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-   -   Plymouth City Airport Closure (https://www.pprune.org/airlines-airports-routes/450046-plymouth-city-airport-closure.html)

Mr Angry from Purley 28th Apr 2011 17:55

Phileas Fogg

On a different tact can you recall your wheraabouts some 30 years ago for the last Royal Wedding?

Isn't it time to come clean and beg forgiveness!!!! :\

Phileas Fogg 28th Apr 2011 18:21

Mr Angry,

This thread brought memories back to mind:

http://www.pprune.org/aviation-histo...rocedures.html

I do recall a rumour that an unnamed individual was seen up British Airtours flagpole on the eve of William's parent's wedding half hinching a brand new Union Jack specially flown for the event.

I also recall a rumour that pPruner 'Skytrain10' bet the unnamed individual 50p that he/she wouldn't half hinch the shiny new flag.

Alas just rumours :)

Mr Angry from Purley 28th Apr 2011 19:19

Phileas

Indeed your memory is right although on the night in question I suspect it was clouded by the Carribean Airways rum punch that was taken to celebrate the Royal Wedding...Why only a fool would scale the scaffolding outside Lakers Office to undertake such a daring mission...:\

Phileas Fogg 28th Apr 2011 19:50

A,

And that Caribbean Airways rum punch was bl00dy good stuff ... Do you recall a memo that went around the cabin crew to ensure that they stirred the punch better before serving it cos half the pax would be singing whilst the other half would be as sober as judges :)

slowclimber 28th Apr 2011 20:30

Very sad for Plymouth, and especially for the dedicated employees who've done their best for the last few years in the face of Sutton Harbour's determination to run the place into the ground. There's virtually nothing left - they made sure that the paying operators were pushed out several years ago. But that's what you get when property developers are given some prime city land on a plate. The company who decides whether the airport is viable or not SHOULD NOT be the same company who stands to profit in terms of millions from redevelopment of the same site if it closes, not when the site is owned by the City.

Best wishes to all at Plymouth.

fairflyer 29th Apr 2011 06:46

Very sad day but oh so inevitable. Runway length pretty much dictated everything, critically limiting. The airport was run on a shoestring, bare minimum staffing, a lean machine but very efficient with it. Very good people there.

Without any significant property portfolio underwriting the airfield side of things, it would never make a penny. You don't make money out of passengers at a place like that, ideed you don't make money out of aeroplanes directly. You need a bunch of warehouses and office blocks from which the revenue underpins everything else.

Even then, the value of the land for industrial or commercial development way outweighs it's use as a very restricted airport - in that particular case.

Is it Dunkeswell that may benefit a little from any GA migration?

Avioactive 29th Apr 2011 06:58

Rather good time for Cornwall Council to get their backsides in gear and sell off Newquay now which they don't really want to have to run at council tax payer's expense.

Southwest runway capacity begining to look a little depleted - BAe shutting down Filton, MOD shutting down RAF Lynham, Sutton Harbour shutting down Plymouth. Year of doom on that front.

Wonder to what extent Newquay, Exeter and Bristol evolve hereon with any further development?

davidjohnson6 29th Apr 2011 08:52

Avioactive - don't be so doom and gloom.
People in Cornwall still need to fly places - if anything Newquay's future should now be rather more secure.

cornishsimon 29th Apr 2011 09:46

i think as far as NQY is concerned you need to keep in mind the MOD factor.

yes the raf no longer operate the airfield, however the MOD still use it on a very regular basis, just yesterday i sat in my garden as 2 tristars headed over my house towards NQY

Other airfield activities also exist at NQY, cornwall air ambulance, BIH and the new SAR training

cs

GROUNDHOG 29th Apr 2011 20:39

Captain Blackadder I've got a cunning plan, flying from Plymouth to the centre of London and you don't even NEED an airport and it doesn't involve a helicopter either! Sometimes the craziest thoughts.......off to research it now!

MerchantVenturer 29th Apr 2011 21:04


Wonder to what extent Newquay, Exeter and Bristol evolve hereon with any further development?
I don't follow how the closure of PLH will affect the future of BRS in any way.

Even if BRS saw all the current PLH passenger traffic migrate to it (which of course it won't) the total would still be insignificant taking into account BRS's current annual passenger throughput of 5.7 million.

What is of more concern to BRS is whether its approved £150 million expansion that would enable it to handle up to 10 mppa will somehow be stopped by the eleventh-hour attempt of the objectors to obtain a judicial review to have the planning consent overturned.

Both sides seem confident of coming out on top in any judicial review but you can never be certain of any outcome when courts become involved.

xtypeman 30th Apr 2011 07:45

Cunning plan eh Blackadder! Must be JHE in an Islander just popping it down on the Mall and back to the Hoe for lunch then.........

But very sad to hear of PLH closure it was enevitable as soon as ASW was sold. Lets be honest what was a property and regeneration company going to do with an airport with no operator. From an ops point of view its a blessing have given up counting how many diversions I have seen from PLH. However one night it was Air Wales bolt hole when CWL/SWS/BRS and EXT where out seam to recall the whole fleet of five where there. My thoughts are with all the staff and the companies that will lose out now. Good bunch of Guys and Gals.

GROUNDHOG 30th Apr 2011 08:24

No JHE this time, he is busy elsewhere, just a silly idea I had whilst thinking about what I have flown on often the other side of the pond. Stelios told me that everyone thought he was mad setting up easyjet with our 737's but sometimes its not the most obvious plans as you know...If it need ops though you are the man!

xtypeman 30th Apr 2011 14:57

Thinks I will need webbed feet.......... Canary warf and back to the Sound me thinks!....

GROUNDHOG 30th Apr 2011 19:20

Classic idea though.... whoops sorry mustn't say that.

Phileas Fogg 30th Apr 2011 20:57

What the closure of runways at a military airbase (Lyneham) that is nowhere near to Devon/Cornwall and/or the closure of an aircraft/engine factory airfield in Bristol has to do with Devon/Cornwall!

How about the selling off of the runway and heliport in Penzance? Surely that is much closer to home!

robin 30th Apr 2011 21:12

In English please.....

kala87 2nd May 2011 17:49

A sad day for aviation in the southwest. I completed my PPL at PLY, must have flown C152'2, PA-28's, Arrows and Duchesses in and out hundreds of times. ATC weren't always the friendliest, but you had the impression the airport was a tightly-run operation with high standards.

In many ways we live in aviation unfriendly times, with a distinctly aviation-unfriendly government. Airports with largely domestic-oriented traffic are having a hard time in particular. Maybe we will look back at the 1990's and early 2000's as a golden age in commercial and private aviation, before ever-increasing APD and "climate-change" issues began to bite.

jester42 3rd May 2011 20:14

''ATC weren't always the friendliest''
So very true for my time in the area circa the 90's. Generally bad attitude, especially from one very sour individual.

A great loss to the City of Plymouth and it's businesses.
Best of luck to the staff finding new jobs.

eglk01 4th May 2011 20:54

Plymouth City Airport closure
 
Totally gutted my Hometown,how could they let this happen grr!!!
As everybody has said what is a city without an Airport or Heliport? i spent most of my youth spotting there and flying from there,very fond memorys of all the controllers,hosties,Pilots,friends,realy good years brings tears to my eyes,though i have lived in Hampshire since 1990 my heart will always be in the westcountry as Alan knows you are always a Janner wherever life takes you,i do hope some positive news comes soon about the Aiport which i love,it got me where i am in Aviation today,the love of Aircraft and people in Aviation was always my dream after Taking to the skies in a DC3 Back in 1983.
Kind regards
Jamie.


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