There are plans afoot to create a club in Aberdeen initially for the social side of aviation. It will be open to anyone who wishes to join. Details are going to be available soon.
It is unlikely that this will be a Flying Training Organisation - there are no available aircraft and given the past difficulties with costs (parking £200 per month, fuel prices etc), and the usual 'how to make a small fortune in aviation ...' caveat, unless one of the members wins the lottery that may not change for the near future.
It costs not insignificant amounts of money for instructors to keep up their rating. When moving to their first type rated jobs all the instructors have been enthusiastic to keep up something which they have enjoyed but when the time comes for them to renew it isn't cost effective for them! And I don't blame them, there are much more important things for them to be spending their money on
As one of the group owners I understand exactly how much it costs to run an aeroplane. Not withstanding the £20 + landing fees, the costs of holding at E1 for traffic for 40 mins, only being able to do one circuit in an hour, not being able to get in the circuit due to other traffic, the parking costs, no permanent maintenance facilities ...
There are many reasons why it's been so hard to run a club in Aberdeen. But it does all boil down to money. So, which of you won the lottery last night?
