IB4138

Can we move on please as silverhawk suggests should happen?

We all have our own opinions as to how BLK was run, but it is gone now, as it was. I have expressed mine. If there is an inquest lets wait and if there is more skull duggery afoot, again, lets wait and see, before commenting.

Those having a go at silverhawk should understand that he is better than most to doand say what he has, having been a captain with the "big" airline based and well able to comment.

I find the attacks onhim pulling the thread and comments made, to be offensive.

Let it rest.

Ernest Lanc's

IB4138

While I agree over the attacks on silverhawk - It was his thread.

To your other point - the thread has moved on to the future, GA for example. Blackpool has gone as far as airlines are concerned.

Questions for the future - Red Arrows for example, are there to be asked.

IB4138

Well, get on with it Ernest.

rsevo

IB4138, let's get a few things straight. Blackpool will depart commercial flights until the 15th, after which the future of the airfield is not yet certain.

Let me tell you what I find offensive. I find the deleting of a thread regarding the future of an airfield and those that still work there, for no particular reason other than the fact that he was no longer interested, offensive.

I find it offensive that you are suggesting his position as a Captain at "the big airline" makes him somehow more qualified to comment than anyone else who flies out of Blackpool.

I am a Captain. I was flying commercially from Blackpool years before the toxic Jet2 contract. Both my future and that of my colleagues is intrinsically linked to the future of Blackpool airport. Who are you to stroll in to the thread and proclaim that we should all just drop it?!

That sirs is offensive. If Blackpool no longer holds any interest for you, please leave it well alone, but don't assume to think you can tell others to do the same.

Ernest Lanc's

Out of interest - 3,297 sign the save Blackpool e petition, in short order,

Petition · Save Blackpool Airport! · Change.org

silverhawk

Thank you guys. I do appreciate that. The old thread had become just that, old news. Time to move on.

Just been reliving some of the stories from our lovely old base whilst over the Tasman and Pacific. Like the story of the UFO over St Annes one night (still have the newspaper article) or the morning we cleared the fog ourselves prior to departure. These guys never see fog, nor ice, nor much poor weather, never mind UFOs!

I could fly over the school at playtime at 1500' on a visual arrival and waggle the wings to my 3 kids on the school field, legally. Just like when I was a kid at school here and the Warton Test Pilots would give us a treat just because they could.

silverhawk

Rsevo, like I said already, nothing to prevent you from starting your own thread.

Not much need now though as this one seems to be operating well enough.

If you are facing some uncertainty work wise, I understand that. Never had an airfield fold around me, but certainly an airline has and a supposedly great contract also. Aviation is a game for big toys. Needs big boys so 'Man up' as they say and prepare a Plan B already. Often these changes are the catalyst required to remove the comfort zone and really improve the overall situation for individuals and their potential.

rsevo

I can't say I understand the concept of thread ownership as it's been displayed here. A conversation on an Internet forum belongs as much to it's participants as it does to it's creator. Surely it makes little difference to you whether or not it runs on and on.

Regardless, I think I appreciate your sentiment otherwise. My comments were directed principally at those who would seek to dictate to others what may or may not be discussed here. In someone else's thread.

Capot

Of course there is a demand from within Blackpool's catchment area for such flights. The hard fact is that Blackpool is unable to attract a sufficient share of that demand to pay for the facilities needed to service it.

As you say !

I did say the full length runway should be retained, even though the maintained length (TORA) should be reduced and licensed as required for the non-charter businesses that BPL can attract. And there are lots of those, if the owners/management have got the nous and drive to go out and get them.

Ernest Lanc's

Blackpool Airport closure: BAE Systems offers to help aviation operators

Defence giant BAE Systems has offered help to aviation operators who are based at the soon-to-be-closed Blackpool Airport.

Owners Balfour Beatty said the airport will shut on Wednesday after it was unable to find a buyer.

BBC News - Blackpool Airport closure: BAE Systems offers to help aviation operators

Ernest Lanc's

Council spent airport sale cash on roads;



Money set aside by Blackpool Council to safeguard the future of the airport following its sale was spent on projects including roads and the Illuminations.

The loss-making airport is set to close to commercial flights next week after present owner Balfour Beatty failed to find a buyer.
The council received £6.462m from the sale in 2004, and initially set the full sum aside in case it was a commercial flop, and it was forced to step in financially.
But, by 2007, with passenger numbers increasing, town hall chiefs felt confident enough to release some of the cash for other projects.
At the time the Tories, who were in opposition, criticised the move and warned money should still be kept in reserve.
Current Conservative group leader Coun Tony Williams said: “The council had set aside airport money in an escrow fund (deposit fund) 10 years ago, for situations such as this.


WHERE THE MONEY WENT

£1.7m – highways
£275,000 – tramway
£206,000 – Illuminations
£180,000 – CCTV
£1m – Central Corridor
£100,000 – Car park machines
£358,000 – on small schemes, each less than £100,000
The council has allocated the remaining £2.5m to the Tyldesley Road/Rigby Road housing development.

Council spent airport sale cash on roads - Blackpool Gazette

dada

mark my words if this isnt sorted out itll be a disaster for the town on the scale of the central station closure,

davidjohnson6

Anyone know what the BBC article means about BAE Systems potentially allowing some use of Warton ? Is this just saying that a very small number oil/gas helicopters might be allowed access on an ad hoc basis or, taking it to the other extreme, is Citywing potentially going to run a double daily route to the Isle of Man ?

LTNman

Even the BAE flying club operates from Blackpool although the Lancashire police helicopter is based at Warton.

There are also BAE146 business related passenger flights operating to their other sites so the airfield is already licensed.

The big issue will be that I think the airfield is shut at weekends and only operates during business hours during the week.

gkmeech

Doesn't an airport require a specific license to operate commercial (i.e. fare-paying) flights? BAe Systems flights are private company, not fare-paying, as far as I am aware, in which case Warton would need re-licensing.

Dct_Mopas

BAe Systems is a private company but Corporate Air Travel (the section of BAe which operate the 146 and Embraer) well they have a normal AOC and operate like any other normal airline. The passengers are technically fare paying with the fare paid by employee's department. The terminal is also set up and operated to normal security standards. So shouldn't be an issue for other operators, just the logistics of operating out of a secure site which normally requires security clearance for every visitor.

litefoot1

Blackpool Council: 'Bright future' for Blackpool Airport | Granada - ITV News


Blackpool Council: 'Bright future' for Blackpool Airport


Blackpool Council has revealed today that there is good reason to believe that there is a 'bright future ahead' for the town's airport.
It was announced last week that the airport would close, after the owners Balfour Beatty said it had been losing money for years.

Councillor John Jones, Blackpool Council’s cabinet member for highways and transport, said:

litefoot1

Blackpool Airport's website has effectively gone offline, with only a short statement about its future.


http://www.blackpoolinternational.com/

TSR2

Blackpool Council today on Radio Lancs blamed Jet2 for the closure of Blackpool Airport to commercial flights citing their contract with BB was heavily in favour of Jet2.

What sort of management would sign a contract that prevented them from making a profit and any expansion in flights would make a bigger loss.

Too easy to blame the customer.

west lakes

I would suggest that Ryanair's was more heavily in favour of them. I was once told at another UK airport all Ryanair was prepared to pay was £1 per departing passenger for all the facilities required for 2 flights per day.
In other words £376 per day (maximum) to cover ATC, Fire Cover, Check-in, Security, check in etc. Against a published charge of around £7000 - 8000

Go figure