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Elmdon Airport Birmingham International Airport

One for the aviation experts. The air traffic at the moment is drastically reduced, but I noticed two gliders operating to the SE. What is needed for a glider flight? Do they have to communicate with air traffic control, are there any safety measures needed to be in place for take off and landing?
 
Pedrocut said:
One for the aviation experts. The air traffic at the moment is drastically reduced, but I noticed two gliders operating to the SE. What is needed for a glider flight? Do they have to communicate with air traffic control, are there any safety measures needed to be in place for take off and landing?
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More importantly, shouldn't the pilots be at home like everyone else is supposed to be?
 
121.5 VHF Emergency FrequencyIn an emergency, a glider pilot may use the VHF Emergency Service frequency of 121.500 MHz in accordance with the United Kingdom Radiotelephony Manual (CAP 413) Chapter 8 Emergency Phraseology without having to hold Flight Radiotelephony Operators Licence

An aircraft shall not fly, take off or land in an ATZ without either; a.permission from air traffic control if the airfield has ATC; or;b.satisfactory information from the aerodrome flight information unit or from the air / ground radio station, from which the pilot may judge whether it is safe to fly within the ATZ, where the aerodrome has Aerodrome Flight Information Service (AFIS) or Air / Ground (A/G) radio
 
jagjane said:
Hi I used to go castle hills farm riding school, in the 80’s? Albert Hadley owned castle hills then, his sister lived in the adjoining residence, there was a brother Ralph? I was always curious about the building half way up the lane, opposite the hay field, never did find out, would luv to know more & see pictures of the farm in its days as a dairy farm, last I’d heard Albert had moved to Meriden? after the extension, beleive the horses moved to sanctuaries, such a shame I had many happy times there, luv to know more, & I also discovered the plane crash on the farm - there’s more information about it now
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I don't know whether you still visit this site but....

I too spent a lot of time on this land from sound 1970 to 82/3. When I was little I used to ride on Alan Hadley's land (Whar Hall Farm), which was on the Damson Lane side of the hill. I'd occasionally ride at Castle Hills with friends though.

From late 79 to late 82 I kept a horse on Ralph's land. His land was more down towards Bickenhill & used the same entrance from Coventry Road. If you came off Coventry Road & headed up the track towards Castle Hills, Albert's land was on the right & Ralph's on the left. He lived in Clock Lane, next to the pub, and we'd cut through his garden to get to Bickenhill without having to ride along Coventry Road.

On the bend around half way between Coventry Road & Castle Hills farm house, there was a ruined house & the stable yard that we used. Is that the building to which you refer? Sadly, other than small glimpses in the background of pictures of my horse I have no pictures of it, but it was pretty derelict & when I knew it the 'paint men' used the land (I think they got paint wholesale in big barrels & used to can it up to sell).

To keep this on topic, the bottom most field of Ralph's had runway lights in it, & planes would come in very low over the fields. We'd get inundated with plans spotters when something new or rare was coming in - Concorde was a big attraction.

Although much of Castle Hills land is still in tact, a lot of Ralph's had been swallowed up with the runway extension & diversion of Coventry Road, and the buildings I used to use are no longer there. Google Earth just shows a scrubby patch of land where they stood.
 
mbenne said:
Map from 1938 below. Crash was 1946.The airfield isn't shewn but by 1950s the end of the runway dissected Elmdon lane just to the right of Elmdon Farm. The Aircraft was recovered. see Hansard link on post #348

View attachment 134419
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Does anyone know anything about Hargrove Hall? That looks like it could be the location of the derelict house & stable yard I used when I kept a horse on that land.
 
Can anyone tell me anything about airships from Elmdon Airport in the 1970's? I grew up near the airport & they were a fairly common sight in the summer. You'd hear the distinctive engine sound first.

I was fascinated by them & always wanted to go in one - still would in fact. I think they were sight seeing trips from the airport.
 
There is an Airship thread with a few photos but I don't think Elmdon is mentioned .... :)

Airships over Birmingham ?

Hello everyone. For many years I have had vague recollections of an Airship such as the ill fated (RS 101 ? ) flying over Birmingham in the 1930's. This seems so real I wonder if it was true. As I'm an 'old codger' I would guess it was around 1935-36. At that time I would be living in the...
birminghamhistory.co.uk birminghamhistory.co.uk
 
The R101 was based at Cardington in a huge hanger, it was were I completed my RAF basic training in 1948, we were told if you ran round the hanger 4 times you had run a mile. Eric
 
OK, I always assumed they were from Elmdon. Must have been fairly local though, Coventry maybe? They were pretty regular, not daily, but maybe 2 or 3 a week in the summer. Enough that they weren't a novelty, more 'here comes another airship'!

They weren't advertising blimps, though I can remember the Goodyear one well.
 
Looking on the Plane Finder App there seems to be just three arrivals at Elmdon today. In the 3D app you can follow the aircraft over earth view as it lands. Here are the screen shots of the early arrival from Dublin.
 

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Pedrocut said:
Looking on the Plane Finder App there seems to be just three arrivals at Elmdon today. In the 3D app you can follow the aircraft over earth view as it lands. Here are the screen shots of the early arrival from Dublin.
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i see that FedEx p properly del my junk
 
Hi.was based near and worked at the airport. people come back off there holidays and their car battery was flat.i had to jump-start the car.
i did not mind,plenty of duty free..back then.:grinning:
 
We are under one of the main flight paths to the USofA and have heard very few planes and seen very few contrails over the past week or so, in fact the most noticeable sound recently was a prop engine plane droning merrily away, but we could not see it. I use flightradar 24 to check out what is near and it has been very quiet.
Bo
 
There is a large installation (VOR) - looks like it belongs in Star Wars - on Berry Head. Most fights pass overhead - give or take a few miles. Quiet and again lack of contrails.
 
oldMohawk said:
There is an Airship thread with a few photos but I don't think Elmdon is mentioned .... :)

Airships over Birmingham ?

Hello everyone. For many years I have had vague recollections of an Airship such as the ill fated (RS 101 ? ) flying over Birmingham in the 1930's. This seems so real I wonder if it was true. As I'm an 'old codger' I would guess it was around 1935-36. At that time I would be living in the...
birminghamhistory.co.uk birminghamhistory.co.uk
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The R101 Airship files over Birmingham in late 1929. When built it was the largest flying aircraft at 223m in length. It crashed on 5 October 1930 in France during its maiden overseas voyage, killing 48 of the 54 people on board.

R101 over Birmingham.jpg
 
Lloyd said:
The R101 Airship files over Birmingham in late 1929. When built it was the largest flying aircraft at 223m in length. It crashed on 5 October 1930 in France during its maiden overseas voyage, killing 48 of the 54 people on board.

View attachment 143635
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They just fascinate me Something majestic about them.

I remember seeing a documentary about the R101 when I was a kid. The Hindenburg too. Hasn't put me off wanting to go in one though!
 
JudiM said:
They just fascinate me Something majestic about them.
I remember seeing a documentary about the R101 when I was a kid. The Hindenburg too. Hasn't put me off wanting to go in one though!
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I would too, now that Helium is more readily available!
 
I completed my RAF basic training at Cardington where the R101 was based, it's hanger is enormous both in area and height, we used to run round it and 4 laps was a mile. Re above post #652, I do not think that's Birmingham airport, the building is more symmetrical than that, could be wrong of course. Eric
 
Thanks Neville for correcting my error, probably the photo angle made it look wrong. Incidentally the B707 was the first a/c my late Wife flew on when we went to Malta in the late 70's. Eric
 
cookie273uk said:
I completed my RAF basic training at Cardington where the R101 was based, it's hanger is enormous both in area and height, we used to run round it and 4 laps was a mile. Re above post #652, I do not think that's Birmingham airport, the building is more symmetrical than that, could be wrong of course. Eric
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When I joined the RAF in 1954, Cardington was an induction station both for those who, like me, were going to sign on as regulars and National Servicemen. The most notable person there for his National Service, at the time I was there, was Colin Cowdray (cricketer). He was, apparently :confused:, unfit for RAF service!!
My billet was opposite one of the massive hangers: what an impressive structures!
1593603346409.png

This image (or something similar) will evoke mamories for many. All ready for the weekly inspection after the famous airmen's "Bull Night". ;)
1593603438600.png
My billet was immediatly opposite the massive hangars. Awesome as they say. I learned a few things that week end, one was never to play cards for money, I saw some men loose lots.
 
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