Hoxton Park

[Guest ozzie]

I drove past Hoxton on the westlink road and got a quick look at the remains of the strip. at first glace it looked ok. but it had just been plowed up. from a distance it still looked usable. i did not see any signs of unservicability crosses at either end.

 

But in a "situation" it semed that you could use the grass verges if you had too.

 

It looked like a sad sight indeed.

 

Ozzie

 

 

[slartibartfast]

The crosses are there. I flew over it on the weekend.

 

From the air it looked serviceable at first glance too. Then I noticed the furroughs. They run down the runway rather than across it which makes them harder to see.

 

Wanton vandalism really.

 

 

[antzx6r]

I just watched one six right and what they did to meigs field. Do they think that pilots are like rebel bikers and will keep using the field if they don't vandalise it? Furroughs along the runway(hard to see) is like setting booby traps for trespassers. So uncivil!!!

 

 

[Guest Ken deVos]

Mantraps

 

... setting booby traps for trespassers....

I believe this is a 'mantrap' and for interest...

 

Since 1827 they have been illegal in England, except in houses between sunset and sunrise as a defence against burglars.

 

 

[slartibartfast]

I just watched one six right and what they did to meigs field. Do they think that pilots are like rebel bikers and will keep using the field if they don't vandalise it? Furroughs along the runway(hard to see) is like setting booby traps for trespassers. So uncivil!!!

Meigs Field was an even worse act of vandalism.

 

The Mayor of Chicago was sick of all the argument and due process involved in trying to close an airport in a democracy, and sent in the bulldozers to hack crosses into the runway overnight. 16 airplanes were left stranded on the field and an inbound flight was diverted.

 

The stranded planes were eventually allowed to use the taxiways to leave (months later I think) and the city paid a $33,000 fine and returned $1,000,000 of misappropriated FAA airport improvement funds they had used to pay the bulldozers (I guess they thought they were improving the airport).

 

He argued that the risk of terrorism made the closure necessary because Meigs was so close to downtown Chicago (he really wanted to build waterfront apartments).

 

In fact, the downtown area became less secure because it then moved from Class D airspace to Class E/G.

 

Politicians.

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

I think the reason they ripped it up straight away is that now it really is unviable for the govt to take it back and reopen it. i am surprised that the hangers and other infrastructure are still standing. What is also a gut tearer is it will possibly sit for a couple of years (like schofields has) as is, until it becomes finacially viable to build on it.

 

ozzie

 

 

[Ultralights]

 

YHOX as it is now, and if you fly at less than 500ft, you will be prosecuted.