£7.8 Million To Extend A Runway

[pastafreak]

Its being reported that this is what was spent on the runway at Newquay Airport so that Air force One could land there.
I wonder what the locals think...DTC?...Ladyjanine?

[bednobs]

i honestly do not understand why they chose to hold it there - it seems like a completely bonkers decision to me.

[chelle7272]

Yep agree ^^^

[pastafreak]

Neither do I. While Cornwall is dependent on tourists in the summer months, it's not exactly equipped for something on this scale even if only for a few days.

[bednobs]

its not like that area is easy to get around at the best of times, plus internet can be a bit patchy!

[Togo]

Is the runway extension being removed when all this is over? I was in St Ives this week and most of the local people were more than happy with it being there. What a sight to see when the 3 Ospreys came in and landed twice in the space of an hour or so with helicopters running interference for them. I would not think that Biden landed at Newquay, and the extension and upgrades were more likely to have been for the military and security hardware flights.

[tonyav]

The US President and the First Lady, Jill Biden, arrived at Cornwall Airport Newquay shortly before 11.45pm on Wednesday.

https://www.cityam.com/uk-spends-nearly-8m-to-lengthen-newquay-runway-for-bidens-landing-at-g7-summit/

[gulliver1]

Wonder which member of the Cronie Club was awarded the Contract ?,

[calmck]

I thought the originally arrived at a US base

[Togo]

The runway at Newquay was long enough for the Presidential plane to take off and land, if he did indeed land there, before any refurbishment. However, in the words of the local Council, in its state, it could not support “the needs of the aircraft types that will be arriving.” As we drove down the A30 last Thursday we were accompanied by Police drones and other aircraft that were rehearsing the convoy accompaniment and protection that they were responsible for. The runway at Newquay was "upgraded" to allow heavy duty wings in that "some say" were bringing in radar controlled mobile missile ground to air systems. After seeing the black liveried Ospreys make two trips in the space of an hour including landings and take offs at the grounds of the Treganna Castle Hotel. I don't doubt that Airforce 1 landed there but I would not bet that Biden was aboard. Some big kit has been flown in believe me. Those Ospreys were part of the "combat" wing if the paint job tells me anything. They keep Airforce 1 as close to the President as possible at all times.

[New Judge]

The runway at Newquay airport is long enough (just shy of 9,000 feet), wide enough (300 feet) and strong enough to accommodate a Boeing 747 for both landing and take off. In fact it has one of the widest runways in the UK. Large aircraft were frequent visitors when the runway was controlled by the RAF. The RAF still has a presence on the site though no RAF aircraft operations take place. It houses a squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force and a detachment of the Royal Military Police but the runway and other operational facilities were sold to Cornwall Council in 2008.
There is in fact an abandoned former BA 747 in a state of dismemberment on the airfield and that must have landed there. A Concorde landed there at least once on an air display day. In fact President Biden first landed at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk and then flew on to Newquay some hours later. He may do something similar on his return trip as I believe the Newquay runway is not quite long enough for a fully fuelled 747 for takeoff.
The story that £8m was spent lengthening the runway is not correct. The runway length has been unaltered for many years and is still as it was when RAF Shackletons of Coastal Command (in one of which I was lucky enough to experience a five hour flight as part of a search-and-rescue operation) used the facility. Newquay airport has been subject to a number of ongoing improvements since it became a civil airport but when it was decided G7 was to be held in Cornwall £7.8m was provided to improve ground handling facilities to deal with the number of large aircraft expected. These facilities will be available for normal traffic after the conference.

[lady-janine]

You will always get unthinking people, in all places, to say how wonderful it is tohost something like this. They have given no thought to the disruption or difficulties it will present. The 'ring of steel' that has been placed round Carbis Bay and St Ives. The increase on journey times to get to work and back. Some journeys that normally take about 10/15 minutes now taking up to 2 hours due to road closures and diversions and checkpoints.

The fact that only a few weeks ago the county hospital, Royal Cornwall Hospital, was on black alert and there were messages being put out on all media asking people not to go there as ambulances were lined up outside and unable to get admittance for their patients. Now by discharging patients they, the hospital authorities, have managed to clear 70+ beds in case they are needed. There was a very mealy-mouthed reason given for this.
There was a very mealy-mouthed reason given by the Council for the fact that tress were felled and a conference centre built without planning permission. Cornwall Council usually want planning to be requested for erecting a dog kennel.

A cheering thought is the fact that there was not enough accommodation for all the security and support staff and so a certain nation decided on motor homes - the biggest and grandest ones they could find. Unfortunately they did not have any knowledge of how narrow and winding some of the roads are and they eventually had to park quite some way away and travel in.

As someone in Falmouth said the only good thing to come out of this is the fact that the potholes have been mended.

Another point is the fact is was it all necessary? If zoom is good enough to teach our children and run our businesses then it must be good enough for them. Another point is what a lot of pollution from aircraft and motorcades they have created when the general public is being encouraged to consider their carbon footprint.

[Hopkirk]

Air Force One isn't always a 747. If there was a problem with runway length, they could have used the 757.

[New Judge]

Quite so, Hoppy. AF1 is the call sign of any USAF aircraft the President is using. If he is using an aircraft from any other US service (such as the Marines) it is given the call sign (e.g.) "Marine One."

There was talk of Mr Biden travelling from Mildenhall to Newquay in a USAF tilt rotor "Osprey" aircraft (two of which were shipped to the UK for the visit) but this idea seems to have been abandoned.

[Zacs-Master]

We have Osprey fly over us here, south of York. They’re a strange beast, especially at night with the green lights on the rotor blade tips.

[New Judge]

I've never seen one, Zacs. However I have heard that they are not particularly comfortable and have a high level of cabin noise. Since they were designed principally as a troop carrier that isn't surprising but I believe at least one has been fitted out for Presidential use (and probably two since two were brought over for G7).

[Togo]

There were 3 in the air together with 2 helicopters as lead over St Ives on Wednesday late evening. They all landed and then took off to presumably Newquay, only to return 40 mins or so later to repeat the landings and take off routines. Strange thing was that one of the Ospreys looked to be playing big brother. It broke formation and let two land before doing so itself, all after the two choppers had landed. Then took off first, after the choppers, and stood off as the other 2 Ospreys took to the air and joined formation out over the bay. Tremendous sight, and the last landings and take offs were in almost darkness. They were on the ground both times, up at the Treganna Castle estate for about 15mins each time.

[MargoTester]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-57406143
Three towns to receive £65 million as a fitting legacy to G7