Halfpenny Green is back!

[Whirlybird]

Wolverhampton Intergalactic Spaceport is no more. I flew there today...and talked to Halfpenny Green Information! And I believe it's only a £10 landing fee again (I didn't pay, so not sure). Just like old times. I reckon this calls for a celebration. :ok:

[Deano777]

I much preferred Wolverhampton International Airport ;)

[breakscrew]

We went there last week - delightful.
I'm glad the pretentiousness has gone.

[What Limits]

Whirly,

Was that you in a dark coloured R44 dropping in to PDG I think?

[360BakTrak]

Aint progress great!:ugh:

[Bob the Hamster]

I went to Halfpenny Green last week, I hadn't been before but found it very friendly. Good apple and blackberry crumble and I can confirm that the landing fee was £10 for a light single, good friendly FIS too. I would recommend a visit lots of old WWII buildings for those that are into that sort of thing.

Bob`

[Whirlybird]

Was that you in a dark coloured R44 dropping in to PDG I think?

I confess! Where were you, What Limits?

[EastMids]

Agree - visited a few weeks ago and its much improved.

Wolverhampton Intergalactic Spaceport is no more
I think that there's only room for one "intergalactic spaceport" in the UK, and it seems like Barton (sorry, City Airport Manchester! :rolleyes: :ugh: ) is the next one with such pretentions:

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1001/1001976_row_over_airport_name_change.html

Andy

[What Limits]

Whirly,

I was walking across to the Cafe for lunch (now quite good). One of my colleagues was most appreciative of your appearance and your piloting ability!

[QNH 1013]

There was a similar money-wasting fiasco with East Midlands Airport changing its name to Nottingham East Midlands Airport, in spite of being in Leicestershire, and being closer to Derby than Nottingham. Some confusion, with aircraft calling Nottingham Radio at Nottingham Aerodrome when they were en-route to EMA.
Also suddenly its position in the flight guides changed from E to N.
Now, common sense has forced it to change back to East Midlands Airport.
Sounds like Halfpenny Green has been through the same process. I'm just glad some common sense seems to be succeeding.
Reminds me of Royal Mail / Post Office who had a bright idea of spending millions calling themselves "Consignia". Fortunately that idea also fell (expensively) flat.

[Whirlybird]

One of my colleagues was most appreciative of your appearance and your piloting ability!

Oooooo, I have a fan! Tell me more!!!

[John Farley]

W

You may well have a new fan but I came first. A long time ago

J

[BEagle]

Glad to hear that Wolverpennyhamptongreen Intergalactic Spaceport is no more - and welcome back to Ambridge International!

[DX Wombat]

We've been "Halfpenny Green" again since December! Whirly, what time were you there? I was there all day apart from an hour when I was out in the DA40. Wish I had known you were there it would have been nice to catch up. They do veggie options in the cafe too :ok: Angie has worked wonders with that place :D :D :D

[Whirlybird]

DX Wombat,
Wish I'd known you were there! I went along to the cafe while PDG tried to fix the radio. If it happens again I'll tell you, but it was all arranged rather at short notice.

[henry crun]

It was a dreadful dreary place in Feb 1953, I was glad to leave. :)

[kevmusic]

John Farley:

You may well have a new fan but I came first. A long time ago

.......What was that about nice guys? :E

[david viewing]

Flew through their overhead yesterday.
On changing frequency the word 'Wolverhampton' was on my lips when I heard them answer another pilot with "Halfpenny Green Information". Phew! A close shave. My late lamented friend Trevor Shaw was once threatened with a "fine" for persisting in calling them Halfpenny Green.
Strangely, there really is an Intergalactic Spaceport, actually Greater Green River Intergalactic Spaceport (48U) (http://skyvector.com/#19-10-3-5497-2704) out in the wilds of Wyoming. I flew by it once, but sadly without time to land and ask the owner if he had picked up the idea while touring the black country in the UK.
Very glad to see the English version is firmly back on planet Earth!

[DX Wombat]

Don't worry Whirly, these things happen and you never know - I may get to Tatenhill first. :uhoh: Knowing my luck it would be a day when you weren't there :(
DVVery glad to see the English version is firmly back on planet Earth! so are we :ok: Just a shame it wasn't in time for last year's Project Propellor (http://www.projectpropeller.co.uk/pp/home/)* the old gentlemen would have loved that, especially those who had been based there. :ok:
*Any volunteers? They are a really wonderful group of elderly gentlemen who thoroughly enjoy their annual Fly-In. :) :ok:

[nasib]

Dx
Elderly gentlemen? Send me details IMMEDIATELY! I qualify.....
Nasib

On second thoughts... I qualify as "elderly" anyway.

[DX Wombat]

Nasib!:* How many times do you have to be told? :* You qualify as a "gentleman" NOT "elderly". You wouldn't want me to start crying would you? :(
Anyway, when are you going to make one of your students do a navex to EGBO with you?

[beerdrinker]

AIS website still calls it Wolverhampton Halfpenny Green

[DX Wombat]

The callsign is "Halfpenny Green" the other is the official title but nobody here tends to worry about official titles unless we need to write it down eg: when sending a letter there. We just like being "Halfpenny Green" again. :D :D :D

[Pitts2112]

DX,

So what led to the reversion? I have to admit that I'd never flown into HG before the change and, obviously, the change to IGSP put me off ever going there. But why have they gone back and what can one expect to find there now?

Pitts2112

[nasib]

DX,

Ok,Ok,Ok although I do feel very "elderly" at times!

Navex!?!?!? I wouldn't be able to find ANYWHERE VFR these days. I'm far too ol... sorry. Just out of practice

Welcome back.

Nasib

[DX Wombat]

Pitts, it has been taken over by Maher Properties (apparently the same group which now owns Blackpool) who are trying to improve the place. They were aware that Wolverhampton International Business Airport was not the most popular of names and that many people preferred the old RAF "Halfpenny Green" title. New owners - new name. The cafe is MUCH improved - many of us who decided about a year ago that the preservation of our health was more important than patronising the cafe have since returned in force. The food is all homemade by Angie and is reasonably priced. As far as I know the landing fee for a single is still £10. We have friendly, helpful FISOs and you can still refuel - although it is advisable to mention this on landing as the refuellers are also the firecrew who may need to do other things. The locals also seem to be reasonably friendly too. :ok:
Nasib :hmm: I wouldn't be able to find ANYWHERE VFR these days Isn't that why you have a student or several to fly you around? :E You keep watching the instruments and let the student worry about whether you have reached the correct destination. :ok:
Thanks for the welcome back, it's good to be back again. :)

[Pitts2112]

DX,

Interesting. Thanks for that. Without having experienced it myself, the rumor at the time was that the renaming to WIGSP was accompanied by a huge spike in landing fees and a decidedly discouraging attitude to anything without a turbo or jet attached. My impression was that the GA community had completely abandoned the place at it's own insistence. Was that never the case? What you describe as recent changes are more form than function, so was the rumor at the time unfounded?

Pitts2112

[DX Wombat]

Hi Pitts, I'm not too sure about the GA community abandoning EGBO as I haven't been there long enough to know the full history but I know they felt a bit hard done to at one point and I think I heard that there was a huge increase in landing fees at one point but it proved counterproductive (no surprise there) so was reversed. The airport also suffered froma rather intermittent cafe service - published opening hours were not always adhered to and it became very unpredictable - that has now been corrected. From what I have managed to pick up, it was hoped to develop the airport to take more small business aircraft and a full ATC service was introduced along with an ATIS. Neither exist any more. There is certainly a lot of work in progress at the moment - overgrown trees and derelict buildings are being cleared presumably with a view to replacing them with more modern ones although I do hope they keep the old buildings near the gate as they give the place character. General tattiness seems to be being dealt with and a neater, tidier appearance encouraged. Call in and see for yourself sometime. :ok:

[Pitts2112]

DX,
It sounds like new management are making an effort. The general tone I got a few years ago was that the then current management had gotten ideas above their station and were only interested in serving bizjets and the like. I don't remember hearing about any reversals of landing fees or business model but it sounds like there has been one.

I'm all for supporting someone who's making an effort. I don't get up that way often but I'll be more inclined to stop in for a look next time I am.

Good luck to them. I hope they make a success of it.

Pitts2112

[DX Wombat]

I'm sure you will be made very welcome. :)

[Delta Wun-Wun]

They also have a short grass runway for Microlights, although I think it is unlicenced. One of the tower guys uses it when the weather is good as he arrives to work in a microlight. It`s about time it went back to H`penny green and started getting back the GA community instead of all this International nonesense.
Looked mighty pretty the other day from FL190 with the sun glinting off Clive`s sandwiches.

[DX Wombat]

Hi DWW nice to see you are still around. :) The sun was probably glinting off Clive's clean plate - he tends to eat proper meals these days which should tell you a great deal about the standard of catering. Just for you:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v604/DX_Wombat/P1011022.jpg
Can't have you forgetting what it looks like. :E You can just see one of those little Europas taking off (or it might be FS - I can't remember). It was taken just after they had cut the hay in 2005.

[BlueRobin]

It's on the new half mil too.

A well-placed facility for visting local instrument fields (though all back roads to get to by car), original features (hasn't changed much) which means 6 runways so you won't get "winded" off from flying.

You can get a foony ak-cent on th'ay-ray-dio though...

I'm starting a ME/CPL there soon.

See you in May, Wombat ;)

[DX Wombat]

That's excellent news Robin :ok: I look forward to meeting you. You should be prepared to have your socks worked off you but it will be worth it in the end. :ok:

[Delta Wun-Wun]

Nice picture. How was Australia?.....And more to the point how are you getting used to the Diamond....now that the skip...err...sorry MF has gone.:eek: :}

[DX Wombat]

Thanks DWW. :) Oz was hot - +43C on the day I left. I am still very upset about MF but this isn't the place for me to tell you about my reasons for that. MF is still alive and well and having its annual done at the moment. :)
The DA40 is OK. I finished my conversion before I set off for Oz but as I hadn't flown it for over six weeks I have booked a couple of lesssons with the vict ....er FI who did the flying part of my conversion. It's OK in that it flies like MF but takes far longer to get airborne and I'm sure won't have the great short-field landing capability of MF. It may look very pretty but it is uncomfortable to fly - the seats are probably the most stupid design I can think of as is the seatbelt and I feel quite stiff when I get out. Because the rake cannot be adjusted I can just reach some things which I would be able to reach easily if I were able to sit more upright. The only advantages I can see are that it has two radios both with standby frequency, (you will understand why I find that a distinct improvement) and the possibility to take more than one friend flying at a time. The weight and balance calculations can be a nightmare and as someone remarked, it seems very odd that it wasn't possible in this day and age to design an aircraft which didn't require the placing of half a house worth of bricks in the back when there is more than one person in the aircraft. Apart from that, having been told by some of those who learned on the PA28s that it was very twitchy and floated for ever, I haven't found this to be so - maybe because I am used to the 152 which is nice and light and responsive as opposed to the PA28s which seem slow to respond and heavy to manoeuvre. Just my humble feelings about it. I shall still be flying a 152 as, now that I have retired, I can't afford to fly the DA40 very often. When are you going to call in and see us again?

[moggiee]

The official title is "Wolverhampton (Halfpenny Green) Airport which nicely links the old and new.

[DX Wombat]

Good morning Moggiee, I hope those cups are still clean and shiny as I shall be in to inspect them on Thursday. :E I shall also collect the orders for goodies from my forthcoming trip to Somerset - see the CFI for details if he hasn't already informed you. Back to hunting for a suitable, local, reasonably priced Caravan Storage Place as I need to move mine very soon. :(

[rondon9897]

Downside is RJP are still there

[DX Wombat]

RJP is under new management. RP retired some time ago.

[Delta Wun-Wun]

You could always park that caravan where you usually park it. Middle lane of the M6 at 35 mph.:} :}

Can I order a flagon of somerset`s finest medium sweet. Can`t get to the green this week.


Ta
DWW:O

[moggiee]

35mph on the M6? Fat chance!

[DX Wombat]

I'd need a police escort to be able to drive at that speed solo never mind towing the caravan. Now, to which of your ears would you like me to apply the flagon? :E
I'll be there next Thursday for another attempt at frightening a certain FI (who really doesn't deserve to be frightened by me). That's if they have the DA40 back again by then. :( :{ I told them they need something nice and reliable like a certain C152 but for some unknown reason they didn't seem too charmed with that idea. :hmm:

[Delta Wun-Wun]

Stop worrying you will be fine.:ok:

Now MF .....Don`t you need an LGV licence to drive a skip?:E :p

[DX Wombat]

Booked in :ok:
DWW I shall deal with your later. :* I always worry, especially when I haven't flown the aircraft in question for six weeks. :( As for skips, I wouldn't know about such things, I shall be flying a 152, hopefully MF, but if not then one of B's others. It may have escaped your notice, but skips don't tend to have wings. ;) Just off to sunny Somerset, back at EGBO Thursday when you can collect your shopping. Be warned however, the more rude remarks you make about MF the higher the price will be. :E Do you want one of the smaller glass flagons or a large drink-within-ten-days plastic one? I'll pm my mobile no so you can send me the answer.

[Delta Wun-Wun]

Small glass flagon sounds good. Heard a traffic report of traffic hold-ups down the M5........Someone towing a caravan at 25mph weaving across all three lanes!!!:eek: :eek: :O :ok:

[DX Wombat]

That's odd,:hmm: it must have been before your traditional visit to the Flying Pig Inn as I didn't notice you swaying too much when I passed you but you do need to do something about all those dogs you had bouncing around inside it. I didn't think that was legal.
Your flagon of cider has been delivered to HGFC and awaits your collection. The poor car was like a mobile cider shop on the way back from Somerset - all those pilots and the like wanting copious amounts of the stuff fetching for them. :E

[BlueRobin]

For a soon-to-be Mon-Fri student, what's the regular lunch options like at Egg-bo? Do you all use the caff?

[DX Wombat]

We do now that Angie is running it :ok: All freshly cooked home made (well mostly) food :ok: Friday is usually curry day and there is always a vegetarian option. Angie will also do you a take away if you don't want to eat in the cafe. :ok:

[BlueRobin]

Word is from one of Mr Caine's proteges that I will get exceedingly fat due to the quality on offer :)

Any suggestions for getting around Stourbridge from the south off the M5? I was thinking Churchill-Kinver-Enville

[moggiee]

From the M5, you have a couple of options:

1) Off at J6, north on the A449 through Kidderminster and then west on the A458.

or going from personal experience (as reported by many customers):

2) Off at J4, up the A491 to Hagley (passing through the gloriously named "Bell End"!), west onto the A456 (towards Kidderminster) and then right past Churchill and onto the A449 north.

Don't bother going through Kinver, the best bet is to stay on the A449 until you reach the A458 turnoff.

[1d2d3d4d]

For directions open Google earth, find halfpenny green airfield, right click the aeroplane icon, click directions to here, enter your starting point ie your post code and click go! Google will put a nice line down with all your turning points. Zoom inand follow the route on the ground so to speak and adjust to avoid bottle necks.

Regards Chris

Ps. All the best with the training.

[BlueRobin]

moggiee's got the right idea, thanks for the suggestion. Having had a friend who lived in Stourbridge and almost got a job there, it's a town I'd like to avoid if possible! :E Avoid the traffic that is!

Is your leg any better Chris?

[FLCH]

I remember flying Cherokees out of Halfpenny Green when I was a poxy teen. Now all I can manage is a swift peek out the window of the airport when we're on the arrival into Birmingham after being up all night after flying from lovely Newark NJ in a 757... Glad to hear the place is doing well. :)

[DX Wombat]

You could always make a very quick call to say hello on 123.0, and if it's within working hours somebody will always answer and be pleased to hear you. They like to hear from their former pilots. :)

[FLCH]

I'll do that DX......

[1d2d3d4d]

The knee op has been a partial failiure. Apparently I now have cartalidge but the knee is not as sound as pre-op. The next stage is a partial knee replacement. It would appear my marathon days are over.

Let me know how the training is going. There may be a Robin right hand seat empty soon!

Regards Chris

[BlueRobin]

I just wish my Robin right seat was fulfilled, am trying to get 10 hours or so on the R2160 to fulfill my 100hr P1 and 300nm QXC pre-CPL at EGBO. So far I have had half a checkout, poor viz and now a bust tyre. I'm beginning to think limiting myself to one aeroplane might be too limiting... :suspect:

[DX Wombat]

Robin, your PM Inbox is full - I have just tried to send you a pm but I can't until you make some space. :(

[BlueRobin]

Whoops! Try again :\

[DX Wombat]

It's on its way. :) :ok: