Diversion charges
So there I am yesterday returning to home base only to find a very active electrical storm overhead the airfield. Deciding it unsafe to approach I divert to one of two local airfields. Airfield A (13 miles) lies in the apparant future path of the CB. Airfield B (18 miles) is well clear of the system. After 5 minutes debate and getting a warning from airfield A that they have a class one thunderstorm warning in place I elect to divert to airfield B.
Upon landing I telephone home base to be told in a sarcastic tone that it was a stupid place to divert to because they charge landing fees in such cases. It was further explained that this mistake would cost me out of my own pocket i.e. I would have to pay the landing fee of ten pounds. The boss man intoned that airfield A was the right place to divert because they didn't charge.
Now, we have no SOP's for such diversions therefore it seems to me to be up to the captain of the aircraft to make a decision as to where to go.
I am in a quandry on how to fight this. One the one hand I taught the student all the way there and back and demo'd a join at an unfamiliar airfield etc. Therefore he got real value out of it and he should pay for the landing fee. On the other hand this kind of thing happens and surely the flying school should cover this cost.
What do you think?
Of course its a real stinker to impose personal financial penalties on instructors for making sound airmanship judgements but thats the world I live in.
And of course airfield B is a bit shark like in charging landing fees for forced diversions.
Safe Flying, WWW