options for flying to Edinburgh?

[liam548]

Hi all

I am wanting to fly up and stay 2 nights for an up and coming trip. Been reading that their international airport is a little on ther pricey side!?

Any other suggestions? We are heading to EH15 post code area. C172 or PA28 size.


Thanks

Liam

[Genghis the Engineer]

Edinburgh is a bit of a headache - the airport management just don't like non based GA.

Might sound a bit out of the way, but try Dundee. Nice friendly and affordable airport, lights and an instrument approach, then a very picturesque 1 hour train ride to the centre of Edinburgh.

G

[VMC-on-top]

Kirknewton gliding - 1000m of tarmac about 7-8 miles South West of the city centre? Never been there so no idea what sort of condition it is in, or how secure.

Kirknewton technical (http://ukga.com/airfield/kirknewton/technical)

[airpolice]

Go to East Fortune.

[xj8driver]

You'd be lucky to get a PA28/C172 into East Fortune.. try Fife (Glenrothes, EGPJ). It's about the closest to Edinburgh, and not too difficult to travel from.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Day/VFR only I agree, I'd use Glenrothes.

My recommendation for Dundee was based upon having the options of an instrument approach and/or night runway lighting.

Depends upon aircraft/pilot capability which is best.

G

[Captain Smithy]

If you're wanting to fly into Edinburgh itself, make sure you have deep pockets. Expect to pay in the region of £200 for landing, nav, parking, "handling" (sic :rolleyes:) and security charges for a two-night stay. As for fuel... :eek:

You might be better just getting an EasyJet/BMI. Glenrothes, Dundee, Perth and Cumbernauld are all not too far away and affordable but then you've got the hassle of getting to where you want to be. Trains, taxis etc. Much easier and cheaper just to let somebody else fly you straight there...

I hope Edinburgh's new owners (whoever they end up being) will treat GA better, it's absolutely farcical how poorly served Scotland's capital is with regards to GA. There again pigs might aviate before GA is seen as welcome at reasonable price at a "big" airport like PH. :(

Smithy

[Romeo Tango]

Kirknewton is perfectly usable, there is a significant MOD flaf factor, though easy enough to comply with and the natives are friendly once you get there.

Edinburgh is also perfectly usable and friendly enough .... but expensive. Expect to orbit on base leg and nip in behind a 737.

I have been to both in my Robin.

Bill

[dont overfil]

Captain Smithy is right. It's an absolute disgrace that Scotlands capital doesn't have a GA friendly airfield.
It is almost worth paying the price to fly to Edinburgh direct then Signature should give you a lift once you get there. However you must check they can accept you as they have limited parking.

Next nearest to the city is Kirknewton although dealing with the MOD in advance is an extra hassle. If there are no locals available to help you are kind of in the middle of nowhere.

Glenrothes, Cumbernauld, Perth and Dundee are next in order of distance. Dundee and Perth although the furthest have a stations and are busy enough fields that you will be able to blag a lift.

D.O.

[NorthSouth]

DO:It is almost worth paying the price to fly to Edinburgh direct then Signature should give you a lift once you get there. However you must check they can accept you as they have limited parkingWould that be on the same GAT that's completely empty most days?
NS

[gyrotyro]

Done Kirknewton, as the others have said, it is possible but a load of faff dealing with the MOD. Then you have to find someone to take you to the station and get a train to Edinburgh.

East Fortune, very user friendly buy probably not for a spam can.

I would go via Big Easy or maybe even not bother as they just don't want us in Edinburgh and when that is the case I am less inclined to give them my money.

[GBJOE]

We have waited more than five years from the East Lothian planning authority for a decision on Dirlton so can`t help there. Other options are
East Fortune[either microlight strip at west end which is sound and long enough-no hangarage- or strip at east which is good and long if you run down the centre-no hangarage and no facilities and pponly, local farmer], Glenrothes[good but no direct transport to Edinburgh], Perth[good but a bit far away], Kirknewton is OK and near but you would have to contact them beforehand for hangar access and permission, Portmoak [fine if the motorless will let you in and you can arrange transport] and there are one or two private strips----------

[liam548]

may as well just drive up then. Crazy that Edinburgh is so expensive.

Whos the handling agent or GA flights there? Is there no flying school situated at the airport?

I wouldnt mind giving them a call tomorrow to find out the exact cost if someone woulkd be kind enough to provide a number for the (only?) handling agent?

[Captain Smithy]

Would that be on the same GAT that's completely empty most days?

Kind of says it all doesn't it? What a shame. :( PH controllers are always great and it's a good experience flying in and out of there. There must be a massive market for GA travel into and from PH but it's driven away by the pricing. Is it that difficult to make a grass parking area for visiting light GA near the GAT and set a reasonable landing fee say £20 or whatever it would be after NATS take their cut of it too with overnight parking charges of something reasonable to make a weekend stay of less than £three figures and for the airport still to make reasonable profit off it? Even taking into account security arrangements etc. surely this is entirely feasable? The airspace and capacity fitting in with arrivals/departures is there, the controllers are good at it, never understood why GA is kept away, unless there's some sort of plan in the pipeline to turn PH into an intergalactic spaceport with massive spaceplanes taking off & landing every 30 seconds...

Smithy

[Dan the weegie]

Jings and Crivens, go to Cumbernauld then rent a car from Enterprise for a couple of days, they'll pick you up at cumbernauld airport and the car will cost you 30 quid for a couple of days :)

[silverknapper]

Liam

Signature or Greer Aviation. I've used both and highly recommend Greer.

If cost is an issue then driving is probably cheapest. If there is a few of you by the time you factor train fares from Dundee or wherever there ain't a lot in it.

I do agree that GA could be made more welcome. However on more than one occasion at EDI I have witnessed havoc caused by clowns either getting lost in the zone, on the ground, not knowing any Vfr routes etc etc. Frankly I don't blame them. It is a shame though. It's not the most operationally best laid out airport in the world, and someone taxiing at 4 kts while they try to work out where they're going can cause a lot of problems.

[Captain Smithy]

I've witnessed the same silverknapper, I remember someone having to get radar vectors to Hillend for the ski slopes. One of the most prominent features around Edinburgh and they couldn't see it in excellent VMC :ugh:

Prats can cause big problems at busier airports but not everybody's a prat...

[cats_five]

It's quite a haul from Portmoak, Glenrothes or Scone to central Edinburgh and more on to EH15 if you use public transport.

Portmoak visiting pilots info:

Visiting Pilots (http://www.scottishglidingcentre.com/other_visiting_pilots.htm)

[NorthSouth]

liam548:Whos the handling agent or GA flights there? Is there no flying school situated at the airport?Mandatory handling by Signature Flight Support. Greer pulled out of Edinburgh some time ago so Signature has a monopoly. There is a flying club but it has no handling authority. As to GA getting lost in the zone, this is not the reason for the airport's attitude to GA. If it was, the negative attitude would be driven by ATC and would affect zone transits as well as aircraft landing at EGPH. But that's not the case. It's BAA and Signature that drive the negative attitudes. ATC have no problem with GA, whether transiting or landing.
NS

[liam548]

Signature Flight Support for Edinburgh:-

Handling fee £95 pounds.
Landing fee £40.
Parking charge 12.5p per quarter hour. So £12 per day.
Navigation charge £10
Security Fee £45

Total: £214

Avgas £2.70 a litre!

[email protected]

[soaringhigh650]

You guys must be pretty well off to be willing to pay that amount.

Or you've chosen instead not to self-fly into Edinburgh, which in turn is very bad for GA as the plane sits there and doesn't move so everyone's hourly costs go up.

I've been trying to find answers to sky high airport charges. Why is nobody doing anything about them?

[Mickey Kaye]

Personally I feel those charge are perfectly reasonable. Apart from the handling fee. Lets face it no us want it. They certainly offer nothing of any value.

I really can't see what the hang up is with using the local flying school. They offer everything I need.

East midlands have just banned GA from using the flying school. The price has gone up 80 quid. The service (I suspect not been since) is now utterly relevant and I don't think they even care.

This banning of using the local flying school and handling due security reasons is a disease that I really don't think benefits anyone.

[maxred]

As NorthSouth highlights, there is absolutely no problem with ATC at either Edinburgh, or Glasgow. Both units are extremely helpful and tolerent of GA. In fact Edinburgh go out of their way to assist, with information and visits.

No the issue is the perceived wealth and revenue generation from Corporate traffic, and BAA.

Leave one company in charge, and fees will be set at what they want, not what would suit all participants.:(

[Captain Smithy]

Deary me that is absolutely shocking. £95 "Handling". What does "handling" entail exactly? Red carpets, limousine, champagne, caviar, escort ladies? £2.70/lt for 100LL? What's in it, Kryptonite? Laced with DiLithium Crystals? Is it Super100LL? £45 surcharge for security??? Do they not make enough from the "handling"?

No wonder the feckin place is empty!!!!!!!!

[maxred]

I remember a few years back when I went in to Edi in the Chippy. They met me at Signature with the Corporate van. Ok says I, I'll walk. It was only a couple of hundred yards. No sir jump in, we will take you, Elfin safety and all that. Charged me 129 quid. Learnt from that.

[Matty906]

Flew into East Fortune a few years ago. It may have all changed butThe microlight strip was very short, but on the other side of the road there was a racetrack which had a good long run.

We fuelled up, then hopped one up across the road to the racetrack ( we had asked permission) and then loaded passengers and then took off from the race track. Went round the first chicane at about 20 knots before giving it full throttle!.

The only time Ive ever flown around a race track!

:ok:

[frontlefthamster]

It's clear none of you have the remotest grasp of the economics which keep an airport running...

Suffice to say, without public subsidy, having GA paying peanuts at a big airport makes sense only to the GA pilot and his passengers. The situation in France is much better; I had a meeting recently at a regional airport with a nearly-2,000 m runway, ILS, NDB, DME, radar, etc. I flew in in a 5.7 tonne jet and paid less than €60 for landing and parking. Ate an excellent lunch in the restaurant in the terminal, drank a perfect coffee, fuelled at a reasonable price, and back home again...

The French government is behind aviation and therefore GA; the British one doesn't care a jot.

You voted for them!

[maxred]

Totally agree. I did not vote for them, apparently 20% did.

I flew into Carcassonne, left the plane there for 3 weeks, flew in and out several times, squared up on departure and paid 39 euro for parking, 4 x 5 euro for landings, 59 euro. I thought they had made a gross error. No sir, was the reply, thank you for your custom.

Breath of fresh air. Watchdog on the tv at the moment, and apparently UK retailers are charging 40% more for items than the european counterparts. Some female blaming it on Business rates/employing people????, and the cost of doing business in the UK.

Nuff said.:ugh::ugh:

[Captain Smithy]

It's clear none of you have the remotest grasp of the economics which keep an airport running...

Suffice to say, without public subsidy, having GA paying peanuts at a big airport makes sense only to the GA pilot and his passengers. The situation in France is much better; I had a meeting recently at a regional airport with a nearly-2,000 m runway, ILS, NDB, DME, radar, etc. I flew in in a 5.7 tonne jet and paid less than €60 for landing and parking. Ate an excellent lunch in the restaurant in the terminal, drank a perfect coffee, fuelled at a reasonable price, and back home again...

The French government is behind aviation and therefore GA; the British one doesn't care a jot.

You voted for them!

Nav/Landing charges are there to cover long runways, de-icing, ILS, Radar and other such nice things that exist at large airports. Yep it does cost to run & maintain all that posh gubbins. Some of us happen to be employed to do those very tasks...

What I have always questioned is this "mandatory handling" thing for GA at certain airfields. Bizjets/TPs requiring a huffer cart, marshaller, VIP transport, assist with baggage etc. is all well and fine, but if someone's popping in with a 152 that can self-park in a quiet corner not bothering anyone does not require "handling". Fair enough if there's say an extra tenner for a security officer to escort between the aircraft and the GA terminal/reception/whatever's there at the airfield, that's OK, but "mandatory handling" and the associated eye-popping price attached just rips the pish as far as cynical Smithy is concerned.

Oh and I did not vote for our current Government either but that's another discussion entirely...

[NorthSouth]

flh:The French government is behind aviation and therefore GA; the British one doesn't care a jot.

You voted for them!Well, as you're finding out, very few of us did, especially north of the border, but then we never did, and we've always had a view of public infrastructure similar to that of the French govt, unlike the slash and burn, race-to-the bottom, "public bad, private good" ideology that's been running amok in London for the last 30 years, unchecked by anything remotely resembling an opposition except perhaps on the streets from time to time.

Ahhh, that feels better!

NS

[140KIAS]

dont think things will be any different under King Eck, other than shed loads of more windfarms springing up all over the place

[Flyin' High]

At that rate you would be better going to Prestwick and hire a car!! - just over 1 hour drive to Edi

costs - Landing + Nav £20
Handling - £20
Parking - £13.10 per day but 1st 24hours is FREE

And Avgas is around £1.90

Ocean Sky have only commercial AVGAS and will take good care of you...

[email protected]

[Mickey Kaye]

Now they are great prices

[dont overfil]

Or just go to the Prestwick Flight Centre. £17 and that's it!

D.O.

[140KIAS]

DO. He's coming from South Yorkshire to Edinburgh! Its a 1.5 hour drive from Prestwick to Edinburgh. He'd be as well jumping on a train in Doncaster.

However Im sure he will get there just fine ;)

[liam548]

Thanks for all the replies. Will keep an eye on the wx over coming days, shame Edinburgh outpricing most visitors much like East mids are doing...

[dont overfil]

140KIAS
Yes I know. I was replying to the previous two posts but I could not find a sarcastic smilie.
All the sensible suggestions were ages ago.
I believe the army are losing interest in Kirknewton as a base.
You could be the man to develop it if there is any dosh left after fixing your bitch (aircraft)
D.O.

[140KIAS]

I heard a rumour that some top brass arrived expecting to find a full on RAF base ala Leuchars. They left somewhat dissappointed.

[soaringhigh650]

It's clear none of you have the remotest grasp of the economics which keep an airport running...

Suffice to say, without public subsidy, having GA paying peanuts at a big airport makes sense only to the GA pilot and his passengers

You are correct.

Needless to say, I do not believe JFK Intl. or their FBOs bills our government $1,000+ (in the same way as Stansted, a considerably smaller airport, charges around 500 pounds) every time I land and park my Cessna overnight there.

It just wouldn't be allowed.

[Swerve550]

Fly into Glenrothes which is a cute little tarmac airfield.

Alternative which gives better scenery if you're flying in VFR is Perth Airport at Scone. If I were you, I'd take a detour north on the way home and experience some of Perthshire. It's really nice country.

I wouldn't go to EDI unless you're landing in a Citation and the fees will be about the same as the in-flight wine.

Swerve

[soaringhigh650]

Basically every other alternative is at least an hours drive from Edinburgh.