Transair Victoria has closed - re-opened as AOPA shop

[24Carrot]

There is an AOPA sign on the door announcing a "new pilot shop in 2013", but no more details and there was nothing online about it.

Does anybody have any more info?

[chevvron]

The boss must review his shops every year about this time; it's exactly 3 years since he closed the Fairoaks one.

[OpenCirrus619]

See: Pilot Supplies In London At Transair Pilot Shop (http://www.transair.co.uk/pu+Victoria-London-Shop+londonshop+1)

TRANSAIR ARE SAD TO ANNOUNCE THE CLOSURE OF OUR LONDON PILOT SHOP FROM 15TH DECEMBER 2012.

This has been a hard decision for the company to make after 19 years based at 50a Cambridge Street, however with the ever increasing shift to e-commerce on-line ordering it is no longer financially viable to operate a retail shop in the heart of London. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our pilot customers who have supported the shop over many years.

Transair continues to expand its on-line business and indeed has seen record growth during 2012. Our franchise pilot shops located at Wycombe Air Park and Gloucestershire Airport are open 7 days a week, or why not fly down to our 'flag-ship' 2000 square foot pilot supplies showroom at Shoreham Airport. Whether you prefer to order on-line at Flight Equipment | Pilot Supplies | Pilot Shop | Aviation Headsets (http://www.transair.co.uk) or like to enjoy the retail shopping experience we look forward to providing you with the very best aviation products backed up by the now legendary Transair customer service!

OC619

[24Carrot]

Thanks, I had seen that, and should have mentioned it, but I was looking for any info regarding the new shop!

Short term, the closure will certainly save me money:), but it will be inconvenient eventually.:*

[rats404]

I popped in there a couple of times about six months ago as I was working ten minutes away. Both times I was the only customer, and the very nice bloke working in the shop told me I was the only customer that day and that business was very quiet (this was at lunchtime).

Doesn't surprise me at all.

[piperarcher]

I work in London, near St Pauls, and I just think the Victoria shops place round the corner from Victoria station was perhaps just a little bit out of reach and off the beaten track. The shop might have done better in Tottenham Court Road maybe - somewhere with more passing shoppers.

Also, I often buy online from Trainsair, and most stuff arrives the next day, so they have kind of negated the need for a phyiscal presence, though I can imagine the units at Shoreham, Gloucestershire and so on are doing well because they are big airfields with lots of home and visiting pilots to cater for. Sad though, Victoria was a nice shop and had a superb flight sim center downstairs.

[chevvron]

We still get people arriving at Fairoaks and asking where the shop is, but 24Carrot is right, it's saved me a lot of money by closing.

[Jude098]

Transair at Gloucester are virtually closed.....went in yesterday for a new fuel tester and was greeted by stacked chairs and workmen kitting out the place for a new IT training company.

There is a tiny area sectioned off in the main Airport terminal but not the range of stock that had been in their larger premises. Did get a fuel tester though.

[Supermattt]

AOPA Pilot Store Opens (http://www.aopa.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=723:aopa-pilot-store-opens&catid=1:latest-news)

[Mrdini]

Because most Google results for this shop in Victoria claims it's shut down, I thought I'd make a PSA post :)

After my woeful experiences of trying to order a logbook from an online aviation store (I don't see a need to mention who they are, but needless to say there's an 8-pages thread in this selfsame forum about them!), I got in touch with AFE who to my surprise said they now operate a retail shop in Victoria, replacing the Transair shop that used to be there. There's no details whatsoever on the AFE website, but found a news item on the AOPA website about them.

It's at the same address in Cambridge Street and seems to be reasonably stocked. They were actually out of stock of the logbook I wanted, but AFE sent over stock of the logbook I wanted, ready for me to pick up the following day.

Hope that helps others who gets the mistaken impression that this shop is now closed!

[rgsaero]

Mrdini.....

If were an AOPA member not only would you have known that the shop was there, well stocked and operational, BUT - you would havee got a 5% discount too!

[BEagle]

Don't forget that free coffee and WiFi are also available at The Pilot Store!

[Frontal]

The shop is definitely up and running and I went in there about a month ago to pick up an iPad knee board.

The staff are as friendly and helpful as ever.

An added bonus is the 5% AOPA discount.

[24Carrot]

I popped in today, and can vouch for the friendly staff and facilities :)

[Mrdini]

rgsaero - glider pilot here so not an AOPA member!

But its certainly good to see that people are aware of this shop (apart from the coffee & wi-fi which I didn't know about when I went! :( )