Aboyne
ABOYNE: Gliding site with aerotows
Note: Both of these pictures were obtained from Google Earth ©
Operated by: 2000: Deeside Gliding Club (powered aircraft on Gliding Club business allowed)
Location: S of A93, 2nm W of Aboyne, 15nm WSW of Aberdeen
Period of operation: 1970s to -
Runways:
1990: 09/27 600x5.5 hard
2000: Two parallel: 09/27(S) 540x7 hard 09/27(N) 520x5.5m hard
Note: As the two Google Earth pictures clearly show, two other grass runways were
also available in 2010:
10/28 370 grass 05/23 315 grass
And indeed, still available for use in 2018. But, was 05/23 available up to 415 metres?
NOTES: Are these the thinnest hard runways in the UK? I have taken off and landed on a thinner grass runway in France with a Rallye when the Aero Club couldn’t afford to mow the aerodrome properly but for hard runways these seem designed for real hot-shot pilots.
At some point in time (possibly around the turn of the century?) two grass runways were added on the southern side of the airfield both with their northern ends crossing 09/27(S). These were 12/30 grass and 05/23 grass, although the 05 direction was never designated for landing. The 12/30 runway was roughly 370 metres long and 05/23 roughly 270 metres long. After a serious collision between a glider (G-DELA) landing on 09/27(S) and a Mainair Blade flexwing microlight (G-MZBA) landing on 05/23 on the 6th May 2012, it was decided to remove Runway 05/23.
For those interested in the circumstances surrounding this ‘event’ please refer to AAIB report EW/G2012/05/03. I do believe this is the first instance of a runway on a UK airfield being withdrawn from use due to an accident. And not only that, an accident caused by a pilot using the runway and landing in a direction not authorised!
After previous advice, I had this picture placed initially in the ABERDEEN listing, but in February 2021 I was kindly contacted by Mr Sandy Mitchell who tells us that it is actually here. And indeed, the hangar is still there.
A bit of delving revealed that the Rollason (Druine) D31 Turbulent G-ASBW was built by Mr James Smith who lived near Scalloway on the Mainland in the Shetland Islands. He registered 'BW' on the 20.07.62 and sold it to somebody with an Aberdeen address in June 1968. It was sold again to another owner, again with an Aberdeen address until crashing and being burnt out near Stonehaven, roughly 20 miles south of Aberdeen in October 1975. So, it appears quite possible that this picture was taken between 1968 and 1975?
In 1977 it appears the only powered residents at ABOYNE were PA-18 Super Cub 150 G-ARGV operated by the Deeside Gliding Club, and the privately owned Beagle A.61 Terrier G-ARLO. Powered aircraft on Gliding Club business are allowed to visit.
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