Maybe slightly off thread, but I absolutely loathe flying into Stapleford. It is my number one least favourite place to visit. Sadly it is the airfield, it at least feels like, I have to visit the most. There are some I love to go to. Wellsbourne (great cake), Kemble, North Wield and White Waltham spring instantly to mind. There are some I am non-plussed by - Denham and Connington for example. Wycombe and Cranfield are fairly low on my list, both are expensive and both can have curt ATC, but of all Stapleford is rarely a cheerful experience.
Firstly is can get very busy and ground radio have a poor view from their ground floor office. I heard them barking at some chap who had taxyed up the western side of 04 earlier this week, to cut across the runway and get on the eastern side. Granted he was in the wrong place. However their shouting 'turn left immediately and cross the runway' was retarded. Fortunately the pilot ignored them because evidently he had eyes and could see a Cessna on short finals who eventually begged 'No, please stay where you are!' They can't see properly and are a radio, so should not be yelling instructions.
The amount of double-clicking on the radio also irritates me.
But the aviators and that includes the airschool are the biggest hazard. On a busy day some weeks ago I managed to see a gap and line up for 04. No sooner had I done so I heard "G-XXXX on final for 04". I'd had a good look but got off the runway anyway, only to find a twin landing on 22, the opposite direction to the traffic with 4 or so in the circuit! The idiot deliberately dropped in so he could use the hard runway and on pulling off said "thanks for your co-operation everyone".
On one day, again only a few weeks ago I was meeting with an ex-captain with something like 30,000 hours and 25+ years of GA in that as well. He was cut up on final by an airshool aircraft just dropping straight in on final, but did exactly the right thing to leave enough space so both could land. I was viewing all this from the outside bit in the cafe. A second aircraft, also from the school did nothing to react to what had happened in front, left himself no space and had to go around. On landing, this spotty little herbert from Stapleford flight school approached my friend, and proceeded to draw him diagrams of circuits. I was fairly annoyed and reminded him that there were many people prepared to pay him for his tuition so he needn't hand it out for free. I saw another instructor laying into a young woman because she wasn't wearing a high-viz. I don't remember the last time I saw any of the instructors wearing one however. I have never trained with Stapleford, but my experiences of them are a bunch of rude cowboys who think they own that airfield. I could give numerous more examples but these are just in the last few weeks. You need eyes on stalks and a crystal ball to get in an out safely.
I have overheard them teaching in the cafe many times. Most of their tuition seems on the whole very thorough, but there does seem to be much swaggering and bravado.
A big thumbs down. A place I would never visit, were it entirely up to me.
Cafe is ok though.
And again apologies if it is a teeny bit off subject, but I hate that place so much I just wanted to get it all off my chest. I feel better now.
Oh, and I have never had any problems with the girls behind the desk when settling landing fees. Always polite and always on hand.