Jet engines and rotor blades will mark an increase in aircraft activity at Royal Air Force Wittering in the coming days and weeks.
Royal Air Force Wittering is well known for training tomorrow’s RAF pilots in elementary flying and for teaching qualified pilots to become instructors. The Grob Tutor Aircraft has become a familiar sight in the skies of north Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire and Rutland.
A Grob Tutor landing at RAF Wittering in 2014
Image by: Cpl Paul Robertshaw
Chinook helicopters are regular visitors and the Station, with its 9000 feet of runway and wide taxiways, is suitable for many different aircraft types. In 2018 the airfield will see a noticeable increase in activity as helicopters, transport aircraft and even fast jets come to visit.
A Chinook at RAF Wittering in February 2018
Image by: Cpl Paul Robertshaw
Wing Commander Nick Maxey is Officer Commanding Operations Wing at RAF Wittering. He said: “Our airfield is an asset for Defence and it is right that we should make as much use of it as possible, but with assets like this comes responsibility and so we are reaching out to our neighbours.”
Wing Commander Maxey continued: “From now until the end of September we should expect that other Royal Air Force aircraft types will be using RAF Wittering. We can’t give out precise dates and times as plans are still being developed but fast-jets, helicopters and potentially air transport aircraft will be visiting.”
Aircraft landing at RAF Wittering
Image by: SAC Matty Smith
Grob Tutors are low-powered aircraft and fairly quiet compared to an RAF Typhoon or Chinook helicopter. Some of the coming aircraft activity will take place at low altitudes, but this will be kept to the minimum needed to achieve training objectives and confined to as small an area as possible.
Members of the public who live within five miles of RAF Wittering and wish to make a complaint about aircraft noise can call 01780 417470. If outside the five mile boundary, the number you can call is 01780 417558.
Group Captain Tony Keeling is the Station Commander at RAF Wittering. He said: “This is brilliant news, military aircraft are what an RAF Station is all about. We have a wonderful airfield here and RAF Wittering has a very proud aviation history.”
The Commanding Officer said: “Air safety is foremost in our minds of course, and I hope our neighbours will enjoy seeing different aircraft. Since this Station started flying again in 2014 our neighbours have been excellent. The people of Wittering village, Stamford, Peterborough, Collyweston and Easton on the Hill to name but a few have all been wonderfully supportive.”
