Double standards?
 

Hmmmm....but if he had called himself "Now", planned to operate out of Luton instead of Oxford, with B737s instead of PA31s, you'd all be queing up to condemn him...

In response to a posting in the Wannabe forum from somebody with similar aspirations, amongst the down doers I recall Alex Whittingham's reply of "Faint hearts don't win fair maidens."

Best of luck to the lad, although luck probably has very little to do with success.

:ok:

I am appauled at a few of you. Especially you WEE WESLEY WELSHMAN. Why does this guy need to be subjected to some pro-active shaking. I think starting an airline is very pro-active don't you.

I can't see what the guy has done wrong. I myself am young (23) and I've founded and still run my own aviation based company that is now very successful - I still fly professionally. Every where I go I get labled as a rich kid that had hand outs from my parents. My parents don't have any money never did, I paid for all my training by running my first business and have bloody worked hard at it. Pretty much 16hrs a day for the last five years. Never had a holiday in that time! Maybe you need to look at Alpha 1 airways with a bit more respect.

You are typical of a synical employee who expects his boss to spoon feed him with opotunities - good luck to this guy for creating his own oportunities. I see you live in Cheltenham which is where I currently live, I hope I never have to speak with you face to face.

I think Alpha 1 Airways has a sound business model, yes the margins are small but providing there is enough working capital to cover the initial shortfall in payload and there is a favourable lease with Airmed then it just might work.

Come on guys, you of all people know what its like to work hard towards something and should know that it is wrong to put someone down just because they are giving it a go - and a bloody good one in this case.

I'm sure back in the days when you all needed hours you wouldn't have poo-pooed him enough to ask for a job!

Good on the guy - I wish him luck.

"several business plans were considered ranging from air taxi firms to a Transatlantic airline operating from Scotland. "

From an 18yr old who has worked in aviation since he was 14 no less.

And he hasn't created a damn thing. He is marketing a service operated by Air Med. Largely by using the mildly intriguing but wholly inaccurate proposition of having founded an airline at the age of 18.

Other than a nice website and a profitable 0870 telephone number I fail to see what has actually been created.

Naturally I wish him good luck, he sounds like an enterprising man. I'm sure he'll go far.

Cheers

WWW

I think this article in The Times today sums up exactly who Mr Halstead is, it captures him perfectly in my opinion. Come forward and take a bow Martin!

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...536920,00.html

Weasel Welshman (or whatever)

For someone who spent so many years as a GA wannabe I'm surprised at your attitude.

Or is it just green eyes?

Was it not Richard Branson who said, "The best way to become a millionaire is to begin as a billionaire and then start an airline!"?

I genuinely wish this young guy all the luck in the world - he is probably going to need it!

Good luck to the guy, we could do with a few more like him.

Now why didn't I think of that?

As long as he doesn't have the interpersonal skills of one M O'Leary, the kid has my support. No reason why the route wouldn't work either - 2 of the most respected universities in the world connected by a short air link. I'm sure there must be plenty of takers for that one amongst the lecturers and students. Ever tried driving it?

I remember, a long time ago, a young chap (admittedly not quite so young as the Alpha 1 male) and a PILOT no less (what do they know about running an airline?!) coming along with a business plan for a Bandit operation from Cranfield to LGW (or was it LHR?). A lot of people scoffed and laughed and but he perservered and modded the plan. Not long afterwards he launched Connectair and the rest, as they say, is history. . .

Forgive me for being cynical, but would this project generate as much interest if this kid was 48, not 18? Does it matter what age he is if he provides a good service? I can't help thinking that 4 pages (and counting) on pprune is way, way more than any wrinkly old entrepeneur would have got had he started something similiar.

Quote from Times online article:

“In the aviation industry people are either very welcoming or incredibly hostile."

PPRUNERS take note.

Now, shoot me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't a fare paying passenger plane be Perf A capable?
Is the Navajo such?
Would we survive an engine failure in that ac, if it was full of pax and luggage?
Answers please.

Outer Martyr,

In a word..... Maybe :uhoh:

Well good luck to the guy, but maybe it is just my APP loan but is the best part of 100 quid return not a tad pricey for anyone going to cambridge for the day.... I cant see businesses justifying this when they could just pay mileage or get the guy to drive in his company car. 90 pounds for a student is a lot of beer to visit cambridge too.

Will be interesting to see what happens though

BigAir

I cant help thinking........If Air Med had a Pax Caravan....they could actually make money....plus have more capacity.

Oh well SEIFR and all that.

Why so many people having a go at the kid? Would you prefer it if he was out on the streets somewhere smoking weed and mugging old ladies?

Give him some credit - he is doing something with his life, more then can be said for a lot of 18 year olds these days.

I say "damn good show lad" :ok:

The rate for own car usage for business travel is currently 40p per mile. At 118 miles each way gives a total of £94.40 for the round trip.
The big plus this guy is offering is a considerable amount of time out of the “UK transport system” should you try the car or train option, which must be worth a few quid!

Dude wrote:


According to the website they fly "Relax in the knowledge that you are being flown by some of the best pilots in the industry in one of the most popular and safest aircraft ever built."


Missed the bit about flying passengers in class G airspace as well.

Profit????
 

Lets say 50.00 inc all taxes....less paxes etc, lets say 40.00. Less credit card costs of 3.5% lets say 38.50. Lets say 30 mins flying, (20 published). So lets make it easy 1hr. total cost to operator. Lets say 6 pax each way.

So potential return of 480 per rotation.

Just what does a PA31 come out at these days.....less Catering, etc, etc. I assume the cost of a PA31 charter these days is more than £1000 per hour.??????????????

I admire the concept but dispute the maths...someone prove me wrong.

The PA 31 is a Cat A aircraft, and I have operated them in UK on Scheduled services.....and yes they might climb out on 1 when donkey stops, but please plan the crash site.

PM is discussions needed.

Bumz

Only 40p/mile for less than 1500cc, 45p to 2000cc, and 63p>2000cc.

118*2*£0.63=£148.68 - then there is the time saved - assume it's 2.5 hrs, and if you cost a person on £50,000/yr at 2.5 times their salary (NI, pension, benefits and overheads) it brings another £62.50.

Road - £210, Air - £98 + taxis.

Still not costed is the wear and tear on the traveller if they'd taken the road - ever seen the blood pressure charts on drivers?

That seems a little on the high side for a PA31, anyone got the right figures? Apart from that I wish the lad loads of luck, he's going to need it! :D

BPL321 Wrote:
Sound like a jealous attitude to me. Good luck to him.

Bumz_Rush wrote:
Errr, do you really think that this lad has not done the maths before launching his idea?

I can\'t believe that a group such as yourselves (with some exceptions) are just pulling this lad down.

I am not going to dwell on this as it is quite obvious what the problem is, JEALOUSY.... simple as that. I can imaging that a lot of people in this group are actually hoping he fails so they can say "I told you so" just because you wish you had thought of it or had the balls to do it.

Flame away....:ouch:

First off congrats to the young man. Anyone who has run their own business knows it's a very lonely place to be.

Secondly, i'm disgusted by the amount of negative points made in the last 4 pages. There are very few of you saying "well done mate" etc etc.

One of you said in response to one of the bitter comments "why aren't you employed?", mate your probably right. This thread highlights why people de-value the information contained on this site.

For once can't we congratulate him and keep and eye on it and resist the temptation (god only knows why you would want to) to slag him off.

I'm disgusted and appauled at the attitudes contained in the thread above mine.

Is this factually correct?


Q. Is Alpha1 ATOL protected?

A. No, but don't let that worry you. Because we issue your ticket the instant you pay us we do not require an ATOL, however, your contract is with AirMed, not Alpha1 Airways and they will honour all reservations.

You don't have to print a physical ticket in order to "issue" a ticket. BA, LH, FR do it all the time with their electronic ticketing.

You can self fly hire one for about £5-600/hr.

what a bunch most of you are...

why is it that no matter what anybody does in life there are always people there to bring him down.. must be jealousy simple as that.

If there was a 40yr old starting up out of Bournemouth with a leased 737 selling tickets to say ireland for 20quid, again people would be here pulling him down.

we all think of things in life we would like to be able to do, occasioanally some brave person take a chance and goes for it, some succeed, some fail.. who knows, its the taking part that counts not the winning..

p.s. i might add he is 18.. most kids of 18 this day and age are out drinking and pi$$ing everything up against walls

if it fails miserably then say told you so

in the meantime give him a break

TR

I don't really care whether he becomes a Richard Branson or not, but it's an interesting story to distract me from AC Electrics and ETOPS and rapidly approaching exams!

I am however genuinely interested in the feasability of something like this. I cannot see how it could possibly work, which is how I suspect many people view it. Its not that I am anti-it, bitter or jealous.

For example, if 2 pax don't turn up, or rather, only 6 pax are booked for a flight, then his revenue will be down by some 25%. Therefore passenger numbers will be absolutley critical for as long as it remains a small venture. If 2 pax don't book on an Easy flight, it is absorbed easily (no pun intended), but how will Alpha1 absorb the costs? (Worst case scenario: no pax booked Oxford - Camb, and 1 pax booked Camb-Oxford = 1hrs PA31 charter from AirMed plus 2 pilots wages + fixed fees, less 1 ticket at £49)

I Simply don't see how it could possibly make money. (And there's a lot of difference between "a lot of interest being shown" (according to the press) following national press article and day to day bookings through the winter.)

Lets be honest here.....

I will join in with the standard comments of "Good luck to him, etc etc". At 18 years of age i'm quite sure he'll be a success in whatever he chooses to do in view of how enterprising he is all ready....

I have been working in this industry for 25 years and been part of 3 start up airlines in a flight ops management capacity - all this chap has created is another virtual airline, in fact, that is what the CAA refer to it as. Having gained 3 new AOC's over my time, I am 100% positive that the money involved to gain his own AOC and post holder salaries will not add up with a Navajo operation.

And if he is considering a B1900 etc etc...he'll have to pay to put one of these onto Air Meds AOC....then your talking type ratings, mega aircraft operating costs etc etc....

I'm sorry - we and the rest of the world all love a tryer, but this is just a non-starter and an 18 year old playing at a Virtual Airline career...

As I say, lets be honest - this is just a load of tosh all kicked up by the press...

As far as engine failure in a PA-31 is concerned, there should be no problem so long as the pilot is properly trained, and the aircraft is properly maintained. There are two pilots (apparently) on every flight, so I really think they should be able to hack a 60nm sector. It is an excellent venture for a young man to start. Yes, it may well fail, but he will learn a lot and go on to greater things. He, and the organisation, deserve support and encouragement.

The only thing that worries me is that presumably the operator has a deal with him to supply him with the aicrraft and crew for a set sum of money. (If this is not the case it would be good to know.) Providing AOC coverage is fine; supplying a crew is fine; but supplying the AOC, crew and aircraft usually means that the person at the end of it all has his hands tied. If he is not making any money on the scheduled service operation, he cannot use the aircraft and crew on ad hoc charters to keep the money flowing in. There is no other way to make money out of the aircraft.

But it sounds like he is not stupid, so he has probabaly got some deal with Airmed that will provide him with some insurance, such as an element of risk-sharing. I certainly hope so.

Oxford-Cambridge does not sound to me like a particularly exciting route, but it is a start, and presumably both airports have done their bit to support the operation by not charging Alpha1 for a year or so.

The important thing to remember is that if does suffer losses, we should not say "I told you so", but encourage him to stick with aviation and have another go in the future.

Riverboat

I wouldnt for one moment expect this aircraft to make any return on this route at these rates. A 29 seat Jetstream 41 with healthy loads and clever yield management might!

This is a low risk, zero capital route start up with good growth potential. Lets hope they can develop the route into a profitable operation fast!

ps. Why did Suckling never venture into this one?! :suspect:

A Cessna Caravan would make money...:E ....another SEIFR plug:D

give it 2 years in operation and he'll become a BA franchise!!

While I wish him every success in his venture I truly hope this young chap doesn't end up losing everything he has worked for!! Mind you with all the publicity surrounding his venture, maybe one of the larger players will offer him a job, if things don't work out.

For the number crunchers out there, Air Med have some estimated costings for chartering their aircraft, on their website -

http://www.airmed.co.uk/cities/cambridge.htm

Ok, so I have read all the posts and it does not surprise me that there is so much negativity towards this guy. Yet again it’s the same people who believe they know best why certain ventures could never work.

Since most of you seem to know the pit falls and reasons why the venture will not work then you should be in a better position than he is. Let’s see you guys in action. From what has been said, some of you guys have the midas touch!

The airline business is changing faster than most airlines can keep up with it, so who is to say it will not work. I bet there were plenty of airlines out there laughing at FR when they said they would do what they have done all those years ago. Look at them now.

Best of luck to him.

Well,

most of you have shown yourselves as typical PPRUNE green eyed monsters.
I expect a large amount of you can't find employment in aviation so you resort to bringing down other people to your level. SAD.

Good luck to this young lad and I hope all goes well.

Let's all acknowledge the obvious shall we..? Regardless of whether or not this venture succeeds (and I certainly wish him the best), a boy with this level of ambition, drive, determination and confidence will leave nearly every one of us in the proverbial dust. I could only wish to have had 1/10th of his cojone's when I was 18.....

I suspect a lad with the balls the size of his is a 'bouncer'...if this venture doesn't come off - his next one will, or the one after that.

There are those that DO and there are those that don't, (usually identifiable as the the negative posters on pprune).

Edit to say: I am a project accountant and if he wants to offer me a job - PM me!

"Nothing ever happens until someone gets off their arse and does something. That seems fairly obvious, but nothing ever does, and if it means having to kick a few doors off the hinges then that's what it takes".

Quote; Collin Pilinger, Beagle 2 Project Leader.