Date of Visit
13 May 2011
The needs apply to:
Manual Wheelchair User with carer
Particular Needs Satisfaction Rating
| Alarmed fire doors and one exit in/out | Fully Satisfied |
| Doors and aisles wider than 70cm (28in) | Fully Satisfied |
| 
Doors and aisles wider than 80cm (32in) | Fully Satisfied |
| Doors and aisles wider than 90cm (36in) | Fully Satisfied |
| Doors and aisles wider than 100cm (40in) | Fully Satisfied |
| Enough disabled parking near entrance to ensure at least one vacant space | Fully Satisfied |
| Flat walking surfaces | Fully Satisfied |
| Level or ramped access into and throughout the building | Partially Satisfied |
| No threshold strips under doors | Fully Satisfied |
| Motor-cycle parking near entrance | Fully Satisfied |
| Dropped kerbs | Fully Satisfied |
| Room to use a hoist at rear of vehicle | Fully Satisfied |
| Drier or towels adjacent to wash basin | Fully Satisfied |
| Driers that don’t switch on automatically when you are close | Fully Satisfied |
| Outward opening door in toilet cubicle | Fully Satisfied |
| Space for assistant in toilet cubicle | Fully Satisfied |
| Space to turn wheelchair around in toilet cubicle | Fully Satisfied |
| Toilet facilities | Fully Satisfied |
| Toilet facilities with grab rails | Fully Satisfied |
| Useable transfer area in toilet wider than 70cm (28in) | Fully Satisfied |
| Wheelchair accessible toilet facilities | Fully Satisfied |
| Good lighting in toilets | Fully Satisfied |
| Toilet seat not black | Fully Satisfied |
| Low level counters | Not Satisfied |
| Under table clearance over 60cm (24in) | Fully Satisfied |
| Under table clearance over 70cm (28in) | Fully Satisfied |
| Under table clearance over 80cm (32in) | Fully Satisfied |
| High counters to avoid the need to bend down | Fully Satisfied |
| Staff helping to carry trays in restaurants and cafes | Fully Satisfied |
Additional Comments
Main attractions include an almost air worthy Lancaster bomber with cockpit open to visitors. Unfortunately the RAF did not purchase these aircraft for ease of entry thus not accessible by wheelchair. For the same reason the upper floors of the air traffic control building are not accessible and wheelchair users would need to be fairly determined to get into the Hamden Bomber display building (This access could and should be improved).
The disabled loos are in the main toilet block and about 100 yards from the main building.
The NAFFI building does a good meal in traditional RAF style. The ladies, for all those old servicemen like me, even know what “Half a cow and a cat” is!
One would need to be either good at self propulsion or have a good carer with you.
