I’m curious about LOXN. Military airfield, but grass runways only? What use does the Austrian airforce have of it? I guess they don’t base their modern fighter/bombers there??? Maybe launching gliders that will “sneakily” go behind invading enemy lines? Early Pilot Training only?
JetA would suggest backup site for Hercs C130 operations (or likes of Casa C212 and Airbus A400M), as it is it’s likely used by Cadets gliders or Colonels Chipmunks?
Google translation from German wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flugplatz_Wiener_Neustadt/West):
“The airfield was used as a base by the Soviet Union, as Austria was not allowed to design or build aircraft. Previously hidden gliders, which were allowed again by the Western powers from 1949, were smuggled into the Western zones. From 1950, Soviet troops adapted the site for jet aircraft, erected landing lights and built an instrument flight facility. Mostly MIG 15s were stationed there.
In August 1955, following the State Treaty, the airfield was handed over to the Republic of Austria. The newly established Austrian Armed Forces did not want the airfield for several reasons. On the one hand, they did not want to do this airfield to the population, which had suffered so much from the stationing during the World War. On the other hand, it was also too unsafe for strategic reasons so close to the Iron Curtain. So some civilian aviation clubs took over the airfield. It was only in 1961 that the Austrian Armed Forces started using the airfield again, mainly for parachute training.”
The airfield is quite as a glider centre in Austria.
