Flight job ad for Sheffield - anyone applying?

[Legs11]

If you want any info on Sheffield City, I'll tip you the wink. ;) ;) ;)
Ask nicely and I might even dish the dirt! :eek: :D :eek:

[NextLeftAndCallGround]

Well, it did look a little bit tempting.

Start dishing - please.

[Spoonbill]

Go on then Legs - give us the dirt :D
I would email you, but your email address is blocked by the system.
The Sheffield ad' seemed to insinuate that it could be a way of getting into Finningly when it opens, big risk though if they don't get planning approval for it though. :cool:

[Red Four]

Who needs EGSY when you could be working at Lydd!!! :D :D

[Red Dragon]

Thought Sheffield was a Serco contract. Does this mean that Peel are trying to show then the door like wot `appened at Liverpool or should I say John Lennon International.

Dish the dirt!

[Legs11]

Yes Red Dragon, Sheffield is currently a Serco contract - renewal due early next year, but it would appear from the ad that this is unlikely, although I gather that Serco are yet to receive official notice.

I believe that Peel have also approached the resident controllers, offering such tempting dishes as consideration for radar courses (not for Sheffield surely) and first option on any jobs at Liverpool and Finningley as they occur. So Spoonbill it appears your assumption was correct.
But who would take a job at one airport in the hope that another might open and they might get a job there?

My sources inform me that all the resident controllers have turned Peel down and are moving within Serco. So what does that tell us?

Sheffield City Airport opened in 1998 and they have lost more flights - Amsterdam, Brussels, London City (twice) and Dublin (twice) - than they currently operate - Belfast City, which runs twice a day with 10 hours in between scheduled movements, oh and a saturday summer charter to Jersey. Not available to singles, which heavily restricts GA, the only based operators are a Police helicopter and a single R22 Heli school.

Morale is at an all time low with no flights and ground staff cuts are not doing anything to improve it. On top of all that, the MD is leaving and his replacement, the new Director of Aviation Services, Peel Airports Ltd appears to have other things on his mind: "I am looking forward to working towards Finningley airport becoming a reality and bringing a world class aviation facility to the communities and businesses of south Yorkshire and north Notts"

So what is the future?

Well the original developers have a deal with Sheffield council to provide an airport for 10 years. If this doesn't happen then the land will revert back to the council. So Sheffield has 6 years left, and then it will be redeveloped to enlarge the business park. Not much hope for investment then, and what signal does that send to the airlines?

So the ATC job then, well if hours of boredom sprinkled with extremely light traffic, in a control tower without decent facilities, and at an airport that is destined to close, is of interest to you then go for it. There again you might get a job at Finningley!!!

Good luck :)

[QNH 1013]

My 2p worth:
Problem with Sheffield is it is very GA unfriendly, and in the absence of regular schedules and charters they can't afford to turn this sort of business away. I am referring to the airport being GA unfriendly, not ATC who I find very helpful and of course professional. With the lack of regular services I would have thought GA traffic would be welcome and might even get the punters in the catchment area to start thinking more about "their" airport.
There is no logical reason for the refusal to allow single engine fixed wing a/c because there is more open ground around the airport than at many other airfields. It is not at all like London City in its location.
Last time I landed at Sheffield there were more fire engines than aircraft and I was charged more than I had been quoted on the telephone the day before. I've not been back since.
Wonder how much business this GA unfriendly stance has cost them over the years?
It seems a great waste and shame.

[Legs11]

So.

Does the general lack of participation on this thread mirror in any way the interest in the job vacancies? :D

Closing date 2nd NOvember...better hurry :eek:

NextLeft were you tempted?

;) Bye for now :cool:

[ 31 October 2001: Message edited by: Legs11 ]

[foghorn]

I agree, EGSY could be a great little GA field - the Sheffield Aero clubs could move in from Netherthorpe and its tiny runways. It's not really any more congested than Cambridge, which also has its prevailing runway climb out over a built-up area, but doesn't have a restriction on singles.

They might end up losing the ILS, but at least the place would be utilised and bring in money.

There's a strategy for Peel - move the scheduled stuff to Finnginley, get SZD's singles ban removed to be a decent GA field for South Yorkshire, at the same time keeping most GA movements out of Finningley. Maybe this is their strategy?

[Spoonbill]

Could be wrong, but I thought that the twin only policy at Sheffield was a local authority planning imposition. Councils knowing as much as they do about GA, decided that there was insufficient clearance for a single engine aircraft to glide to safety in the event of an EFATO. I suppose this comes from their years of experience of flying in twins on one engine :rolleyes:
Yes, Sheffield could be a great GA and exec airport, but I suspect that Peels want it as a sweetener to smooth through the planning approval for Finningly, and will dispose of it one way or another, after the appropriate period of time is up.
I cannot see GA being too much of a problem at Finningly, there's loads of space for everyone, and although there are big plans for the place, I can't see them reaching capacity with commercial movements to the detriment of GA for a number of years.

[Legs11]

Spoonbill, I think you must have an inside edge ;)
The planning permission for Sheffield is very precise, even down to the number of helicopter movements in a day. They are not even allowed repetative flying in the vicinity (circuits to you and me, I think!). :rolleyes:

Changes may be affot, the new Airport Director yesterday announced that they would not be actively pursuing airlines, and instead would be turning their attention to bizjets and GA, although QNH1013's comments above, may prove that this will be difficult. However free parking, cheaper landing fees and no escort fees may help :cool:

I wonder if anyone applied for the job :confused: :confused: :confused:

[Grummaniser]

One of my biggest disappointments, when I was learning to fly, was to find that Sheffield was not going to be open to singles. I have family in Sheffield and live in the south. I grumbled about it on usenet at the time and a cynical reply came through suggesting that Budge (the original developers, I believe) were building the airport just to get round the green field planning issues and wanted it to go bust so they could redevelop the resulting brown field site. It looks as though this was the correct prognosis. The single engine EFATO issue is totally bogus.

[foghorn]

Grummaniser,

Ditto.

I usually use Gamston these days as Netherthorpe is interestingly short....

I've thought about Coal Aston but it's a private PPR strip.

[Legs11]

So, I gather the interviews were on Friday (9th).

Did anyone get one, how did they go, does anyone know, does anyone care?

:p :( :p :( :p

[Spoonbill]

I know someone who went for interview, as far as they know there were just 3 people interviewed, (2 applied - the other was passing and pulled in off the street :D ).
The interview panel, (SATCO EGGP and a lady who's role was not clearly defined), made it clear that the role was just for Sheffield, but didnt commit themselves to a decsion about who was going to be offered anything and when because they're waiting for a decision from the 2 remaining SERCO employees to make their minds up about staying or not.
I don't know if any offers have been made yet, I think that rather depends upon how many positions need to be filled, and the SERCO contract doesn't actually finish until the end of Jan 2002.

The operating hours require 4 atco's, adc/apc combined watches, with a four hour dispensation from SRG.
The operator of the Dublin schedule has just pulled out, leaving just Belfast as the only destination during the winter.

When/if the Finningly project gets underway, they'd be in front of non Peel employees for jobs there. No decision has been made about the atc ratings required for Finnningly, but it'll be a minimum of adc/apc with a strong possibility of the radar being done from EGGP.
Is this feasible with the existing equipment at EGGP?
Aerodrome manual is nearly complete, instrument approach procedures have been drawn up, etc.
It seems that Peel have put some £3 million pounds into the public enquiry costs alone, so I guess they're half serious about making it work at Finningly. ;)

[Legs11]

Cheers Spoonbill, who was it then?

;)

So help me out here.

This was a job interview for Sheffield, carried out by personnel from Liverpool ATC – who quite obviously would know the job requirements inside-out, and at this job interview for Sheffield, development at Finningley was discussed.

:confused:

All rather baffling.

Also, if the serco contract ends Jan 2002, won’t there need to be a handover period?

What about the terms of notice that those interviewed would have to give to their present employers?

What about MER, and how are they going to get that with 2 schedules a day, 10 hours apart?
:rolleyes:

What happens if the 2 remaining serco controllers decide not to stay on (I thought they already had)?
Peel have only interviewed 3, and the job needs 4 – if they get the 4 hour dispensation which the current operation has.
Have they already applied for this or are they just expecting to inherit it?
:eek:

As for Finningley radar done from EGGP, I can’t see how this would be allowed. Sheffield were trying to get it done for themselves by Leeds, Waddington or Humberside, but SRG wouldn’t have it. The best they could come up with was a link from the Leeds head with controllers sat at Sheffield, and even that was only going to get a temporary ok.
:(

All sounds pretty dodgy to me. And to top it all, the interviewees didn't even get into the Tower. Fancy that, didn't even get to see the office :D .

So the uncertaincy continues...poor old Sheffield

[Spoonbill]

Sorry Legs - I'm under pain of having to buy a full round if I spill the beans :D :D
Yes -It all sounds rather upside down/inside out doesnt it. The only people who I could think of doing the radar remotely would be NATS at EGCC or the washing machine factory at Warton, however in both cases, I reckon that they'd charge a stack of cash for doing it and probably have better things to do anyway.
I dont know the sordid details of the contract changeover, but I think they were going to go for a dispensation with regard to MER.
I know that there are hardly any fixed wing movements, but the residents of South Yorkshire keep the police helicopter well utilised :p :D :p

[Expletive Deleted]

All sounds very iffy to me. From what I understand, the public enquiry at Finningly is not going as well as Peel had hoped, So do you want a job at Sheffield,which lets face it, is not going to last too much longer, on the bases of a futher move to Finningley IF they get planning. Although I would like to see Finningley work, I certainly wouldn't be interested in a job at Sheffield in the hope that it all comes together.

:confused:

[Spoonbill]

:D :p :rolleyes:
A job offer was made to the person who I know!
The offer was turned down!
Does anyone know if the existing SERCO staff have decided to stay? Have Peel's successfully recruited anyone else? Does anyone really care? :confused:

Post resurrected to prevent boredem and Norwich taking over............

[Expletive Deleted]

Spoonbill, from what I've heard, two of the four Serco controllers are staying. I am also aware of somebody turning down an offer from Peel, Apparently the contract stipulated that they could give you one weeks notice, got to make you wonder! :confused:

[Legs11]

:D :D :D

So what's the problem here then?

What is so bad about the Airport (no aeroplanes, no money, no future) that no-one wants to take a job there. Or is the problem with Peel. Can't say they appear to have done too good a job at selling the place :(

Offers turned down, only 50% current staff staying, looks like they're in trouble. :confused:

What happens on the 1st of February when Serco are booted out. There's not much time left for MER is there? :eek: :eek:

[Legs11]

Oh Yeh! Oh Yeh!

Latest I hear is that Peel are having real trouble recruiting anyone of reasonable quality.

There's a possibility of another ad coming out....and still that January deadline looms <img src="eek.gif" border="0">

[Legs11]

Oh dear, is there no-one interested in what's going on at poor little old Sheffield <img src="frown.gif" border="0">

Still no joy recruiting staff, even Safeskys have been contacted. Can you believe it <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0"> .

I believe we can expect another ad before the end of this month.

And still that deadline draws ever closer. Oh deary me :) .

Is that the sound of a barrel being scraped??? <img src="tongue.gif" border="0">

[royman]

From a previous thread it seems they are having trouble staffing their one and only unit at the moment. What makes you think they can staff another one? All the best for the future anyway.

[Legs11]

You've gotta laugh :) , they've only gone and asked Serco if they can help out for a month or so. <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0">

Talk about losing face. <img src="eek.gif" border="0">

It's even got so bad, they're ringing guys who wrote to Liverpool with cv's two years ago.

<img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0"> <img src="tongue.gif" border="0">

[QNH 1013]

Have there been any GA movements at Sheffield since my post in October?

[foghorn]

Leeds and Humberside-based IR schools do practice approaches there, but apart from that not a lot else goes on.

[Legs11]

During Oct/Nov and Dec of last year, there were reportadly 1002 non air transport movements and 328 air transport movements at Sheffield. <img src="eek.gif" border="0">


Granted, the vast majority of the non A/T were probably the Police helicopter based there, but still.

As for instrument training, there were something in the region of 80 for the same period.

Doesn't pay the bills does it? <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

[niknak]

Sure enough........, the advert is in this weeks Flight.
Pure desperation just about sums up the content of the ad' <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0">
Still, I'm sure that it'll suit safeskys
perfectly :) <img src="tongue.gif" border="0"> :)

[QNH 1013]

Thanks for the info Legs 11. Those figure sound dire, and from what I hear when I'm flying in the area I think the police helicopter must account for virtually all the non-AT movements. My quick calculation shows that the short licenced grass strips 8nm to the SE at Netherthorpe average more in a day than Sheffield does in a week. If you ignore the helicopter movements (they don't need a runway after all) then Netherthorpe has as many movements in a day as Sheffield has in a month!
What does it all mean?

[niknak]

Does anyone know if anyone responded to the latest advert?. ."Part time, part qualified, will someone please come and work for us?" :) . .Why not dispense with the offers of training, put the salary up to a sensible level of around £35K and I'm sure someone would be interested.. .How about it Legs / Chilli ? :) <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> :) . .If %50 of the remaining staff did apply to Bristol, it doesn't look good does it?

[alphaalpha]

Sheffield would get a lot more GA movements if they allowed single-engine a/c. Even a modest landing fee would help, wouldn't it? But then would they justify a full ATC service, or would AFISOs be all that was required??

Regards

[Legs11]

Well, well.

Did 50% apply to Bristol? - that would be news to me.

As for the AFISO's well that's already being thought of apparently.

I am tol that there has been a little interest in the new advert from the usual NATS rejects looking for a way in - student ADC licence but no validation.

Today was the last day of serco provision, no doubt downhill from now on <img src="tongue.gif" border="0">

[Squadgy]

Hi,

Are Sheffield really considering taking on FISOs??? If they are does anyone think it would be worthwhile getting in a CV now? Does anyone think they'd take on part time staff?

[Legs11]

Yes they really are.....writing can't hurt.

The new SATCO is Mr.R.Bedi

All the best. <img src="cool.gif" border="0">

[niknak]

SATCO Ben <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> Blimey <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> :)

[niknak]

The local papers (often a good source of total rubbish) are reporting that Sheffield has or is about to close for good.:(
Anyone know anything? :confused: .