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Abandoned BAW Flight Training Facility

Started by andrej, Thu, 11 Feb 2021 08:55

andrej

Hi all,

a little different video today. What interest me, so how quickly the decay spread!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNAlvHYlS7Y
Andrej

Hardy Heinlin

Hi Andrej,

at first I thought the "decay" refers to the time since the Corona shutdown in 2020 :-)

Now I see it's the old facility which was closed in 2016 ...


|-|ardy


andrej

Thanks Hardy! I should have mention that this was closed in 2016. But still, I have been to buildings abandoned earlier (i.e. more than 10 years) and they were still in much better condition.

In one of the rooms, it seems BAW left behind some MCPs and other panels. But most likely, old and redundant. Still, what a waste (surely, it all had no economic value in accounting terms). But still.

Cheers,
Andrej

Speedbird 9

Couldn't bring myself to watch it after the first few seconds.  :'( :'(

Cranebank, another part of my past life demolished. I'll hang on to my memories rather than watch the video, but thanks.

Michael

Toga

Wow that's amazing and tragic at the same time. Can't believe it's been left like that.

Britjet

Thanks for the video. It came as a shock to me...
What a criminal waste of furnishings and equipment. Real IPECO pilot seats rotting in the 747 mock-up? Unbelievable.
Like others here I've spent a lot of time in those previously "hallowed halls".
We used to call it "Branecrank", and regarded it with nervous awe. A sad end.

Hardy Heinlin

Looks like copper thieves have damaged the roofs to rip off the cables? I think the roof constrution can't be so bad that it all falls down under its own weight, unless there was an extreme earthquake. Now since the thieves damaged the roof, rain water has been flooding the building. Nobody repaired the roof, so it took just a few weeks until grass started growing on the furniture. In other words, the building was probably intact for a couple of years, and then the rain destroyed it within a few weeks. I think.


|-|

Petri

Hello,

Sad to see Cranebank in such decay.  I have very fond memories from there as in 2014 I had a chance to spend amazing 3 hours inside the 744 simulator nr 4 and do manual landing circuits and cross wind landings over and over again under the supervision of a very friendly retired training captain. An experience I won't ever forget.

Why leave all that stuff behind and not sell it? I would think that a "garage sale" would be worth the effort, even now. Oh well...

Regards,

Petri

Cbf

Hi,
Air France former training center located south of Paris, a few years ago...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBBcoiO-7fI


andrej

Dear all,

I am sorry to share with you these pictures, I thought that it was interesting (in a way).

I concur that the way the equipment was left behind is questionable. A garage sale of any / all items would be much more beneficial to all. BAW, could generate extra cash, and it would be a good PR for them. And several enthusiasts would be very happy to have a piece of BAW (history) with them.

But alas, managers decided otherwise. Real waste. :(

Best!
Andrej

Avi

Inside the building, one could think it was Chernobyl.
I wonder how it smell like?
Avi Adin
LLBG

Speedbird 9

Quote from: andrej on Fri, 12 Feb 2021 19:11

I am sorry to share with you these pictures, I thought that it was interesting (in a way).


Dear Andrej,

No need to apologise, I expect it is very interesting to many people, but I can't bring myself to watch more than the first few seconds.

I spent some of the best days of my life at Cranebank so it made me grieve. Similar to October when the final big Speedbird (A380s don't count!) flew over my house on its final DET departure before turning back to EGLL, and thence to its final ever destination.

Time moves on, and I expect future generations will grieve over the A350 and B787 (if they can tell the difference)!

Michael