Weston Helidays UK - Landing Fees

[inflow-777]

For the second year running the organisers of Weston-Super-Helidays are charging a landing fee to those pilots that do not stay on site for more than 26 hours. The charge is £10 if you pay up front and £15 if you pay on the day.

Tell me if I'm wrong but if no helis turned up they wouldn't have a lot to shout about or to charge the punters for. It costs me several hundred pounds to fly there so they can charge the public to watch me land and look at my machine (which I don't mind at all, I have spent hours showing people around in the past and letting them sit in it. If someone is interested, I'll talk to them all day), then you get kicked in the pants with a landing fee. I'm being penalised because I can't stay there for more than 26 hours, well I'm sorry but for me it's a long trip to get there and have a business to run.

Well that got rid of a bit of steam. I'm not going this year, that's my personal protest; I'll go a pub and have a relaxing lunch.

How do you feel about it? Am I on my own?

[rotorboater]

Get real! It cost me £1200 in flight time to get there last year, whats another £10 or £15! They do it for charity and its a good day, if you want to save the tenner, fly a bit slower and leaner if its your own machine, or fly faster if you rent!

[Brilliant Stuff]

It is for charity.

I can understand were you are coming from but in this case its for a good cause.

[inflow-777]

So what's the charity then?

[WhirlyGirl Sarah]

I am staying for exactly 26 hours. I opted to pay the landing fee as it's a good cause! They're putting a free Barbie for goodness sake! That's gotta be worth a tenner, especailly if they have the big pot of particularly alcoholic mulled wine they had last year!!!

WGS ;)

[Brilliant Stuff]

What is the charity?

The Helicopter Museum in Weston Super Mare.

I would love to stay over night but I don't drink so that will not be of any use to me then.:p

[WhirlyGirl Sarah]

Not even for the Swiss Cheese and German Saussages?

WGS

[Brilliant Stuff]

Have you ever seen how they make the Swiss cheese? I have! No I love cheese, but I have my women with me and some of my friends who run the Pleasure flying want to go down the Pub.:ok:

As for Geeeeerman Wuerschte I prefer the British one I get from the local Butcher.

But you are more then welcome to toast a couple of pints in my honour (hicks).

[helicopter-redeye]

... are charging a landing fee ...

... like most airfields.

The difference is, at an airfield (or Heliport 1) you pay MORE if you stay LONGER. Here you pay less if you stay longer.

So this is a good deal, right ... ?


h-r:)



1. The helicopter landing facility, not the moderator

[Whirlygig]

1. The helicopter landing facility, not the moderator
That's not what I've heard!

Sorry H - you know I love you!

Cheers

Whirls

[wg13_dummy]

I think I still have a hangover from the eyetie red wine from last year.:ouch:

Wish I was going again this year but alas I'm back in the real world (ish) now. :hmm:

[Hughes500]

I think it is a bit rich asking for a landing fee when Elfan asks us to support the charity by turning up !

Who the hell would want to spend more than 26 hours in a dump like W-S-M ?

[Whirlygig]

Lord Archer?

OK - I've probably reinforced your point!

Cheers

Whirls

[SASless]

Whirls....

As I have heard.....there is a chance that there might be some American Beef at the Open Day along with the German Sausage. That was discussed quite recently matter of fact. Nay, very recently actually!;)

[bugdevheli]

right chaps, bug dev heli here, i am going to heli days, now then
if you want to see a revolutionary rotor system that may save your life meet me at the barbie and ask for bug !!!

[heli1]

Hey..as one of the volunteers ,thanks for the support from those of you backing Helidays.I can tell you that the landing fee was introduced for two main reasons...to raise money for charity (not just the Helicopter Museum but also other local ones like CLIC,Weston Hospice etc ) and because this government and the EU keeps introducing more and more bureacracy and overheads that impact on the costs.This year they even wanted the lost children coordinator to be CRB checked ,whilst bringing a Merlin along for three days costs over £1500 at the new MOD charges plus hotel bills (which is why there won't be one I'm told ).

Bearing in mind the show is organised and run entirely by volunteers,some of whom work very hard and long hours (e.g.the marshallers and the admin staff) it doesn't seem unreasonable to ask those who can afford to fly several thousand pounds worth of helicopter to contribute a few quid towards the booze and food they will eat at the bbq or for the slot they are taking up for a few hours to ensure they don't get diverted cos there is no room !
So don't be so tight Mr Whinger and come on down..its going to be a great weekend.

[inflow-777]

Thank you Hughes500,

Looks like we are the only one's that think getting there is are fair contribution to the Charity. Theres something nice about being asked to donate as opposed to told. Call me old fashioned, but I think the Helis. make the show!:D

Don't forget WGS, 8hrs. from bottle to throttle!:D

[Hughes500]

Inflow

Most of my customers are going but all of them thought it was a cheek being charged for a landing fee - no other fly in does. Every time I have been i have always contributed. You hit the nail on the head about being asked to pay or contribute.
Why is it free if you stay for the weekend ?

[lartsa]

heli 1
whilst bringing a Merlin along for three days costs over £1500 at the new MOD charges plus hotel bills (which is why there won't be one I'm told ).

you mean the military get PAID .so they dont do it for charity either ?

[Three Blades]

I am thinking of going to this tomorrow (provided the front moves north).
On past experience, is the Friday a full day or is most of the action at the weekend ?
Thanks

[cyclicmicky]

I am going on Saturday, (if that front goes away)....we went on the same day last year and had a really good day out.
:ok:

[muffin]

I have booked to go on the Saturday as well. Let's hope the front does move as its pretty awful at the moment.

[heli1]

Well Hughes 500..so interesting to hear you have always contributed as the one year there was a donations box only one owner put any money in it !
Anyway perhaps you should come clean and identify yourself so everyone can see how generous you were!

Meanwhile I have been down there today,helping to get things ready and as the organisers have got two Apaches,two AB 212s(including the first ever visit to the UK by the Carabinieri),a Cougar,Huey (with the possible showing of the Vietnam War example just arrived in the UK,) an A129 and two Ai109s,already arrived and two SeaKings, a BO105 and an AB412 due to arrive tomorrow it is those who stay away who will miss out !!

I suggest those who feel contributing an amount voluntarily is better than being asked will be welcome anyway if the donation is more than £10.00 ,and perhaps it is also worth remembering that one of the reasons for the event is to show the public that those nasty dangerous helicopters are really quite nice and nothing to be afraid of.Get the public on side and perhaps at least you will still be able to land your helo away from airfields in future.Good PR value I'd say !

And the reason those who stay more than 26 hours are welcome for free ?? ...is because they are helping us put on a good static display for the public instead of just flying in and out.Simple really.

[Pat Malone]

I've got this brilliant idea for getting them to waive the landing fee.
Tell them you'll donate £20 if they give you a free landing.
I bet they'll do it, the mugs.
I'm going on Friday, weather permitting. I'll let you know whether the cunning plan works.

[212man]

"I bet they'll do it, the mugs."

Charming :(

[helicopter-redeye]

See y'all there, subject to fronts of course (remember your £10 admission fee)

h-r:) (the 'obvious' red helicopter)

[Hughes500]

heli 1

The last time I came was about 3 years ago and for quite a lot of years before then. I have always contributed when booking in - when there has been a box to donate into !!!

As a helicopter business I have 3 of my aircraft visiting you over the weekend. Sorry i am not a charity and have to work at it to make the machines earn a realistic living, hence they can't stay the weekend and to be fair none of the customers flying them want to stay the weekend.

I just think you could have been a bit more tactful espically when a lot of pilots will be hiring machines to visit you ( which will cost them in the back pocket ) and hence put on a better day for the punter on the beach.

[Pat Malone]

Quite an impressive array of military machines yesterday - 2x Apache from the Netherlands, US Black Hawk from Mannheim, Dutch Cougar, Sea Kings from Norway and Germany, big Bell from Italy, Belgian military aircraft - but shamefully, from the UK only an RN Lynx that came in for a couple of hours after somebody up there bent the rules to allow it, and a DHFS Squirrel, again flying in the back door. Yes, the RAF had demanded £1,600 for an EH101 appearance; they'd also effectively tripled the insurance demands on the organisers to cover it. And this despite the fact that the RAF gets a recruiting tent, free.
PS: My cunning ruse worked. Not only did the lady at reception write "Not applicable" in the 'landing fee' box, but she wrote "A very nice man" on the booking-in sheet. Good judge of character.

[212man]

Shame about the weather today; better luck tomorrow! stopped by en-route LHR from PZE but combination of horrendous M5 traffic (=4+ hours delay) plus weather meant no stop. C'est la vie!

[helicopter-redeye]

I saw Pat at WSM on Friday afternoon and he told me his cunning ruse with the £20 note had worked.

Moreover, if you pay in-advance, even though staying more than 26hrs and thus entitled to free parking, you also get pole positioned in parking rather than having to walk an extra 400m to the far end X multiple journeys, thus saving additional monies in shoe leather! :ok:

Thanks to all the staff at Helidays for the organisation and work on the field. Without you, it would have been nothing.

h-r:)





NB The Flying Squirrel, your PM box ist vull. Delete something if you want the results ....

[MightyGem]

Just had the Norwegian SAR Sea King land here on their way home.

[helicopter-redeye]

Any pictures available from the photographic community?

h-r:)

[inflow-777]

heli1,

If I can just pick up on a few of your points of your post of 27th July 2005 20:56 .
1. I could not see any other charity mentioned on the Helicopter Museum website.
2. What are the military doing charging for bringing a helicopter when we, the tax payer, has already paid to by it and to train people to fly it.
3. You mention you are a volunteer, I bet you either offered you services or you were asked, you certainly were not you told to do it?
4. There is no airworthy heli on the planet that costs "several thousand pounds", they are at least 10's of thousands and a lot of people that fly them are not wealthy at all, they are just passionate about these

fascinating machines and it costs them a fortune to experience that amazing form of flight, then they bring it to Weston for you to see - now that's not "tight".............have you any idea?
5. You would think that those who take up a 'SLOT' for long periods would be the one who would have to pay. People like to see aircraft movement, it would be quite dull if everyone came in on Friday morning and
left on Sunday afternoon.
6. "Whinger", "Tight", would you volunteer you services if it cost you a £1000 to get there in travel expenses and a few hundred quid for a hotel for a night?

Now a response to you post of 28th July 2005 16:37
1. Does that mean you will not welcome anyone that does not wish to donate more than a £10? Sound like a mandatory landing fee!! Still at £10.01 there was some discount to be had as, if you pay on the day as

opposed to up front it should be £15.00 :-)
2. Anyone that pays to see the helicopters is not the person that thinks they are nasty and dangerous.
3. As I have already said, the flying in and out is interesting for the punters, plus it frees up another slot.

[Three Blades]

Just a message of thanks and well done to all at WSM over the weekend. Well organised and professionally (but unpaid) managed. I am only sorry that I could not have stayed longer.

(And no, £10/£15 is not a big deal considering the wind direction on the trip would have easily made +/- that amount of cost differential based on extended/shortened flying time)

A bit of a sorry state that our own military could not put on a fuller appearance when the Italians and Scandis managed to make the much longer journey.

I saw the Italians fly off across the Isle of Wight on Monday. The aggressive outline of an attack heli against the grey murk of a sky was quite spooky !

[crabbbo]

I must agree with those put off by the landing fees. As a Chinook, Sea King and Gazelle driver I have been put off numerous times from landing at the museum. Our presence would surely attract visitors but we would be charged for the privelege of showing off our machines to the tax payer who actually owns them. The museum must realise that not charging would attract more aircraft and thus more museum visitors...

[cyclicmicky]

Sorry folks...didn't make it.
We got as far as the approach over the old severn bridge but it was too misty, ..couldn't even see the tops of the towers, so we turned back, had a cuppa at Gloucester, and then we were a little late for a gathering near Tiverton so we went straight there instead...hope all had a good time.
Next year...