more
ambitious for this year’s
Gathering of Warbirds &
Veterans held on
Sunday 25 April.
The veterans included General Møhr, who commanded 332
(Norwegian) Squadron at North Weald during the war.
The ceremony consisted of speeches and prayers followed
by a wreath laying at the Norwegian obelisk, after which
the participants had a chance to take refreshments and
visit the museum.
Preparing the Catalina engine run
British veterans were also in attendance including ground
crew who had served with the Norwegian squadrons. The
North Weald Parish Council helped to host the event.
The ceremony was part of the Norwegians’ week-long tour of
the UK, which also included an event at Windsor Castle. I
The unique Provost family line up
Despite the grey start, people were queuing before the
gates opened and, as the morning went on, the sun came
out to make a glorious day.
Putting on an event like this costs a lot of money. Even so,
several thousand pounds were donated afterwards to the
Help for Heroes charity. Well done Kevin and Iain! I
The Gathering of Warbirds & Veterans
The first aviation event of the 2010 season put North Weald
into the spotlight for enthusiasts and collectors alike
We will remember them...
Passing on an understanding of wartime sacrifices to the younger generation
North Weald RAFA Sunset Social Evening
To celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain
the North Weald Branch of the Royal Air Forces
Association (RAFA) is holding a series of summer events
at the airfield to heighten public awareness of the charity
and its work, raise money for the 2010 Battle of Britain
Wings Appeal and promote community awareness of the
historic and still very active airfield.
The first was a highly successful Sunset Social Evening,
which was held in June. More than 120 people attended
including the Chairs of Epping Forest District, North Weald
Bassett, Ongar Town councils and the Mayor of Epping Town.
They experienced what a social evening may have been like
on the airfield during that epic summer of 1940, enjoying a
drink while listening to music of the time. They also learned
about the vital part North Weald and its community played
in the Battle of Britain.
Guests finished the evening by experiencing one of the
airfiled’s glorious sunsets and a short, but very moving
ceremony featuring cadets from Epping Air Cadet Squadron
and the RAFA Standard. The Reverend Francis Drake
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Arthur Moreton
The format was similar with a static display of aeroplanes
and World War 2 aircrew were on hand to sign prints and
mementos. These included Wing Commander Roger
Morewood, a pre-war 56 Squadron pilot at North Weald,
Wing Commander Tom Neil of 249 Squadron, who flew the
original aircraft represented by the Gate Guardian and Major
Hans Ekkehard Bob, who flew for the opposition during the
Battle of Britain. Another highlight was the attendance of a
number of veterans who had served in Burma, including
Wing Commander Mahinder Singh Pujji, who was one of
the first twenty Indian pilots to join the RAF in 1940.
Kevin has worked with many of the warbird operators
and owners, and his contacts certainly came up trumps
on the day. Several Spitfires and Mustangs flew in and
there was a unique line-up of Provost aircraft – from the
original Piston Provost and Jet Provost Mark I to the
Strikemaster ground attack aircraft.
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reminded all present that today young people were still
giving their lives in the service of our country. The evening
finished with a moment of silence and remembrance. I
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Essex County Fire & Rescue Service
Fire cover is now
operational at North
Weald Airfield
Airfield Operations Duty Officer Jonathan
Warner details how it will work
Planning for a major incident – then
something happens for real!
Allan Dawson describes how Airfield procedures helped the Ops Team
deal with the recent accident on the perimeter track
Essex County Fire & Rescue Service
Dealing with an aircraft accident involves a precise balance
between training and emotional management – it is
upsetting and adrenalin charging at the same time and can
bring out the best and worst in us simultaneously. The nature
of the work we do in Ops carries with it a professional
responsibility to be the first to act to the very best of our
ability. The only way to achieve this is with effective
procedures, regular training and effective teamwork.
In May we were put to the test when an aircraft lost
control and collided with a motorcar. As “Officer on
Watch” in the control tower it was my responsibility to
ensure that all the procedures were carried out and
everyone in the team was mobilised. We dispatched our
team to secure the site, ensure any casualties were safe
and fires controlled. The emergency services were
alerted, followed by the Air Accident Investigation Branch,
management and media. Communication within the
team was crucial to ensure everybody was aware of
new developments.
The training and procedures proved to be very effective.
The extended team all demonstrated professionalism
and great care bringing this emergency to a swift and
safe conclusion. We learned a few things too – we were
surprised that some of the team players had been the
victims themselves and trained bystanders who were
first on the scene.
The “care” element goes much further than the “checklist”
– we contacted all the airports with traffic about to depart to
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Fire cover was something we always wanted at North
Weald, but which took great effort to achieve. We have
finally reached a point where the whole team is pulling in
the right direction, and therefore I am pleased to announce
fire cover went live on Monday 16 August 2010. Quite a
momentous occasion, and one in which the Operations
Team should feel proud. All staff have contributed in order
to make it happen, and there has also been support from
various people around the airfield and within the Council,
who deserve a big pat on the back, so I want to say
“thanks” to all concerned.
Fire cover commences each day at 08:30 local time, and will
provide Initial Emergency Response (IER) to aviation incidents.
The cover will end each day at 19:00 local, or sunset plus 30
(whichever is sooner.) There is still some work to be done,
including amendments to the AOM so please bear with us and
watch out for those. The fire crew will continue to do the odd
jobs around the airfield, but added are some important aviation
duties. There will be regular Bird Control runs using specialised
equipment onboard, also FOD patrols and generally a better
presence live side in order to promote aviation safety. Please
bear in mind that “Fire 1” is designed specifically to be first
response to aviation incidents and not to put out car fires, chip
Aircraft systems data sheets are carried in the fire truck
pan accidents, BBQ
problems, and so forth.
Current equipment on
board the truck only
covers that which is
needed in an aircraft
emergency, and
therefore we ask
everyone on the airfield to remain vigilant and check and
maintain their own extinguishers and smoke detectors. Anyone
seeing a fire on the airfield (aircraft related or not) is urged to
call 999 straight away, and inform Airfield Operations so that
we can help isolate the area and escort the emergency
vehicles quickly. Also remember that “Fire 1” is manned by
trained staff that can provide first aid response. We are willing
and able to respond to any “first aid” incident on the airfield,
and carry emergency defibrillator equipment if needed.
Here’s hoping we never need to respond to anything! I
Ops Officers on fire training.
us to inform the pilots not to depart, and we also set up an
arrangement with Stapleford and Southend airfields to
prepare to receive any diverted traffic. We also took time to
contact each of the team members individually using their
personal phones to check that they were coping with the
emotional strain and provide support. I
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The early years
North Weald was set up as
landing ground for the Home
Defence of London in WW1
North Weald Bassett formed one of a group of
landing grounds guarding the northern approaches
to London. This group consisted of Hainault Farm
at Chadwell Heath, North Weald and Sutton’s
Farm (later to become RAF Hornchurch) – all
becoming operational during 1916.
The Bristol Fighter preserved at Duxford served
with 39 Squadron at North Weald in 1918
Each Landing Ground housed a flight from 39
(Home Defence) Squadron, 49 Wing,
The former North Weald WW1 aircraft shed now
at Moreton
RFC, which was initially equipped with
BE2s and BE12s.
The first success for a North Weald
pilot was on 1 October 1916, when
2nd Lt Tempest downed Zeppelin L31
over Potters Bar, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order.
In May 1917 the three flights were concentrated at North Weald and the squadron
re-equipped with the more capable Bristol Fighter. One of these flown by Lt Arkell,
with Air Mechanic Stagg as gunner, shot down a Gotha over East Ham a year later.
A BE2 nightfighter
sends a Zeppelin to
destruction
From 1919 to 1926 the airfield remained under care and maintenance, then
two new hangars were built as part of the expansion scheme to create a fullscale RAF fighter station.
Hainault Farm returned to agriculture, but the hangars are still used as
warehouses. Other buildings were only demolished fairly recently. The RAF
Hornchurch site is now a housing estate.
One of North Weald’s aircraft sheds still survives
at Moreton near Ongar, but the site is
due for redevelopment and the
building’s future is now in
some doubt. I
Structural steel specialists since 1972
Becro Engineering was founded in 1972 and its core
service is that of providing primary steel and secondary
steelworks to a variety of civil engineering and industrial
projects. Its investment programme for Hangar 1 will, over
time, provide a technologically-advanced manufacturing
facility delivering 10,000 tonnes of fabricated and finished
steelwork per annum.
Arthur Moreton Collection
Covering 136 acres, the North Weald
Landing Ground had maximum landing
dimensions of 900 x 850 yards.
Hangar 1 – Becro Engineering
Complex structures, heavy refurbishment and logistically
challenging projects remain the company’s forte due to the
combined skills of its designers, planners, draughtsmen,
fabricators and erectors, who are all fully trained and qualified.
The steelwork structures they make can be up to 1500 tonnes
and the Highways Agency has given permission for abnormal
load movements from the Airfield. This will support Becro’s
future goal of providing heavy bridge work and wind turbines.
The company has worked on projects for the Savoy Hotel,
the London Boroughs of Waltham Forest, Barking and
Hertfordshire schools, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s and
Lloyds TSB. It has also achieved ‘Approved Specialist’
and/or ‘Supply Chain’ status along with many blue chip
companies such as Balfour Beatty Group, Wates Group,
Sir Robert MacAlpine and Asda. I
Hangar 1 history
The only remaining original
wartime hangar on the airfield
Readily recognisable by its red colour, Hangar 1 was
erected in 1926. It was badly damaged in August and
September 1940 in raids on the airfield during the
Battle of Britain. The shrapnel damage is still visible as
gouges and patches on the armoured doors. I
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The Air Britain Fly-in weekend 2010
The two day event that showcases aircraft with significant
anniversaries – this year the Cessna 120/140, Ercoupe, Piper
PA22 Colt and Boeing Stearman were featured
Izindi Van Sittert and Roderick Morton, Alistair Allen and Ian Cooper, Neil Cooper’s father and race navigator
Air Racing is a North Weald speciality!
And our pilots are really very good!
Roderick and Izindi with the King’s Cup and other trophies won this year.
North Weald Airfield is unique for its links with Air Racing.
There are more air race pilots based here than anywhere else
in the country. Not only that – they are very successful too!
Roderick Morton (T67 Firefly G-KONG) won the prestigious
King’s Cup on Sunday 15 August, the Steward’s Cup the
previous day and the City Livery Trophy at an earlier racing
weekend. Craig Beevers and Alistair Allen are both British Air
Racing Champions, Neil Cooper (Bulldog G-JWCM) has won
both the King’s Cup and Schneider Trophy, Dan Pangbourne
(AA5 G-TGER) has also had considerable success. The proof
is in the picture above, taken at the end of last season.
Over the past few years, North Weald has provided the venue
for the annual Royal Aero Club Air Race School run by Roger
Hayes, whose Skysport UK aircraft are based at North Weald
and Kemble in Gloucestershire. Roger is also unique in
winning the King’s Cup a record four times.
Other pilots from North Weald are also involved in race
navigating and ground marshalling on the turning points.
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This year’s fly-in had an American theme and celebrated
the 75th anniversary of the Boeing Stearman, the 70th of
the Ercoupe, the 60th of the Cessna 120/140 and the 50th
of the Piper PA22 Colt.
Race weekends take place all over the UK, in France,
Spain and Alderney in the Channel Islands. The famous
Schneider Trophy race is based at Bembridge on the Isle
of Wight and is flown over the Solent. Last year, North
Weald pilots came first, second and third – Neil Cooper,
Roger Hayes and Craig Beevers.
Air Britain was established back in 1948. It publishes a
quarterly magazine Aviation World for its membership.
The organisation promotes education in aviation subjects;
advances public knowledge of aviation in all its forms;
publishes such information in the form of books and
magazines; records current events on the principle that
today’s news is tomorrow’s history and will be valuable
for researchers and historians in the future and supports
museums and associations involved in the preservation
of historical aircraft and records.
Air Britain runs its own bookstall selling a comprehensive
range of publications on many different aircraft types.
Diecast models, books and other aviation memorabilia were
also on sale in a large marquee for traders.
Aircraft have to be able to do at least 100mph to race, and
the slowest competitor, an Auster, has won the Championship
in the past. The secret is consistency. As the races are
handicapped, there is something like a 30 minute starting
time differential between the slowest and fastest aircraft over
the course of around 100 nautical miles. I
The Air-Britain American Classics Fly-In aimed to bring aviation
enthusiasts, historians, pilots and anyone interested in aviation
together in a relaxed atmosphere to share experiences and
enjoy an aviation environment. It also provided aviation
enthusiasts with the opportunity to appreciate, photograph
and talk with the operators of the aircraft.
On Saturday evening there was the traditional fish and chip
supper in the Squadron. The team of marshallers and
fuellers worked very hard to keep things running smoothly,
and the radio in the control tower was run for the weekend
by Flight Information Service Officers instead of the normal
Air/Ground Operators. I
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The fly-in was also open to aircraft of all types to attend
over the weekend. The featured aircraft marques had
their own areas for parking to allow enthusiasts to take
a closer look.
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Regular leisure activities on the Airfield
Epping Archers
The Epping Archers club was established in 1973 and has
managed to remain active in the Epping/Harlow area of
Essex for more than 35 years.
weekly at North Weald on Tuesdays and in Harlow on
Mondays. Two qualified club coaches supervise the juniors.
In October 2007, the club was the fourth archery club to
achieve archery-specific Club Mark status. This is an
initiative by Sport England to provide a cross-sport quality
accreditation scheme for clubs with junior sections.
The outdoor shooting range is at North Weald Airfield and is
situated in a newly-fenced area adjacent to the control
tower. The archers hold their outdoor competitions on
Sunday mornings during the summer. They are able to
shoot there throughout the year and a few hardy souls
continue to use it on fine days during the winter.
The requirement is for clubs to comply with minimum
operating standards in four areas: the playing or participation
programme; duty of care and child protection; sports equity
and ethics; club management.
The Epping Archers run regular beginners courses for new
members and also have a thriving Junior Club that meets
For more information on the Epping Archers visit their website
at http://www.eppingarchers.org.uk/ I
Wings & Wheels – a very hot and busy
weekend for North Weald Airfield
The biggest event
held annually on the
airfield, Wings &
Wheels takes a week
to set up and mark
out the ground areas.
As the first day of the
event also coincides with the regular Saturday Market,
special traffic measures have to be worked out and put in
place to minimise disruption.
Cycling on Tuesday evenings
The League International Cycling (TLI) is a non profit-making
organisation run entirely by unpaid volunteers, who give up
their own free time to provide a programme of events all
around the country.
The emphasis is firmly on providing racing for riders who
due to lack of experience, lesser ability, age, or lack of
training time were not catered for by other organisations.
This year’s event was blessed with perfect weather, which
made things much more comfortable for those who chose
to camp on the airfield over the weekend.
TLI Cycling holds weekly cycle races around the airfield
on Tuesday evenings from May to August after aviation
activities have finished for the day. I
As always, there was a mixture of model aircraft using the
main runway, radio-controlled ships and boats on the
specially erected pool and vehicles too, including tanks and
trucks and off-road cars. Many of the youngsters enjoyed
meeting the Daleks, which were patrolling the area.
As well as the models themselves, there were many trade
stands for enthusiasts to buy new models and parts.
Of course, once the show is over everything has to be taken
down again. Members of the public probably have no idea
the amount of organisation required to put on an event like
this, and it never gets any easier! I
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T H E
S P I R I T
O F
N O R T H
W E A L D
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I S S U E
1
15
The Squadron &
North Weald Flying
Services
At the heart of GA
flying on the Airfield
For both the visiting public and visiting aircraft the heart of
the airfield is The Squadron, with its nostalgic 1940 period
buildings that are full of memorabilia and pictures.
standards possible under European rulings, and to
complete the picture also retails fuel.
A contemporary NAAFI style restaurant and Bar offer a
wide range of food and at weekends the Bar offers the
opportunity to relax and watch the aeroplanes come and go,
and with such a varied selection of based aircraft at North
Weald you never know what you will see next.
On a social side The Squadron holds regular Fly-in
events that encourage other pilots to visit to North
Weald and has regular guest speaker nights on
Wednesday evenings, although naturally these are
tailored more towards aviation matters than other
more general subjects.
For the pilot The Squadron offers Flight Planning facilities
and can arrange for both Customs and Immigration
clearances. The Squadron also has its own Engineering
section with five full time aircraft engineers that service
and repair the aircraft and is approved to the highest
Visitors to The Squadron are always welcome, so why not
pop over one weekend and soak up the atmosphere that
is North Weald Airfield, a remarkable time capsule
honouring our gallant history and the sacrifices made
from this famous Battle of Britain Airfield. I
Swing to the music of the 1940s with
The Hummingbirds
on Saturday 16 October 2010 from 8pm
Tickets £9.50 from The Squadron
Telephone 01992 524510 for details
The Spirit of North Weald Newsletter is produced by the North Weald Airfield
Operations Team and distributed free of charge to Airfield tenants and users
and the local community.
Editor: Trevor Jago, Operations Officer NWA. Telephone 01992 564200
Printed by DS Print, Enfield. Telephone 020 8805 9585