Is there any reason why, whilst there are all these job cuts etc, they are deciding to splash out thousands on revamping the control tower by creating a new radar room and implementing new systems such as CCTV? I thought the control tower was, although slightly back a few years, perfectly functional? Shouldn't they be focussing their funds on more important places?

Towers perfectly functionally, problem is the kit within it is slightly long in the tooth. The regulators required certain upgrades to be carried out, to the lighting system for example and this was all in the budget before the current problems.

Don't know if it's public knowledge already, but the Infratil Investors' Day report on their website talks of a ten-year plan by IAE to close a second runway - can only be Prestwick - and develop it for mixed use.

There is a proposal to potentially develop the secondary runway and surrounding land for aviation related use but whther this happens remains to be seen as it is a long term proposal.

Close the second runway and you close the airport on those really windy winter days as the main runway is often out of crosswind limits. I imagine Ryanair would not be too happy about that....

BAA sold off the second runway and closed it in the 1980s. I remember walking across the disused part of it when only the northernmost 1/3rd was on airport land when it was reopened for use by the BAe Flying College. It took a long time to get the full length back again. A retrograde step IMHO.

Incidentally it seems Ryanair have dropped PIK-NRN in favour of EDI-NRN.

The FR's were taking off on 21 today

I've taken off from 21 several times but I've never landed on it.

We try not to land on 21 as the approach is awful, in strong winds the turbulence can also be quite bad. There are probably only a few days a year that we have to do it. Taking off on 21 is a non event, as long as you aren't too heavy!

BHD to PIK in 19 minutes
 

flew BHD to PIK on Fri 7th and back on Mon 9th. was heading for weekend in Ayr. FANTASTIC. the flight left early, going into the air at 12.20. landed at 12.39. took the train - half price - into Ayr at 13.13 and was in the hotel at 13.40. could not believe how quick the journey via PIK took. first time to use the airport and was reasonably impressed although its like stepping back in time. the toilets are a joke. the return flight - which was very busy - left on time again taking an amazing 20 minutes. airport facilities ok. a very stress free experience for me. i will def use this airport again even if going to Glasgow, as long as the price is right. hope the airport keeps its routes and can get hold of some more. oh yes and fantastic taking off straight out over the sea banking hard left along the coast back past Ayr.

Glad you enjoyed the experience:ok:

PIK-BOH reduced from twice daily to once a day.

A whole bunch of 737's at the FR hangar looks like the harp has been removed and the rudder removed from the tail on all of them.

PIK - BOH (and EDI -BOH) reduced to once a day for the last three months smith. Also, the 737-8's sitting outside the FR hanger are the oldest ones which have been sold off to Brazil (?) and are being prepared for ferry.

The 2 738s outside the hangar with the Harps removed , EI-CTA and B , were due for a Russian airline , but this deal may have fallen through.

I noticed on teletext arrivals around a week ago that there was an evening flight from Bournemouth as well as the morning one. Is this a teletext mistake or are there two daily flights only on certain days?

According to the airport website there is on flight daily between Prestwick and Bournemouth arriving Prestwick 0745 on a Bournemouth based aircraft.

Police and Security Theatre at PIK
 

A heads up for spotters is that the Police have now a bunch of dedicated uniformed staff on site who have been instructed to be seen to be doing something frrom "quite high up". Hence they are taking details of ANYONE who looks like they are spotting so expect to be stopped every time if they don't know you. I have been given a few of those forms from the MET however Strathclyde's finest plods are WAY more bored and taking a spotters details may it seem be a highlight of their day..... When he got to the bit of my family history and wanting to know where they lived I told him enough was enough.

It seems that Airfield Ops have been advised to radio in any sighting of anyone paying attention to the aircraft anywhere round the perimeter, so expect a visit from the Police if you are spotting as they will need to show that they responded to all of these reports. PIK's not worth the candle these days.
All part of security theatre as the Police are
1) absent much of the time and
2) armed only with big sticks and a wee spray

Good luck with a suicide bomber then. I hope to God there is a REAL Police presence that is armed or out of uniform to crack down on the real threat rather than be a visible presence to please the politicians who need to be seen to be doing something.

Incidentally the FR7544 / 7545 is still in the system and is removed on a daily basis. Also it seems that the only flights requiring check in from now on will be Aer Arran twice a week so lots of job losses expected. The check in girl was very bitter and I can't say I blame her.

Are Wizzair following FR and doing away with check-in?

And what about the Turkey and Bulgaria charters?

BOH-PIK-BOH is now once a day but timing depends on the day, sometimes it operates in the morning, sometimes in the evening.

Wizzair are still checking in at the departure airport as normal and have upped their flights to PIK slightly for S09. Still, with Ryanair being so dominant at PIK I don't imagine it will have much of an impact on jobs. Have used their service PIK-GDN and found them to be very good - much more "relaxed" experience than Ryanair.

I say we organise a spotters day at PIK, give the 2 bobby on the beat a longgg day and fill up their little black books.
Then they have some nice paperwork to look forward to :cool: