Airfield PCN evaluation and masterplan of former RAF Ballykelly, Northern Ireland

In 2015, the new owners of the former RAF Ballykelly, MJM Aviation, commissioned Fjori to carry out a PCN evaluation of the entire airfield and preparation of masterplan layouts with zoning for aeronautical and non aeronautical uses.

This evaluation included safeguarding of runway operations to establish how the airport could be developed. The airport also required Fjori to consider the runway declared distances and alignment with designated aircraft performance.

The airfield pavements at RAF Ballykelly are up to 75 years old and some
have received little maintenance in that time. Therefore, in order to log defect types, Fjori additionally carried out a Pavement Condition Index (PCI) survey.

The PCN assessment indicated that if operational activity was kept to either lighter aircraft or a low frequency of the heavier aircraft (or a combination of both those scenarios) then there appeared to be a viable airfield from which such activity could take place.

Other future works were identified, including delethalisation, clearing and maintenance of drainage and fillet extension work for example.