OK guys; lots of post mortem, lots of acrimony or attempts not to be too acrimonious... let's look to the future. Here are a few questions.
If the club gets revived, should any revived club be [list=1][*]Primarily a flight training establishment[*]Primarily for PPLs to rent planes[*]A mixture - note this has serious planning and equipment implications[/list=1]
How important is the presence of a significant bar and social area?[list=1][*]Very[*]Kind of nice to have[*]Not important[/list=1]
What do people want from the aircraft? How important is it that there is commonality[list=1][*]Very important - eg Cherokee through to Arrow[*]Not important - variety is the spice of life[*]Don't care[/list=1]
Now the all important cost questions:
Landing fees; will the landing fees put you off flying at Newcastle and tempt you to Eshott, Fishburn, Durham Tees-Valley, Peterlee etc
- Yes, GA is basically over at Newcastle
- No, I'll live with the landing fees
- Don't know
Now go back to your training, would you pay £6.25 + VAT for each touch and go? So, say £37 quid for an hour of circuits?
- Yes
- It would make me think again
Then staffing; are you happy for the club to be run on a voluntary basis, or do you require a paid "professional" service from ground staff in the club? What I am getting at is "are you prepared to forgive a little disorganisation and work you have to do yourself for the benefit of cheaper flying" or do you want a customer focussed organisation that exists to persuade you to part with more money than you intended persuing a hobby you love? I think this is a really serious question, because many people are time-poor and want service on the nail if they are going to go flying. Will it matter if the club doesn't open till 10am on a day when you booked a plane at 8.30?
- I need rigorous attention to quality service
- I'd rather have cheaper flying and won't mind if things don't always run like clockwork
And now the training question; if you were going to train for a CPL/IR and on to an ATPL, would you do it at a revamped Newcastle Aero Club with, say, one Beech Duchess or a Seneca, or would you go to Oxford / Multiflight / Florida etc?
I think these are at least some of the questions that anyone taking over the club will want to have a look at. They might be interested in answers on this forum!
have fun