BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

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Zoom
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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by Zoom »

Unless it's been shelved there is a proposal to turn all of Dunsfold into a new village (whatever a village constitutes in terms of 1000s of houses) complete with a canal basin so it won't be a permanent home

but thanks for the heads-up I'll try to see it!

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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by parsley »

Zoom wrote:
Tue 20 Oct 2020, 5:20 pm
Unless it's been shelved there is a proposal to turn all of Dunsfold into a new village (whatever a village constitutes in terms of 1000s of houses) complete with a canal basin so it won't be a permanent home

but thanks for the heads-up I'll try to see it!
Was looking at the plans earlier. for Dunsfold Park (as the village will be called)..initial plan is for 1800 new homes to be build south of the runway line.The addition of another 800 homes is identified in local council planning policy but this would be subject to a further planning application.

There is mention in the developer's plans for an aviation museum showcasing products of Dunsfold.How a 747 fits in is a good question although the one currently there is mentions in one of the FAQ's found in the document on the following link -

https://www.dunsfoldparkmasterplan.com

Didn't find anything on it about the extra queues into Guildford during the morning rush though !

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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by Zoom »

Looking at the OS map there are less than 2 sq km between the runway and the former canal (which is slowly being restored) so not a lot of room

There's not a lot of viable land North of the airfield either because of a fairly large farm (on a hill) so I imagine the whole site will be flattened

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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by timuss »

Not great viewing potential from what i remember of the area around Dunsfold. I'd imagine trying to get a view of it coming in could be quite tricky.
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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by Zoom »

timuss wrote:
Wed 21 Oct 2020, 11:58 am
Not great viewing potential from what i remember of the area around Dunsfold. I'd imagine trying to get a view of it coming in could be quite tricky.
assuming from the East probably just by the A281 although that involves parking and walking up; I know that access to the old canal towpath there is private

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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by Zoom »

1330 tomorrow according to the latest Tweet (is that GMT or BST?)

Someone asked if it was going to do a flypast at LGW but as they (AFAIK) never flew from there I think unlikely, plus BA have already said their goodbyes

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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by cg_341 »

1430L after a flypast at Gatwick is the information I've seen from a Gatwick local.

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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by Zoom »

Ok thanks I'm half way between LGW and DFD but will go for the landing!

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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by parsley »

Zoom wrote:
Tue 20 Oct 2020, 8:14 pm
Looking at the OS map there are less than 2 sq km between the runway and the former canal (which is slowly being restored) so not a lot of room

There's not a lot of viable land North of the airfield either because of a fairly large farm (on a hill) so I imagine the whole site will be flattened
As per the map in the plan it appears everything currently north of the runway (i.e.what is now the business park) will remain in some form as it plays an important part in the plans...no doubt though some of the buildings will be "remodelled" (probably with a bulldozer) but they seem keen to retain the businesses already there.

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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by Zoom »

parsley wrote:
Wed 21 Oct 2020, 7:35 pm
Zoom wrote:
Tue 20 Oct 2020, 8:14 pm
Looking at the OS map there are less than 2 sq km between the runway and the former canal (which is slowly being restored) so not a lot of room

There's not a lot of viable land North of the airfield either because of a fairly large farm (on a hill) so I imagine the whole site will be flattened
As per the map in the plan it appears everything currently north of the runway (i.e.what is now the business park) will remain.
I've only been around the area during Wings and Wheels but there's a small flat area N of the runway which soon becomes a substantial hill with a couple of minor access roads and some farming / residential land none of which is presumably up for grabs. This is Green Belt after all you can't just build 1800 houses anywhere. As mentioned upthread a bigger worry is how those 1800 homes' residents are going to get to work / school / other as yet non existent amenities although it will doubtless get built...

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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by andygolfer »

Zoom wrote:
Wed 21 Oct 2020, 7:47 pm
I've only been around the area during Wings and Wheels but there's a small flat area N of the runway which soon becomes a substantial hill with a couple of minor access roads and some farming / residential land none of which is presumably up for grabs. This is Green Belt after all you can't just build 1800 houses anywhere. As mentioned upthread a bigger worry is how those 1800 homes' residents are going to get to work / school / other as yet non existent amenities although it will doubtless get built...
you timed that post perfectly didn't you!!!
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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by CJS »

Any idea if it's more likely to land on 07 or 25?

If 25 then it'll pass right over my parents' house about a km out so I'll give my old man the heads up.

We always used to enjoy the arrivals for wings and wheels (and the family days before that) but about half and half which runway they used.
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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by cg_341 »

Looks like it'll be 25 today. Gatwick on westerly ops at the moment.

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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by CJS »

cg_341 wrote:
Thu 22 Oct 2020, 8:29 am
Looks like it'll be 25 today. Gatwick on westerly ops at the moment.
Thanks :up:

If only he had a camera :rofl:
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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by GertrudetheMerciless »

If it’s going there to earn its keep as a movie/TV prop, then I wouldn’t read much into it having any effect on Dunsfold’s future.

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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by Zoom »

Complete chaos on the A281 with cars illegally parked all along making it very dangerous for those who parked safely elsewhere and walked to the approach :unamused:

AFAICT it came straight in not via LGW; did a low pass then went back round for a landing, awesome sight!

1st pass

Image

Landing

Image

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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

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That explains why my mum thought there were two of them, and why she ran for cover twice :hide:
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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by GeeRam »

I've heard there's a rumour floating around that the Landor scheme 747 may be going to Duxford for preservation..... :thinking:

Can't see it myself, but it will be an interesting wait and see on that one.

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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by timuss »

GeeRam wrote:
Sat 24 Oct 2020, 9:26 am
I've heard there's a rumour floating around that the Landor scheme 747 may be going to Duxford for preservation..... :thinking:

Can't see it myself, but it will be an interesting wait and see on that one.
Can't see that happening where would they put it?
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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by psquiddy »

Could it land on their short runway?
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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by GeeRam »

psquiddy wrote:
Sat 24 Oct 2020, 10:40 pm
Could it land on their short runway?
Kemble runway is only 6500ft and they've been going in there and only using about half the length of that runway to land with no weight on board and light fuel load for the short final flights, and Duxford runway is 5000ft, so don't see why a light 747 couldn't land at DX.

Look how short a landing the Negus scheme one stopped in on a wet runway at Kemble!



As said, where the hell would they put it, so I can't see it myself, but you never know.

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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by parsley »

G-CIVF flew Cardiff-Newquay this afternoon as BA9179.

P

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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by Tom105 »

psquiddy wrote:
Sat 24 Oct 2020, 10:40 pm
Could it land on their short runway?
Dunsfold is 1800m (shorter than Kemble), the aircraft stopped with runway to spare but Duxford is 1200m so 600m shorter, I cannot see it happening, if it does ill certainly be there!
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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by TheMaster »

Here we go again. Duxford runway is 1503m. That is fine to land an empty 747 as evidenced goodness knows how many times...Kemble, Rand, Cambridge etc. Im sure the M11 would be stopped for 5 mins to avoid distractions, don't know what the pcn (that's pavemement classification number) is for Duxford but doubt the sub-surface would have changed since the B52, VC10 etc.

I'd suggest a 747 can be stopped in 1000m, certainly if they wanted to wait for a day with a 10-20kt headwind. Or wait for a strong easterly, then the full 1500m is available as there is no displaced threshold at the 06 end.

Anyway do Duxford want it in the first place?

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