Urgent - Woodvale

[Genghis the Engineer]

I'm trying to get Woodvale on the phone for PPR over the weekend and failing miserably using the phone number in Pooleys, or any other number the MoD operator up there can think of (flight ops, UAS...).

Can anybody offer a contact (or tell me why the entire airfield seems not to be answering the phone) ?

G

[DX Wombat]

Genghis, is this the number you have been trying? 01704 872287 ext 7243

[Genghis the Engineer]

7243 & 7203 & 7216, none of which are answering.

G

[DX Wombat]

Try without the extension number - there may be someone on the switchboard.
Edited to add their general contact 01704 872287 ext 7225
Could the MOD person perhaps give you the fax number?

[xz0npz]

Outside the box: Warton liaise with Woodvale all the time, (as the Warton MATZ is next to Woodvale). Worth giving Warton a call for the ATC contact at Woodvale.

:ok:

[Genghis the Engineer]

I've been onto the switchboard - they've tried every extension that they can think of.

I've looked for Babcock's non-MoD number, but they don't seem to publish one.

G

[Mictheslik]

631 VGS is on 01704 872287 Ext. 7256. If anyone's there they may be able to find out what's going on. (there will almost certainly be people there tomorrow if that's not too late)

.mic

[DX Wombat]

Manchester & Salford UAS also uses Woodvale
01704872287 ext 7223

[Mictheslik]

Phoning the UASs most probably won't help as there isn't much going on at them over summer....I think that may be the problem in general. The majoirty of users of Woodvale are active at either the weekend or during university term time, meaning there aren't a huge number of personel on base.

.mic

[Genghis the Engineer]

Yep, tried that as well via the MoD operator. Again, no answer :\

G

[DX Wombat]

10AEF is based there and they do a lot of flying in the summer holidays. Also based there is Merseyside Police Air Support Unit but I don't have a number for them.
Can the MOD operator not get through? If that is possible could the operator as Woodvale to ring you?

[chevvron]

It being summer hols, I doubt if the UAS or AEF are there. I've tried ATC on the ATC phone system (ext 2868) and there's no reply so maybe they're closed for summer hols.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Looks like it!

£70 fee at Liverpool and a train ride it is I think. Shame I haven't got anything short field serviceable at the moment or I'd try Ince.

Thanks for the help fellers.

G

[tmmorris]

AEF should be operating for summer camp period.

Tim

[Ringway Flyer]

Not sure if this is relevant, but the large model aircraft show, previously held at Woodvale was moved this year:-

"Previously held at RAF Woodvale in Formby this, the 41st rally, was relocated to the seaside resort’s Victoria Park after asbestos was discovered at the air base."

RF

[Genghis the Engineer]

I think I have a plan, and many thanks everybody for the help.

Plan A
- Phone and book PPR at 0800 tomorrow, hopefully without trouble.

Plan B
- If anything stops me doing that, book into Liverpool (£70 landing and handling) and hire a car (£30).

If the TAFS in the morning suggest arriving IMC/IFR at Liverpool, it'll be plan B anyhow!

G

[Genghis the Engineer]

Plan B!

Still nobody answering any of the lines - rather to the annoyance of the very helpful MoD operator.


In the meantime, Liverpool Airport is 30 minutes down the coastal railway from where I want to be anyway, and Ravenair couldn't have been more helpful when I phoned to book in. Not cheap to be fair, but not BAA prices either, so liveable with.

Thanks everybody, especially airpolice, for your help.

G

[funfly]

Gengis, after seeing millions of your posts, would you be prepared to tell me what aircraft you fly?

[Genghis the Engineer]

All sorts.

A CTSW this morning, an AA5 this afternoon. Next week I'm hoping to add a Rans S6 to my logbook and fly the CT again and possibly either of a Mainair Blade and Stinson 108 if we can sort w couple of engine snags.

Professionally I have a history of making flying machines of any size up to 4 engine jet "do stuff".

But always open to alternative offers :ok:

G

[southport]

Hi G, I fly out of both Liverpool & Blackpool regular as i live in Ainsdale Southport right next to Woodvale which is more or less in the middle of the two. It will be cheeper & possibly quicker to fly into blackpool & hire a car their for a day than the expensive option of landing & Ravenair. You will also need a cab to the train station & then it is around 45mins. I reckon the Blackpool option will be half the cost & less hassle.

Regards

[JUST-local]

Last year landing fee in a small PA28 (975 kg) was nearly £50:ugh:

Held in the overhead for 15 mins waiting for a motor glider to do a low approach and go around from over 10 miles away.

Then given a runway with a full crosswind despite them having a lovely long one directly into wind.

No services at the airport for visitors just climb the very steep tower steps to pay - the only thing steeper than them is the landing fee!

Liverpool is miles ahead, landing fee/handling a little more but excellent service, free tea/biscuits, handling will take you anywhere on the airport or collect passengers from terminal etc.

Blackpool are also improving and are cheaper than Woodvale and Liverpool at £8.20/500kg +vat no handling fee.
Fuelling and paying is still slow and no one can drive the flight planning computer in the ops :ugh:

You don't always get what you pay for, if Woodvale gave me £50 when I landed I would still have been less than impressed.

[Small Rodent Driver]

UAS,s not currently operating at weekends thus no ATC I'm afraid.

CTSW or even an AA5 shouldnt be a problem in / out of Ince I wouldnt have thought.

[Genghis the Engineer]

410m at Ince, on grass. Scheduled TODR on the AA5a is 488m on a hard dry runway. Subtract a bit for being below MTOW and possibly headwind, add quite a bit more for grass and the wife and neices and nephews. All a bit too sporting for my taste.

The CTSW, 247m including a 1.3 built-in safety factor, so should be fine - but it's not my aeroplane, I've been doing some teaching on somebody else's, plus it certainly doesn't have the payload for a long trip's fuel plus the overnight bags.


£67 at Ravenair Liverpool, service without extra charges until 1930L, friendly, helpful, and they ran me to the railway station as part of the service. Not the cheapest, but affordable and I couldn't fault the service to be honest. All else being equal, I'd use them again.

Whether I'd have been happy if able to use Woodvale, I've no idea now, but the Liverpool experience I can't fault to be honest.

G

[bingoboy]

Pleased Ravenair worked out, for business users they are good.

Point taken re Ince and the AA5a and agree but a year or so back a chap occasionally commuted in/out but only solo and when light on fuel.