Royal Air Force Voyager tankers are operating from Glasgow Prestwick Airport and London Stansted Airport as a precautionary measure due to the heat.
A number of Voyager tanker aircraft had to be diverted to commercial airports yesterday due to the extreme heat at their home base of RAF Brize Norton.
The reason for the heat is simple, the UK is in the grip of an unprecedented heat wave.
UPDATE: Voyager aircraft are also operating out of London Stansted Airport.
Voyager tanker aircraft are also operating out of Stansted Airport. pic.twitter.com/vOHH2mBEjK
— George Allison (@geoallison) July 19, 2022
A Royal Air Force statement read:
“During this period of extreme temperature flight safety remains the RAF’s top priority, so aircraft are using alternative airfields in line with a long-established plan. This means there is no impact on RAF operations.”
What happened?
The RAF earlier halted flights in and out of its biggest airbase after the runway reportedly “melted” on a day of extremely hot weather, but that isn’t entirely accurate.
With RAF Brize Norton out of action, tankers normally based there are currently heading to Glasgow Prestwick Airport to land. pic.twitter.com/xNRhwR1yUW
— UK Defence Journal (@UKDefJournal) July 18, 2022
A source told me that the runway hasn’t melted:
“Hi George, I just wanted to offer a little correction as there appears to be some misinformation. The runway itself has not ‘melted’ as is being reported (as far as all of us on station have been told) rather, the decision to disperse assets of the AMF appears to be an attempt to avoid a repeat incident of what happened to ZZ336 last year.”
What happened last year?
RAF Brize Norton’s runway was closed while repairs necessitated by “recent extreme hot weather” were carried out. It came after a Royal Air Force Voyager’s (aircraft ZZ336) wheel was damaged when its tyre picked up melted tar from the Oxfordshire station’s runway.
RAF Brize Norton is the largest station in the RAF with about 5,800 personnel, 1,200 contractors and 300 civilian staff.
Great stuff. RAF are working hard as ever.
I saw boris was up in a typhoon doing a refuel from the VIP voyager. Lucky him.
You couldn’t write it could you. Boris joy riding a typhoon to avoid joining the cobra committee meeting because of the heat wave.
Although yeah lucky him.
What exactly can the govt do about a bloody heat wave? If people haven’t got the gumption to look after themselves you can’t blame the govt can you🙄 I suppose they will have to hold everyone’s hands to protect them from the thunder and lightning next! Poor souls😡
A lot actually, they can coordinate stuff like water company supplies, NHS readiness, rail services, impact on other public services etc etc. Looking at contingency measures against fires etc impacting europe. This is the first ever temp related national emergency, plans need to be dusted off etc. An emergency cobra meeting was called for a reason, which is meant to always include the PM. He also skipped most of the covid ones. Luckily soon gone. In the end the PM is the head of the government and public sector organisations. Their job is to be seen to be leading and… Read more »
Yeah, at least he’ll be gone soon. I’m not even a Tory, but at least the current candidates can answer questions on the debate shows and turn up to meetings. I remember watching Boris at the last general election, completely insufferable avoiding every single question. Any of the current candidates would be better than him.
By the time any coordinated plans would be in place it will be 10c cooler and raining.
Ah you mean the job of the people who actually run these services etc! My parents are both in their 90s guess what they know not to go outside and sit in the sun and keep hydrated. This country now seems to want everyone else to do their thinking for them.
I see your posts are being removed as sad, abusive and handbag cry baby posts no longer allowed!
LOL.
Steve wrote: This is the first ever temp related national emergency, Actually it isnt, yes I know the media have been banging their drum regards the hottest its ever been, but actually the recording metric they are using only came into being last year. (Which is why they can claim the highest ever recorded temp based on this new standard) The current heat wave is set for 3 days, (ends tonight) in 1976 we have 16 days of continuious 30 degrees plus, which included 15 continious days of 32 degrees , we had stand pipes on the streets,reservoirs ran out… Read more »
Putting aside that it was hotter than any of them today here, I was talking about declared national emergency, which I understand it’s the first. For sure the country isn’t going to fall apart over a couple of days being hot, but if you declare a national emergency you should take it seriously.
Stand by for me me me Tory from greg😂
Bravo as usual.
I predict yawning silence rather than any suitable repose.
Truth Hurts funny i saw the forecast and i said to myself. hey i will work from home and not travel. and used my common sense. didn’t need someone in No10 to tell me. i am a grown up. and i can THINK FOR MYSELF.
As usual Farouk , wise words and council from you. I’m originally from South Africa, folk there have been able to deal with 40 degree summers for the last 10 to 20 thousand years. I’m in New Zealand now, so feel free to send some that summer heat this way please!
It’s refreshing isn’t it mate. If F went into politics he’d get my vote for the rest of my days.
ditto – big time!
Geez. Take a writing night class at a college.
I can’t get through that mess you call writing.
I’ll give you this advice though: you write as one stream of thought, without any breaks for consideration.
And it is the style of a certain type of person, who is often very selfish and lacking in empathy.
It’s also why we have government department secretarys and minister’s. Let them do their jobs.
Absolutely right
I don’t think that is true Steve, I believe they do not ALWAYS have to include the PM.
It depends on the issue. The HS, FCS, FS, HS, DS, heads of the intelligence services, military, or Com of the Met can all attend or and in the case of the ministers, lead.
Not sure, but let’s face it which is more important, chairing a committee during a decared national emergency or a photo op when you have been forced out of power for not taking the job seriously and so are no longer in campaigning mode.
Doing what is necessary.
Rather that than doing something for the sake of it.
How come a cobra has even been called if he wasn’t taking it seriously?
It’s what ministers have briefings for.
Do I think he could have attended, yes.
Did he NEED to. No.
Another point, central government, it’s ministries, intelligence, military, they all have VTC, you do not have to be physically present. 😏
And clearly neither did the PM.
I will await a time when a Labour PM skips a COBRA and remind you.
A PM who has be kicked out, If you get sacked and i would guess it happens alot. would you work hard for a back stabbing bunch or would you be on the beach. they didnt want him last week.
Exactly. He’s in effect sticking two fingers up. They’d find a fault somewhere if he actually attended!
I think the concern here is if we feel politicians should be ‘seen’ to do something, even if not needed. I think we are all adults here, why ask for additional theatre?
That’s correct, the PM doesn’t always attend Cobra meetings, it depends on whether his attendance is relevant. Similarly the meetings are chaired by the relevant minister.
Absolutely correct Dan
I go back to cobra was called, which means the central government believed it could be needed, and the PM goes for a photo op. That’s just not leadership.
Whoever we get next we need a leader that leads. The miltiary for sure does, as without it cuts will just continue.
In fact it’s COBA, not COBRA, that was just tabloid shit as it sounds more meatier and cool!
COBR mate, COBR! Cabinet Office Breifing Room.
It may have been in the Cabinet Office Briefing Room “A” hence the A.
Agree COBRA is the press which has stuck.
A single photo only has been released of the inside.
My informed guess is that it’s actually a room within or near to PINDAR, the DCMC under the MoD.
Thanks mate, I knew it was similar but not COBRA, always rely on you to square us posters with spot on info! Cheers mate!
😆👍
I believe it’s in the Cabinet Office building in Whitehall. I’m not sure if the photo was officially released, it was featured in a blog by Dominic Cummings in which he was criticising the lack of IT facilities.
Yes, that is the general belief. Not always mine, as the room in the photo I have seen looks very similar to the room within PINDAR which was filmed when Kosovo was on, 98 time frame, and DS Robertson was taking meetings there. Yes, there are also photos published of “the door” in the Cabinet office beyond which COBRA meetings are said to take place. Whether they do or not, who knows. Maybe there are two rooms, depending on threat level? The Cabinet Office location is said to be a “Silent room” regards its construction, eavesdropping, bugs, and what can… Read more »
I’m afraid I don’t have a link to Cummings blog post, he’s not a great blogger – he posts infrequently and they tend to be the length of a doctoral thesis. Suffice to say it was what movies tend to show, a long meeting table with a bank of screens on the wall at the far end. DCs gripes ranged from lack of networking facilities for laptops, which meant attendees could only access data saved locally, through to lack of dynamic data-mining (much government data is siloed and disconnected) through to the lack of VR for data visualisation. COBRA is… Read more »
Yes, that’s my understanding too. PINDAR s actual name is DCMC. Defence Crisis Management Centre. In war parts of the DCMO would be allocated to it, as well as Northwood and possibly other places. It is manned 24/7 by a surprising number of staff for a “standby facility” I also think it is more on the military/MoD side than the civil side regards control ( unless it’s used on certain occasions for COBR meetings too as I suggested.) I think it has another vital function within it too that used to be on the 5th floor and thus highly vulnerable… Read more »
I was lucky, I had an informal tour of the Cabinet Office around 17 or so years ago by a friend who was working there. Security is noticeably tighter there these days.
I think I’ve seen it advertised as being included in the annual Open House weekend, though like Downing Street it’s probably so popular that you have to go through a ballot to get a tour place.
Well said Steve.
To be fair, Cobra meetings are not always attended by the PM (though they are there more often than not), the specific ministers required are the key individuals, and often merely follow the advise of their advisors and Civil Service, within pre-agreed contingency planning.
Good on him I say. I think more politicians should be taken for a ride in a Typhoon to highlight its amazing capabilities, and given a better understanding of the professionalism of the pilots and engineers who fly and maintain these amazing aircraft. Especially when politicians are the ones who decide if we send these assets to war. Boris’s trip was probably penned in months ago at the invite of the RAF.
Bash Boris again. No matter what he does.
If a Labour PM was absent, which probably happened plenty of times 97 to 2010, we’d have yawning silence.
He has ministers, they attend if they need to.
The usual knockers I suspect don’t get how machinery of government actually works and why it’s not always necessary for the PM to attend.
And he’s certainly not going to if he does not need to, just to please the press pack and the wolves at the door.
He doesn’t even have the highest security clearance FFS, he’s a figurehead.
Exactly mate. Some people are just Tory haters full stop, and think the red team are all angels in waiting 😇. 😄
Im actually surprised Starmer has not called for a heat vaccine for the nation yet, he must have a huge team that stay up all night to decide what he can moan about in the coming day.
Captain Hindsight. We’d have still been in lock down long after BJ lifted things last July.
Reckless, is what Starmer called it.
Being in opposition is SO easy.
Yep, because they don’t have to take any real responsibility for what comes out of there cake holes
Ah! Bravo.
Maybe i would understand what a COBRA meeting is rather than assume. PM doesn’t need to be in the meeting. senior Ministers would be in attendance. but i guess you were where when that invite was sent.
and imagine if Bojo decided that he was going to give everyone a sun hat and ice cream.
it would be snowing by the time it arrived.
Juvenile political name calling seems to be the basis of all your posts.
Bit of a recurring theme to your posts mate perhaps you should ask labour to give you a life👍
Vile lefty tw#t, you have just proved my point
Wow every posts confirms my previous comment about education not being your priority! Your lips flap, your gums bump and all I see is a chip on your shoulder and tears!
Well for a guy with supposedly a science degree that seems to be all he’s capable of.
Degree? Special needs more like. My wife could try and find him a job.
Thought this was for military and related issues not having a pop at people for their political beliefs??
Stand by stand by……yaaaaaaawn!
I had this twat removed on the other thread, though your retort about cigarettes and razle had me in stitches mate!
Thanks mate but I know I should ignore them, but a lifetime of reality makes it hard lol 👍😂!
Don’t ever change mate. Respect.
Are you sure Boris wasn’t just up in a simulator somewhere? Was he in a two seater Typhoon as I can’t say I’ve actually seen one of these in RAF colours? Can you imagine Boris in the pilots seat going solo?
The RAF does operate Two Seat Typhoons, not many currently though as around 12 – 14 went down the RTP route.
The “correction” seems to confirm that the runway tarmac DID melt so they took pre-emptive action to prevent damage to aircraft as happened last year, which is sensible. It does however raise the question of why nothing was done after last year’s incident to prevent it from happening again.
With the solution being new surfaces having to be laid in the affected sections ,and the disruption that would bring,maybe the cost vs benefit sums didn’t add up for an event that only impacts for a few days a year at most, also with the dispersal plan as insurance its just not worth it.
The first choice dispersal airfield, not too far from Brize, couldn’t be used as it’s had a few hundred departures and a fairground and marquees, etc on it on Monday and Tuesday.
I believe RAF Fairford would have been the first choice any other fortnight.
I can understand Prestwick airport but surely Stansted is having the same challenge as Brize Norton
I would guess Stansted airport is better maintained, as it finacially has a lot of interest in keeping the run ways open.
The RAF however probably cut corners on maintainance to put the money else where, which is understandable.
Luton airport closed!
Stansteds runway is grooved asphalt rated pavement classification number or PCN 117/F/D/W/T Brize Norton is 81/F/B/W/T 1st letter F=flexible is asphalt R=Rigid for concrete 2nd letter is substrate strength A-D (different scales between flexible and rigid tops) 3rd letter is tyre pressure rating W is unlimited other options are XYZ getting softer but cannot remember the pressure limits. 4th letter is how the rest is determined T= Technical analysis (maths) or U= Usage testing (land heavier planes until it fails) This correlates with the Aircraft classification Number or ACN these are worked out by equivalent single wheel load and pavement… Read more »
Interesting post, even if a little too technical for me to fully understand.
What I don’t get is why this would happen, plenty of countries that regularly have over 40d heat without issues, like Italy/Spain/Greece/Dubai etc etc. Surely if you are designing a miltiary airport you design it for realsitic extreme temp changes. It was hot yesterday but not miles hotter than we normally get once or twice a year.
It comes down to normal use, all materials have window of good performance then It degrades. So an asphalt that could take an extra 10c heat would loose performance elsewhere.
So it is possible to stop heat effecting the runway but there maybe a loss of braking performance or cold weather performance issues.
As with every design of anything ever a compromise has to be found.
FAA Rated airports have a different standard in there make up of a Runway and designed for Heavier traffic, is 747 A380, Brize is laid over the old Concrete surface and doesn’t heat soak.
Surface doesn’t melt if becomes unstable and you run the risk of damaging the entire length.
Lossiemouth just be re-laid at a some cost
Good chance for the lads to get some more 5* hotel loyalty points, being UK and close to BZN I guess they don’t stay in local hotels too often.
No point in roughing it, if you join up. Leave that for the Pongos.
We do realize that The aircraft are not actually owned by the RAF. They are leased.
We do. And?
Are commercial runways built to a higher standard that prevent them melting? If that’s the case then something needs to be done about this moving forward
Luton airport closed as well due to heat affecting its runway, so clearly no.
Presumably the runways in places like Al Udeid are constructed very differently to Brize Norton?
Probably as they don’t have to allow for frost ice or snow