Doncaster ATZ
Flew into and out of Sandtoft yesterday which meant that we had to talk to Doncaster Approach. The controller was extremely busy but it was quite apparent that almost all the calls were from aircraft seeking to transit the Doncaster Zone or requesting a basic service. I think we heard two aircraft actually using Doncaster Airport and one of those was a PA28 on a training flight.
A look at the arrivals/departures for Doncaster Robin Hood usually reveals less than a total of 40 commercial movements each 24 hours. I know it has been said before but the recent reduction in flight travel only emphasises that this arport doesn't need such a vast control zone stretching from Goole in the North to Mansfield in the South for so few commercial flights. All it has done has increase the workload on private pilots.