RAF Benson

In 2020, Minster Group was commissioned to resurface a 10m wide running strip along RAF Benson’s secondary runway and to create two concrete landing pads for Chinook training.

RAF Benson in Oxfordshire is a main operating base of the RAF that is home to two front-line helicopter squadrons and one Operational Conversion Unit.

Puma HC2 helicopters and Chinook HC4 helicopters are flown from the station, which is also home to the Operational Evaluation Unit of the Joint Helicopter Command as well as the National Police Air Service and Thames Valley Air Ambulance.

The work was completed by Minster Group and with Lincs Lining and was completed in normal hours over three weeks. The total project area was 24,000m². In line with Minster Group’s commitment to smarter, cleaner, greener working, the project had zero waste, with all extracted material being recycled.

Runway running strip

RAF Benson has two runways; one which is active and another which is only used as a taxiway and is maintained for use in an emergency.

This second runway was in need of repair as there was a risk of foreign object damage (FOD) due to debris and loose material, particularly for the helicopters which operate on the site.

To reduce the risk of FOD and to provide a smooth and durable surface for vehicles and aircraft which use the runway for taxiing, Minster Group resurfaced a 10 metre wide strip along the centre of the runway.

This strip of the runway was planed and replaced with strong, durable surfacing material which is capable of withstanding heavy traffic. This was then marked by our supply chain partners Lincs Lining.

Chinook training pads

To support the Chinook training which is undertaken at RAF Benson, Minster Group was also commissioned to build two concrete training pads. Situated part way along the second runway, these training pads measure 15m x 15m / 225m² and they are used for Chinook landing and take-off and for manoeuvring  heavy containers for training purposes.

With containers weighing several tonnes, and Chinooks themselves weighing more than 10 tonnes when empty, the training pads needed to be strong and durable to sustain heavy use. 

Zero waste

In all our work, we pride ourselves on doing what we can to reduce waste, cut emissions and minimise the use of virgin materials. As such, this project produced zero waste; with all extracted material being recycled to produce a 100% recycled surfacing material that’s suitable for farm tracks, car parks and industrial yards.

You can find out more about our use of CBGM to produce 100% recycled surfaces here.