Vallance By-Ways
VALLANCE BY-WAYS: Private airstrip
Note: This picture (2013) was obtained from Google Earth ©
The runway can be clearly seen and its proximity to GATWICK. It still amazes me just how flexible the various authorities, and GATWICK ATC of course, can be.
Note: Pictures by the author.
Operated by: 2001: P G Vallance Ltd
Location: Adjacent to NW corner of GATWICK
Runway: 08/26 465x9 grass
600 mtrs north of and broadly parallel to, the main runway at GATWICK
NOTES: Aircraft museum on site: Gatwick Aviation Museum (See article on 'Museums, gate guardians' etc for more pictures)
An AAIB report, (EW/G2011/07/01) makes for interesting reading, especially as the 34 year old pilot held an ATPL. He was flying the PA32-301FT, N116KY. “The aircraft landed at Vallance By-Ways airstrip, failed to stop before the end of the runway, and collided with a truck and another aircraft parked as a museum exhibit.” The report revealed that the airstrip/museum website gave the runway length as being 553 metres. In fact it appears to be 465 metres, (which I can confirm looking it on Google Earth) with a row of trees up to 55ft high at the eastern end.
Even the Pilots Handbook for this aircraft gives an unfactored landing distance required of 527m crossing the runway end at 50ft. So, with the 55ft trees at the eastern end of the runway it was pretty obvious a successful landing could not be made. The pilot should have known better but in the main I blame flying training organisations for mostly not training pilots for grass strip operations, of which we have around 550 in the UK.
NEWS in 2015
A visit in September 2015 revealed that the airstrip hadn't been used for at least two to three years as it is too rough at its eastern end. And, there were no plans to improve the situation. However, the site has been, and will be, accepting helicopter visits. A new building was nearing completion to house nearly all the aircraft in the museum collection - except for the Avro Shackleton.
Dan
This comment was written on: 2021-02-16 13:49:19Re: Helicopter visits, I was told when visiting the Gatwick Aviation Museum in October 2020, that all helicopter arrivals for LGW are directed to land at the Vallance Byways strip and the handlers send a car around for the passenger(s) if necessary. I'm a commercial pilot based at LGW and I wasn't remotely aware of this.
We'd love to hear from you, so please scroll down to leave a comment!
Leave a comment ...
Copyright (c) UK Airfield Guide
