More Filton Airfield equipment goes on sale online
So you are thinking of setting up your own airport, but can’t seem to get your hands on the stuff you need – things like air traffic control radar equipment, runway lights, fire engines, luggage carousels and those nifty little trucks with a set of boarding stairs on their backs.
Even the big Asda in your town was all out of walk-through metal detectors.
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An aerial view of Filton Airfield
But look no further, for an online auction is currently taking place with every single thing anyone who wants to build and open their own airport would need up for sale – everything, that is, except for any aeroplanes.
Local residents who loved Filton Airfield, and fought and lost to try to keep it open, should look away now for all the fixtures, fittings, equipment, technology, systems and hardware that went into running a fully-functioning airfield, the kind capable of welcoming big passenger jets, Concorde and, once, the Space Shuttle, are included in the auction.
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Last year The Post reported that several items had appeared on an online auction site.
But now there are more than 200 lots of airport-related equipment being sold by BAE Systems following their decision to close down Filton in December – and most of it is not the sort of thing you’re going to be able to fit in the back of the car and take home yourself.
The sale, being run by online auctioneers Go Dove, includes radar, runway lighting, glidescope systems, ground radio systems, blast defectors, airfield and runway maintenance equipment, fire tenders and motor vehicles.
There are even maintenance workshop and portable buildings, as well as airport apron equipment, tow trucks, tug units capable of pulling a jumbo jet, wheel chocks, aircraft jacks, luggage trucks and mobile boarding stairs.
Much of the equipment is so big that the auctioneers warn prospective buyers they will need to produce a Method Statement and risk assessment to explain to BAE Systems exactly how they intend to move it, before any sale can be agreed. Some of the items up for sale will require police escorts to be moved by road when they change hands.
Buyers who want to feel like they are setting up their own airport, but don’t want the bother of all the outdoor equipment needed and would settle for playing airlines in the comfort of their own home are also being catered for – an entire range of airport lounge equipment, from a Smiths Heimann X-ray machine and a “Metor 300” Rapiscan walk-through metal detector to lounge seating and furniture.
And maybe people who want to trick their neighbours to thinking they are setting up an airport in their back garden could be the ones bidding for high mounted approach lights, runway lights and taxiway light towers.
7 Comments
by collegefields
Monday, February 11 2013, 11:35PM
“@Stephen_L
A blast deflector was used when The Starship Enterprise used to refuel there.”
by Bert_Hindle
Monday, February 11 2013, 1:33PM
“MarkMaggs: What you are saying is that the planning authority cannot force anyone to maintain land for its current use? So when every farmer in the area wants their farmland redeveloped, the council has to let them because they can't force them to keep it as a farm?
Is that what you're saying?”
by Lone_Ranger
Sunday, February 10 2013, 5:27PM
“When exactly did the space shuttle use Filton Airfield?”
by ogeron
Sunday, February 10 2013, 2:32PM
“Space Shuttle?”
by Stephen_L
Saturday, February 09 2013, 6:17PM
“Erm, what's a blast defector?”
by markmaggs9391
Saturday, February 09 2013, 1:33PM
“You can't force them to run it or sell it as an airfield which I agree was a shame. As long as when they do redevelop it they provide good access to the site.”
by NorthernBris
Saturday, February 09 2013, 12:49PM
“Funny how BAES are happy to sell the airport equipment on the open market but admit that they didn't offer the airfield up for sale on the open market. Actually, with permission to build houses on the airfield there's 120 million reasons why BAES didn't sell the airfield and not one of them is because it's unviable.”