sherburn- dead or alive?

[T CUT]

is it my imagination, or are less people using sherburn aero club, both to learn from and to fly into?

[29_Grass]

You would be very much correct sir!

its a wonderful club and fantastic airfield.....

the weather hasn't helped much, granted :ouch:

but i think i would be right in saying the 'atmosphere' is keeping people away....:bored:

when i say atmosphere.. i mean committee :}

[FlyerFoto]

And speaking of lessons at Sherburn.....

http://paulcoulthread.fotopic.net/p43679025.html

or, if you want to set your sights a little higher.....

http://paulcoulthread.fotopic.net/p43895123.html

[CDH]

29 Grass
I know what you mean...
What is it with the current committee???
Are they trying to close the place down???

[Creep Feed Grinder]

Perhaps with all the talk of Class 'A' and Sherburn. Folk are confused and think it's the airspace. :E

[Small Rodent Driver]

Ang on! He's wearing a high viz vest in that photo.

[T CUT]

i think if this situation is allowed to continue for much longer, the club may not be arround in 18 months, to think how good this club has been in the past, it would be insane to allow it to deteriorate because a few individuals are incompetent

[IO540]

I thought most people from Sherburn went to ukga.com.

Regarding the Class A business, one way to stimulate aviation there would be a radar jammer ;)

[bogbeagle]

The main problem with Sherburn is that it is not run on a commercial footing. I mean that its remit is to provide affordable flying to its members. It does this as a Private Members' Club.

Were it run as a business, I think that a better quality of management would result. At present, the Committee comprises members who are, at best, enthusiastic amateurs who are willing to do some work for no pay. They are, then, ego-driven individuals; not necessarily competent managers of men.

Also, the bulk of the membership is indifferent to the club's circumstances....interested in nothing more than the availability of cheap aircraft and training. This situation is, of course, common to clubs of all persuasions; just human nature, I suppose.

I guess that, if the Club model was a good one on which to base a business, we'd see it adopted widely. You know, Microsoft Club, Virgin Club, etc.

I still maintain that Sherburn could be a top-class flying school....it has never realised that potential. It could also be financially healthy and a pleasant place to visit; I understand that some members are finding its atmosphere somewhat foreboding of late.

Great shame, really. The membership has the capacity to direct Sherburn's future....but I ain't holding my breath.

Just my 2 cents.

[Small Rodent Driver]

Wake up Sherburn!

Take note of recent and not so recent events at LAC.

Would hate to see another established Aero Club go the same way.

[flybymike]

Certainly the welcome for Non club members at the recent PFA rally was non existent.....

[29_Grass]

bobbeagle: i think you are spot on in what you say... however in the other hand i feel that place has become far too 'commercial' with individuals having to follow countless rules... you must do this, you must do that and it ruins the atmosphere..

At least with other places you can turn up and chat openly with like minded folk in a relaxed atmosphere and have a laugh, it would seem that currently in Sherburn you cant do that without someone listening in or other general back stabbing going off.

Things will never improve there until certain individuals remove themselves completely from the club (i think they know exactly who they are).
This was made obvious by the PFA meeting and (i think) Loop Day
while both events were well organised and executed some individuals still felt it was important to have 'restricted' areas where 'outsiders' were made to feel unwelcome.
If i was a perspective pilot wishing to have flying lessons i would not consider a club which seemed to be so 'snide' to outsiders, they should be doing the opposite! they have some fantastic facilities there and they should open them up to more people.. after all that’s what keeps the students coming into the school.

More so i think its a shame that at the moment Sherburn as a whole seems to be getting bashed every time the clubs name is mentioned, its the actions of a small group of individuals (and not just the committee) who are holding all the potential back...

I have been around the club for over ten years and the atmosphere from the early 90's seems to have vanished :ugh:

Finally as Bogbeagle says: some members on the committee don't seem to be 'real pilots' or about 'real flying' i'd love to see one or two of them pilot a plane (solo) deep into Europe or even easier; a flight across to Ireland... :*

[Shunter]

I won't profess to being well-acquainted with Sherburn having only called in a couple of times, but from the tone of the gentleman I spoke to last time I wanted to pop over you'd think he'd just caught me buggering his teenage daughter :confused:

[DRJAD]

I learnt at Sherburn, but have since moved away and now fly mainly from elsewhere.

One thing that was characteristic of the flying training side of it was the sense of encouragement to realise one's aspirations. An invaluable trait.

The social side was never, for me, up to much - it seemed to depend so much upon who one knew.

Having flown in on visits a couple of times recently, the good atmosphere that used to be there has almost completely dissipated - however, I am convinced that there are still some members of staff who are trying to keep alive the old spirit of the place as somewhere where aviation is committed.

There has probably been too much churn of staff turnover, and a run of bad luck in publicity. An atmosphere of some gloom did seem to manifest itself.

As I've said, the fact that some are still concerned to welcome pilots and aspiring pilots is a good thing - and should be built upon.

For this potentially excellent club and flying school to disappear would be a great tragedy for us all.

[BFMD]

I recently stopped flying at Sherburn and along with a group friends joined Full Sutton. It’s a bit of a drive for me but the aeroplanes are just as cheap and the welcome and atmosphere is 110% better. There’s no Spanish inquisition from reception staff every time you go to fly. You just turn up, sign for your aeroplane and go flying. Everything is based on trust, from paying for the aeroplanes through to the honesty box for the kitchen. It's great!:O

[29_Grass]

I can only hope that someone on the committee is sat reading this... i too would find it very very sad for such a well equipped place to go bust simply because the committee were doing a Basil Falty and chasing all the punters out the door.

I do feel for the staff as many of them are trying hard to keep things moving on.

BFMD: glad you like FS i find the atmosphere when im over that way to be how it used to be back in the 90's :}

You may notice the the instructors there (past & present) used to operate from sherburn... that was off course untill being chased away by the commettee :ugh:

[Thrush]

Yawn. I'm off to bed.

Wake me up with tea and something interesting.

[CDH]

29 Grass
I know what you mean. I too learnt to fly in the early 90's at 'CJ & like you say it's a different atmosphere now.
Although the majority of the desk staff are really helpful, there are some that make you feel unwanted...

Maybe it's time to get the group to move the a/c to FS?

[T CUT]

your wrong cdh, it's not time to move away, why should some people be allowed to run down a club in this manner? the flight desk is run by excellent people,who deserve better. The majority of members are very nice folk,the instructors seem fine, now,mmmm, who have i not mentioned,? I believe if the people with their head in the sand, don't pull it out rapidly, a big boot up the backside will dislodge them:*

[Julian]

I flew into Sherburn for my first ever visit about 6 wks ago with a mate at midweek and found it pretty busy which surprised me on a weekday!

The desk staff were great and very friendly, no complaints from me there. The food was pretty good and reasonable prices and when we found the pitot u/s on our aircraft the local engineering outfit did its best to rectify for us.

I would go back again.

J.

[MikeeB]

I learned to fly at Sherburn a few years back, and it was a great place. But even as a PPL student, I became aware of political games going on in the background, which appear to have ruined the club and resulted in the loss of some great people from the place.

So I popped in for a coffee and a bite to eat about two months ago on a Saturday afternoon to see if the place had improved, so that I might consider rejoining. I had my 8 year old son with me.

What I found confirmed that nothing had changed, in fact it had got worse. The place was dead, except for a group of individuals sat around with one individual talking in a manner which I found quite alarming. They were saying something along the lines of, "once I've decided something, that's it, nobody is going to change my mind and people will have to do what I say". I didn't get the full gist of the conversation, but it was certainly associated with the running of the club.

Even worse was the fact that I got the distinct impression that I was being 'watched' and fully expected to be thrown out of the place for not being a member at any moment, which was reinforced when I read the comments about what happened at the PFA rally.

Had I been asked to leave, I was going to say that I was looking around the club and taking in the atmosphere with a view to (re)joining the club, but I'm not sure if that would have worked.

Such a shame, as the place has some great staff and characters knocking about.

[Julian]

So what exactly is going on at Sherburn then? I guess I must have gone on a good day!

J.

[Ian_Wannabe]

Don't give up on sherburn - if there are people there that you don't like make the effort to bring in an atmosphere thats more enjoyable. There are plenty of people there who will have a laugh and a joke with you??? Everyone behind the flight desk and all the instructors will bend over backwards to help you.
I got my PPL there, enjoyed every min of if and I reckon that just because some idiot decided to make a few bob through drug running its turning the whole Sherburn "Situation" on its head.

It's a great place, its nice and cheap, its got excellent facilities, nice clean aircraft, a good bar and variety in its flying surfaces.

[BFMD]

As Ian says, the club has a lot going for it especially the condition of the aircraft. I have flown at quite a few different clubs and have been disappointed by the condition of the aircraft. The standard club C150/PA28 at most clubs I have seen has a knackered interior with more avionics unserviceable than serviceable. This is far from the case at Sherburn.

[pploony]

What is this thread saying? I've been a member for 5 years,and have always found Sherburn to be fine.Aircraft good,prices,facilities etc as good as anywhere,I hardly ever get a problem with availability.This was not the case when I flew from Leeds Bradford with a certain flight school who were the complete opposite! I am surprised that people visiting have had a bad experience,so maybe something is amiss,but I am not in the least interested in internal politics there!

[29_Grass]

As stated before there are no issues with any of the a/c the facilities or the staff its other underlying issues that are dragging it all down.

unfortuantly after that drugs scandle sherburn is the brunt of many Jokes.. despite the fact it had very little to do with the actual incident :ouch:

most people who walk in though the doors can see there is a haze sourrounding the place, it doesn't seem as jolly as it once was

The thing that drags it down is the politics and the attitude of the committee that runs the show. on the front of it all they seem to have a 'what we say goes, thats the end of it... your an outsider... please go away' i dislike the back stabbing that goes off behind closed doors... may i also add that a small minority of members as well as the committee are guilty of that :ugh:

[funflier44]

I visit Sherburn regularly and find "fit for my purpose".

It is somewhere to land, reasonable cost - landing fee and /or fuel, runways OK, open some evenings for after work flying in summer, reasonable food at a reasonable price. The front desk and re-fuelers are friendly and the toilets are clean.

The natives can be a bit stand offish but that is the way of most clubs.

I enjoy going to Sherburn and will continue to do so

IMHO when clubs stop being social with some training and try to be commercial training schools without the professional commercial expertise and backing but run by a committee of volunteers (usually well meaning but often self centered) they are doomed. A flying club is for FUN not PROFIT and yes it does cost money to be a private flyer.

That is why I am not a member of a club, I want to be able to fly and not get involved in politics, there is enough of that at work.

[T CUT]

as i originally asked the question, is it as it seems , mainly down to the atmosphere which i suppose is created by the comitee? I realise the newly formed comittee seem somewhat out of touch with the rank and file , so maybe it's time to for members not to be brushed aside by those who would like to think they know better.This club not so long ago was buzzing!, the aircraft were always in use(not lined up as now), the instructors were always on the go, a brilliant place! lets get it back to that!!!!!!!!And funflier44, unfortunately, clubs do need a membership, and they do need to be profitable, otherwise you a'int going to have a sherburn to fly into!!

[pikanin]

HMM was that a serious query "class A" and sherburn?. Recent members have certainly been accused of suppling it!

[29_Grass]

You may notice that any time in the past when there has been sign of an uprising amoungst members certain individuals seek the so called ring leader and have him promptly 'nipped in the bud' its prevents the happy boat from rocking :ouch:

from my opinion it must get a lot worse before it can get better, the club will need to hit rock bottom before certain people jump ship and at that point only will the club be able to be restored back to the atmosphere it once was.

I thought it was the new layout/funriture that was put in (nice as it is) but then i remembered at Sandtoft they did that.. and while that nice 'homely' atmosphere went a little it was/is still a wonderful place to grab a snack and have a laugh with like minded people in a great atmosphere

I think the club needs to remember that GA flying for the majority is all about flying and enjoyment... not Politics.. thats what the CAA is for :ugh:

[T CUT]

i agree sir, lets just hope it's more of a "dip" rather than rock bottom!

[jetranger_pilot]

What a change at Sherburn over the last two years. I think maybe the comittee are delibrately running it down. The land is worth a fortune for development!

[MikeeB]

Not sure that would stack up. From memory, the land is leased from a local farmer (I seem to recall there was a debate about the merits of keeping both 29/11 runways after the tarmac went in and associated cost)

Also, why would you spend a load of money on extending the club house and also signing up to an extended/new lease if the intention was to close/fold/move the club?

[29_Grass]

true the land is leased from a very friendly local farmer, if 29 Grass was to be removed there is the possibility for large problems.

currently 29 Tarmac (from memory) is subject to movement restrictions whereas 29 Grass is not; so in theory 29 Tarmac can currently be operated with no limitations - thats also not to mention the easier change over when a TD requests the grass

(although with the lack of flying at that place lately i doubt they would reach the quota anyway :})