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18th Jul 2007, 20:05
Dear all, the weather was nice in Devon today and lots of people went out flying in helicopters and FW. If you are planning something similar please note the following:

1. Chivenor is 'Chivenor Radio' not approach, radar, information or any of the multitude of other callsigns that get used when trying to call us.
2. Because of 1 above we cannot give a FIS, Listening watch, radar information, flight following or many of the other services we are asked for.

3. We can tell you the QFE, QNH, W/V and what traffic we have airborne from Chivenor.

4. We may tell you about other taffic in the area that is not from Chivenor but only if we have time and they have talked to us recently.

5. We do not accept GA traffic, nor corporate - the only exception to our military only rule is for the air ambulance and police helicopters. And we don't have AVGAS anyway.

6. Although we have a big runway, it is not fully maintained and the only way you can land there is by declaring an emergency.

We do like to see other people in the sky and to talk to them but we are a SAR unit with a specific role and that will always come first. We only have one Ops assistant on dutywho is not ATC qualified and may be quite inexperienced, who does radios, phones, maps, notams etc etc etc so don't be surprised if you first call goes unanswered.

All of the above information is available from the appropriate publications so please have a read before you press the Tx switch.

Many thanks, Chivenor out.

Flintstone
19th Jul 2007, 09:35
Bad day?;)

Joe le Taxi
19th Jul 2007, 11:23
You'd make the existance of your airfield more acceptable to many locals if it could be available for GA use. Having to deal with externalities of your operations (eg noise) without any benefits or access tends to make people anti, and it cheeses me off that I cant visit my mate who lives right by the airfield unless he drives several miles to Eaglescott.

19th Jul 2007, 15:29
Joe, most of us here agree but the council (or someone else) would have to pay for ATC, fire, upkeep of the airfield and lighting etc so the charges would be very high. At the moment Chivenor is a Royal Marines base with the SAR unit tucked away in a corner so write to them if you want things changed - it's their trainset.