BN this week
I have just visited BN at Bembridge and have an insight of the problems they are facing.
Although money does form a part of the dispute with the land owner, the real problem seems to be about the control of activities on the airfield. In the interests of flight safety, what BN needs as an airfield manager is to be in control of all the airside activity. At the moment, there is also a gliding club and a model aircraft club who use the airfield without any reference to BN, and this creates dangerous conflict on a weekly basis. The land owner seems to be taking advice from his own representative who is also a member of the neighbouring gliding club. (Is that a conflict of interest?)
This same person used to work for Pilatus BN some time ago and the reason for his departure is not clear, but there seems to be some acrimony there. As I understand it, he has been responsible for the closure of the airfield twice before.
The main point I would make is that BN are extremely happy to continue managing the airfield even though it seems rather costly. If this cannot work, BN will be equally happy to simply have access to the airfield, access which is currently being blocked by the land owner.
Apparently, a BN customer was supposed to bring an Islander into Bembridge this week for modification, and the land owner wanted him to pay GBP1800 for the landing, and would not give any assurance that the aircraft would be able to depart again after modification! From Pete Dalby I understand that until a couple of weeks ago the standard commercial landing rate for an Islander at Bembridge was GBP50!!
As a contingency to sustain business, I hear BN are looking at options at Sandown and a few close UK airfields other than their existing facility at Lee On Solent.
In my view, without BN, or some similar organisation brought in to manage the airfield, it is unlikely that Bembridge will survive very long particularly as BN own the control tower, cafeteria and fire station.
IO540 and others, I am certain the Cirrus assembly at Bembridge ceased in 2009 as a result of the impact of the GFC on Cirrus sales. Sir George Cayley has hit the nail on the head if he is talking about a nail in the coffin for Bembridge Airfield.