Sandown Is Open!

[Aussie Andy]

I know this has been mentioned in other threads but want to make it easy for people to find... so glad to learn we can still fly there!

Just spoke to a nice chap there on the phone, he explained technically it was never closed just there is no license and no ATZ.

Anyway for PPR you can call either the landline 01983-402402 or mobile number 07930-242488.

I think I will pop down tomorrow!

Now all we need is the Bembridge mess to be fixed, and another great summer ahead!

Andy :ok:

[Aussie Andy]

see also Sandown Airfield (http://ukga.com/airfield/sandown)

[IO540]

How "bad" is the grass?

What about potholes, and the parking areas for e.g. a 1400kg SE?

[RTN11]

Any signs of either airfield getting a licence again?

[Aussie Andy]

So I flew into Sandown yesterday - it was a lovely as ever, and a warm welcome! And the runway was in very good condition indeed!

And no they don't need a license - I find the aerpolane flies just as well, and lands just as well, at an airfield without one :-) :rolleyes:

Andy

[blueandwhite]

Runway was in very good condition ???? Eh:E

They must have improved it drastically since I learned to fly there.
Did you perchance mean the grass was in very good condition?
And by any chance was the runway as lumpy as ever?

Its an excellent runway if you need excuses for a bumpy landing. :) (well it was last time I was there, I saw some pilots coming in looking very pale)

Still a great place to visit no doubt, just be ready to be launched back into the air a time or two.

[Genghis the Engineer]

I flew in Saturday, runway was as good as I'd expect any grass runway to be at this time of year - absolutely no problem.

The only problem I had was that I was one of (my guess) 35 microlight and 20ish group A aeroplanes who arrived between 12-2 hoping for lunch. The little cafe was rather struggling to cope and my bacon and egg sandwich took over an hour! It was however excellent when it arrived, and the intervening time was well spent chatting with all the other visiting pilots.

Parking has moved from the SW corner of the field, to the North, which was fine, I just need to learn to exit the runway the other side - a struggle, but I managed it. :ok:

G

[Aussie Andy]

Agree Ghengis - nothing wrong at all with that runway :)

I guess due to the (very) hazy conditions on Sunday they had far fewer visitors... about 4:30pm it was just me+pax in the Dakota G-ODAK and one guy doing circuits in a microlight of some sort (they all look the same to me..!)

Food was good: I had a lovely freshly made egg/mayo sandwich and my passengers gave very high marks for the coffee/walnut cake - oh, and a lovely cuppa tea!

Actually the haze was only a problem under the TMA closer to London - from Odiham south we climbed above the cr&p to alt 5,000' and it was truly glorious!

[Intercepted]

On the latest chart Bembridge still has an ATZ, but Sandown ATZ is removed :hmm:

[Aussie Andy]

... like it makes any real difference... (ATZ that is)

[Intercepted]

I thought the red protective filter would keep the grass greener in the summer :oh:

I'm glad we still have an airfield on iow open. It has always been a favourite short trip for pax and myself.