Originally Posted by
TheOddOne
...so which GA airfields in the UK don't actually make a loss?
I define 'loss' as being a return anything less than if the capital employed was invested in the FTSE 100. In the case of Old Sarum, the owner claims he's put in over £1m over the years to cover losses.
Compton Abbas relies on a 30-year buildup reputation for its restaurant. There are on any given weekend more bikers than pilots visiting. On the other hand, they probably wouldn't have started to come if there hadn't been the attraction of watching the planes.
Many other airfields rely on warehousing or driving events.
At one end of the scale are farm strips where the landowner is prepared to sacrifice crop-growing space for enjoyment of a hobby. At the other end are international airports such as Heathrow and Gatwick. Examination of their books shows a more modest return than you might expect.
If smaller GA fields were capable of making money, then their landlords wouldn't be so desperate to flog them off. Most of them survive because historically the owners have an interest in the activity. When they die, the non-aviation-minded inheritors understandably want their money. Personally, I don't think re-defining them as green spaces rather than brown-field will make an atom of difference if the planning people like the site for housing or a car factory. Will Honda restore South Marston to being an airfield when they go?
In countries like France and the United States, it's the non-flying taxpayer who supports aerodromes. I can't see Grant Shapps shifting to this culture in the UK any time soon. Talking of which, he's apparently needs now to resign as chair of the APPG, as he's now Minister of Transport. Is there anyone else in Parliament interested in taking it on? Thought not.
So, is the fundamental issue that aviators are too tight to pay properly for their facilities? Elsewhere here we've read of examples of people climbing out of £50k cars for their £150 an hour flying lesson. In this part of the world, hangarage is less than half what it costs to rent a hole in the water in which to keep a boat.
TOO
You need to make sure you are comparing apples with apples there? Some Marinas may charge £4-5k per annum for a 10 meter cruiser, but you get a lot more for the money than a spot in a packed hangar at Lydd for example! So that type of "Hole in the water" must be compared to say a serviced spot in Farnborough? My boat is 12 meters and sits on a swing mooring in Queenborough harbour. There is a trot boat (Water taxi) to take you to and from your boat, showers, security and organized events etc. This costs me £950/yr! Compare that with €250/mth for a spot in Kortrijke for my little PA28! The obvious difference is that you can't build on water, so developers are not clamouring over themselves for a few acres of Medway