The Green Bank Airstrip
(WV52)
WV52 airport NRAO GREEN BANK GREEN BANK,WV
L/L: 3826N/07950W LRN/GPS: 38-25.84N/079-49.54W Elev: 2710
fss: EKN(ELKINS) artcc: ZDC(WASHINGTON) Notams:
Mag Var: 07W Unicom Freq: 122.800 CTAF:
Lngst Rnwy: 12/30 Dim: 3500 X 50 ILS: No
Airstrip Phone - Ext. 2217 for on-site calls ONLY!!! Will NOT make off-site calls.
This airstrip is for official NRAO business use only. All arrivals and departures MUST be pre-approved by the site Business Manager.
History (bits & pieces, added as I come to them)
According to the November 1, 1981 NRAO Newsletter (#3, page 4), the Green Bank airstrip was to be closed effective 1 Oct 1981. Quoting the newsletter:
This is to inform you that the National Radio Astronomy Observatory airstrip, Green Bank, West Virginia, is permanently closed to all aircraft operations effective 1 October 1981.For the time being the paved area will remain intact and could be used for an aircraft emergency landing. However, no patching of cracks, holes, mowing of grass or snow and ice removal will be be performed by NRAO.
Affected agencies have been informed of this closing and notices for changes have been forwarded to appropriate Federal, State, and Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association publications.
According to rumor, this is when Sen. John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV offered to have the airstrip paved at his expense if the NRAO kept it open. Sen. Rockefeller owns a residence just south of the Observatory and wanted to be able to fly in as needed.
* Science Center Construction and the Airstrip
During the design phase of the Green Bank Science Center in 1998, it was proposed to build the new Science Center on the eastern half of the airstrip. In fact plans to do just that were almost finalized when the site director decided the airstrip is an asset not to be lost, so a new site was found for the Science Center next to the Reber Telescope at the entrance of the Observatory. Once again, the airstrip was saved.
AUI Prohibition on General Aviation
In 2001, the AUI Board of Trustees approved a change to the AUI Organization and Policy Manual to strictly prohibit the use of privately-owned aircraft for official travel because of the unacceptable legal risk to AUI and the insurance costs relating to private aircraft use. In turn, the provision was simply removed from NRAO Travel Policy in November 2001.
In order to more clearly state the intent of this policy change, the Travel Manual has been edited to explicitly reflect the AUI policy. The current Travel Manual now reads as follows:
* Section 4, paragraph A.2. "The use of privately-owned, leased, rented, or borrowed aircraft by an employee for official travel is prohibited. The prohibition includes the use of private aircraft to travel to or from a location of official business in combination with personal business."
* Section 6, paragraph D.4 "Employees are prohibited from traveling on official business in privately-owned, leased, rented or borrowed aircraft. The prohibition includes the use of private aircraft to travel to or from a location of official business in combination with personal business."
What this means is that AUI employees can't use general aviation of any sort for any kind of AUI travel. Therefore, if you want to fly into Green Bank, you'd better not work for AUI (NRAO)!
29 July 2011