Sheffield Again
 

Herd on the grapevine today that Sheffield is too lose its ILS /ATC and that the ILS is to go to Carlisle?
Are Peel holdings closing the Airport by Stealth.

A little birdy tells me that the ILS and NDB could be heading back to where they originally came from (along with one of the fire engines!)

Whats is happening with Sheffield does anybody know?

Oh yes........whilst we are on the subject does anyone know what is happening with Finningley? :rolleyes:

What is surprising is that Peel said the future of the airport would be safe in the medium term...I guessed that meant that it would be safe until Finningley opened, and then Peel would shut Sheffield and take 'the good bits' (i.e. staff etc) to Doncaster, where upon Sheffield Airport would probably become an industrial estate.

Ok, I was wrong and obviously they ran early.

I believe the airport, once full ATC, cat 5 or so afrs, and former host to airlines such as BA, KLMuk and Sabena, is now only cat 1 with only an A/G radio service. Sad and embarrassing for a city with a pop of 500000.

But could a city airport with a short runway and a no GA policy ever work? I think the development at Finningley is a better all round prospect.

As for the ILS I don't think it will head back to the airport it was bought from, even though that airport has had a change of management who seems to have a lot more money to invest.

ILS to Carlisle? Maybe...ready for that Ryanair service?!!!!

And if you are interested, yes the fire engine might be going up north to the former home of Sheffield's ILS.

I might put an offer in myself for a few souvenirs from Britains shortest lived airport...But hang on it hasn't closed down all together yet.;)

I think Carlisle would have to resurface 07/25, and up the PCN before Ryanair would commence services. Last resurfaced in 1983.

What else might Sheffield be "exporting" to Carlisle? ;)

According to local BBC news this evening, the airport will be downgraded and will no longer accommodate commercial flights following the cessation of the BA services to BHD and JER. The 4 ATC staff are sadly redundant. What limited GA there is remains and Peel will try and develop this further.

682

Hmm seems that the "welcome to Sheffield" signs have gone now, Methinks i smell a rat

Well, I'm sad to say that all I forecast at the beginning of the year has come true. A very sad day. Sheffield suffered from too short a runway (due to very bad advice), atrocious management (at board level - not day to day) and lack of inward investment.

The Airport did no have a "no GA policy" by the way zzzz, the problem was a restriction on the planning permission not allowing single engined aircraft.

As far as I'm aware the instrument approach gear is staying put, before removal to Finningley (decision made in March 2003, I believe!).

Peel although anything but blameless, did actually want to continue at a higher fire cat and were actively looking for commercial carriers, their problem was the partners Tinsley Park (original owners who sold 50%) who were just not interested and only want to develop the adjoining Business Park.

The Airport should have a life until 2005 as their is a 10 year deal with the local councils, requiring an airfield on the site, or all the land will be forfeited.

As 682 says, the ATC service is to be downgraded, 3 firemen are also being made redundant, and the remainign ones are being trained to undertake the A/G service in September.

One of the controllers is moving to Carlisle would you believe in a management role and another to Wolverhampton (hope that doesn't turn into a similar story).

The other development possibility I have heard, is that the airport contiues as an airport til 2005, then most of the land which must be rather valuable now is sold off for business development.

The airport's remaining buildings and apron becomes a city heliport.

At least some aviation activity will be kept close to the city.
It also makes sense, as before the airport was scaled down it put out information that it was wanting to attract more heli business and refered to itself as a heliport for Sheffield in the press. At the moment the regular business of the airport comes from the police helicopter, a helicopter flying school/air charter company, and I believe at a later date an air ambulance is to be based there.

zzzz - I don't know where you heard that, but it's very unlikely.

The Sheffield area is one of the most economicly deprived areas in the UK, everything that has happened at Sheffield Airport from day one has been at the expense of the European and Yorkshire tax payers.

Take a close look at the "business park" that is adjacent to the airport, it's full of well known businesses who specialise in moving into ready made accomodation which is heavily subisdised by the local authorities. A big boost to local employment opportunities, but they contribute almost nothing to the local economy because of the subsidies they demand to move in the first place.

Did Sheffield need an airport in the first place? - no it didn't
Does it need a heliport - no it doesn't?. :rolleyes:

Almost all the scheduled services were less competetive than the train services in the area, and significantly less competetive than rival air services.

The whole airport development has been a joke from its inception, and unfortunately that is how it will always be remembered.

Not strictly true.

Although Sheffield as a city has suffered a lot and has some extremely poor areas, a recent survey by Barclays Bank pointed to the fact that the western edges of Sheffield were some of the most affluent in Britain, on a par with Chelsea & Kensington and the Cheshire belt. So there is money to be tapped into.

As for the business park, office space has a finite life and companies tend to move on to newer premises quicker then one might think. The region does have a lot of office space but it is the newer office space which is in demand.

And whatever happened to the news that Boeing was setting up an R&D facility in the area with the local universities?

Having said all that, I have to agree that the airport was a mistake in the first place. It is rather too easy for the well off population on the west of the city to drive 50 minutes or so to Manchester Airport, where there are LOTS more flights to everywhere!

Like it or not Sheffield has an airport, would it not be better if it could be put to some use other than offices and warehouses?

Sheffield ATC
 

Heard a rumour from Leeds that the last two ATCOs at Sheffield were being 'stitched' by management..........
Anybody got the 'inside' on this one?

Last ATC on the 14th Sept!:(

sheffield
 

at least sheffield has an airport. preston and blackburn started a joint airport in the 30's, but of course along came wwii and samlesbury was taken over by the raf and then english electric. today preston is the largest city in britain without an airport.

Hmmm.

With Squire's Gate and Warton nearby, an airport at Preston would be a bit of an ATC headache, wouldn't it?

In any case, Blackpool isn't really all that far away, is it? Nor Liverpool, for that matter.

Viscount - interesting comments about management "stitching" the last 2 atco's who remained there.

I know the person who was offered a post at Sheffield the last time they advertised.
It was obvious to said person that the situation at Sheffield was dire and they turned the job down, however, they said it was made very clear to them that an offer of employment then was no guarantee to employment elsewhere in the Peel airports empire.

Frankly I'm suprised that the 2 atco's hadn't seen the light a long time ago, they had the opportunity to stay with SERCo but didn't.

I hope that things work out for them both.

a stitch in time.....
 

Not sure about management sitch ups, but the offer made to the serco controllers when peel took it on was that they would have first refusal on vacancies at Liverpool and Finningley.:rolleyes:

Now, if they are going afiso at sheffield and there are no such vacancies, then there is no promise to keep is there?:confused:

Vicount2, what do u want to know? Someone in the know has passed on the gen to me...

To avoid all the gory details here is an example: unpaid leave entitlement. The management is trying to underpay the last 2 atcos by a significant amount. As to the rest, well the list, I have been told, is long...

Your friend at Leeds was not exagerating with the phrase "stitch up". Most puzzling is why???? When will management ever learn that staff is an asset to an organisation instead of something to be abused? Aviation and especially ATC is a small world.

Step forward all those ATCOs who are possibly considering Finningly and Peel in the future...?!!!

And the stories about the lack of organisation of the downgrading of the airport to RFF cat 1 and air-ground radio beggar belief...

My view is that Sheffield will survive (heliport?) only as long as is neccesary for the obligations to the City council to be fulfilled and then it will be turned into the business real estate that it was always planned to be!


:eek:

atc headaches
 

you want an atc headache? try the vale of york or the east midlands!

It has ceased to exist as of today.
Tomorrow (15 th) air/ground only sort of thing.