Blackpool Airport closed at certain times, see email

[Keepitup]

Email received from Sue Kendrick, regarding GA

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL
AIRPORT NOTICE
Must Be Seen
Subject: Aerodrome Closures
Issued by: Sue Kendrick,
Corporate Affairs Manager
Date of Issue: 29 March 2011
____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________
Due to unforeseen circumstances, it is anticipated that Air Traffic Control will be required
to alter provision of service over the next few week. This will affect the aerodrome’s
operation on several occasions as follows (all times local):
Friday 1 April 2011
0900-1400 Radar available for scheduled and pre-booked aircraft only
0900-0930 Aerodrome closed
1130-1200 Aerodrome closed
1530-1600 Aerodrome closed
1800-1830 Aerodrome closed
Wednesday 6 April 2011
0900-1400 Radar available for scheduled and pre-booked aircraft only
0900-0930 Aerodrome closed
1130-1200 Aerodrome closed
1530-1600 Aerodrome closed
1800-1830 Aerodrome closed
Thursday 7 April 2011
0900-1500 Radar available for scheduled and pre-booked aircraft only
1630-1700 Aerodrome closed
1900-1930 Aerodrome closed
NOTAMS have been issued to reflect these restrictions.
Radar will be available on request throughout the aerodrome closures however the
Tower will not be available unless in emergency.

Any requests to move vehicles or aircraft on the apron or from hangars to the fuel pumps
etc should be made on the ground frequency.
No aircraft will be permitted to taxi beyond Alpha 1 or Bravo 3 during these periods.

[chevvron]

CAA Regs (known in the trade as CRATCOH) require ATCOs to operate a maximum of 2 hours operational duty at a time, and they must have a rest of a minimum of 30 min for every 2 hours of duty. This is reflected in the stated periods of availability of ATC at Blackpool.
Funnily enough, I've just read an article about Cambridge ATC training 'Air Traffic Controllers' and Blackpool is mentioned, but at the end of the article it says they are FISOs not ATCOs, so maybe Blackpool are looking to provide FISO only at some times in order to alleviate a controller shortage.

[horatio_b]

On of the ATCOs was badly injured in the recent C152 crash near
Ingleborough. No doubt causing a major headache for work rosters.

[soaringhigh650]

Is it not possible to stay open and revert to an uncontrolled field when the Tower is not available?

[chevvron]

That's entirely up to the aerodrome authority, you would still need some sort of air traffic service (ATC,FISO or A/G) for flying training as this at present requires a licenced airfield.

[Irish_Flyr]

you would still need some sort of air traffic service (ATC,FISO or A/G) for flying training as this at present requires a licenced airfield.

Flight training no longer needs to be conducted from a licenced airfield.

[reportyourlevel]

Although the aerodrome authority could decide to operate without ATC, they would not be able to provide any holding, let down or approach aids as these require ATC.

[soaringhigh650]

Over here they can - by using the approach radar services of the nearest large airport.

[NearlyStol]

Over here they still have a good supply of common sense !

(currently at Sun and Fun )

[reportyourlevel]

That can be done here too - I think Liverpool does radar for Doncaster and Jersey does it for the other Channel Islands (stand to be corrected though).

Bear in mind though that the controllers need training, the radar needs to be remoted to the other unit, as do monitors for the aids and procedures need to be designed etc etc which all adds up to a massive cost. Remember that this is just for a few half-hour periods to cover a staff shortage due illness or similar - is it worth it?

Oh, and only 8 posts to get down to the "US aviation is better than UK aviation" argument - is that a new record?

[chevvron]

Different situations at Doncaster and CI airports as they have tower controllers on duty; here we're talking about vectoring for an iap with no-one in the tower to answer RTF or alert AFRS at the airfield of intended landing.
The closest we get over here is Walney Island where (so I'm told) Warton vector for the ILS and then handover to the FISO at Walney.

[sammypilot]

Blackpool is an airport with great pretensions and this is reflected in the landing fees that they charge General Aviation. Sadly their organisation is not up to the job. On my last visit the coffee bar had gone out of business and the only refreshments were available from a machine. The terminal had a ghostly atmosphere about it with a few staff wandering aimlessly about. Now, because of the absence of one member of ATC staff, they have to close on a regular basis because they are running the service on a shoestring. Very few airlines operate from there. Sooner or later they are going to have to acknowledge that they are running a small airport in a small town and they cannot compete with Manchester or Liverpool.

[MFC_Fly]

On of the ATCOs was badly injured in the recent C152 crash near
Ingleborough.

Get well soon Ade,

From an ex-KNT up north.

MFC

[Sir George Cayley]

Shirley, if they NOTAM not available for movements requiring a licensed aerodrome then, with the land owners permission comings and goings for pleasure and terror flights could continue?

Am I wrong or just wrong?

Sir George Cayley

[NearlyStol]

If there can be any remote possibility of doubt ; the answer is N F L.