The crew keeping the skies safe above RAF's largest and busiest base

RAF Brize Norton is the largest and busiest RAF station, with approximately 5,800 service personnel, 300 civilian staff and 1,200 contractors.
With its mixed fleet of aircraft, RAF Brize Norton provides rapid global mobility in support of the UK's overseas operations and exercises.
And at the centre of all that goes on is the Control Tower, which keeps the skies clear.
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[@unreal4010]

Love you guys as an ally! From your neighbor across the pond! 🇺🇲

[@johnallen7807]

And with only about 7 active RAF fields left in the UK I doubt if they are going to be that busy!

[@edkieran]

there is about 60 you’re a bit far off

[@johnallen7807]

I'm talking operational flying airfields not radar station, storage depots etc. I think there are only about 6 frontline fighter squadrons as well.@@edkieran

[@jjsmallpiece9234]

In my experience of RAF ATC, they make decent cups of tea

[@i_druth]

I remember standing at that very tower at Brize as a cadet in 3WW back in 06 or 07, having also witnessed one of the very last take off's of the Harrier before they were decommisioned.

[@markbooth1117]

Cool, I have my own ADS-B ground station with a receiving aerial on my roof. On my screen I have about 75 miles all around with the extended ILS centre lines for Manchester, Liverpool, Bae Warton and Leeds/Bradford.

[@LewisMacdonaldMedia]

Why did I think the thumbnail guy looked like Matt Damon🤣

[@Cous1nJack]

What are they camouflaged against.

[@davehodges6258]

Great clip, We have 21 A400s now,👍

[@1chish]

22 actually. The whole fleet has been delivered.

[@Marchy22]

indeed, i waved 421 in myself in like march or whenever it was !!@@1chish

[@1chish]

@@Marchy22 6 more being ordered next year. Maybe buy some the Germans can't afford.

[@Walterwaltraud]

@@1chish Pls count how many ze Germans have right now ;-)

[@1chish]

@@Walterwaltraud Yes i know its 40. But it put the last 13 up for sale. Its what Germany does in every consortium - puts in big orders to get bigger workshare and then cancels some. Did the same with Tornado and Typhoon (initially) Hence why I surmised there would be an option there for our next 6.

[@johnnunn8688]

The officer mentioned ‘transitioning’. Doesn’t surprise me.

[@JuanSanchez-ik7wx]

contrast you 14 miles to a typical 45 mile radius for terminal approach control services in USA. 14 mile radius means 3 times as many controllers and 3 times as much equipment. I would not be boasting about how special you are with only 14 miles of airspace.

[@johnlustig4322]

Who knew the RAF had twenty aircraft?

[@dave4728]

I think they must be including drones 😉

[@1chish]

Why do people like you write this stupidity? I mean WHY?

[@jbuckley2546]

It's a couple on a continuous loop.

[@imeeky_4635]

embarrassment for the uk, majority of A400M are waiting maintenance behind the hangers out of sight. Nothing like the days when there was an active fleet of C-130Js.

[@jamescallaway7376]

One unit covering all these areas of airspace based at Brize isn't this a risk due to al your eggs in one basket? Guess it may be due to the cost of running and maintaining the other Radar units at airfields🤔

[@MENSA.lady2]

Based on the number of take-off's I doubt Brize Norton is the busiest. Given the current situation in the middle-east I suspect RAF Akrotiri is busier. The authorities won't sauy how many surveillance mission are flown per day but these flights alone probably outnumber the 20 or so at Brize Norton.

[@Louis-ej1lx]

I doubt it. Counting only manned aircraft there are 14 based there including 3 helicopters. There are also transport flights in between Norton and Akrotiri. There won't be anywhere near 20 flights a day.

[@dennycraig8483]

Merging is another word for CUTBACKS.

[@zozita.]

✈❤👍

[@Acc0rd79]

20 aircraft a day? Sheesh my tiny local airport in Florida probably does 200 a day with countless guys just doing practice landings and staying in the pattern. I would have assumed the biggest big in the UK would be pumping out much higher numbers.

[@Orbital_Inclination]

It's not the busiest in terms of aircraft movements, as many fighter stations or training bases will generate more activity, but in terms of operational activity its the UK military air transport hub.

[@Retired-Tom]

You forget that the RAF only have 5 aircraft and crews so it's quite a lot

[@dac545j]

GB is a similar size to Iowa with double the population of California. Smaller landmass and relative lack of rich people = less busy air traffic.

[@simonbird1973]

@@Retired-Tom466 operational aircraft to be exact!

[@dave4728]

Typical yank.Always bragging