GLOUCESTERSHIRE
 

Councils to invest £1.8m accoring to this report

http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co....=sidebarsearch

....and a Business Travel Survey on the Airport website

http://www.gloucestershireairport.co...out%20logo.pdf

Wow!!!!! A 10m runway extension----and they won't need to talk to the ATC tower!
Don't you just love journos?

Surely that 10m is an typo?

The 10 metres in conjunction with the RESA improvement will raise the overall landing distance on RW27 (by nearly 200m) to just short of London City dimensions. So I don't think it was a 'typo'........just not put very clearly!

What are glouc hoping to gain with the greater length?

More traffic!

There's a fair bit of 'lost', high yield traffic at the moment due to declared distances. For example, a chartered (i.e. Public Transport) Excel had to hold last night to get down to landing weight and others often divert to Filton or Brum etc. in wet conditions.

It's centrally located, 200m from the M50/A40 junction with over 100 000 people living within a 10-minute drive. Affluent part of the country with relatively high business travel demand suggests potential 'niche' scheduled services too.

The ILS will make a big difference to IR training too. Training capacity is already stretched at Bristol, Cardiff, Coventry & Brum.

The airfield is in a perfect location - it makes you weep. Yet they allowed development all around and so now its knackered for any serious commercial uses. However, very small improvements in runway length, hours of operation and buzzy electronic aids could yield a dissproportinate increase in useability.

35 mins to Birmingham and Bristol and Cardiff and centred in the high net worth individual Mecca of the Cotswolds... With Zurich, GCHQ and Eagle plus C&G and others within minutes...

Cheers

WWW

And let's not forget Cheltenham races, science & literary festivals. All in all a great place to be!

and a Citation X soon too...
 

yep..and a Citation X to be based there soon too.. Cheers bm

Theres been a Citation X and a Falcon 900EXE based there for some time hasn't there?

bm, is that a second Citation 750 to be based at Gloucester joining the one that arrived in August 2005 then?

Dave

Yep..a second C Ten...
 

.......and expect it 3rd/4th week of January. Cheers bm

Blimey! Where are we going to put that then?!?

BoeingMEL, check your PM's
:O

Filton? Birmingham??;)

If Gloucester was to get sheduled services i think Air Southwest would be the best operator!

VCR....my office, 5 minutes....

We'll squeeze it in somewhere!!!:D

WOWBOY
I agree...the Dash 8 is the ideal aeroplane for Gloucester, but it\'s not me you need to convince:D

What scheduled destinations could work from Gloucester? Obviously there is BHX and CVT to the north and BRS to the south, plus Virgin Cross Country train services at Cheltenham and Gloucester so there would be strong competition for any flights.

Jersey could be a possible scheduled destination since the summer charter flights seem to keep going but after that most of the more realistic destinations are alreday served from BRS and BHX such as Dublin, Cork, Belfast, Manchester (BRS only), Edinburgh and Glasgow?

So, could any scheduled flights (apart from Jersey in the summer) actually be successful from Gloucester?

As the Exec Jets are squeezed away from London, airports situated close too, and feeding into London, can make more money from these movements, than from scheduled flights.

Folk on here seem to think that millions of passengers makes huge profits? I quote the Luton Airport CX from 1997. Luton made £1.75m clear profit from Exec flights. For this type of operation, you need a runway, and a place to board/de-plane in privacy.

My guess is that within the next 10 years, Cranfield will become the 'Farnborough' of North London, as slots become finite. Do a search on the plans of the University? Spending a little cash in airport upgrades, can yield untold profits. CAT1 both ends/CAT1 lighting both ends/Radar (The expensive bit!)

Staverton could achieve the same, albeit a bit further from London.

The previous posters are right. The Scheduled market from GLO will always be limited by the competition from BRS & BHX, but that doesn't rule it out completely. The Channel Islands are a dead cert, all year round and there'd probably be enough of a 'niche' business travel demand for a Paris/Brussels/Edinburgh. If you could get into London City or Heathrow cost effectively, then you'd be able to compete sensibly with the rail service, which is still slow (2hr 15) and relatively expensive (£60 single).

The real benefits for GLO will be in the corporate market. The business is already there, but currently being lost due to the operational restrictions of a short runway and non-precision approach. This is; however, a difficult market to stimulate so the Airport will always be reliant on it's existing strong GA and Commercial training, which will be boosted by the installation of ILS

Re: GLOUCESTER
 

This in some respects is going to be a huge & positive step.

However, I have some real reservations, especially if the increase in "heavier" movements fails to materialise.
I guess Matspart 3 and 360 will need to be validated and deserve a hike in salary (you're worth it). How many ATCO's will need to be radar rated?
Who is going to maintain the hardware and keep it all calibrated. Then you are going to have to pay Flight Precision (or someone) to come and flight test on a regular basis.

Don't ever contemplate LHR services.
Midland pulled out of BHX, EMA and I think Teesside and L'pool in order to utilise LHR slots for much higher yield routes.

How will you adjust circuit & VFR tfc when you have multiple arrivals on the ILS? Will you be prepared to break off IFR training approaches at 4 miles and enable circuit tfc to continue. (and can we trust one or two to fly a circuit inside 4 miles :) ) I think you'll be inundated for training!

How will fees & charges be scaled or are the regular locals going to feel the pinch:ouch:

Re: GLOUCESTER
 

GK430
Good points, but nothing 'show stopping'.

The current balance of radar/non-radar ATCO's is about right. Another started a course last week and with ASTAC moving on site, future training should be a little easier.

The ILS will be looked after under the current (CAA Approved) contract arrangements that are used to support the existing navaids and ATC kit. Flight checking is an ongoing cost, which is accounted for in budget planning. Nobody could seriously contemplate LHR under the present slot arrangements, but who knows how that might change?

ILS presents some issues, of course, in the training environment in regards to spacing, but we're well versed at integrating multiple NDB/DME's and crossing runway ops already....we'll just be doing lots more of it.

The benefit to homebased operators is the saving made by not having to fly somewhere else for ILS training. They'll now have 'the full monty' on their doorstep and the non-trainers will save on diversions in LVPs. Homebased currently enjoy a 50% discount on training approaches and priority in making bookings, wouldn't have though that would change....

Re: GLOUCESTER
 

bmi still fly MME-LHR

Re: GLOUCESTER
 

Why just those two? Doesn't the whole team deserve a hike in salary? Did they recruit recently? Where has the beach jet gone?

Well Terry, they are the two that are synonymous pprune posters in the Glos Twr. Personally, I always get a great service from all the staff in the Twr and never had cause to moan. Therefore, I am more than happy to see them benefit when they add further strings to their bows!

Just out of curiosity how will the building on the east side of the road in the 27 undershoot fare - I take it that an Obstacle survey has been done?

Gloucestershire (egbj)
 

No MD, no ILS, no future?


From the Echo today...

Gloucestershire Airport is facing an uncertain future after the sudden exit of its managing director.Ian Statham walked out after it emerged the airport at Staverton recorded a profit of just £8,000 for 2005-06.

Airport bosses promised £87,000 to its shareholders, Cheltenham Borough Council and Gloucester City Council.

They will now be forced to raid reserves to pay annual dividends of £25,000 to each of the authorities.

The airport's board of directors said Mr Statham had left as part of a management restructure.

His departure comes as a result of massive opposition to plans to upgrade the runway.

Gerry Gearing, the airport's vice-chairman, said Mr Statham left because he was low on confidence following criticism of the runway plans.

The airport plans to extend the safety zone around the runway clearance and to comply with health and safety standards.

But Tewkesbury Borough Council has refused planning permission and residents fear an increase in air traffic, noise and pollution.

Gloucester City Council and the leading Tory group at Cheltenham Borough Council oppose the proposals.

Coun Gearing said: "Ian Statham has been with us for two years and has workedvery hard on plans to bring more of the runway into use.

"He was responsible for our five-year plan and his efforts are very well regarded.

"He's very sorry there's been so much difficulty. He didn't anticipate this reaction to what he thought would be good for the airport. He feels he can't carry on. His efforts over the last two years have been called into question.

"He feels he hasn't got the confidence of the shareholders and that concerns him greatly."

Chairman of the airport's board of directors David Cook said Mr Statham left a week ago.

He said: "We are obviously sorry to lose Ian. He has been a great asset to the airport in terms of his technical knowledge and expertise.

"He has steered the airport through a particularly difficult period of late and we wish him well for the future."

Mr Cook said the main criticism of the runway plans came from Cheltenham Borough Council's Tory group.

The sudden exit and poor financial performance puts the future of the airport under the spotlight.

Conservative Cheltenham borough councillors believe the airport's proposals are not financially viable.

Although the authority recently gave its backing to the airport during a full meeting of the council, the vote pushed through by Lib Dems on the hung council was not binding.

Tory and Labour councillors on the city council have refused to back Lib Dem calls to safeguard the future of the airport. Mr Cook said Tewkesbury Borough Council had not yet made its thoughts on the airport official.

Gloucester
 

Just a note to say that the new Manx2 IOM service carried 1,171 passengers in September which was only 700 short of the BLK route with Manx2 but operated well less than half of this number of flights! Works out at 64.2% on the 19 seater Metroliner.

Beat LBA which is with same aircraft and on same frequency!

Congrats to Manx2, IOM and GLO!

Has Manx2 started operating the JER-GLO route at Weekends yet?

I guess somebody like Blue Islands who operate to some smaller regional airports (eg. Shoreham) could look at the route on a daily basis if it looks viable

FC

They have on - Saturday and Sunday (changing to Friday and Sunday during the winter).

No idea what the loads are like though (and whether they'd support a more frequent service).

So far the IOM route has been a success - I don't see why DUB, EDI or GLA couldn't get larger loads.

Are the plans for obstacle clearance & the ILS still going ahead?

I've noticed on this wet Sunday that one flight (bizjet) has refiled from Staverton to Birmingham due to the implications of landing on a wet runway at GLO.

Fried Chicken

Yes.

4 Planning applications relating to the project are still with Tewkesbury Borough Council. Full details at www.gloucestershireairport.co.uk

Cheers for that

have Manx2 introduced the Beech 1900 on the route yet? If not, does anybody have a planned date of when this will happen?

Fried Chicken

Time to resurrect this thread....

Staverton's shareholding local authority agreed to support the Runway Safety Project last night...story here:-

Plans to extend Gloucestershire Airport have moved a step closer after Gloucester City Council approved the scheme

Buildings coming down at both runway ends, new entrance road, new RESA, LDA's increased and ILS for runway 27.

As we are just at it - what were scheduled routes from the airport from the 70s through the 90s ? Anything that lasted more than a few weeks?

Derby Airways and Intra did Jersey and Isle of Man with a Dak. There were various regular Jersey charter operators, including BMA Viscount and Herald, Guernsey Airlines Shorts 330, Brymon Dash 7 and later Dash 8, Titan Shorts 360 and ATR 42, Aurigny Shorts 360.

In the early 90's Orient Air did Waterford and Dublin with a PA31 and latterly a Bandit. When they folded ATS Vulcan carried on with a Bandit for a bit. Air Atlantique offshoot, Air Corbiere did Jersey/Coventry with a Caravan II.

Now, of course, it's Manx doing IOM/BHD/JER with a Dornier 228 or a Metroliner

I see that Gloucestershire Airport's advertising package holidays to Jersey from July - September 2011. The link on their website takes you to a fairly anonymous, out-of-date website so no clues there as to which company is flying the routes. Is this a marketing tool for the existing operator on that route or will there be another operator?

Looks like a travel agent creating a package and using the existing operator.

Their website says they are working with the airport and Manx2.

Thanks gg, the tour operator's website has been updated since I saw it.

Staverton: would the DIV be a Citation X.
 

Staverton is very very short for a X even when dry...
I would never wish to even consider it when damp, let alone wet..

glf

gulfstreamaviator

What are you talking about? There's a Citation X based at Gloucester.

The work at the 27 end of the main runway--which has the displaced threshold--is as far as I recall going to be a massive "dig" to allow the full length to be used. The ground round the 27 end is considerably higher than the runway and I think the civil work, along with road diversions, is going to take the surrounding land down to runway level or thereabouts.

At the 09 end the solution is somewhat more straightforeward, the removal of a house/kennel business, to which I think agreement had been reached.

Whether or not this work has actually started, I dont know. Finance?

Runway Safety Project Update
 

This project looks to be well on the way to completion, with the offending buildings now removed, and new buildings built outside the runway end safety areas. The 09 end of the main runway in particular has seen considerable work, with the demolishing of the house and kennels, and a section of brook culverted. There has been a very small addition to the runway length at the 09 end, and it is here that an ILS is to be installed.

Although the runway length as such is only marginally increased, I do recall seeing comment that these improvements will allow something like a 160 metre increase in the effective landing and take-off distances.

Just out of interest can anyone with uptodate information confirm what the new declared distances on 09-27 at Gloucestershire will be/are likely to be please?

Thanks

EGCA