ILS Training in the South

[destinationsky]

Hi,

I am after some information for a project I am working on and would be grateful for your constructive feedback.

If you live in the South and have the need to practice ILS approaches, I would be interested to know the following:

Which airports ILS do you use most frequently? (and why you chose it!)
How much do you pay per approach?
Do you pay up front or does your club/FTO have an account?
Are there any special deals on approaches if you upload fuel/land?
I have already looked at costs of some aerodromes but I would now like your feedback!

I know the subject of cost is always an emotive one but the ILS at an airport is one of the most costly systems to implement and maintain. Please do appreciate that more and more airports are now having to charge for the use of their facilities to counter act the cost of falling passenger numbers and the rising cost of APD and other taxes the government has no need to impose. Please do not use my thread as a forum to rant about the cost of flying as my responses may offend!

This thread is all about getting honest feedback so I can ensure future value for money.

I thank you for your feedback :ok:

[OpenCirrus619]

Which airports ILS do you use most frequently? (and why you chose it!)
Lydd - chosen because it's closest (from Headcorn)

How much do you pay per approach?
~£20

Do you pay up front or does your club/FTO have an account?
Phone up after flying approaches and pay by credit card

Are there any special deals on approaches if you upload fuel/land?
Don't know - haven't landed off an ILS approach at Lydd


If you're thinking of flying loads of approaches then it might be worth hopping across the channel. I believe that Le Touquet doesn't charge for ILS approaches. It makes a nice outing - fly over, shoot a few approaches, land, lunch and home in time for tea and buns.


OC619

[Gertrude the Wombat]

Which airports ILS do you use most frequently? (and why you chose it!)
Cambridge, because that's where I fly from.
How much do you pay per approach?
0p, it's included in the rental of the club aircraft.

[dobbin1]

I think Lydd's prices have increased. I did one ILS and one NDB approach yesterday, landing off the second one. £57.60

[dobbin1]

PS, just checked, it is £17 per approach at Lydd, plus £14 to land. Plus VAT of course. It seems a little bit cheeky to charge for an approach and a landing, but there it is.

[dirkdj]

2.50€ per approach at LFAC (just across the ditch).

[destinationsky]

Thanks so far guys... keep em coming! :ok:

[A and C]

Oxford and the RAF at Benson & Brize have always been quite helpfull but the best value for money if you are doing a rating is LFAC, cheap approaches and you can get the tax back off the fuel on the way out of the UK.

[destinationsky]

Thanks A and C, Do you know if the military charge??

[A and C]

Yes they do but I don't know how much as I operate for a unit attached to the military and don't have to pay the bills myself.

The very best places were Lyneham and Filton but that bit of information is of no use what so ever!

[wsmempson]

If not using the ILS at EGTK (my home field) I tend to nip over the channel to Cherbourg (LFRC); There, you get 4 approaches of your choice for the price of one landing fee - so for a PA32, that's €12 for four approaches. You can then have lunch at the restaurant at the field!

[piperarcher]

PS, just checked, it is £17 per approach at Lydd

That is true but it has a very wide 14D DME arc from the hold, and a 11.5 nm approach onto finals, it can be quite costly at Lydd.

I do my approaches at Cambridge, mostly because it is closest to where I fly, and you can now book a slot a number of days ahead of your ILS procedures. Previously you had to call before 1600 the day before. I cant recall the prices I am afraid but where I fly from (Panshanger), we dont get a discount, and I am sure landing fees are on top. I havent been offered any special deals, though a few years ago I got myself a cup of coffee and was given some free ants, yes ants! :yuk: Besides that rare incident, Cambridge is a very nice and welcoming and friendly airport.

[Another_CFI]

The other advantage of using French airfields is that you can claim Duty Drawback.

[peterh337]

The other advantage of using French airfields is that you can claim Duty Drawback.

Presumably, only if you land, and does LFAC still have Customs?

Perhaps one could log the "landing" but avoid Customs by doing a T&G?

[A and C]

Peter I think that you just have to give LFAC some notice to get what passes for customs in France.

[beerdrinker]

Calais Airport Customs Request form:

Customs form | Aéroport International Calais-Dunkerque (http://aeroport.capcalaisis.fr/en/forms/customs-form/)

[gemma10]

Southend 4 weeks ago. one SRA and one ILS £47 incl vat.

[thing]

Thanks A and C, Do you know if the military charge?? Don't know if they charge purely 'civvie' aircraft but they don't for RAFFCA a/c (RAF Flying Club Association.) I'm a civvie but am a member of RAFFCA and so get free landings and approaches at any MOD airfield. Which is ace as my home airfield has ILS and PAR so they are on tap for free. There's also another mil airfield 5 minutes south of me with NDB approaches. Fill yer boots.

Edit: Well, maybe not with NDB approaches which are the Devil's Doing.

[alexbrett]

Not sure if this applies to ILS fees, but for anybody who will be regularly using Cambridge it's worth mentioning the Cambridge Flying Community - this is a club you can join (for free) and get various benefits like reduced landing fees etc - see CAFC | Home (http://www.flyingcambridge.com/) for details...

[Cusco]

Too late for you now but Cambridge has been offering free approaches (VFR and IFR) between 11.00 and 13.00hrs from mid November to today (21 Dec).

This is because they have a backlog of ATCO trainees who need practice.

I've tried it and it works well and really is free.

Reason for mentioning it is to keep a lookout to see if it's resumed in the new year.

And as mentioned above free membership to the Cambridge Flying Community gives 25% off landings during the week and 50% off at weekends.

Cambridge are making a real effort to welcome back GA:

I think they have woken up to the massive GA grass parking area which is now virtually empty.

Cusco

[Sir George Cayley]

Has anyone shot an RNAV(GNSS) approach yet? Is there a similar charge to navaid approaches?

SGC

[thing]

I think they have woken up to the massive GA grass parking area which is now virtually empty.


I think the £25 landing fee might have something to do with it. They did if I remember correctly do a free month for GA last year which I and I assume many others took advantage of.

[piperarcher]

Cambridge are making a real effort to welcome back GA:

Yeah, I've read some stuff in one of the Pilot mags passing on the message. Thats great :-) And I didnt know about the free approaches between those times. If they continue that in the new year I may take them up on that offer. Cambridge is a thoroughly decent place.

[Cusco]

Has anyone shot an RNAV(GNSS) approach yet? Is there a similar charge to navaid approaches?


Yes

No (but see post above)

[Gertrude the Wombat]

Has anyone shot an RNAV(GNSS) approach yet? Is there a similar charge to navaid approaches?
Yes and yes ("similar" as in "free because it's included in the rental").

It's not much of a challenge, though - much too easy! (Well, flying it is easy, remembering which buttons to press on the G1000 to get it loaded up is another matter.)

[diarmuid]

Go to Calais!
I recently went there and did 4 ILS/GNSS approaches prior to landing, paid my €10 or so fee (I forget how much exactly but it wasn't much), and then did a couple more GNSS approaches on departure, at no extra cost.

The best thing s that I then got to claim the £80 drawback on the fuel for the 40 minute flight there from North Weald!

:ok:

[destinationsky]

Has anybody tried EGHH??

P.s thanks for all your replies!

[2close]

I'm home based at EGFF (not south-east I appreciate) and my approx. £160.00 per month parking fees includes all landings and approaches, so I regularly call ATC for an IFR RV ILS to landing. 3 x ILS per month and I've broken even.

It keeps my hand in; instills stacks of confidence in passengers who may be flying for the first time as I explain it makes no difference whether I can see where I'm going or not and that this is how the big boys do it (except for absence of Autopilot); gives me a radar control service with its added safety factor; and whilst it does take a bit longer than a VFR arrival with circuit to land, the extra 10 minutes in the air is well spent keeping in practice.

:)