AOPA UK is working closely with Lee Flying Association. The strategies pursued so far have paid off. Needless to say strategies are also in place to deal with the latest developments.
More details
here.Anyone who has an interest in Lee on Solent as a user or potential user can help by joining Lee Flying Association. Even if you are not in the area please keep an eye on the site to keep up to speed with developments.
The police are now admitting that they fibbed to the Police Authority over costs. There are three other Islanders operated by the Police in other areas apparently at much lower cost so one questions why Hampshire feel it essential that they should lease the entire airfield rather than simply pay to use it.
The avowed intent of SEEDA and the local authorities is that aviation will continue at Daedalus, 57 percent of respondents to SEEDA's consultation exercise supported the continuation of aviation. The Police are pulling in the opposite direction.
The Police as Aerodrome Operator are responsible for safety, yet appear to be not competent to run the a/d. It took LFA and AOPA to come up with a scheme, backed by the CAA and MoD to sort out the safety issues.
THe CAA's Aerodrome Standards people are at the airfield today and tomorrow. CAA is of course an agency of DfT, who own the airfield. It's their minister who has had to stand up in the House to explain what's going on as a result of Hampshire Police's antics.
So, in terms of what you guys can do:-
If you pay the Hampshire Police precept, lobby Hampshire Police Authority on costs.
Write to DfT asking why their lessee is being allowed to operate in the way it is. Why it took external people to sort out the safety issues. Why their lesssee is being permitted to continually block the aspirations of the local community and prevent investment by the aviation industry.
Write to Fareham Borough Council planning dept asking to be informed of any planning applications and oppose anything that involves non-aviation use of the DfT land.
If you would like to operate from Lee or if you have an aviation business that would like to operate from Lee write to Clare Chester at SEEDA telling her so. The more expressions of interest SEEDA get, the more importance they will attach to aviation.
If you need more info on anything please ask.