Pace:
Took a Citation into Norwich for a few hours last week. The aircraft owner got a bill for about £400 to land and be handled there and thats not a major airport.
This isnt directed at the handling agents who had an expensive new setup and could not have been nicer.
Nevertheless it does make you wonder how anyone can afford to fly in the UK or for that matter how the airports and their sub industries can manage to survive over here.
Surely it was a requirement to land at Norwich then? Yet there is Cambridge not too far away with pucka facilities and likely a hell of a lot cheaper than that?
It's all about picking your places. I rang up Durham Tees yesterday and spoke to the Handlers. With a little chit chat, I managed to get the handling fee down to a tenner, the landing fee was fixed at £24.99. Will I land there? Possibly not. But it's good to know a local facility with fuel / facilities / hotels nearby should there ever be problems is there and not a million pounds to land. Compare that to Doncaster and Humberside - both £44 for a PA28 for landing, then there's handling at Donny too....
With my membership, I also get unlimited landings/go arounds. I frequently when returning from a flight pop in and do 3 - 4 circuits, just to keep currency with them. The club always has back seats available (sometimes side seats) so always someone to go flying with. It's what's it all about....!
There's Fenton 2nm away where I can request ILS approaches too when the training permits - perfect!