Staverton landing fee- extortionate increase

[pilgrim flyer]

Landed at Staverton on Saturday with a PPL student to find that the landing fee for training flights had increased from 10 quid to 17.

I wonder what justifies an increase of over 20 times the rate of inflation?

Can't help thinking that with the increase in biz jet activity and the fact that a helicopter belonging to Britains richest 80 year old female pensioner was on the ramp, they simply don't want the 'great unwashed' any more.

Great place to go on training flights otherwise, what a shame.

PF

[BEagle]

Well hell, pilgrim, that's some increase...

Pooleys 2006 used to state:

Landing Fees: Less than 700 kg, PFA Permit to fly or N/PPL Training £10.50 incl VAT; 750-1500 kg £16 +VAT.

The new Staverton scale of charges states:

All single-engine aircraft under 750kg: £12.00 inclusive
Aircraft operating on a PFA Permit to Fly: £12.00 inclusive
Aircraft under 1500kg engaged in PPL/NPPL training: £17.00 inclusive
All single-engine aircraft between 750kg and 1750kg: £17.00 + VAT

However, Airport Advice Note 09/06 issued to all operators on 15 Mar 06 stated ".....most rates next year will increase only 2.5 to 3%, in line with inflation. In a few cases charges remain unchanged."

So, doing the sums:

All single-engine aircraft under 750kg: Up 14.3%
Aircraft operating on a PFA Permit to Fly: Up 14.3%
Aircraft under 1500kg engaged in PPL/NPPL training: Up 61.9%
All single-engine aircraft between 750kg and 1750kg: Up 6.3%

Perhaps an e-mail to Ian Statham, Managing Director at [email protected] might be in order? I'm sure he will be able to provide a convincing explanation as to how '2.5 to 3%, in line with inflation' has suddenly become 61.9%

[SKYYACHT]

I'm with the BEagle on this one!

:*

[EastMids]

All single-engine aircraft between 750kg and 1750kg: £17.00 + VAT[/SIZE]

Ah well, another airfield crossed off the list of places to go to again in future! :\ I accept that we all have our own definition of the word "fair", and I don't mind paying a fair landing fee, based on the facilities I want and/or need. However, almost £20 with the VAT taken into account to land a PA-28 doesn't strike me as particularly fair when I'm out for a Sunday afternoon jolly - especially when I neither need nor want facilities like a "terminal building" which has pretentions of handling commercial air services...

Andy

[robin]

...and for a Jodel with MAUW 780kg seems particulary excessive.

Goodbye Staverton

[IO540]

7 quid is probably the fuel difference between an overhead join (with a bit of messing about) and a straight in.

Or the cost of two slices of chocolate cake.

Etc.

[rustle]

Or the cost of two slices of chocolate cake.

Did you mean a 100% increase in cake compared to a single slice?

PS, WTF has the rate of inflation to do with anything?

When did the "basket of goods" used in inflation calculations include landing fees for light aircraft?

Oh, that's right. Never :rolleyes:

[Punditgreen]

Luv it Rustle,
It cost me £3600 a year to keep and fly my permit a/c. It made little difference to me whether the charge was £6.00 or £16.00 to land away. If I wanted to go, I went. Those who pay much more to keep and run certified a/c (i.e. trainers!) should worry even less. As they say "if you run a luxury car/aircraft/boat you should not be worrying about taxes/landing fees/berthing charges.
Get a life you lot; running airports is more expensive than flying. If you don't like it at Gloucester open your own strip and see how you make ends meet.:} :yuk:

[swervin'mervin]

Pundit - at last some one with some sense! I cant stand people who are willing to pay well over £100 an hour to make holes in the sky for fun then complain about a £20 landing fee. If you dont like the price then dont go!

[BEagle]

The thread discussed increase in costs for training flights, not casual visitor rates. Which have only increased by 6.3%, incidentally. Staverton are normally very accommodating to such flights and will approve expeditious arrivals whenever safely possible.

But the reason for the increase? Allegedly there was a high level of abuse by qualified pilots claiming training discounts, some of whom were highly abusive to the aerodrome staff when their fraudulent claims for discounted landing fees were refused.

If that's the case (and I have no reason to doubt it) then such pilots have only themselves to blame. However, it would surely be reasonable for a 'training' rate' to be agreed in advance for honest training flights?

[EastMids]

If you dont like the price then dont go!

Absolutely. But that doesn't mean we're not allowed to make a comment.

The casual flyer has a choice of where to put down his/her airplane for that infamous hamburger - airfields are in a competitive market for this sort of business, driven amongst many things by price/value. If airfield-X down the road offers percieved better value - the required facilities for a lower price - Staverton loses.

Andy

[terry1261]

I think it speaks loads that no-one from staverton seems to want to comment, their quick enough to use pprune to promote the place when the mood takes them.

[rustle]

I think it speaks loads that no-one from staverton seems to want to comment, their quick enough to use pprune to promote the place when the mood takes them.
I think it "speaks loads" (WTFDTM?) that anyone could think that there's any comparison between an (S)ATCO posting generally about Gloucestershire Airport, and someone from the airport management commenting on people's perceptions of price increases.

Did you know that ATCOs (even SATCOs) don't set the tariff? :rolleyes:

[niknak]

Well said Rustle,

the vast majority of pilots are quite happy to slag off operational staff, as Beagle says - in some cases be openly abusive to them either directly or on posts like this - yet they haven't the gumption to make their feelings known to the appropriate persons, i.e the Airport Authority.

Some things never change..:rolleyes:

[terry1261]

"no-one" could be anybody, but thanks for not picking me up on grammer/spelling. :bored:

Is it only the atco's that promote the place on pprune? well i had never made that connection/assumption. You must be very clever:rolleyes:

[360BakTrak]

If people don't like it why don't they complain to the airport management instead of whinging and moaning on here? I can't see complaints on PPRuNe achieving anything.............still, people do LOVE to moan!!;)