And how many of those are there today?

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You'll have to ask the spotters that one BB

The Prestwick Airport Movements Group keep a pretty good record of what goes on at the airport.

Can be found at egpk.com

Which still generates a loss of nearly £10m. For an international airport it is a ghost town. Even as a regional airport, it is quiet.

GA makes no money.
Military tech stops make some money (but I thought Greer took most of that)
Gannet makes a bit.
Car Parking probably makes quite a bit.
Concessions and Duty Free won't make much.
Freight probably makes a wee bit.
Fuel sales to CV and AF and Ryanair should make a bit.

The terminal costs a fortune to heat and light.
Salaries usually make up a huge chunk of any business out goings.
Maintenance would eat up cash.

The airport needs leadership that has imagination, enthusiasm and a clear vision for what the airport needs. The current top squad just do not have that. If they did then they would not be responsible for the appalling situation the place finds itself in today.

GCE said "The airport needs leadership that has imagination, enthusiasm and a clear vision for what the airport needs. The current top squad just do not have that. If they did then they would not be responsible for the appalling situation the place finds itself in today. "

And yet still thet are left to get on with whatever it is they are doing. Playing Tetris? Trying to generate positive comments on PPRuNe? Who knows. All we can tell for sure is that they are doing damn-all to sell Prestwick to potential customers...

Why would anybody think that looking at the PIK arrivals describes why Prestwick should loose controlled airspace ? Just another example of those who think they know but don't. Today controlled airspace has seen 6 Hawks based and operating locally, Navy Sea Kings and Merlins, transits, the Cargolux and as Joint Warrior starts, 2 US Navy C40s overnighting. And it seems only natural to me that the owners would wait for Mr Py to report before making changes to management or anything else, which I expect will tackle the cost base. Too much criticism driven by people who should mind their own business because they don't know what they are talking about.

Thanks for the link to http://www.egpk.com its a really good site. It does also confirm how quiet the airport is though and the types of traffic don't really warrant or need controlled airspace. Most Tucanos and Hawks seem to operate well in glass G. How do the military operate when they are at Prestwick? Apart from any circuit work, do they do their stuff over and around the airfield or transit to the nearest bit of class G ?

Tuesday looked especially quiet. Saturday 1st had the Scheduled flights plus 2 Pa28s. Do the controllers get bored?


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Only the interesting stuff gets logged, the circuit tends to be busy with the local flying clubs keeping ATC awake. I hope.

There are issues around commercial passenger aircraft operating outside controlled airspace, indeed Ryanair once landed a DUB-PIK B737 with no ATC on duty (or am I completely mis-remembering?)

Sadly for you the detractors, today's local newspaper announces a £2.5M investment in the terminal and a further £2.5M investment on the airfield.

The same local newspaper which reported the imminent arrival of a recycling business, presumably?

The press. Donchajustlovethem?

I am taxpayer. It IS my business, you patronising muppet.

Is Friday rated as a busy day at Prestwick ?

6 departures on the board, 7 arrivals.


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If this £5 million investment is correct, it is surely not best use of Scottish taxpayers' money to make an investment while still awaiting advice from their consultant as to the way forward.

PIK3141 said "And it seems only natural to me that the owners would wait for Mr Py to report before making changes to management or anything else"

Which puzzles me. What do you think Mr Py is going to find? Hitherto hidden evidence of competence and imagination? A drawer full of business acumen stashed in a previously locked room?

There are, we all know, companies doing all they can to work at PIK and being actively discouraged by the current management team. It's also fairly common knowledge, I should imagine, that there are at least two companies who have approached ScotGov with coherent and workable business plans which could turn the airport around, even with the huge losses posted last year.

Obviously the incumbent management will push back against that, because anything else would be like turkeys voting for Christmas. But if we're interested in PIK working and in getting value for the public money being spent then we should be creating a stink about it. Because the present situation is a shambles.

Grani Te - If you think complaining about the wasting of tax payers money on here is going to change anything then " Your The Muppet ". Just to let you know, i dont think SNP have a PPRUNE profile on here, so please send your complaints and issues to Edinburgh.

The Office of the First Minister
St. Andrew's House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG

or by email - [email protected]


Hopefully you will be content after this and chill out " KERMIT "

Just checked the departures board again and Prestwick really does look dead. Only 6 out and 5 in, again many late at night. Even the excellent spotters site shows nothing happening yesterday. Durham tees airport has more movements !

Does Prestwick have its own radar as well as tower controllers?


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Should it interest anybody, I am just about to book flights through GLA simply because the higher cost of car hire outweighs any saving achieved by flying into PIK.

Yes bad_bear it does have radar. How do the passenger and movements compare with Teesside? Worth comparing I think.

Also I am looking at at least five in and five out this afternoon and evening. You missed the morning it seems. Quiet as it is, the website still lacks the full day at a glance.

Remember the spotters only record *highlights* not actual run of the mill movements.

Sadly for your agenda Bad_Bear the schedule changes and you might loose count. The KC10, C17, Air France, Cargolux, trainers, light aircraft and 6 Navy choppers floating in and out don't show on your departure board.