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Sheffield City Airport Petition

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Sheffield City Airport Petition

Old 15th Feb 2013, 11:47
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I'm sorry if it's insulting to some people, but I think that they should listen and think harder before writing if they don't want to feel offended when they are responded to vociferously. The locals and supporters on this thread seem generally sick of trying to explain to people who clearly don't want to understand.

Anyway.

I'm sure that you will agree that it is all but impossible to quantify "lots of business" in £'s, unless you are a local inward investment agency quango wonk , which is why I didn't. But there is sufficient historical, anecdotal and geographic evidence available to consider such as;

1. The campaign is being led by the Federation of Small Business.
2. Rolls Royce and Boeing have engineering / research centres at the end of the runway.
3. The Airport is in an Enterprise Zone.
4. It's located within the city boundary, adjacent to the main manufacturing and commerce zone, and 6/7 minutes drive to the city centre down a fast dual carriageway.
5. HS2 will have a station a mile up the road.
6. Finningley is in Doncaster and an hour's drive away with all the aggravation of a large facility. Netherthorpe is 550m of grass. Sandtoft and Gamston are in other counties.

There was plenty of GA activity up until it closed, King Airs, twins, Lears, the odd Gulfstream, helicopters, and lots and lots of SEP's. Add in the training and club activities and it makes for a well used runway. CAT is great, and desirable, but it's not the be all and end all. PPRuNe has no shortage of rather superior salaried pilots who can't see beyond CAT. There's more to aviation than them, especially when it comes to how a runway impacts on a city.

I appreciate that the above just gives more ammunition for the disinterested and pointlessly argumentative to pick holes in somebody else's plans, but when you're in the Sheffield business community these things make a bit more sense.

Considering that there are at least two parties who want to use their own cash to reopen the facility, there's no real downside to anyone. I just think that they should be supported and given the best possible opportunity, while those who are responsible for any past wrongdoings are brought to book.

Last edited by eltonioni; 15th Feb 2013 at 11:48.
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Old 15th Feb 2013, 21:16
  #222 (permalink)  
 
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I still want to know who is expected to set up the enquiry, and who is supposed to fund it.
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Old 16th Feb 2013, 00:51
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Eltonioni wrote


Considering that there are at least two parties who want to use their own cash to reopen the facility, there's no real downside to anyone. I just think that they should be supported and given the best possible opportunity, while those who are responsible for any past wrongdoings are brought to book.
I am trying not to be imbecilic here, but if there are parties who wish to reopen the facility, who think it is profitable, can they not make a bid to the current owners to do so?

Or is their idea contingent on some compensation or reversion of land use for possibly irregular happenings in the past, which would help to fund it? I've read all the thread and it is difficult to make sense of.

I appreciate that the above just gives more ammunition for the disinterested and pointlessly argumentative to pick holes in somebody else's plans, but when you're in the Sheffield business community these things make a bit more sense.
Obviously, as I said, most posters on this site would be very pleased if a closed airport reopened, but will justifiably point out their views on the probability of success of the venture - usually calmly and without rancour, and I must say, with reasoned arguments. This is not the same as 'picking holes'.

Let me say again, I would be delighted if Sheffield airport reopened, and I do recognize your experience and insight of aviation and of the economy of South Yorkshire. But based on my own opinions and knowledge, and that of others on the thread, we come to different conclusions.

Last edited by johnnychips; 16th Feb 2013 at 01:35. Reason: Spelling; additional points
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Old 16th Feb 2013, 08:02
  #224 (permalink)  
 
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1. The campaign is being led by the Federation of Small Business.
2. Rolls Royce and Boeing have engineering / research centres at the end of the runway.
3. The Airport is in an Enterprise Zone.
4. It's located within the city boundary, adjacent to the main manufacturing and commerce zone, and 6/7 minutes drive to the city centre down a fast dual carriageway.
5. HS2 will have a station a mile up the road.
6. Finningley is in Doncaster and an hour's drive away with all the aggravation of a large facility. Netherthorpe is 550m of grass. Sandtoft and Gamston are in other counties.
Let's cut to the chase then Elton ... How is it proposed that a re-opened Sheffield City Airport will turn a profit?
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Old 16th Feb 2013, 08:29
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Johnnychips, one of the interested parties has publicly stated that the airport wiould not be profitable for the first few years and he is looking for the city council to be part of his consortium, so he's looking for council taxpayers to help cover the losses, so it's not quite as eltonioni makes out. With the city council making huge cuts and Don Valley Stadium and Stocksbridge Leisure Centre at risk of closure due to the budget cuts, I think it is perfectly legitimate (and democratic) to ask questions of the plans when taxpayers are asked to contribute.

I'm still unsure how the FSB are hoping to get the airport reopened. If the owner does not want to sell, then what? How are the FSB going to force them? Big questions that no one has answered truthfully. Norman Normal suggested (or rather threatened) Peel will get negative PR, but that's not a viable solution.
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Old 16th Feb 2013, 13:50
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Ahhhh, the myth that DSA is an hours drive from Sheffield surfaces again!
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Old 18th Feb 2013, 14:11
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Google Maps says 1h 2m from where I'm sat right now on the west of Sheffield, and that's cutting through Lakeside. At busy times at Parkway + Lakeside can add another 45m.

It's a real-world hour to all intents and purposes, not an old myth.

Manchester Airport with it's plethora of flights (unlike Doncaster) is 1h 10 minutes.


I'm a bit bemused that people are suddenly worried about other people's profits. Any more straws to grab?

Last edited by eltonioni; 18th Feb 2013 at 14:15.
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Old 18th Feb 2013, 14:25
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Elton,

Here's a straw to grab ... Just how may a re-opened Sheffield City Airport break even or, indeed, make a profit?
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Old 18th Feb 2013, 14:36
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I can think of lots of ways, can't you? A good start would be to avoid running it like the previous operators.
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Old 18th Feb 2013, 15:32
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Eltonioni, it's great that you have some ideas how it could make money. So why is Andrew Cook (one of the two interested buyers) not as optimistic as you, if he is looking for council tax payers to contribute to the running costs to make it viable?

I'm a bit bemused that people are suddenly worried about other people's profits. Any more straws to grab?
Because, under one of the potential buyer's plans, council tax payers will be paying for an airport to re-open when it clearly was not viable the first time round. Why should tax payers contribute when Sheffield City Council is considering closing public facilities that are better used than an airport would be? Even an inquiry would cost tax payers money, which frankly would involve the council cutting back on even more much needed services.

We don't know what the other potential buyer's plans are, because he's not disclosing them. So secret that I expect he wants some public money to pay for his plans also.

If the campaign was at zero-cost to the public purse then I would say go ahead, let somebody risk their own money. But that's not the way it is at the moment.

Last edited by wb9999; 18th Feb 2013 at 15:40.
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Old 18th Feb 2013, 16:19
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It's not any way at the moment. Patience.
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Old 18th Feb 2013, 17:22
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It's not any way at the moment. Patience.
That's not what the FSB and Andrew Cook are saying publicly.
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Old 1st Dec 2013, 13:29
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An news regarding the future--if any--for Sheffield City please? It's gone very quiet.

Is the runway still extant or has building work started on the extension to the business park?

Edit: Posting before Googling has its limitations. The following website link at least takes the story to July 2013:

RESCA

First time I have heard the phrase "RESCA", ie Rescue Sheffield City Airport.

Question remains though, is the runway still intact, and has any building work taken place that would impinge on its future use again?

EGCA

Last edited by EGCA; 1st Dec 2013 at 13:38. Reason: additional info
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Old 1st Dec 2013, 14:50
  #234 (permalink)  

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Turn the place into a heliport. It's ideally placed (about halfway up) to provide refuels for aircraft routing up and down the length of the country and would still provide associated benefits to the city.

It's already set up to do so, the infrastructure is still there.
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Old 2nd Dec 2013, 06:08
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I spent a few days in Sheffield last week (if Dore count's) and i was shocked how the city has changed since i was last there and it wasn't all good, i can't see there is any way Sheffield City council could justify writing blank cheques for an Airport that few ever used, filling in the car eating pot holes would be a start, although if you could direct flights inbound from Somalia i think they'd but full from reading the local press, there is nothing wrong with local pride or indeed a wish to see your home city do well, but you have to be realistic and ask who will pay for it and other than the council i don't see any private investor going near it with their own money, its not like its a football club? there are no bragging rights in owning an airport unless its a premiership one....
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Old 2nd Dec 2013, 09:51
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I think rather than the City Council "writing blank cheques" it was more down to interested Sheffield businessmen as to whether there could be a revival. I recall there was interest from Mr Cook of steelmaking fame for instance.

Talking of commuter and scheduled services has to be a red herring, when the future might be with business and executive fixed and rotary wing operation.
Even with circa 3950 ft of runway most of Europe would be within range of modern piston/turbine twins of the 6-8 seat size surely.

My original question still stands though: Have the developers as yet taken any steps that would render reactivation of the airfield impossible?

As an aside, the poster above I suspect didn't really get a flavour of the modern Sheffield, not from the leafy suberb of Dore anyway. I havn't worked there since the 1980's, but friends tell me that you take your car into central Sheffield at your peril, "you will be lost for days" they say....

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Old 2nd Dec 2013, 11:12
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It's ideally placed (about halfway up) to provide refuels for aircraft routing up and down the length of the country
Aircraft, much the same as commercial road vehicles, stop for fuel where the price is right without diversifying to far off their optimum route.

I don't know the price of fuel at a Sheffield City Air/Heliport but I would suggest that it would be more expensive that at some competitor airfields where those aircraft could stop for their refuels.
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Old 2nd Dec 2013, 17:44
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As things stand the "heliport", hard standing/hangar/fuel, is solely for the use of the local Police helicopter. Not sure if even the air ambulances use it.
I dont think there has ever been any intention that it is opened to general helicopter use, and does not have the infrastructure in place for general commercial use.
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Old 4th Dec 2013, 16:57
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Interesting that today the "RESCA" link I posted above no longer works, and cannot now find it via Google.
Maybe my posting just reminded someone to take down the website.

My question still stands, have the developers done anything on site to make reopening impossible? Sheffield and Rotherham, are you out there? Hello...is there anybody there....?

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Old 4th Dec 2013, 17:32
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1. The campaign is being led by the Federation of Small Business.
2. Rolls Royce and Boeing have engineering / research centres at the end of the runway.
3. The Airport is in an Enterprise Zone.
4. It's located within the city boundary, adjacent to the main manufacturing and commerce zone, and 6/7 minutes drive to the city centre down a fast dual carriageway.
5. HS2 will have a station a mile up the road.
6. Finningley is in Doncaster and an hour's drive away with all the aggravation of a large facility. Netherthorpe is 550m of grass. Sandtoft and Gamston are in other counties.
Lets have a look at some of these poinsT;

1. The FSB largely represent just that - small businesses. Are big employers like Outokumpu just down the road gagging to use SZD?

2. As above - are Boeing and RR gagging for the airport to be reopened?

3. An enterprise zone - a political device used by councillors and national politicians to make it look as though they're "doing something" in a deprived area - a bit like the Freeports of the 1980s.

4. Like heck it is - especially when Meadowhell is in full swing!

5. When exactly is HS2 likely to reach Sheffield?

Just what the UK doesn't need right now, another airport - there's plenty already. A fact proven by the failure of SZD as a commercial airport years ago.
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