MOD Airfields - Costly? Or Have I Been Given The Wrong End Of The Stick?

[Yellow Son]

I have read in these forums (admittedly very old posts) that it is MOD policy to encourage the use of their airfields by civilian aircraft. Is that still the case? I have just had a nasty surprise - a training PAR at RAF Odiham in a Cessna 172 cost me under £13, but the total bill was £68 because of a charge of nearly £50 for 'Insurance Administration'.

Apparently, the insurance for the club aircraft (£5M liability, increased to £10M for Crown Indemnity, to quote from the document I sent to Odiham) is not enough on its own. It has to be supplemented by a separate arrangement between the owner of the aircraft (Flying Club, in my case) and MOD, which has to be paid for. An annual 'season ticket' is available which is apparently better value if you want to make several visits. I confess I have not been able to get to the bottom of what this 'separate arrangement' is, but haven't tried too hard since my own club apparently doesn't have it, and has no interest in getting it.

If I have correctly understood the situation, then I can't see any non-commercial pilot electing to visit a MOD airfield. A pity, because Odiham is close and ATC are helpful. What's more, it is by far my most likely choice for a real weather diversion, so I would prefer to practise there anyhow. But at these prices I might as well throw my IMC rating into the bin, because I can barely afford to practise - I've had to sell the kids on eBay just to make a few GPS approaches at Shoreham, and there's nowhere else within sensible distance. It does occur to me that I could shoot 4 approaches at Odiham in 1 sortie, say 2 ILS, a PAR and a SRA, and so spread the £50 'tax' more thinly, but that's not really what I had in mind!

Have I got this right? Have others had the same experience? Is there an alternative?

[thing]

I fly from an MOD airfield and even I don't know what the score is. I know we can't do reciprocals which is a bugger as most of the local clubs do them.

[IO540]

Just seen the identical posting on Flyer...

Last time I tried to fly to one of these (Cosford) they wanted 24hrs PPR and insurance details faxed 24hrs in advance. I didn't go because this was short notice so went to Welshpool instead.

Shawbury would be more handy because they have an ILS...

However the Flyer post suggests that one can to some extent pre-arrange a long term thingy, which does away with the PPR.

I don't know why they don't open it up more, as it's visible that there is hardly any activity at most of these places. Most RAF airfields I fly near show no sign of life at all, or or anywhere near the runway. The security issue could be addressed by a pre-arranged pilot verification of some sort. In the end, there is nothing which a terrorist landing there could achieve which he could not achieve much more easily by crashing there, and he would not need PPR for the latter (unless he was British, or German) :)

If you are looking for cheap instrument approaches, look at French airfields. I vaguely recall Calais has been popular for this.

[Fuji Abound]

You should obtain a security clearance and file your insurance certificate with strike command - this makes access both easier and less costly.

[airpolice]

Strike Command, who be they then?

[Yellow Son]

Fuji Abound advises -"You should obtain a security clearance and file your insurance certificate with strike command".

I know where Strike Command was, spent the last few years of my RAF career there! It now appears to be 'Everything Command', or The Big EC. But as to what Point of Contact to use, I haven't a clue. Can you be a bit more specific so I can investigate?

However, the advice I was given by a civilian finance man at RAF Odiham was that the annual 'season ticket' relates to an airframe, not a pilot, and costs £350 to £400 for a C172. With half a dozen in the club fleet, I'm unlikely to take that option myself.

What a contrast with GA in Florida (and presumably much else of the USA), where you can pitch up practically anywhere and shoot instrument approaches to your heart's content, free of charge (though to be totally fair this probably doesn't apply at Defense Department bases!).

[gijoe]

Give the very helpful lady at Air Command a ring on this number: 01494 494350

She deals with the use of MOD airfields by civpop aircraft and can tell you all you need to know.

G:ok: